Conflicting info TF100 Kit and Leslie Pool Analysis

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Jrod1611

Jrod1611

0
Nov 4, 2018
22
Chandler
We recently drained and filled up our pool and have been using the trouble free pool calculator for everything and it has been looking good. I test with the Tf 100 kit and my reading was and still is CYA 40.
Their analysis was 0, they tested twice using the strips and the chemicals and say there is no CYA in our pool. We only got it done because we had an issue and the pool water raised up way high and my husband wanted to see where we are at. He recently entrusted me with the pool care and I have been trying to show him this is the way to go, but now this is causing him to doubt my game plan lol.
I tested everything again today and still CYA is 40.
They are recommending 3lbs 14oz of Leslies Conditioner or 6 qt of Instant Pool Water Conditioner.
Thoughts?
 
1611,

If you drained your pool completely, then unless you added CYA, it has to be zero. The only way to get CYA into your pool is by adding it.

Tell us more... What chemicals have you used in your pool since the refill? How are you adding chlorine to your pool? Have you used any solid or powdered shock or tablets?

The CYA test can be somewhat subjective, but the difference between 40 and zero is pretty hard to miss... :confused:

I suggest the next time you run the test, you fill the test tube to 100 ppm with the 50/50 pool water and reagent mix.. Look down through the tube.. If zero, you will see the dot, if not, you have some CYA.. Empty the tube back into the bottle and fill to 90 and repeat the test.. Then, empty the bottle and fill to 80, etc.. Keep retesting, until you can see the dot. If you can see the dot at 40, but not at 50 then your CYA is 50..

It is more work doing it this way, but should give you more confidence in how the test works...

I assume you are testing outside with your back to the sun and holding the tube at waist level..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
When we filled it up we added per the cool calulator 3lbs of dry stabilizer and it has been just over 40. I see the dot all the way until it gets just over 40.

The only other thing we did was add enough chlorine to SLAM the pool. The PH was in above 8 after that so we added the liquid muraic acid to bring it down. It's about 7.8 right now. We are only going to do liquid chlorine since we suspect the chlorine tablets raised out CYA way over 100 and started getting black algae even with constant shock. Leslies pool says out Chlorine level is at 2 but with the TF test I get a 3 so not that far off.
It also says the Phosphates is high at 300. I don't see with the TF kit where I can test phosphates?
 
This tells me exactly why you should stay away from Leslie's, they don't give test results that you can rely on. You have the test kit you need for accurate test results and you care much more about your water quality than they ever will. Your result for CYA matches what you should expect from adding 3lbs of CYA to a fresh fill, most likely a tad under 40 like you are measuring.

You don't need to bother with phosphates as that is a measurement Leslie's gives you to try and sell you phosphate remover which your pool doesn't need. Just follow the TFP chart for FC/CYA and you will never need to know your pool's phosphate level.

Trust the TF100 results and stay away from Leslie's testing.
 
1611,

I show that three lbs. of stabilizer should add 30 ppm of CYA to your 12000 gallon pool, so your reading of 40 is in the "believable" range.. , where zero was not...

The whole point of using the TFP process is that you know ahead of time what the outcome should be. Knowing you added X amount of stabilizer, and then testing and finding the correct amount of CYA in the water, just proves the process is working.

As ping says, don't fall for the magic fishhook bated with Phosphate Remover... it is not needed in most cases.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
As others have pointed out, you are exactly where you want to be. You added stabilizer to a fresh fill to get to 40 and then you tested and found 40. Great job!

That Leslies says it's "0" just reinforces my thoughts that you get what you pay for pool store testing. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. Plus, the results of their "testing" is used to convince you that you need to buy things. Why do you think that testing is free?

Unfortunately the pool industry has evolved into sales by scare tactics, misdirection, misinformation and marketing hype. Go in to the store and tell them your TA is low and they are going to sell you baking soda in a fancy package at four times the cost of WalMart. Do they have a right to make a profit, yes - but lets be reasonable. Heck, even their definition of "low" can many times put you on a pH roller coaster that's hard to get off of. Is that lack of knowledge or a sales technique to sell you more chemicals to control your pH????
 
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