[dba-Tech] Has anyone kickstarted?

[Tina Norris Fields]

JWC,

Could this technique be expanded to assist in water sampling analysis 
for lakes and streams?  We do periodic sampling of our waters here, for 
Phosphorous, Nitrite:Nitrate, dissolved Oxygen, pH, temperature, E. 
coli, phytoplankton, and some other stuff.  Our fieldwork plans always 
include designating who will get the samples to the lab within the 
required time parameters, which means that sampling over a weekend is 
problematic because the labs are not open.  Finding a solution to that 
issue with an accurate light spectrum analytical tool would be very 
welcome.  Thoughts?

TNF

Tina Norris Fields
tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com
231-322-2787

On 3/12/2015 3:08 PM, John W. Colby wrote:
> Visible spectrum analysis of lights (LEDs, florescent etc) is widely 
> talked about (and done) in the aquarium community. Basically shine a 
> light of interest on a spectrum analyzer and measure the strength of 
> the light at various frequencies.  A kickstarter project built an 
> inexpensive analyzer using a diffraction grid plastic, a shaped (dark) 
> box and a cell phone camera.  Use the cell phone to run software to 
> display (and graph) the resulting spectrum.
>
> http://publiclaboratory.org/wiki/spectrometer
>
> Measuring various properties of aquarium water (inexpensively) uses 
> measured vials of water (5ml), adding various "number of drops" of one 
> or more titrating liquids. You then compare the resulting liquid color 
> to a color card to determine the amount of the substance being 
> measured.  You can buy kits which measure PH (High and low), Amonia, 
> Nitrite and Nitrate.  The process involves taking 4 water samples. 
> then dropping the correct number of drops of various things into each 
> sample, comparing the resulting colors to an included card.
>
> For anyone who has actually done this... it is an inexact science to 
> say the least.  The color cards contain shades which are difficult 
> (impossible) to really accurately gauge when holding the tube against 
> the card.  As an example, the Amonia test is really yellow turning to 
> green, but it is basically impossible to tell which of three shades 
> your tube matches.  In this example, any three adjacent shades are 
> close enough together (to the eye) that "who knows".  And yet for 
> example, one is 1 PPM (borderline bad), the next is 2 PPM (bad) the 
> next is 4 PPM (do a water change NOW, do not stop for dinner).
>
> So all you really get is a range.  Unfortunately one end of that range 
> is non-toxic, the other is toxic as hell.
>
> So...
>
> Take the tubes of water, beam light through them and measure the 
> resulting color intensity with a spectrum analyzer using a camera and 
> software.  If the light intensity is known and stable (a white LED), 
> the sample is placed in a dark chamber so only light from the LED can 
> pass through the sample (and not leak around the sample), the distance 
> from the sample to the diffraction box is stable, and the distance 
> from the diffraction grid to the camera is stable (and doesn't leak 
> light) then you should be able to accurately and reliably measure 
> intensity and color of light through the sample.
>
> Reliable analysis.
>
> If you can automate the process, you get automated reliable analysis.  
> Twice a day (week, month) measurement of all measurable parameters.  
> Throw in water temp.  Throw in logging.  Throw in Wifi and a browser 
> interface.  Heck, throw in automated dosing of chemicals to correct 
> the issue.
>
> The first part (measuring the color) is relatively simple. Automation 
> is not.
>
> I am ordering the USB Desktop analyzer and will then build a little 
> box to hold the sample vials such that light is forced through the 
> vials (not around) and a powerful white LED as a light source.  I will 
> then test the measuring concept with this widget. If it works then I 
> can reliably measure my own aquarium water.
>
> If it works, that is where kickstarter would come in, commercializing 
> this.  There is a pretty large community out there of folks doing 
> aquariums, even high end aquariums.  Lots of people, lots of money.  
> From what I can tell, and I have done a lot of reading, everyone just 
> uses the liquid tests.  So selling into a high end market where people 
> already use and are comfortable with these tests, but providing really 
> accurate measuring, logging etc seems like a viable business.
>
> John W. Colby
>