Testing CYA

[sdf8]

The instructions for running the CYA test indicate waiting 30 seconds after adding the reagent and before running the test. Is there an upper limit on how long you can wait?

I've had some problems getting CYA to register when testing. About ten days ago, I added enough CYA to increase things by 10 ppm. Then, a week ago, I added another 10 ppm. Over the weekend, I added another 10 ppm.

I understand it takes up to a week for CYA to show up properly in the test. However, this AM, I ran a test and expected to see around 20 ppm. I got nothing after waiting close to a minute before testing. I poured the mix back into the dropper bottle to test a second time, but got side-tracked. I don't remember how long I was away, but it was more than two minutes and less than ten minutes. I then poured the mix back into the CYA tube and it was now cloudy and came in about the expected 20 ppm.

Any reason why it might take longer than 30 seconds to start working? Is there any problem with waiting more than 30 seconds, perhaps quite a bit more? Mind you, I wouldn't necessarily expect things to test properly if I let it sit 24 hours, but is there an advantage to waiting a few more minutes?

FWIW, this is a new TF100XL test kit.

thanks,
sf

 

[JasonLion]

At normal summer temperatures the test is good for at least five minutes of waiting.

When the pool water is cold it can take longer than 30 seconds before it is ready to view.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Jason answered your question but something else is bothering me.

You added 10ppm of CYA 3 times but you were only expecting to see 20 ppm on the test! Did I read that correctly?

At any rate, You got what you expected so all is good. You did shake the sample good just before you poured it into the view tube didn't you?

 

[anonapersona]

I think the last 10ppm was too recent (this weekend, today is Monday) to be expected to show up on test.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Thanks Anona, I missed that

 

[sdf8]

Jason answered your question but something else is bothering me.

You added 10ppm of CYA 3 times but you were only expecting to see 20 ppm on the test! Did I read that correctly?

At any rate, You got what you expected so all is good. You did shake the sample good just before you poured it into the view tube didn't you?

Sorry to confuse you. As pointed out by another poster, it was too early to see the results from the weekend...I wasn't a clear about that as I could have been.

I *did* shake up the sample. It just seems to take a little longer than expected for some reason. I'll be testing again in a few days and hopefully we'll be back up to 30 PPM.

Thanks to everyone.

sf