Bacteria

I was recommended that the next time I test for coliform is to open the petri dish dish and smell it so the next time I go to a well I can compare it with the odors in well water.

I told I didn't buy that advice but he repeated numerous times on line.

I told him that it was best to take samples to certified labs and expect documented results.

My question is: Has anyone heard of such a method?

Andy CWS-II

I would never stake the health of anyone (or animal) on such a sniff test. Do it by the numbers in accordance with standard accepted (scientific) practices.

Just remember, you can always tell a fool but you can't tell him much!

There are all sort of specious processes for doing things, spunk water and dead cats for treating warts sort of stuff. Don't take dumb risks with health issues.

It is good to hear from you Andy.

Pat

It might have merit if your olfactory senses were refined to the point that they are much more sensitive than the ones you posses.

Perhaps your adviser has abnormal abilities but until you can equate yours with reputable testing facilities perhaps stay with the reputable testing facilities.

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

As you have done on many forums, you are misrepresenting what you were told. Actually I told you to smell the odor to be able to compare the odor to other odors found in ground water and possibly in the future relate the odor to Coliform bacteria contaminated water before testing for Coliform. You also said you don't test your well water prospective customers' water for Coliform bacteria. That is a disservice to those people.

I'm sorry, you advised removing the petri dish lid and smelling it. Just thought that was very strange and everyone else I mentioned it to, thought likewise. But you have your ways.

Of course they did because as you have done on many forums, you are misrepresenting what you were told.

Sorry Gary, I was not misrepresenting anything you said.

You advised me to remove the lid off of a petri dish containing an active culture of coliform and sniff it to register an odor so that I could compare it to odors found in well
water samples. No misrepresentation there.

I had never mentioned your name so if you want to claim such a testing method, I will be sure to pass your wisdom on to others.

Since this is obviously going in circles, I'll comment no more on this topic.

Happy sniffing

Since you have said that you have never done a Coliform bacteria test yourself, I guess you don't know that you must open the petri dish, or the presence/absence sample container to properly dispose of the test results. If you do enough tests, and dispose of the samples properly (pour it down the toilet), you get acquainted with the various odors to possibly be able to guess which water in the future may have Coliform bacteria in it. But then you must not be smelling your prospective customers' water when you collect samples you use to attempt to sell them a water softener. Familiarizing yourself with the odors was my suggestion if you recall. It was not as you misrepresented it here and on 15-18 other forums where we post, to be a test to identify Coliform, it was to enable you to be able to tell a customer their water may be contaminated before the Coliform bacteria test was done. IOWs it was a FYI thing for you to use to become a better water treatment guy instead of just a Kinetico softener salesman.