After recently using this site for more comprehensive education (thrilled I found it!), it seems there is much trepidation about using in store test results. I test a couple times a week, and being significantly red/green color blind I use in store vs. home testing. I use the local Leslie’s store, and there testing seems quite objective and reproducible as the reagent used is in a one time use, sealed disc which the sample is added to, spun, and read via light transmittance, I’m curious as to the collective thought on this system……..thanks much
pool testing
- Thread starter Jdow
- Start date
Many, many people have found TFP thanks to that machine. Read up and you'll see the same story play out, over and over and over again by folks such as yourself.
On the other hand, we have never made *one person* seek out better test results.
Here is their tolerances. If you do the math on most tests, -25% would have you looking to add XYZ and +25% would have you thinking about lowering XYZ.
Examples :
FC 8 would range from 6 to 10.
Salt at 3500 would range from 2625 to 4375
CH at 350 would range from 262 to 437
TA at 80 would range from 60 to 100.
Copper and iron at the accepted .3 threshold for staining range .3. So 0 to .6 is in question.
Examples :
FC 8 would range from 6 to 10.
Salt at 3500 would range from 2625 to 4375
CH at 350 would range from 262 to 437
TA at 80 would range from 60 to 100.
Copper and iron at the accepted .3 threshold for staining range .3. So 0 to .6 is in question.
Take a single water sample to a few different stores and find out how variable the results will be. Even take the same sample to the same store two different times a few hours apart and see what happens.
Water testing is given away for free as a way to bring people in to the store and put them in front of sales people. That is its only purpose, as far as the store is concerned. Accuracy does not contribute to this end, rather the implication of accuracy does and this is why the results are given to the tenths or hundredths place when such precision is impossible using these tools.
So the goal is sales, the testing is given away to promote sales, and the only thing necessary is to convince the consumer that the results are meaningful and the sales recommendations are important to the well being of their water. Given these parameters, what reason is there for a pool store to spend extra on the most reliable testing available when the cheapest option with unknown quality can accomplish exactly the same goals?
So the goal is sales, the testing is given away to promote sales, and the only thing necessary is to convince the consumer that the results are meaningful and the sales recommendations are important to the well being of their water. Given these parameters, what reason is there for a pool store to spend extra on the most reliable testing available when the cheapest option with unknown quality can accomplish exactly the same goals?