Digital Testers?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
M

MBTulsa

0
May 21, 2010
4
We just remodeled our 15 year old inground gunite pool - new lagoon finish plaster, new tile, new pump, new heater, new in-floor cleaner heads, plus we converted it to saltwater.

We are just getting used to adjusting all the new equipment and we are reading the manual on the Salt Water Generator and keeping our salinity at 2.9 with the generator running at 50%.

So far - we haven't tested the chemisty of the water - but we are thinking about purchasing the AquaCheck TruTest digital tester.

Any luck with this digital tester kit? I've read some reviews on Amazon and other sites and they are about 50/50.

We love this site and wanted to check with you all.

Thanks!
 
Welcome to TFP!

The AquaCheck TruTest is not a good choice, better than guessing but not a good long term solution. It depends on test strips, which are inherently imprecise.

The drop based tests in the TF-100 and K-2006 are the best choice, dramatically better than things like the AquaCheck TruTest, and also better than the ColorQ (though not by as much). Having a really good test kit makes a huge difference. Without reliable test results you will be wasting chemicals and risking problems.
 
There aren't any count the drops till the color change tests for PH. There are some acceptable digital PH meters for under $100. PH is about the only level you can reliably measure with a meter. You do need to get a unit that takes a multi-point calibration and calibrate the meter regularly or it will drift.
 
JasonLion said:
There aren't any count the drops till the color change tests for PH. There are some acceptable digital PH meters for under $100. PH is about the only level you can reliably measure with a meter. You do need to get a unit that takes a multi-point calibration and calibrate the meter regularly or it will drift.
Click to expand...

I find it hard to pay that much for something that only does 1 test. The digital tester that was posted above with a link here seems like it could be a good one.
 
The ColorQ has several advantages, and a couple of disadvantages. It is quite good at FC, TC, and PH, more or less acceptable at TA and CH, and not really OK at CYA. Plus, you need to understand its quirks and limitations. It can't test anything when FC is above 10 or CH is very high.
 
I've been using the ColorQ for 1yr. The CH & Alkalinity tests are usually a bit off when compared to the Taylor kit. However, it is usually dead on with the FC, TC & pH. The CYA test is not accurate.
A few things to watch out for with this kit. Change the test vials every 3 mnths or when the become scratched or stained. If the vials aren't in tip-top shape, you'll end up with false readings or an "er7" message on the screen.
The light chamber needs to be kept clean & dry for the same reason. You can clean it with a Q-tip & some Windex.
The batteries last me about 2 months (takes 2 AAs). I use the ColorQ to take my tests every 2hrs, 7 days a week(commercial pool), I'm sure that the batteries will last you all summer.
The reagent replacement kits run about $45, that will include your FC,TC, pH tests & extra test vials(change them! :). CH, ALkalinity & the CYA refills are extra.
As stated above, it does not read FC levels above 10ppm, however, the manufactuer provides directions on how to dilute the sample using distilled water in order to give you an idea of what your FC is. The kit does not come with in-depth instructions, but, they can be found on the LaMotte site.
In general, I very much like this kit because it takes the guesswork out of water sampling. It's also good if someone is colorblind because it is digital.

Hope this helps you :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply