Tools of the Trade
Learn about our most used science tools!
Great Pond Foundation’s science team works hard to assess pond health and collect quality data. Our data collection would not be possible without our science equipment. Here are some of our most used science tools.
Water Quality Meter
The most utilized tool for our Ecosystem Monitoring Program is our handheld water quality meter. We use an industry standard YSI Pro DSS. This device has a multiparameter probe which measures water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. The probe is attached to a cable which allows us to lower it into the water and measure these parameters throughout the water column to determine how they change with depth.
Secchi Disk
Another tool that we use daily for our Ecosystem Monitoring Program is a Secchi disk. This is a standardized black and white disk connected to a tape measure that is used to determine water clarity and light penetration. If the water is murky, the disk will disappear closer to the surface. If the water is clear the Secchi disk is visible at deeper depths and can often be visible at the bottom. Although there are higher-tech ways of measuring water clarity and light penetration Secchi disk measurements are universal and have been used for many years. Due to this long-term use, it is useful for historic comparisons.
Fluoroprobe
