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A whole bunch of small plastic jars with numbers and screw-on lids.
Each one has been thoroughly washed with detergent, even more thoroughly rinsed, and then air dried.
The number of each jar corresponds to one of my sites at cleanwaterhub.com.
At the collection site, I rinse the container 2-3 times in the water I'm sampling (put the lid on and shake it), and then I fill it and put the lid on tight. If I'm using one of the collection tools below, I rinse that 2-3 times in the same water and then take a sample that I use to rinse/fill the numbered jar.
I can sample all my sites on one day or a few when I'm in the area. Since they're numbered, I know which site the sample came from.
I take all the samples home and let them sit for at least an hour to come to room temperature. And then I do a 30-second test with a Hach nitrate strip and record the reading.
This is the first tool I made: a cheapo grabber ($1.49 at the local DIY store) with a plastic bottle that fits its grasp (and some shelf liner to improve traction).
It works amazingly well for what it is. I can easily rinse the bottle a couple times and then fill my collection container.
I added a heavy rubber band to the grip, so it does most of the holding.
A bottle that fits the shape of the jaws, with shelf liner for extra grab. And a wide mouth to make it easy.
It provides me with an additional 30" of reach, which can be really handy.
Ask a Neighboring Farmer
My neighbor enjoys making things, so I showed him an expensive European long-arm collection tool and asked how he'd make it. He has a welder, and he's a good friend.
Now I have short-range and long-range capabilities!
The 1" PVC pole is 6' long, making it easy for me to reach the water from a distance. Smaller-diameter PVC would be lighter but not as sturdy.
I'm taking samples from tile outlets, small streams, and creeks/pond overflows. It's good to have a dependable collection system!
Two eye hooks make it easy to fill the cup with water.
I fill and dump it at least twice before filling the collection bottle for that site.
The eye bolts and two pieces of threaded rod are welded together. The ends of the threaded rod are secured to the container with nuts, inside and out.
Using two pieces of rod provides better weld for the eye bolt. One solid piece of threaded rod would be simpler, but might not hold as well.
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