I quit adding drops after 50 and the test sample was still green as green can be. I don't have any major problems with this pool, other than pH continually creeps up around 7.8-7.9. Do I make an attempt to get the TA/pH down?
Total Alkalinity>500 -- Is that even possible?!
- Thread starter CeeElGee
- Start date
Very unlikely unless a lot of bicarb was added. Try testing your tap water to see what that is.
How new is the test kit? Do the drops look well formed or small and jumping off the tip of the bottle?
Re: Total Alkalinity>500 -- Is that even possible?!
Alright. Well, I'm more than 40 drops into my tap water and it's still green through and through. I suppose I've got some bad reagent? Nothing has been added recently to the pool except liquid chlorine and some dry acid (pH Minus).
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I purchased the kit here at the beginning of the spring/summer season last year -- about a year old. Drops look normal to me, but I'm not exactly a "drop-ologist."
Alright. Well, I'm more than 40 drops into my tap water and it's still green through and through. I suppose I've got some bad reagent? Nothing has been added recently to the pool except liquid chlorine and some dry acid (pH Minus).
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I purchased the kit here at the beginning of the spring/summer season last year -- about a year old. Drops look normal to me, but I'm not exactly a "drop-ologist."
Just was curious if the test kit was brand new and the drops were coming out too small due to static ... that is not likely give the age of the kit.
How was it stored?
How was it stored?
Well, that may not have been good for it. Might want to consider getting some refills.
What were your previous readings on tap and pool water?
Any chance that your reagents are out of order and you are accidentally using the wrong reagents?
Try testing some bottled water from the store.
Any chance that your reagents are out of order and you are accidentally using the wrong reagents?
Try testing some bottled water from the store.
No chance I'm doing them out of order. In the past (last year) TA was high. Probably at least 150. Have never tested tap water before.
I have ordered all three TA reagent refills 
Hopefully I'll get better results.
(And a SpeedStir while I'm at it ;-) )
Hopefully I'll get better results.(And a SpeedStir while I'm at it ;-) )
I feel your struggle! My TA is at 380. It's always been high. Test kit has been kept indoors at room temp. I'll test some tap water too see how that goes.
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It would probably still be worthwhile testing some bottled water from the store to see what that shows. That should help rule out or confirm test error. Also, you could check with the tap water supplier to see what the TA should be.
If you do test some bottled water, make sure that it's simple drinking water. Some bottled water has added bicarbonate which will test high.
If you do test some bottled water, make sure that it's simple drinking water. Some bottled water has added bicarbonate which will test high.
OK, so ... The new reagents arrived (along with the SpeedStir) and I did some fiddling around with them. I decided to test some reverse osmosis water in the kitchen, which almost immediately turned color -- about 20 TA. This morning I went to the pool and did the 10ML test and got 175. I then did the full 25ML test and got 180-190. I had already added enough dry acid to take me down to 7.5 pH, so I'll monitor that and if it keeps rising (probably will) I'll get some MA and try to address the TA issue later.
P.S. There seems to be a slight discrepency in the ML levels of the SpeedStir's vial and the vials I use from the TF-100 kit. Is this concerning? Will the TF-100 vials work on the SpeedStir?
P.S.S. That little capsule that makes the SpeedStir work? Yeah, THAT'S not gonna get lost :-/
(BTW, my old reagents showed a TA of 80-90 in the R.O. water.)
P.S. There seems to be a slight discrepency in the ML levels of the SpeedStir's vial and the vials I use from the TF-100 kit. Is this concerning? Will the TF-100 vials work on the SpeedStir?
P.S.S. That little capsule that makes the SpeedStir work? Yeah, THAT'S not gonna get lost :-/
(BTW, my old reagents showed a TA of 80-90 in the R.O. water.)
Weird. I only use the TF vials on the SpeedStir. Really it does not matter too much. I think it is more important to be consistent and watch for trends.
It sounds like you're getting good readings now. As long as the calcium hardness is not too high, the high TA should not pose a problem other than possibly some pH rise.