Just got test kit. TA/CYA results don't match stores'

[poohgirl]

I took a water sample into Leslie's this morning to have them test it so that I'd have results to compare to since I also picked up a their FAS-DPD test kit and I am a N00b.

They gave me readings for FC, TA, CYA and PH.

I got similar results for FC and PH. But the TA and CYA were way off.

Leslie's says:
TA = 160
CYA = 150

I got:
TA = 90
CYA = 40

They used a test strip. I've done the tests twice now and got the same results. Is it safe to go with my results? I followed the directions on the box and I don't think I've screwed up. But the huge difference does worry me a little.

I am getting ready to wage war on some Mustard algae and I need to know I can go with my results.

 

[dmanb2b]

Trust your Tf100 results. The CYA test is the most important for shocking and as long as you used 50% pool water and 50% R-0013 and mixed it to fill the CYA view tube, you should be good to go.

 

[JasonLion]

I agree with dmanb2b. The number of stories we hear about wildly wrong pool store results is incredible.

 

[Isaac-1]

This is why when new members here post results from pool stores we tend to tell them they need to get their own quality test kit. The simple fact is most pool store employees are trained more in sales techniques to sell chemicals than in proper testing procedures and there is no down side to them if they get the testing wrong.

 

[cflannagan]

I took a water sample into Leslie's this morning to have them test it so that I'd have results to compare to since I also picked up a their FAS-DPD test kit and I am a N00b.

They gave me readings for FC, TA, CYA and PH.

I got similar results for FC and PH. But the TA and CYA were way off.

Leslie's says:
TA = 160
CYA = 150

I got:
TA = 90
CYA = 40

They used a test strip. I've done the tests twice now and got the same results. Is it safe to go with my results? I followed the directions on the box and I don't think I've screwed up. But the huge difference does worry me a little.

I am getting ready to wage war on some Mustard algae and I need to know I can go with my results.

Same boat. Pinch-a-Penny says my CYA is 80 for 2 weeks consecutive then in the 3rd week says it's 60, yet TFT-100 says 40, twice.

 

[poohgirl]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'm going with what I got

 

[thunderkyss]

I agree with dmanb2b. The number of stories we hear about wildly wrong pool store results is incredible.

If the OP is a noob (like myself) then how sure are we of how accurately we (noobs) are reading our test results?

I mean this kit is asking me to count drops, and judge color changes. Is it red, pink, fuscia?

Green, blue, purple... I was just reading another thread & found out I'm supposed to keep adding drops during the CH test until the color ceases to change & I don't count the last drop.

I had been adding drops until it changed to what I thought was more or less blue.

& the CYA test... depending on how hard I squint, I can almost always see that dot at the bottom of the tube.

I'm just saying, not all pool store people are evil, can't be. & they have more experience reading these kits than I do.

If only someone were here to show me....... or post a Youtube video.....

 

[JasonLion]

I'm not suggesting that anyone is evil, and there are certainly some amazing pool stores out there that give very very good test results. That said, even a complete beginner will get best test results from a top test kit than all but the very best pool stores give. There are all kinds of disadvantages to pool store testing that have nothing to do with problems at the store, not the least of which is that the FC level often changes significantly on the way to the pool store. Likewise, even testing wrong is not so bad if you test wrong the same way each time. Pool store results on different days often come from different people who often do the test differently and get different results from water with the same levels.

 

[chem geek]

If only someone were here to show me....... or post a Youtube video.....

I'm sure you do just fine with the tests. If you want videos, look at those made by Taylor Technologies where you click on the "Pool / Spa" category on the left and then select the video you want to watch from the list where you can scroll down to videos about the various tests of the K-2006.

 

[Isaac-1]

Some of the topics have already been addressed, but here are a few more points, first off what you say about practice is partly true, however I can tell you that you are far more concerned with getting the right result than anyone you will find working at a pool store. This means soon enough you will feel comfortable performing these tests, and your confidence in your results will go up. Also with the majority of the tests in a high quality test kit you are looking for a major color change, with perhaps 1 or 2 transitory drops, you are not trying to match colors to some calibrated scale. And yes the CYA test is probably the hardest to get right, but is easy to repeat with the same mixture by just pouring water back and forth, so while getting precise results and be difficult getting in the right ballpark is fairly easy. If you need it on the CYA test calibrated solutions are available for comparison.

Ike