However, we discovered that this placement of the heater could lead to problems because the main body of the heater is designed to be immersed in water when the heater is on. When monitors lifted the lid to put petri dishes into the incubator, the heater was raised out of the water, which sometimes resulted in heater malfunction. To prevent this problem, the design has been changed to allow the heater to be placed horizontally at the bottom of the incubator. Because the top portion of the heater is not designed to be immersed, this horizontal placement requires that the heater guard be removed and reglued for a tight seal. Also, care must be taken to ensure that the heater is completely level.
Incorrect installment can result in leaking.
Another issue confronted by many volunteer groups that test for bacteria is how to sterilize the equipment if they do not have access to an autoclave. However, during the bacteria-testing workshop at the recent national volunteer monitoring conference some attenders raised concerns over the possible toxicity of the alcohol to the indicator bacteria. We are also looking into the feasibility of outfitting monitors with UV lamp boxes for sterilization. We welcome any ideas or suggestions that newsletter readers may have. CRWN monitors use the fecal coliform test to identify trouble spots, which are then verified by Lower Colorado River Authority professionals.