I feel as though I have wasted $110 on the ColorQ test kit. I have the TF-100 kit, but have always had trouble reading the ph. I have been comparing my TF-100 kit to the new colorQ kit for 3 days now and every test is off except for the ph and alkalinity. I had heard that the FC and CH should be right, but I'm not having good results. My FC is always lower on the color Q than the TF-100 kit by about 1.5ppm. The CH is always higher on the ColorQ reading 310 compared to 260 on the TF-100. The CYA I expected to be off, and it is too. My TF-100 consistently reads at 60-70 and the ColorQ tells me that my CYA is 96. I think I will try to return it. If I could have spent $110 on a small more compact Ph tester, It would have been ok, but this thing is kind of big to carry around just to test Ph and still have to carry the TF-kit too. I wish I would have never bought it.
Money wasted
- Thread starter teppy
- Start date
There is a good discussion about the ColorQ on this forum at http://www.troublefreepool.com/lamotte-colorq-water-tester-t932.html?hilit=ColorQ.
I'm a newby, so please keep that in mind when you read my response. I have both kits also. I like my ColorQ for CL and PH. They are quick, accurate and DPD is inexpensive. PH and DPD are both subjective (for me) and the colorimeter seems to be dead on. If you have a TF-100, you don't need it. I probably wouldn't have bought mine "if I knew then what I know now". Other tests are consistently ballpark. Cool gadget though.
If you want to check your reagents, the Taylor DPD reagents are interchangeable with the LaMotte. Also, my LaMotte test "tubes" hold a strong meniscus, so make sure you're reading the bottom yours? If the reagents are good and your testing is good, then I'd contact LaMotte. Or get your money back. (I'd like to have a handheld PH meter, but I'm wary of the calibration requirements.)
I'm a newby, so please keep that in mind when you read my response. I have both kits also. I like my ColorQ for CL and PH. They are quick, accurate and DPD is inexpensive. PH and DPD are both subjective (for me) and the colorimeter seems to be dead on. If you have a TF-100, you don't need it. I probably wouldn't have bought mine "if I knew then what I know now". Other tests are consistently ballpark. Cool gadget though.
If you want to check your reagents, the Taylor DPD reagents are interchangeable with the LaMotte. Also, my LaMotte test "tubes" hold a strong meniscus, so make sure you're reading the bottom yours? If the reagents are good and your testing is good, then I'd contact LaMotte. Or get your money back. (I'd like to have a handheld PH meter, but I'm wary of the calibration requirements.)
THANKS for the reply billyborbob, I have seen that thread. I guess i was just more concerned about the FC, TC and Ch results I am getting with the colorQ because of the posts in that thread that you gave mentions how good this test is. These test results have not been good for me. my test kit is a newer one with the liquid since some of last post in that thread where some of the poeple were using the tablet regents and getting lower readings. I am getting higher readings with my CH and CYA using the Color Q than as compared to the TF-100 kit. I mean my FC and TC are off by 2ppm in most of the comparison tests. A TC of 5ppm is a pretty big difference of 7.5ppm as far as determining how much to chlorinate my pool by my CYA reading. I expected much more consistent results in this area of testing. The only tests that I thought would be off was the CYA.
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