TF 100, Taylor K2006, and Leslies DPD Complete Chlorine test

[gugarci]

Good morning everyone, first post.

Hopefully this is the right forum and if it is I'm sorry for starting out with a thread about test kits.
I have read here and it other forums about the TF100 and the K2006 (Leslie's Chlorine FAS-DPD) being the best test kits out at the moment. For someone like myself who has a smaller AG 8000 gallon pool will these test kit be overkill compared to Leslie's DPD Complete Chlorine kit. I also already have a decent OTO/Phenol red kit. At least it's #'s matched my pool stores.

What makes these kits better is it the accuracy??? I wanted to buy a better test kit this year so I can have better control of my pool water. I was ready to buy Leslie's FAS-DPD kit but none of the Leslie's store by me stock it, on-line only. I'm also in NJ so the pool will only be in used, depending on the weather, till September to October.

Thanks.

 

[PaulR]

The TF100 and the Leslie's kits all use Taylor reagents so accuracy (correctness) is not the issue. Although the DPD drop test can "bleach out" and read artificially low if FC is actually very high.

The main advantange of the FAS-DPD test is the extended range; it can test up to 50ppm. None of the others go higher than 5, or (if you dilute 50-50 with chlorine-free water) 10. Typical shock levels start at 10 so the usual chlorine tests don't cut it.

The second advantage of the FAS-DPD test is the better resolution, 0.5ppm. Again this is maybe not so crucial unless you're shocking and want to know whether your FC is holding overnight, which requires fairly good resolution on the test.
--paulr

 

[gugarci]

I read about the DPD chlorine bleaching out that's why my thought process was to combine this kit with a OTO chlorine test. From what I've read I like the TF100 best. But don't want it to become overkill for my needs. I tend to go overboard with things and I always wind up buying more features than I ever need with all my purchases.

Thanks.

 

[reebok]

if you keep your chlorine levels per the cya/chlorine chart, you shouldn't need the fas-dpd test as long as your cya is low enough to test with dpd or oto per that chart. since you didn't post your cya, there's no way of telling. that said, you can still get algae even if you keep your level per the cya chart. you need good circulation, good filtration and brushing, as well as constantly correct chlorine levels. the advantage of the fas-dpd test is mainly for shocking (because of an organic problem like algae, or for people who have to keep the chlorine on the high side due to higher cya levels.)
you can always supplement your kit with the fas-dpd test from taylor or http://www.tftestkits.net
pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

 

[JasonLion]

The FAS-DPD test is very very useful if you ever need to shock your pool. Without a FAS-DPD chlorine test you need to maintain shock level for a couple of days longer than you need to with it.

For normal day to day use it doesn't make much difference.

 

[Guest]

if you keep your chlorine levels per the cya/chlorine chart, you shouldn't need the fas-dpd test as long as your cya is low enough to test with dpd or oto per that chart.

I disagree with this statement and have a LOT of experience testing water with different test kits and methods in my own pool, customer's pools, and commercial pools. The difference between DPD and FAS-DPD testing is night and day!
It does not matter if your pool is 3000 gallons or 30,000 gallons, the water chemistry that goes on is still the same and in the smaller pool there is less margin for error so good test results are even more important. My pool/spa combo is under 7000 gal total and my testkit of choice is the TA100 (and I own many test kits, including Taylor, Pentair, Bioguard, Aquachem, and LaMotte!)

For the money and ease of use the TF100 and Taylor K-2006 are your best bets and, IMHO, the TF100 gives you more 'bang for your buck'.

 

[gugarci]

The only way I can test for the CYA right now is with some old Aquacheck strips. That's why I'm looking for a better kit and I don't want to purchase any more strips. My local pool store, not Leslie's, has never mentioned my CYA in the past. But I don't think they are very knowledgeable since every season upon opening my pool they always tell me to add calcium hardness to my vinyl AG pool. From what I've read, unless I'm wrong, that I really shouldn't need much since it's mainly more important for IG pools with plaster.

I usually shock the pool every 2 weeks or so when in used. It has not been used yet since the temperatures have been on the cold side in NJ. Hopefully it stay warm. Water temperature right now is 60 degrees. This is the first weekend where I turned on my central air. Also I'm thinking of putting my solar blanket on today so the pool will warm up quicker for next weekend.

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

The FAS-DPD test is very very useful if you ever need to shock your pool. Without a FAS-DPD chlorine test you need to maintain shock level for a couple of days longer than you need to with it.

For normal day to day use it doesn't make much difference.

Actually it does. If you look at the Taylor DPD comparator (and it's one of the best) it measures from .5 to 5 ppm but not in the same size increments. The first mark is .5, then 1, then 1.5 then 2 so at very low chlorine levels you have a resolution of .5 ppm. Next it jumps to 3 ppm you have a resolution of 1 ppm. The last color chip is 5 ppm so your resolution is now 2 ppm! If you need to measure higher you must dilute the sample so you lose even more resolution.
With the FAS-DPD test you are counting drops of titrant. If your pool water sample is 10 ml then each drop of titrant is .5 ppm chlorne. If you are using a 25 ml sample then each drop is .2 ppm chlorine! It doesn't matter if you are testing .5, 5, or 50 ppm chlorine. The resolution of the test stays the same! It's precise to either +/- .5 ppm or +/- .2 ppm depending on whether we used a 10 ml or a 25 ml pool water sample.
Also, it is a fact that many men (in fact the majority of them) have trouble differentialting shades of red and the DPD test uses shades of red (Sorry guys, but it's true, we don't have the same color preception that women do! Has to do with the differences in our brains!) Also, people with colorblindness have trouble diffentiating the shades in the DPD test but have no problem seeing the color change in the FAS-DPD test.

 

[reebok]

I usually shock the pool every 2 weeks or so when in used. It has not been used yet since the temperatures have been on the cold side in NJ. Hopefully it stay warm. Water temperature right now is 60 degrees. This is the first weekend where I turned on my central air. Also I'm thinking of putting my solar blanket on today so the pool will warm up quicker for next weekend.
Thanks.

one of the many benefits I've found on this forum is not having to shock on a regular basis anymore keeping the levels constant per the cya/chlorine chart with a good test kit negates the need for shocking. but if the chlorine does get to 0, or you let it get low enough to have an algae outbreak, you'll have to shock. but shocking isn't what I thought it was (dumping 2 gallons of chlorine in one time) now thanks to pool school, I understand what/how to shock.
pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[gugarci]

Thanks everyone.

I just placed an order for the TF100.
Also my water temperature is now 65 degrees. I put the solar blanket on earlier today and as long as it's 65 degree + by next weekend the kids and I will be happy.