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Stone Lab Algal and Water Quality Laboratory | Ohio Sea Grant

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Stone Lab Algal and Water Quality Laboratory

Stone Lab's water quality labs offers a lakeside research location for scientists studying harmful algal blooms

The Stone Lab Algal & Water Quality Lab, which opened in 2013, allows researchers to identify plankton, measure chlorophyll content and cyanobacteria toxins, analyze organic and inorganic suspended solids, and test for nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

These tests enable scientists to tackle the issue of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie better than ever before.

A new buoy donated by Fondriest Environmental and upgraded with additional equipment through grant funding helps Stone Lab staff monitor water conditions, including harmful algal blooms, in Lake Erie’s western basin.


Buoy Data

Recorded at October 16, 3:45 pm
Battery 11.600 V
Air Temp ° C
Relative Humidity %
Relative Barometric Pressure hPa
Wind Speed m/s
Max Wind Speed m/s
Wind Direction ---
Wet Bulb Temp ° C
Precip Type
Rain Intensity cm/h
Total Rain mm
Interval Rain mm
Heading Degree
Surface Water Temp 14.380 ° C
Water Temp 1 Meter 14.410 ° C
Water Temp 57.920 ° F
Specific Conductivity 216.000 uS/cm
Depth of Sensor 0.795 m
Water pH 8.220 pH
Turbidity 20.950 NTU+
Chlorophyll RFU 1.880 RFU
Cyanobacteria RFU MEDIUM0.860 RFU
Dissolved O2 Saturation 93.710 %
Dissolved O2 9.570 mg/L
Created at 2023-10-16 22:13:42
Visit Great Lakes Observing System

Query station information and more variables at the HABS Data Portal station website hosted at glos.us

View Station
Water Quality Live Data

Query up-to-date telemetric data directly from the buoy powered by WQDataLive.com

Live Data

Analytical Equipment Available

The new water quality laboratory offers lake researchers the ability to analyze water samples for nutrient concentration, algal biomass, and cyanobacterial toxins. The growth chamber provides researchers the ability for controlled environment conditions for algal growth experiments. The lab is stocked with glassware, balances, filtering manifolds, and pipettes. Deionized water is available at most sinks. Freezer space (-20°C and -80°C ) is available.

  • Barnstead Nanopure Water
  • SEAL 5-Channel Nutrient Analyzer
  • Geneva Growth Chamber
  • Eppendorf Refrigerated Centrifuge
  • Thermo Sci Drying Oven
  • Thermo Sci Muffle Furance
  • Fisher Sci Sonicator
  • BioTek 96-well Plate Reader
  • Shimadzu UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
  • NAPCO Benchtop Autoclave
  • Refrigerator & Freezers (-80°C)
  • Adventure Analytical Balance
  • Pipettes 0.2 µL to 10,000 µL
  • Filter funnels and manifolds
  • Vacuum pumps
  • Mettler Toledo pH meter
  • Stirring hot plate
  • Hot water bath
  • Beakers, flasks, and cylinders
  • General lab supplies

Lake Erie Water Quality Data

Water samples were collected by charter boat captains and Stone Lab scientists in to track the water quality of Lake Erie. Samples were analyzed for chlorophyll a (an indicator of algae biomass), microcystins (a group of toxins produced by cyanobacteria), total phosphorus and nitrogen (indicators of maximum biomass potential), dissolved nitrate, phosphate, and silicate (nutrients available for algae), and total suspended solids (mass of all particulates in the water). The captains record GPS location, water temperature, and Secchi disk depth (indicator of water clarity). Ohio EPA Environmental Education Fund and Surface Water Improvement Fund, Ohio Sea Grant, Ohio Water Resources Center, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, the National Science Foundation, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have sponsored the data collection.

The HABs Grab was a high spatial resolution, one-day sample event in the western basin of Lake Erie conducted during early August of 2018 and 2019. Several groups participated in sample collection and sample analysis. NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science funded the HABs Grab data collection via the ECOHAB program.