CLONet Sampling General Protocols

These are best practices that we ask you try to stick to as much as possible. Work in pairs to make work more efficient.

Store your kits in a place where they won’t get over heated (please don’t leave in your car).

Most of the kits/gear come with directions that are pretty good. Read these for details on individual kits.

1. Sample from the same spot and at the same time of day each time
   • Jan – Mar: 1 sample every two weeks
   • April – Oct: 1 sample per week
   • Nov – Dec: 1 sample every 2 weeks
2. A good sampling spot will include easily reachable water, deeper than 1 foot, with some space to work in nearby (shade is good)
3. Water sample for dissolved oxygen should be taken directly from lake according to directions
   • This procedure takes a while. One person can get this started while the other moves on to step #4
4. When collecting water for sampling with the big, brown bottle, always fill bottle, empty, and then re-fill with new water.
5. Measure conductivity and temperature first (immediately after sampling), then nitrate, ammonia, phosphate, and pH
6. The dissolved oxygen, ammonia, and nitrate kits produce hazardous waste (mercury, sodium azide, and cadmium, respectively).
   • Please dispose of in WASTE container and contact us to pick up when it’s near full.
7. Rinse anything you used with water squirt bottle
8. All data may be directly input online at www.monmouth.edu/clonet/field-data/. This is recommended but there are also paper data sheets that can then be transferred to the online database. Ultimately, all data must go to the webpage, please.