I have the Lamotte ColorQ Pro 7, which I really like. It is drop based for all by CYN. Very easy to use.
pH measurement via non-visual inspection?
- Thread starter 300winmag
- Start date
Jaimslaw
LifeTime Supporter
I have never used this model but saw that it gets reviewed well on Amazon 85%: four stars or better.
For those so inclined (or color challenged), a secondary ph testing method (e.g. ph meter, ColorQ)
can be very helpful in getting ahead of the ph test learning curve (ref. color reading, not methodology). I use my ph meter now and then to compare it with the Taylor color block. In a manner of speaking, this allows me to "calibrate" the color reading I am getting on the color block for future reference. Particularly helpful when higher than normal Chlorine levels skew the ph color to produce a color that does not resemble/match anything on the color block (comparator)...typically, a darker red color when pool has higher than optimal CL levels. Parenthetically speaking, who amongst us haven't at some point, questioned or hesitated a little about their ph color interpretation.
FWIW, I gain more confidence about what the ph reading I am taking off the color block is for those times when I don't pull out the ph meter. I have even allowed ph to drift up into the higher levels in order to use the ph meter to ascertain a reasonably precise ph reading, which I then compare to the color block and dial it in mentally for future testing. This because I like to maintain my ph at the higher levels for more ph stability ....and want to ensure I don't cross over it to unacceptable ph levels of + 7.8. Those last to upper purplish colors on the block can be a bit difficult to get a good read or feel for what is the ph level.
It remains the case that many here scratch their heads and question why go to this extra effort to perform what is for them, a cut and dried testing process..which I find to be somewhat myopic or obtuse thinking. So it is that I raise my hat to those of you who, notwithstanding finding little or no difficulty with this testing process, nevertheless make the effort to suggest alternatives to something other than what works for them.
For those so inclined (or color challenged), a secondary ph testing method (e.g. ph meter, ColorQ)
can be very helpful in getting ahead of the ph test learning curve (ref. color reading, not methodology). I use my ph meter now and then to compare it with the Taylor color block. In a manner of speaking, this allows me to "calibrate" the color reading I am getting on the color block for future reference. Particularly helpful when higher than normal Chlorine levels skew the ph color to produce a color that does not resemble/match anything on the color block (comparator)...typically, a darker red color when pool has higher than optimal CL levels. Parenthetically speaking, who amongst us haven't at some point, questioned or hesitated a little about their ph color interpretation.
FWIW, I gain more confidence about what the ph reading I am taking off the color block is for those times when I don't pull out the ph meter. I have even allowed ph to drift up into the higher levels in order to use the ph meter to ascertain a reasonably precise ph reading, which I then compare to the color block and dial it in mentally for future testing. This because I like to maintain my ph at the higher levels for more ph stability ....and want to ensure I don't cross over it to unacceptable ph levels of + 7.8. Those last to upper purplish colors on the block can be a bit difficult to get a good read or feel for what is the ph level.
It remains the case that many here scratch their heads and question why go to this extra effort to perform what is for them, a cut and dried testing process..which I find to be somewhat myopic or obtuse thinking. So it is that I raise my hat to those of you who, notwithstanding finding little or no difficulty with this testing process, nevertheless make the effort to suggest alternatives to something other than what works for them.
One thing I've suggested before, is to try different colored paper as a background. For example, try a shade of green. It will change it from shades of orange to shades of grayish. Might be easier to see a difference that way. It's a trick I use with the cameras at work.
Jaimslaw
LifeTime Supporter
Yes, it is noteworthy that the background color can make quite a bit a difference in what the sample looks like when holding the block up to get a read. Anyone who has compared the color read difference between, say, a blue sky and a white sheet of paper knows how different the ph colors look on the water filled portion of the comparator block.
I'm defintiely going to try that shade of green. Always enjoy experimenting.
Other useful suggestions include using 3 or maybe 4 drops instead of 5 for the ph test. I know now that when I have higher CL numbers, I use 4 drops to help dial in a color closer to the color on the color block (and closer to the actual ph). This is when the PH meter really shines. It can create a reliable baseline when trying different approaches. Thankfully, pool water enjoys a fairly wide amount of "play" in the ph level before things get ugly - just the opposite in aquariums and brewing where small changes in PH can kill expensive fish or ruin the taste of a large batch of brew. It is on these brewing sites that I was able to find a lot of very useful and helpful info about ph meters - a real staple of those hobbies.
I'm defintiely going to try that shade of green. Always enjoy experimenting.
Other useful suggestions include using 3 or maybe 4 drops instead of 5 for the ph test. I know now that when I have higher CL numbers, I use 4 drops to help dial in a color closer to the color on the color block (and closer to the actual ph). This is when the PH meter really shines. It can create a reliable baseline when trying different approaches. Thankfully, pool water enjoys a fairly wide amount of "play" in the ph level before things get ugly - just the opposite in aquariums and brewing where small changes in PH can kill expensive fish or ruin the taste of a large batch of brew. It is on these brewing sites that I was able to find a lot of very useful and helpful info about ph meters - a real staple of those hobbies.