R-0870

[RowdyC]

Can this Reagent go bad? After adding 40 drops of 0871 and not the slightest hint of change, I poured out the sample and opened a new canister of powder and this time, it only took 11 drops (5.5 FC)...so I'm guessing its bad?

Also, this weekend, I added 4lbs of stabilizer. How long will this throw off my other chemical readings?

Tonight's readings

FC - 5.5
CC - .5
TA - 150
CH - 130 - this is low according to the "pool math" page.
PH - 7.6
CYA - registered 35...I know this may go up over the next 3-5 days.

Calcium Hardness is my only real concern. Can this be the result of the stabilizer?

Thanks in advance
Rowdy

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

CH not affected by stabilizer. PH and TA may come down slightly. Is the pool a vinyl pool? if so 130 is fine. If it's plaster or something else, then yes its low.

How old is your powder and where do you store your test kit.

 

[RowdyC]

I keep the kit in the house year round, and it was purchased right at a year ago.

And yes, it's a vinyl liner pool.

Thank you for the quick response!

 

[jblizzle]

I have never heard of the powder going bad. What does it look like?

 

[RowdyC]

The powder looks normal and turns the water deep pink...but would not react to the 0871 drops. I ordered new powder and drops, so opened the new powder and got a normal 11 drop reading (I was already using new drops).

 

[Hawk]

Maybe the drops went bad and not the powder?

Edit: I see where you now say were using new drops. :gone:

 

[scriptorum]

Is it possible for the first titration you accidentally used another reagent that wound up in the spot where you normally keep the 871? Another thought is for the first sample, did you make sure to use a rinsed container, might it have held remnants of bleach? I did both of these blunders, and they were both head scratchers for a while.

 

[RowdyC]

Nope, this originally happened a week and a half ago (I used my remaining 0871 drops). So I ordered new powder and 0871, finally received yesterday. Rinsed the tube with tap water and then with pool sample water, then tested the first time (old powder & new drops).

 

[JesseWV]

I've been using the same powder for so long it's almost black and still works perfectly. Occasionally I'll take some from a fresh batch to compare and it's always the same.

 

[RowdyC]

It's a mystery to me, and that's why I made this post. It was stored inside with the cap on...
I honestly would have bet that the powdered reagent would have a out lasted the others, shelf life wise, 3x. So I'm just wondering what may have affected it like this.