I've already written to Dave but I wanted to hear from others who may have done a Baquacil conversion using the TF-100 test kit. Is it normal to go through a whole bottle of the R-871 solution in less than a week? After 5 days of testing 4-5 times a day, I only have about 1/4 inch of this solution left in my bottle. I have plenty of powder and the other solution that is used to test for CCs.
Now I am running out of test solution
- Thread starter MeSue
- Start date
I just did a test now (7 PM) and topped up the chlorine. I don't think I have enough solution to do more than one more test. Is 7 PM late enough for my overnight check?
Okie dokie. I kind of doubt I even have 30 drops in there, but we'll see. Is there any way to measure FC with less drops? The OTO test measures TC, right?
I can't believe I didn't notice how low it was before today. Geez...
I can't believe I didn't notice how low it was before today. Geez...
It is not "officially supported" but if you use a 5 mL sample then each drop should read as 1 ppm.
Great. I'll do that for my morning test and then hopefully one of the pool stores in town will have that reagent.
When I first put together this kit, trying to include reasonable amounts of reagent was paramount to me. Hence, 4 oz of CY A reagent...enough to do 8 full cya tests and more, if your clever and have high CYA. The CH test and Alk tests seemed to be overly adequate @ 1 oz for each reagent (.5oz for the R-0011L)
The biggest issue was with the R-0871.....It's easily the most expensive reagent so the one quickest to affect the overall cost of the kit. I had two different sources for measuring drops. One said 20 drops per ml...the other 30 drops per ml. Splitting the difference and assuming 25 drops per ml, that's 750 drops of reagent per 30 ml bottle found in the kit.
Next, I assumed the average FC test would take 20 drops (just a WAG....but it made sense). All that works out to 35+ FC tests which would seem adequate. Those numbers do not take into account a baq conversion that takes very high chlorine levels for long periods of time.
I could've put 60 ml of R-0871 in the kit but it would've raised the cost of the kit by more than five bucks and perhaps too pricey for some folks compared to the Taylor-K-2006 (I think the 2006 has 22ml of R-0871, but I'm not sure).
Anyway, my point in this is my ears are open and it is my objective to produce a kit that represents a good value to the average user and is competitive pricewise. Threads like this are important to me and your input, either public or private, will shape the contents of the kit in the future.
The biggest issue was with the R-0871.....It's easily the most expensive reagent so the one quickest to affect the overall cost of the kit. I had two different sources for measuring drops. One said 20 drops per ml...the other 30 drops per ml. Splitting the difference and assuming 25 drops per ml, that's 750 drops of reagent per 30 ml bottle found in the kit.
Next, I assumed the average FC test would take 20 drops (just a WAG....but it made sense). All that works out to 35+ FC tests which would seem adequate. Those numbers do not take into account a baq conversion that takes very high chlorine levels for long periods of time.
I could've put 60 ml of R-0871 in the kit but it would've raised the cost of the kit by more than five bucks and perhaps too pricey for some folks compared to the Taylor-K-2006 (I think the 2006 has 22ml of R-0871, but I'm not sure).
Anyway, my point in this is my ears are open and it is my objective to produce a kit that represents a good value to the average user and is competitive pricewise. Threads like this are important to me and your input, either public or private, will shape the contents of the kit in the future.
Duraleigh,
I don't know how practical it may be, but a thought that occurred to me would be to offer specialized kits. Maybe a different focus for each kit - baq conversion kit, vinyl pool kit, plaster/concrete kit, or whatever specialized kits that might be put together? Maybe a short 4 to 8 question "quiz" to steer newbies in the right direction if they need a specialized kit?
I'm not sure of the volume of business you do, so it may or may not be worth the trouble of that type of customization. Just an idea... :?:
I don't know how practical it may be, but a thought that occurred to me would be to offer specialized kits. Maybe a different focus for each kit - baq conversion kit, vinyl pool kit, plaster/concrete kit, or whatever specialized kits that might be put together? Maybe a short 4 to 8 question "quiz" to steer newbies in the right direction if they need a specialized kit?
I'm not sure of the volume of business you do, so it may or may not be worth the trouble of that type of customization. Just an idea... :?:
Wow... your estimates are pretty close if my cipherin' is right! I just totaled the TC column from all the tests I have done (I did 25 tests and every time, I tested for both FC and CC), then if I double that number, it should be the number of drops I've used, yes? It comes to 853 drops. I'd be real surprised if there are even 10 drops left in the bottle at this point.
So it looks like my kit was not shorted or anything, but I am in quite a pickle now if I can't find the reagent locally.
I understand it must be quite a balancing act for you in creating the kit. My initial impression of the kit is that there sure is a lot of stuff for testing CH, which is of little use to me with a vinyl liner. (Note that I have not even used that test yet so I have no idea how much of each reagent is used for that test.)
I have no problem paying for more of the R-0871... I just wish I would have known beforehand that the amount in the kit was not likely to get me through a Baq. conversion. Maybe you could note something on the product pages that makes it clear that converters will need more of this specific reagent? The only other thing I can think of is to sell a converter's kit which includes more of that one and less of the others (since there is little point doing the other tests until conversion is over).
So it looks like my kit was not shorted or anything, but I am in quite a pickle now if I can't find the reagent locally.
I understand it must be quite a balancing act for you in creating the kit. My initial impression of the kit is that there sure is a lot of stuff for testing CH, which is of little use to me with a vinyl liner. (Note that I have not even used that test yet so I have no idea how much of each reagent is used for that test.)
I have no problem paying for more of the R-0871... I just wish I would have known beforehand that the amount in the kit was not likely to get me through a Baq. conversion. Maybe you could note something on the product pages that makes it clear that converters will need more of this specific reagent? The only other thing I can think of is to sell a converter's kit which includes more of that one and less of the others (since there is little point doing the other tests until conversion is over).