Where I live (Nicaragua) the "best" test kit available is the Pentair PRO-11. I have not been able to contact Pentair about using the kit since they ask to leave a phone number to return the call which will not happen since I am using Skype. A couple of emails also remain unanswered.
I am hoping that even if forum members have no direct experience with the kit they may be able to offer some insight into the metrics Pentair uses. The kit includes a full slate of measures which include free, total, combined chlorine and CYA for which the measurement compared to TFP-Taylor kits is, to me, quite different. The PRO-11 uses DPD tablets to measure chlorine: DPD#1 for free chlorine, DPD#3 for total/combined chlorine (subtracting free from total to get combined). The issue for me is that regardless of CYA levels, the chlorine tests state maintaining an ideal free chlorine range of 1.0-1.5ppm. The comparator is useless for measuring ppm above 2.0 since it jumps to 5 and then 10ppm.
Another challenge is that the pool constantly needs to have CYA levels increased/maintained - especially after placing a "tent" (shadesail type fabric; 85% UV blockage) over it for 4-5 weeks a couple of times a year when there is a severe problem with leaves, blowing dust, pollen, seeds, etc and after heavy rains (tropical storms, hurricanes). The only product available to increase CYA is in tablet form (3" with UV stabilizer) from a Mexican company called Spin and they also use a recommended free chlorine level of 1.5ppm in relation to all of their pool treatment products (and no mention what-so-ever of CYA levels). I have to use the tablets to increase the CYA levels but they also tend to turn the water cloudy (a stated side effect in the product literature likely due to high calcium levels which is characteristic of the water supply, a well). If I am not extremely careful/observant this is may be followed by an algae bloom (quickly cured by a slam). Just a thought - is the cloudiness actually algae or calcium particles that provide a nucleus for algae formation?
This is the "Catch-22": I need to use the tablets; they may lead to algae blooms; the PRO-11 maxes out at 1.5-2.0 ppm; cannot do OCLT (unless seat of the pants dilution) at slam levels. And even at "normal" daily measures, how does PRO-11's maximum operational metric of 1.5ppm chlorine relate (or does it) to the TFP CYA/chlorine chart recommendations?
Except when increasing the CYA level I use household bleach to sanitize the pool and have been successful keeping free chlorine in the 4ish range with a CYA of 40-50. (and sparkly clear water; but difficult to measure since i have to use dilutions with the PRO-11 or use an old Taylor comparator showing a 5ppm scale and OT drops). The CYA test tablets are not always available and when I notice having to add more and more bleach daily I suspect the CYA has depleted. If I can find the tablets I usually see that CYA has dropped to less than 20ppm (and if I cannot, assume it has). Where I was using 2-3 liters of bleach a day that increases to 4-5 liters a day (12,500 gal pool, and bleach now 3X more expensive than a year ago).
My understanding is that CYA sequesters chlorine protecting it from (minimizing) depletion by the sun, and releases it as organics (and some sun?) consume the amount freely available (that excess chlorine is not necessarily consumed by sun light). Where the TFP CYA/Chlorine chart shows 3-4ppm minimum and 5-8ppm target for a CYA range of 40-50ppm, do those ranges include the sequestered chlorine? With regard to the Taylor kits, does the concept of free and total chlorine include the "active" chlorine as well as the sequestered chlorine? (am I even expressing this correctly?) With regard to the PRO-11 kit and a characteristic of using DPD tablets, and its steadfast use of 1.5ppm chlorine as "the" reference metric, is it measuring just the active chlorine and excludes the sequestered chlorine? Thanks for any insight or clarifications to this inquiry.
I am hoping that even if forum members have no direct experience with the kit they may be able to offer some insight into the metrics Pentair uses. The kit includes a full slate of measures which include free, total, combined chlorine and CYA for which the measurement compared to TFP-Taylor kits is, to me, quite different. The PRO-11 uses DPD tablets to measure chlorine: DPD#1 for free chlorine, DPD#3 for total/combined chlorine (subtracting free from total to get combined). The issue for me is that regardless of CYA levels, the chlorine tests state maintaining an ideal free chlorine range of 1.0-1.5ppm. The comparator is useless for measuring ppm above 2.0 since it jumps to 5 and then 10ppm.
Another challenge is that the pool constantly needs to have CYA levels increased/maintained - especially after placing a "tent" (shadesail type fabric; 85% UV blockage) over it for 4-5 weeks a couple of times a year when there is a severe problem with leaves, blowing dust, pollen, seeds, etc and after heavy rains (tropical storms, hurricanes). The only product available to increase CYA is in tablet form (3" with UV stabilizer) from a Mexican company called Spin and they also use a recommended free chlorine level of 1.5ppm in relation to all of their pool treatment products (and no mention what-so-ever of CYA levels). I have to use the tablets to increase the CYA levels but they also tend to turn the water cloudy (a stated side effect in the product literature likely due to high calcium levels which is characteristic of the water supply, a well). If I am not extremely careful/observant this is may be followed by an algae bloom (quickly cured by a slam). Just a thought - is the cloudiness actually algae or calcium particles that provide a nucleus for algae formation?
This is the "Catch-22": I need to use the tablets; they may lead to algae blooms; the PRO-11 maxes out at 1.5-2.0 ppm; cannot do OCLT (unless seat of the pants dilution) at slam levels. And even at "normal" daily measures, how does PRO-11's maximum operational metric of 1.5ppm chlorine relate (or does it) to the TFP CYA/chlorine chart recommendations?
Except when increasing the CYA level I use household bleach to sanitize the pool and have been successful keeping free chlorine in the 4ish range with a CYA of 40-50. (and sparkly clear water; but difficult to measure since i have to use dilutions with the PRO-11 or use an old Taylor comparator showing a 5ppm scale and OT drops). The CYA test tablets are not always available and when I notice having to add more and more bleach daily I suspect the CYA has depleted. If I can find the tablets I usually see that CYA has dropped to less than 20ppm (and if I cannot, assume it has). Where I was using 2-3 liters of bleach a day that increases to 4-5 liters a day (12,500 gal pool, and bleach now 3X more expensive than a year ago).
My understanding is that CYA sequesters chlorine protecting it from (minimizing) depletion by the sun, and releases it as organics (and some sun?) consume the amount freely available (that excess chlorine is not necessarily consumed by sun light). Where the TFP CYA/Chlorine chart shows 3-4ppm minimum and 5-8ppm target for a CYA range of 40-50ppm, do those ranges include the sequestered chlorine? With regard to the Taylor kits, does the concept of free and total chlorine include the "active" chlorine as well as the sequestered chlorine? (am I even expressing this correctly?) With regard to the PRO-11 kit and a characteristic of using DPD tablets, and its steadfast use of 1.5ppm chlorine as "the" reference metric, is it measuring just the active chlorine and excludes the sequestered chlorine? Thanks for any insight or clarifications to this inquiry.
