Trust my numbers

[Wildcat]

Needed a new leaf skimmer so went to Leslies. I have been testing my own pool for 2 years now thanks to TFP. Periodically I bring a sample to them, always good for a chuckle. Numbers are usually close, but this time not even close.

Leslies My TF100 numbers from this morning

FC 4 9
CH 275 460 (not from today, but has been over 400 for the last year)
CYA 10 (!) comment "low" (no kidding) 60-65 (not from today but has been 60-65 a month ago and most of last season)
TA 120 40 (just dumped in the only small box of baking soda I had to raise TA, need more)
PH 7.5 7.2
TDS (what's that?) 3400 comment "high" ????????

A rare cloudy day in Tucson so measuring CYA is out but I am going to re-measure the other numbers in a little while.
My numbers are consistent with what I measured a few days ago.
I suspect they do not use our FC test and 4-5 is all they can measure.
No explanation why their TA is so far off, or the PH
I suspect the CYA is off because they only had fluorescent lights to see the dot and it probably disappeared quickly. Because of the low CYA he even asked if I used just bleach. To his credit he did not try to sell me any pucks or stabilizer (though he probably should have if he believed his numbers) but their test sheet recommended it

Sorry, loses the spaced format when I post, my numbers are he second one in each line

 

[Divin Dave]

My advice - stick with your own numbers and the TF100.

TDS is Total Dissolved Solids. That consists of a lot of things, including calcium, salt, and whatever else.
Its irrelevent and only useful to pool store people to get you to buy stuff.

 

[Richard320]

 

[Wildcat]

You bet your life I'm trusting Groucho and TFP

 

[rdw1961]

Wildcat,

I am not meaning to hijack your thread, but I had a similar result yesterday. I needed to pick up a new wall brush and the local pool store had them on sale. I figured while I was there, I would take "advantage" of their "free" testing. Below are my results, and their results. If I had followed their suggestions, I would have spent at least another $92.00 in supplies. As it was, I walked out having spent $7.00 on a new brush.

My True Results with TF-100 and Lamotte Borate Test strips:
FC--8
CC--0
PH--7.5
TA--100
CH--100
CYA--~35
Borate~40(I added two weeks ago Boric Acid to take me to 43, but I have drained a little due to rain)

Their "Professional" Results and their suggested Levels:
FC--3.8 (suggested 1.5-3.0)
TC--3.8 (That would make my CC 0 matching my results)
PH--7.8 (7.3-7.7--Tried to sell me Aqua Prep 25 to lower PH)
TA--105 (120-180--Tried to sell me Aqua Prep 10 to raise TA)
CH--100 (175-500--Tried to sell me Aqua Prep 30 to raise CH)
CYA--60 (Suggested 30-150)
TDS--300 (Recommend from 0-2500) BS
Phosphate--500 (0-200--Tried to sell me Phos Out) More BS--OMG I'm feeding my non-existent bloom.
Borate--50m(OK, I'll give them that inaccuracy. The don't know what I added and the color is closer to 50 than to 30 on the Lamotte strips they used as well.)

Just want to say TFP is the greatest. I love being in control of my pool.

 

[Wildcat]

Confirmed my numbers

FC 9
TA 50, after adding baking soda, 16oz
PH 7.4-7.5 probably due to some aeration and the BS

Just think how many people Leslies misinforms just based on bad numbers alone, much less their lack of understanding of the chemistry of pools (TDS, phosphates, CYA)