diff --git a/app/models/collection-measurement.js b/app/models/collection-measurement.js
index 776fb6f..41eef75 100644
--- a/app/models/collection-measurement.js
+++ b/app/models/collection-measurement.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import DS from 'ember-data';
 const { Model, attr, belongsTo } = DS;
 
 export default Model.extend({
-  dateMeasured: attr('string'),
+  dateMeasured: attr('ccdb-date'),
   timeMeasured: attr('string'),
   waterTempC:   attr('number'),
   airTempC:     attr('number'),
diff --git a/app/models/collection.js b/app/models/collection.js
index d386a3b..05c90fd 100644
--- a/app/models/collection.js
+++ b/app/models/collection.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export default Model.extend({
   collectionStartTime: attr('string-null-to-empty'),
   collectionEndDate:   attr('ccdb-date'),
   collectionEndTime:   attr('string-null-to-empty'),
-  notes:               attr('string'),
+  notes:               attr('string', { defaultValue: '' }),
 
   project:           belongsTo('project'),
   studyLocation:     belongsTo('study-location'),
diff --git a/app/templates/components/collection/create-container.hbs b/app/templates/components/collection/create-container.hbs
index 52cab30..c5767db 100644
--- a/app/templates/components/collection/create-container.hbs
+++ b/app/templates/components/collection/create-container.hbs
@@ -206,7 +206,15 @@
                 <tr class="form">
                   <td class="col-md-3">
                     {{#validated-field property='dateMeasured' changeset=cm.changeset}}
-                      {{input value=cm.changeset.dateMeasured type='date' class='form-control'}}
+                      {{
+                        pikaday-input
+                        onSelection=(action (mut cm.changeset.dateMeasured))
+                        value=cm.changeset.dateMeasured
+                        useUTC=true
+                        placeholder='MM/DD/YYYY'
+                        format='MM/DD/YYYY'
+                        class='form-control'
+                      }}
                     {{/validated-field}}
                   </td>
                   <td class="col-md-3">