Drawing Salts

•  The sample bottle number should ALWAYS match the rosette bottle number – check and double-check this during the sample drawing process.  If you ever have any doubt about the sample, dump it and start over.
• The sample bottles are stored inverted – they should not be turned over until the sample has been taken.  If you need to step away from sampling for any reason and have not filled the sample bottle, return it to the case inverted.
• The bottles should never be stored empty so as the old sample is dumped, use it to rinse any salt that may have crystallized on the threads, thimble, and cap.
• Salt samples are usually drawn from the bottom valve. Fill the bottle with ~40mls of seawater, cap loosely, shake then dump, rinsing the threads and thimble.  Repeat – you should rinse the bottle 3 times; the dumping of old sample does not count as a rinse.
• The last fill should be done without interruption until overflowing, filling the bottle completely; pour ~10ml out over the thimble, place it firmly in the bottle and cap.  The caps are brittle and should be tightened gently. If they crack, retrieve a replacement from the spares Ziploc, keeping the thimble in place.  See photo for optimal fill height.
• Salts are taken from all closed rosette bottles unless directed otherwise.
• Sample bottles are fragile – carefully place them back in the correct slot.  If you drop one on deck or into the case and crack the glass, replace the cracked bottle from the spares case, adding the bottle number.  Redraw the sample.
• Once all the salts are taken:
• fill out a sample label (on the sample log clipboard) with the time, your initials, total number of samples Place the label in a plastic sleeve and into the box of samples
• take into the lab, adding it to the end of the “salt box queue”; bring out an empty case for next station.
• add your initials to the bottom of the sample log’s salt column.