No one else sells a drop-based borate test that I know of. ProTeam used to make a drop-based kit, but I believe it is discontinued and they only have the test strips now. Yes, the kit from Piscines-Apollo in Canada is $9.99 CAD but the shipping is $13.41 CAD. That's just the way it is -- around $24 for the test kit including shipping.
New borate drop test at piscines-apollo vs. test strip
- Thread starter rcy
- Start date
Just bumping this thread to see if duraleigh has considered becoming a US distributor for the drop-based borate test kit. 
I haven't seen the thread until now and I will look into it and report back on this thread.
I will add that the LaMotte borate strips seem to be perhaps one of the most troublefree items we carry.
I will add that the LaMotte borate strips seem to be perhaps one of the most troublefree items we carry.
Thanks, Dave. I seem to have trouble distinguishing the colors on the LaMotte borate strips - the colors up to 50 seem pretty close to me. Maybe I just have issues!
Nope, my ISP is changing server, all should be resolved shortly according to tech support.
CaOCl2 said:
Sounds like a great time for a "free shipping to the US special," especially since the US celebrates Independence Day next week. :-D
Hummm... I'm always very receptive to great ideas... (Can't access the server just now though.)
- Oct 18, 2009
- 3,637
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Dave I second this too. I guess must be getting blindHofstraJet said:Thanks, Dave. I seem to have trouble distinguishing the colors on the LaMotte borate strips - the colors up to 50 seem pretty close to me. Maybe I just have issues!
Looks like the shipping offer is active. CAD$4 for shipping to the US. Yay!!! Ordered one kit for each of the pools I maintain (mine, mom's, and sister). Thanks, CaOCl2. Appreciate the offer.
HofstraJet said:
There.
Fixed it.
Sort of.
Thre may be a delay when you click the View Basket button, the Canada Post gateway is being rejected by the new firewall, but again, it'll be fixed soon, according to Tech Support.
Happy 4th of July to you, up here July 1st is Canada Day, everything's closed, the weather's gonna be amazing.
Pool time!
Thanks for the great shipping rate. Ordered! Woo Hoo! (I have the same problem determining color differences with the strips.)
Diver
0
it looks like the kit is out of stock, but individual reagent (s-0010 & s-0009) are still available and actually cheaper separately than the kit. is there anything else in the kit besides these to reagents?
edit: i tried to check out to the how much shipping to MA would be and i got this:
edit: i tried to check out to the how much shipping to MA would be and i got this:
That's because the Canada Post gateway is still hitting the firewall. Tech support says it'll be fixed "soon".
It has not been a good week for the shopping cart software...
It has not been a good week for the shopping cart software...
Hey all,
I got this test delivered last week and I am having a heck of a time getting it to work. It is the first time I have ever had trouble with any pool test.
Here is what I am doing:
1) I am using a test tube that came with my TF-100 test kit to get 44 ml. It almost fills the tube to the top.
2) I add 5 drops of R-0009 and mix with my speedstir.
3) I add 5 drops of S-0009 and mix with my speedstir. Sample turns a very faint yellow-green against a white paper background and also looking down through sample.
4) I start adding R-0010 dropwise. I get to 20 or more drops and there is no change to blue at all. I get very close to overfilling the tube. I've done this three times and am running out of R-0010.
I tried running the test by adding a couple of drops of R-0007 beforehand to neutralize my chlorine. Still can't get sample to change to blue.
Any ideas?
Here is a complete set of my test results from today:
FC 6.5
CC 0.0
pH 7.5
TA 110
CH 60
CYA 50
Salt 2600 (From Taylor K-1766, even though we do not have a SWCG, we like the feel of salt)
Cu 0 (From Taylor K-1730)
Fe 0 (From Taylor K-1716)
NH3/NH4+ 0 (From Jungle Labs Quick Dip Aquarium Test Strips)
Water Temp 91 F
Borates ~50 (From LaMotte Test Strips)
I am terrible with color comparisons , especially the Borate test. I was hoping this drop test would be easier to use.
Any Ideas? Thanks
EDIT: Is there a way I can run this test with a smaller sample size and fewer drops to at least see if I can get in the ballpark?
I got this test delivered last week and I am having a heck of a time getting it to work. It is the first time I have ever had trouble with any pool test.
Here is what I am doing:
1) I am using a test tube that came with my TF-100 test kit to get 44 ml. It almost fills the tube to the top.
2) I add 5 drops of R-0009 and mix with my speedstir.
3) I add 5 drops of S-0009 and mix with my speedstir. Sample turns a very faint yellow-green against a white paper background and also looking down through sample.
4) I start adding R-0010 dropwise. I get to 20 or more drops and there is no change to blue at all. I get very close to overfilling the tube. I've done this three times and am running out of R-0010.
I tried running the test by adding a couple of drops of R-0007 beforehand to neutralize my chlorine. Still can't get sample to change to blue.
Any ideas?
Here is a complete set of my test results from today:
FC 6.5
CC 0.0
pH 7.5
TA 110
CH 60
CYA 50
Salt 2600 (From Taylor K-1766, even though we do not have a SWCG, we like the feel of salt)
Cu 0 (From Taylor K-1730)
Fe 0 (From Taylor K-1716)
NH3/NH4+ 0 (From Jungle Labs Quick Dip Aquarium Test Strips)
Water Temp 91 F
Borates ~50 (From LaMotte Test Strips)
I am terrible with color comparisons , especially the Borate test. I was hoping this drop test would be easier to use.
Any Ideas? Thanks
EDIT: Is there a way I can run this test with a smaller sample size and fewer drops to at least see if I can get in the ballpark?
When I do the test, it usually only takes a drop or two of the R-0010 to turn from yellow to blue. Since the S-0009 is an indicator dye, see what happens if you add it to the pool water without adding any R-0009. Pool water should have it look fairly blue unless the pH is significantly below 7.6 and if you added some R-0010 at that point it could turn even more blue. If that isn't happening, then I think there's something wrong with the S-0009 indicator dye. This post goes into more detail about the components of the test.
Hello,
Received my kit today. According to the strips I was between 30 and 50 but couldn't differentiate the colors enough.
I ended doing the test 3 times. First time: Followed the directions and on the fourth step I couldn't get it to turn blue after 20 drops of R-0010. Then I noticed this note: *High chlorine levels may bleach out endpoint. If this happens, dechlorinate sample with 2 drops of Taylor reagent R-0007 prior to testing. I typically run my TC around 5-6.
2nd Test. Added the R-0007 at the beginning. All went well, jumped ahead 6 drops no change, then did a double drop and hit 8 drops at the end nice blue(hmmm, maybe 7 but ok 8). I'll do another test (#3) and be more careful. Borates 35.
3rd Test. Added the R-0007 at the beginning to cancel out the bleaching. All went well, came out with a total of 7 drops. Borates 31.5. The extra drop from the earlier test wasn't needed. OOPS. But close enough.
Overall All I'm impressed with the test. It's pretty easy overall. The price was right with Special shipping rate and there are enough supplies to run quite a few test.
Testing from earlier in the day: TC 5.5, PH 7.8, TA 70, CH 625, CYA 65, Salt 4100, Temp 85
Chem geek points out a good note that it should only take a drop or two of the R-0010 to get it to turn. I think that chlorine levels above 5 may need to add the R-0007 to dechlorinate the sample.
Also having a speed stir make this test much more simple and quicker. I don't have the speed stick, so it add, cap, shake, look, add, cap, shake look.
Good test overall.
Received my kit today. According to the strips I was between 30 and 50 but couldn't differentiate the colors enough.
I ended doing the test 3 times. First time: Followed the directions and on the fourth step I couldn't get it to turn blue after 20 drops of R-0010. Then I noticed this note: *High chlorine levels may bleach out endpoint. If this happens, dechlorinate sample with 2 drops of Taylor reagent R-0007 prior to testing. I typically run my TC around 5-6.
2nd Test. Added the R-0007 at the beginning. All went well, jumped ahead 6 drops no change, then did a double drop and hit 8 drops at the end nice blue(hmmm, maybe 7 but ok 8). I'll do another test (#3) and be more careful. Borates 35.
3rd Test. Added the R-0007 at the beginning to cancel out the bleaching. All went well, came out with a total of 7 drops. Borates 31.5. The extra drop from the earlier test wasn't needed. OOPS. But close enough.
Overall All I'm impressed with the test. It's pretty easy overall. The price was right with Special shipping rate and there are enough supplies to run quite a few test.
Testing from earlier in the day: TC 5.5, PH 7.8, TA 70, CH 625, CYA 65, Salt 4100, Temp 85
Chem geek points out a good note that it should only take a drop or two of the R-0010 to get it to turn. I think that chlorine levels above 5 may need to add the R-0007 to dechlorinate the sample.
Also having a speed stir make this test much more simple and quicker. I don't have the speed stick, so it add, cap, shake, look, add, cap, shake look.
Good test overall.