Need help reading test

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 11, 2022

mknauss said:
Both are the same. 31.45%

Got it. It just seemed odd that one was clear and the other yellow. Also one had visible fumes(smoke) and the other didn't so that's why I asked.

mknauss · Sep 11, 2022

Color depends on contaminate level. The visible fumes depends on atmospheric conditions.

pb4uswim · Sep 11, 2022

Well it seems like you’re getting accurate test results. Just keep going. It will come down given enough MA.

Not sure if this seems odd to any of the experts, but it is hard to believe how much you’ve put in and that you’re still not in the 7’s.

Did you get your speed stick working? I was not familiar with the white X shaped stirrer. Did you find that?

gingrbredman · Sep 11, 2022

jesse-99 said:
The white magnetic stirrer thingie is white and shaped like a + sign. (on the TF100 kit)

Sometimes I have seen it in a separate plastic bag just inside the case, and other times in the slot (bottom circle). Ironically, I found the picture from a post from @jesse-99 (who posted above). I circled the magnet on the top, and the small circle below is where it normally sits waiting to be used.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 11, 2022

pb4uswim said:
Well it seems like you’re getting accurate test results. Just keep going. It will come down given enough MA.

Not sure if this seems odd to any of the experts, but it is hard to believe how much you’ve put in and that you’re still not in the 7’s.

Did you get your speed stick working? I was not familiar with the white X shaped stirrer. Did you find that?

Yep got the speed stick working.the pill was inside the flattened box that the speed stir came in. They sent it out of the box but included it.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 11, 2022

KoolPoolDaDDy said:
Yep got the speed stick working.the pill was inside the flattened box that the speed stir came in. They sent it out of the box but included it.

After adding a half gallon of MA earlier these are the results...

What am I doing wrong? This is so frustrating

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 11, 2022

KoolPoolDaDDy said:
After adding a half gallon of MA earlier these are the results...What am I doing wrong? This is so frustrating

I'm off to add another 1/2 gallon...

pb4uswim · Sep 11, 2022

I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. When you had the water tested, what was the result? Trying to figure out how far over 8 you are.

Did you turn off your water features? You’re not shaking you water sample, are you? Also, when you put the 5 drops in, your not shaking it then either - right? I don’t know how much it would affect the reading, but shaking will increase the PH reading. Probably not enough to matter, but I’m trying to think what it could be.

Post a full set of tests. Maybe there’s something else that’s off that could affect the reading of PH that I’m not aware of.

Are you running your pump through all of this? Again, just trying to think of anything.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 11, 2022

pb4uswim said:
I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. When you had the water tested, what was the result? Trying to figure out how far over 8 you are.

Did you turn off your water features? You’re not shaking you water sample, are you? Also, when you put the 5 drops in, your not shaking it then either - right? I don’t know how much it would affect the reading, but shaking will increase the PH reading. Probably not enough to matter, but I’m trying to think what it could be.

Post a full set of tests. Maybe there’s something else that’s off that could affect the reading of PH that I’m not aware of.

Are you running your pump through all of this? Again, just trying to think of anything.

When I had it tested it came back @ 8 but that's the high as the test goes. I do shake the sample after the 5 drops because that's what the instructions said to do.(I may be remembering wrong though). I will post a full set of test tomorrow.i do run my pump 24/7 and I do not run my water features anymore.

pb4uswim · Sep 11, 2022

Mine says to invert and specifically says “do not shake”. I can’t imagine that it makes that much difference, but worth a try. Just gently turn it upside down a couple times (invert it) and see what happens. One thing I’m pretty sure of is that you want to read it right away. Letting it sit seems to let the color go to the darker red tone.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 12, 2022

pb4uswim said:
Mine says to invert and specifically says “do not shake”. I can’t imagine that it makes that much difference, but worth a try. Just gently turn it upside down a couple times (invert it) and see what happens. One thing I’m pretty sure of is that you want to read it right away. Letting it sit seems to let the color go to the darker red tone.

I will try that today when I get home from work.

duraleigh · Sep 12, 2022

Your pH is too high in the pic of the test. Shake/No shake is not really relevant.

the colors going from low pH to high pH are
yellow 6.8 and lower
yellow orange 7.0
orange 7.2
orange red 7.4-7.5
red 7.6-7.8
red violet 8.0
violet 8.2 and higher

pb4uswim · Sep 12, 2022

duraleigh said:
Your pH is too high in the pic of the test. Shake/No shake is not really relevant.

the colors going from low pH to high pH are
yellow 6.8 and lower
yellow orange 7.0
orange 7.2
orange red 7.4-7.5
red 7.6-7.8
red violet 8.0
violet 8.2 and higher

I’m sure he’s reading it correctly, but he’s put in over a gallon (maybe up to two by now) and it doesn’t seem to be coming down. Can’t imagine how high it must have been when he started, but I was looking for anything that may be affecting his results.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 12, 2022

pb4uswim said:
I’m sure he’s reading it correctly, but he’s put in over a gallon (maybe up to two by now) and it doesn’t seem to be coming down. Can’t imagine how high it must have been when he started, but I was looking for anything that may be affecting his results.

Yes I've added two gallons of MA thus far and it doesn't seem to be helping at all. Any other tips or tricks anyone has for lowering PH would be greatly appreciated.

duraleigh · Sep 12, 2022

There are no tips or tricks. High pH like yours needs to be lowered and the most correct way to do that is with muriatic acid.......regardless how much it takes

Britali · Sep 12, 2022

KoolPoolDaDDy said:
Also how do I use this? It doesn't stir anything the light just comes on.

That looks like the Taylor SpeedStir and will come with a magnetic white pill. You put that pill in the cylinder to hold the samples it came with. The pill will spin when it is powered on & that will stir your sample.

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 12, 2022

duraleigh said:
There are no tips or tricks. High pH like yours needs to be lowered and the most correct way to do that is with muriatic acid.......regardless how much it takes

Ok thanks I will keep chipping away at it. Still high as of 6pm tonight. I'm about to hit it with another 1/2 gallon of MA.

jesse-99 · Sep 12, 2022

What is your TA right now? You can't adjust for pH (or at least shouldn't, IMHO) without knowing your TA a well, because that will determine how much MA you need to bring your pH down.

For EXAMPLE ONLY .. on MY pool specifically:
Going from 8.2 to 7.2 pH at TA of 70 will take about 2.5 quarts of MA
Going from 8.2 to 7.2 pH at TA of 130 will take about 4.0 quarts of MA

Check and report back your TA (which will -MAY- also change after MA, depending on how LOW you bring your TA).

KoolPoolDaDDy · Sep 12, 2022

jesse-99 said:
What is your TA right now? You can't adjust for pH (or at least shouldn't, IMHO) without knowing your TA a well, because that will determine how much MA you need to bring your pH down.

For EXAMPLE ONLY .. on MY pool specifically:
Going from 8.2 to 7.2 pH at TA of 70 will take about 2.5 quarts of MA
Going from 8.2 to 7.2 pH at TA of 130 will take about 4.0 quarts of MA

Check and report back your TA (which will -MAY- also change after MA, depending on how LOW you bring your TA).

My TA Is at 110

jesse-99 · Sep 12, 2022

Okay.. 2 quarts of 31.45% MA should take you down form 8.2 to 7.2. If you add 2 quarts and check an hour later (with filter on so your water is mixing it in well), you should be down around 7.2 If you're not anywhere close, then something is really off: either the gallons of your pool water (assuming 18300 gallons) or your TA measurement.

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