US 5,668,015 AGranted

Method for measuring organics levels in an aquarium

AssigneeThe Wardley Corporation

InventorJoseph E. Gargas

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Abstract

A kit and method are provided for determining the suitability of the level of organic material in an aquarium. A test sample of water is removed from an aquarium into a test sample container. The pH of the test sample can be lowered and then a quantity of potassium permanganate is added and the test sample is permitted to sit. A control sample of distilled water mixed with an equal amount of potassium permanganate is also prepared in a second container. After a period of time passes, the color of the test sample is compared to the color of the control sample. If the test sample is significantly lighter, additional potassium permanganate is added to the test sample and this procedure is repeated until the test sample achieves the color of the control solution. The amount of potassium permanganate needed to turn the test sample to the color of the control sample is directly proportional to the amount of organic material in the tank. If more than a specified amount is added, the level of organic material in the tank is too high and remedial measures are needed.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of determining the relative level of organic material in an aquarium, comprising the steps of:

removing a test sample of aquarium water having a first volume from an aquarium;
adding dropwise a predetermined mount of potassium permanganate to the aquarium water test sample from a potassium permanganate source;
said predetermined amount of potassium permanganate corresponding to a predetermined number of drops from the potassium permanganate source;
permitting the color of the test sample to substantially stabilize and observing whether the substantially stabilized color of the test sample is pink, said pink color being substantially the color resulting when about the predetermined amount of potassium permanganate is added to distilled water of about the same volume as the volume of the test sample;
and determining that there is an excess level of organic material in the aquarium when the color of the substantially stabilized test sample is not substantially pink and that there is an acceptable level of organic material in the aquarium when the color of the substantially stabilized test sample is substantially pink.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.