Ok, so I have been following the post about Drop Checkers and pH probe mods and decided to go ahead and order a Drop Checker off of E-Bay (looks just like the ADA one)... Now that I have it and am faced with the actual task of setting it up and making the kH reference solution, I have a few questions:

- Cleaning the drop checker before use - I am assuming that a few rinses in the huge amount of kH solution that I will end up with would be sufficient?
- The water - Is "Distilled" water the same thing as "Deionized" water?
- The test regent - Is there a certain pH test regent that is best for this application? The regent that came with the kit was open in transit and had to be thrown away. I am considering using my AP pH test regent... Will this work?
- Refreshing the solution - How often, if ever. should I change the kH reference and Regent to maintain accuracy?
- Shelf life of the kH mix - Since I will be mixing 5 liters of this stuff, can I leave it in my garage for future use? It can get hot in the summer and cold in the winter... Just not sure about the storage of this solution.

Once I have my kH solution baked up, mixed and measured, I plan on using it in the AP kit's pH test, then using that liquid, which will include the regent, to fill the drop checker. Does this sound right?

TIA