Chlorine testing

[pepsiholic]

Sine my conversion I have been very diligent in testing my water at night to keep a constant chlorine level.

Here is my problem. I am trying to use the cheap test kit nightly, so when I test it is always reading very dark yellow (over 5 ppm) on that kit. But when I test it with my TF-100 it only gives me a reading of somewhere between 3 and 4 on the same nights as the 5+ ppm from the other test. I like to add enough to keep it at about 6 or 7 to allow for the burnoff of the chlorine during the day.

So my question is, if I'm going to go ahead and use the cheap test during the week, is it ok to assume that when it reads 5+, just to go ahead and dose like it was 3 or 4 so I don't burn through all my good test solutions? or am I over-chlorinating?

I hope you all understand my ramblings..lol..thank you for all your help!

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, Pepsi,

Why don't you add a specific amount of chlorine each evening (I would suggest enough to add 2ppm of FC) and then test weekly with the expensive test.

S0, if you start the week at 4ppm and add 2ppm each evening, then you test again after 7 days and your FC is 8ppm. Then you would cut back your nightly addition to say around 1 or 1.5ppm.

You could do this a variety of ways. The cheaper OTO test is not much good except to tell you you definitely have some chlorine in the pool.....it's not very accurate.

You will soon develop a "feel" for your pool and what it wants to be happy.

 

[pepsiholic]

OK, thanks, I will give that a try.

I think I will keep all my weekly results in a little notebook from now on so I can keep track. I have little pieces of paper floating around everywhere and that's not doing much good..

 

[duraleigh]

I think I will keep all my weekly results in a little notebook from now on so I can keep track.

Many people do that and get great info from keeping records.

I am the opposite but have a decent memory for numbers.

Either way, you will surprise yourself at how quickly you will learn what your pool needs with very minimal testing.

You will be at one with your pool, grasshopper :lol: :lol:

 

[RackingJ]

I'm having the issues as well. Not able to distinguish the various shades of yellow yet so I've been double checking my results with the drops. Last night the yellow was a bright yellow which would indicate between 3-4 on the OTO test and when I tested with the drops, it was 2, so I had to add more bleach.
I'm hoping with more practice that I'll be able to trust the OTO test more.