Test results from 3 pool stores different...who to believe??

[Godiva]

I performed my own personal experiment this afternoon...there are three pool stores within a mile of my house, all on the same road. So, I brought a water sample to all three. Here are their different results, from their computer printouts:

Store 1:
FC: 4.3
TC: 4.2
CC: -0.1
pH: 7.6
Hardness: 180
Alk: 133
CYA: 90

Store 2:
FC: 3
TC: 3
CC: 0
pH: 7.5
Hardness: 70
Alk: 61
CYA: 30

Store 3 (didn't have CYA reagents to test with):
FC: 1
TC: 1
CC: 0
pH: 6.5
Hardness: 152
Alk: 71

They all want me to add Calcium Chloride to increase hardness (I have a vinyl pool, but have a heater...is this a reason to increase hardness?) Stores 2 and 3 also want me to add more of what we all know is Baking Soda; Store 3 also wants me to raise pH.

I had brought a sample to Store 2 on Saturday, and their results then were:
FC: 6.6
TC: 6.6
CC: 0
pH: 7.7
Hardness: 110
Alk: 0
CYA: 10

Saturday afternoon I added 12 lbs of baking soda to start boosting alkalinity. I also turned my inline chlorinator on yesterday afternoon after we had a bunch of people in the pool, but other than that, I haven't added anything else. I don't know whose numbers to believe. Maybe none, and I'll just have to break down and get one of the Famous Test Kits from here!

 

[Rangeball]

Re: Test results from 3 pool stores different...who to belie

I don't know whose numbers to believe. Maybe none, and I'll just have to break down and get one of the Famous Test Kits from here!

It's the only way to know for sure

 

[JasonLion]

Wow! That is such a marvelous example of why you need to do your own water testing. The PH of 6.5 is particularly impressive, but the CYA range from 10 to 90 is a close second. Safe enough to say that your PH is around 7.6 but there is no telling what your CYA level actually is.

No need to add any calcium to a vinyl pool without a spa.

 

[Butterfly]

Godiva,

That's a real eye-opener! :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani:

Sure hope you get your own kit soon! btw, TF Test Kit by duraleigh, link in my sig

 

[SeanB]

... I don't know whose numbers to believe. Maybe none, and I'll just have to break down and get one of the Famous Test Kits from here!

Great post! At a glance, if I HAD to trust one store, it would be the first. Each of the results from the first is somewhat corroborated by at least one of the other two. Of course that can vary wildly by who happens to run the test. The only way to keep that constant is to do it yourself.

Just to corrent a common misconception, the tf-100 test kit is not from "here" (TFP). It is sold at www.tftestkits.com, BUT TFP supporters to get a nice discount.

 

[rimshaker]

Went to Leslies yesterday to pick up 2 jugs of chlorine (they got a 20% off chemicals sale with postcard going on). Ended up getting a snobby lecture from a worker saying I was wasting my money on jugs because supposedly by the time I get it home and pour it, it's practically close to water. Then he suggests chlorine in powder form.

Lol, it's funny now after the fact but I swear at the time I was about to lose it! Ever since learning about this website last year... I just run in/out of pool stores with jugs as fast as I can to avoid small talk.