Test Kits Available in Australia?

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ahallam

0
Jan 25, 2009
3
Wollongong Australia
Hi Everyone,

My TF100 test kit is 2 years old and running out of reagents. It seems that it is no longer possible to get TF100 reagents shipped from the USA to Australia, plus OTO has been banned here. So, I need to find a good quality test kit, and would appreciate suggestions.

My most recent water test result from the local pool shop differed significantly from my TF100 test results in the TA and Ca readings (45 vs 70, 107 vs 290 respectively). I'm wary of of using any old generic 4-in-1 test kit or test strips.

I'm still waiting till waiting on a response from Taylor Technologies on whether anyone sells k-2006 test kits in Australia. The only other option all I can find is a combination of Palintest Pooltester products. I'd prefer not to spend $500+ on a photometer.

Thanks for any pointers.
 
Andrew,

If you have any friends, family or other contacts in the USA, perhaps they would order the kit for you and you arrange for payment plus their expenses.

Have done this method many times for friends in EU and they have reciprocated for USA purchases.

Another method is via a traveler from AU to US, package shipped to hotel and they bring it back to AU. Have used that method many times for travelers from EU to US to EU.
 
Poolschoolgrad said:
The Taylor 2005 kits can be exported from the US into Australia, but the Taylor 2006 are prohibited.
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Could you elaborate on that? Prohibited by who, and why?

Here is a company in AZ that advertises shipping to Australia on their website.

http://www.saltwaterpoolparts.com/taylor-testkits.html
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As another Australian trying to get hold of a decent test kit, thanks for the link! I notice that they also sell the K-2006 kits, are you saying they won't ship those to Australia?

I asked another US online store whether they could ship the Taylor K-2006 kit to Australia and they said yes, but their price for the kit is $70, and they don't stock individual reagents.
 
*** Information on this post was incorrect ***

The new regulations only apply to FOOD ADDITIVES containing any sodium or potassium carbonate, sodium or potassium silicate, sodium or potassium phosphate or sodium or potassium hydroxide with a PH greater than 11.5. :oops:

Here is a government source with complete information

http://www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/PDF-fi ... 100813.pdf

This would in no way apply to pool supplies. My apologies for the misinformation. :hammer:
 
Let me chime in on this interesting thread and say that TFTestkits would love to ship the kits and refills overseas but here are some of the issues...

1. Shipment of any Taylor chemistry to Canada is prohibited in that Taylor has a long, long agreement with a Distributor in Canada to be the exclusive distributor.

2. Shipments to other countries outside the US is problematic for two reasons.

a. The shipping costs are very high making the landed value of the kit not such a good deal as it is in the US.

b. The restrictions for shipping into each country are varied and complex. As a very, very small business, we have none of the resources it would take to make sure each shipment is in compliance.

3. Even if none of the above was applicable, the problem of supporting the kits with refills makes a refill shipment outrageous in cost when you add the shipping.

In the past, we did ship some kits overseas but once we understood the complexities of the shipping regulations, we knew we could not safely be in compliance so we had to stop.

In short, the regulations and costs involved make this simple (in the US) process prohibitively expensive for us to do.
 
Poolschoolgrad said:
As of September 1, 2010, Australia enacted new regulations on additives containing any sodium or potassium carbonate, sodium or potassium silicate, sodium or potassium phosphate or sodium or potassium hydroxide. :(

A few of the FAS/DPD test kits may have "found there way" into Australia. :wink:
Individually, you may be able to purchase a kit or regents from the US; but be aware, there may be an issue with AU customs.
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Thanks for the follow-up PSG.

I couldn't find any information about the new regulations, but suspect they only cover products being sold retail within Australia. The Australian Customs website has a list of prohibited and restricted imports and there's nothing there about products containing phosphates so I don't think private imports will run into any problems.

Even though the FAS/DPD kits are some of the best on the market, because of the restrictions, you won't find these products on the shelves of your local pool shop.
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Heh, you're over estimating the pool supply industry in Australia! You won't find anything better than a basic 4-in-1 kit of dubious origin on the shelves here, and that's got nothing to do with government restrictions!
 
duraleigh said:
2. Shipments to other countries outside the US is problematic for two reasons.

a. The shipping costs are very high making the landed value of the kit not such a good deal as it is in the US.
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Given the lack of options available in Australia the extra cost of international shipping isn't a big issue to me. The only other way to get a good test kit here seems to be to pay hundreds of dollars for fancy kits aimed at commercial pool operators.

b. The restrictions for shipping into each country are varied and complex. As a very, very small business, we have none of the resources it would take to make sure each shipment is in compliance.

In the past, we did ship some kits overseas but once we understood the complexities of the shipping regulations, we knew we could not safely be in compliance so we had to stop.

In short, the regulations and costs involved make this simple (in the US) process prohibitively expensive for us to do.
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So it was the shipping regulations rather than customs restrictions that were the problem?

Anyway thanks for the reply and I can only say I'm very sorry you don't ship internationally anymore!

chem geek said:
If you can't get the TFTestkits TF-100 or Taylor K-2006, then the next best thing would be the Palintest Pooltester SP 315C (the "C" includes the CYA test) which is similar to a K-2005 test kit. Palintest also has a FAS-DPD SP 300 test, but that may only be available in the U.S. If you could get both, you'd have the equivalent of a Taylor K-2006.
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Thanks chem geek, I can probably get a K-2006 sent from the US for less than the cost of the Palintest stuff locally, and the Palintest FAS-DPD kits don't seem to be available here.

I'd actually like to get my hands on a TF-100 XL and I'm going to try to have one sent through one of the US re-shippers. If anyone could tell me the approximate weight and dimensions of a TF-100 or TF-100XL kit it would be helpful!
 

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paulinoz said:
mcoccia said:
I used myus.com to send a TF 100 to Australia.
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What was the cost landed to your door?.
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Sorry not sure of the actual postage costs as I had several items shipped in a single package.

As a one off item transport would probably be in the $40-$50 area.

Two things to consider are that you need an account with myus.com. This was about $80. Also TF test kits do not accept pay pal and the use of an Aussie credit with a US shipping address will not be accepted. Myus.com offer a shopper service where they will buy and pay for an item on behalf of the final customer. The fee for this service is approximately 6% of the purchase cost and I used this method to buy the test kit.
 
chem geek said:
If you can't get the TFTestkits TF-100 or Taylor K-2006, then the next best thing would be the Palintest Pooltester SP 315C (the "C" includes the CYA test) which is similar to a K-2005 test kit. Palintest also has a FAS-DPD SP 300 test, but that may only be available in the U.S. If you could get both, you'd have the equivalent of a Taylor K-2006.
Click to expand...
This beginning to sound a better option, of course the FAS DPD SP300 is not only available in the US but from the UK too.
 
A little off topic, but when my pool builder worked on our coping for the hot tub, we weren't pleased with the result and demo'd it and put bluestone coping on instead. With that, we tried to salvage the air button tops and I lost one. He could never find a replacement. I had found one at an Australian store and had it sent to me by them. The button was approximately $6 and the shipping was $50. I looked all OVER the web for this button in the US to no avail. I was estatic when I got it and it matched though. Works both ways!
 

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