Keep your K-1004 and just order the 3 reagents for CH testing, the 2 reagents for FAS-DPD testing and the R-0013 (CYA) and you're done. The K-1004 is a fine kit, all you need to do is purchase whatever's missing from the K-2006. You can buy all the stuff separately (reagents, parts etc) - don't need to buy a whole new test kit.NWCanuck said:
Don't trust your local pool store!!!
- Thread starter mxdad777
- Start date
My understanding is Taylor has a deal with one distributor to have the exclusive teritory of Canada, so U.S. dealers are not allowed to ship there, and secondly there may be hazmat regulations with the Canadian Postal system. Since well over half the population of Canada lives within 50 miles of the U.S. border (and over 80% live within 100 miles of the border) the simple solution may be to buy on and have it shipped to someone you know in the U.S. and hop across the borer and pick it up once per year. I live in the U.S. and my nearest small mom and pop pool store is 20 miles away, the next closest are 40-50 miles.
Ike
p.s. as noted above you may not even need the CH test if you have known low levels and don't use Cal-Hypo, but you will need the CYA reading tube if you get the reagent
Ike
p.s. as noted above you may not even need the CH test if you have known low levels and don't use Cal-Hypo, but you will need the CYA reading tube if you get the reagent
I've spent 80+ hours in my local pool store this week if you catch my drift. I can tell you they like any other business rely on favorable reputations and loyal customers. What I think is shocking to a lot of more motivated members of this forum would be knowing how little effort 99% of pool store visitors are willing to put into their pools.
Sazzi said:
And here is where pool stores make their money.
I used to care for a decent number of aquariums, or nearly every sort you can imagine. Freshwater, Saltwater, Reef, Planted, you name it.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned was that aquarium maintenance...and, I suspect, "professional" pool maintenance...isn't about water chemistry. It's about user satisfaction.
The doctor who wanted the gorgeous reef tank in his waiting room wanted just that...a gorgeous reef tank in his waiting room.
What he did not want was:
Something to test
Something to dose
Something to change water in
Something to feed
Something to clean
Something to monitor, watch, manage
He didn't want fish and coral. He wanted artwork.
The lesson that had to be learned, for me anyway, was that neither that doctor nor his staff were going to put in anything more than the absolute bare minimum of effort. They frankly did not CARE why fish died, or algae grew, or water turned cloudy, or any number of other problems occurred. They simply knew when a problem happened, and knew my phone number. "Ugh. Tank bad. Come fix. Now."
Observations at the pool store, and anecdotal evidence here, suggests pools are exactly the same. A great many pool owners don't want a pool. They want a toy to play in. If the toy is broke, they want it fixed.
They are not interested in WHY their water is cloudy, only that it IS...and SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING.
That "someone" is the pool store. And if it winds up costing $823.78 to "fix" the pool...so be it. That's just one more number to impress the neighbors with at the next dinner party.
While I don't disagree with the assessment above, it's worth pointing out two things....
1. Members that come on to TFP and stay any length of time are a cut w-a-a-y above that typical pool owner who just wants the toy.
2. There is an even larger percentage of pool owners out there who would like a common sense alternative to the pool store but don't know where to look. With 30,000 members and even more lurkers, we're putting a small dent in that group.
After all that, it is still well to realize that many, many people are just like gboulton describes above. I run in to them in social situations and if the subject comes up about using bleach or baking soda in a pool, I can see them get that glazed-over look on their face as they start searching for an escape route.
1. Members that come on to TFP and stay any length of time are a cut w-a-a-y above that typical pool owner who just wants the toy.
2. There is an even larger percentage of pool owners out there who would like a common sense alternative to the pool store but don't know where to look. With 30,000 members and even more lurkers, we're putting a small dent in that group.
After all that, it is still well to realize that many, many people are just like gboulton describes above. I run in to them in social situations and if the subject comes up about using bleach or baking soda in a pool, I can see them get that glazed-over look on their face as they start searching for an escape route.
duraleigh said:
Oh, yes indeed, absolutely. Just like there are aquarists who take a real interest in the husbandry of their tanks, and learn what makes them tick.
Indeed. I do my small part whenever I'm asked about our pool. I don't preach, I simply say "Check out troublefreepools.com and see if anything there works for you. if you have questions, let me know."
Thank God for TFP site. I'm a newbie here, but have owned a pool for a number of clueless years. Every year it was the same thing: dip the little strip in the water, try to compare it to the colors which all looked exactly the same to me every time. Then fill up my water sample, take it to the store. Then being the high-tech age, they would scan the water with equipment and a computer and print out a list of stuff I needed to do. Then I would drop another $100+, take the chemicals home like the average sheeple and do what it told me to. I would do what I could with the idiotic little strips again until the water looked really bad again (instead of just marginally bad like it did most of the time). Rinse and repeat, several times per excruciating season. The water was never in good shape whenever we wanted to have someone over to swim, and it knawed at the back of my mind every time I glanced out the window.
Finally now, because of the good folks here and this website, I actually enjoy going out, brushing & skimming the pool everyday. It's so much more pleasant when you are greeted with crystal blue water. I now feel like anyone can come swim at any moment and I can be proud of the shape the pool is in.
Finally now, because of the good folks here and this website, I actually enjoy going out, brushing & skimming the pool everyday. It's so much more pleasant when you are greeted with crystal blue water. I now feel like anyone can come swim at any moment and I can be proud of the shape the pool is in.
Was getting my car washed next door to my local pool shop so I decided to take my water in for testing while the car was being washed. Their numbers were pretty close to mine except for TA which was double mine, which was a pleasant surprise. Their computerized test sheet said my water was perfect and the employee was visibly disappointed at this fact. He was very somber when he told me I didn't have to do anything. The funny part was the free bottle he gave me to bring my water in next time instead of an empty water bottle. Here are the instructions on the bottle:
toadlife
0
The only test I have trouble getting a consistent result with is the CYA level. I decided to take my water to Leslie's today to see how their results compared to mine and the result was a mixture disappointment and amusement and satisfaction.
My Results
FC 8.0 (tested using dilution, 8.0 is what is about what should be)
TC 8.0
Ph 7.5
CYA 55 (I had gotten 80 before, so was concerned about this since I used target Cl levels based on 80)
CH 400
TA 90
Leslie’s Results
FC 4.0 (huh?)
TC 4.0
PH 7.6
CH 220 (waaaaay off)
CYA 75 (consistent with my early readings)
TA 100
TDS 1400
Phosphates 1000 (oh noes!!!!!!1)
The dude was way off on some of the readings that I had gotten the most consistent results with but his CYA result was what I had gotten before I got a result of 55 today. That’s the one nugget of satisfaction I got out of the result.
He immediately told me that using liquid chlorine was bad because it raised your TDS too much - never mind that aside from TDS being meaningless my measurement was well below their recommended limit of 2500.
Of course he advised me to buy their really expensive phosphate remover since my levels were so high, even though I told him I’d never had an algae problem in three years of using liquid chlorine.
Another thing the he asked me: "when is the last time you drained your pool?" He asked it so nonchalantly, as if draining your pool was something people did all the time. I found that amusing.
He said I should use the pucks of granular chlorine because it wouldn’t raise my TDS like liquid chlorine does. *facepalm*
My Results
FC 8.0 (tested using dilution, 8.0 is what is about what should be)
TC 8.0
Ph 7.5
CYA 55 (I had gotten 80 before, so was concerned about this since I used target Cl levels based on 80)
CH 400
TA 90
Leslie’s Results
FC 4.0 (huh?)
TC 4.0
PH 7.6
CH 220 (waaaaay off)
CYA 75 (consistent with my early readings)
TA 100
TDS 1400
Phosphates 1000 (oh noes!!!!!!1)
The dude was way off on some of the readings that I had gotten the most consistent results with but his CYA result was what I had gotten before I got a result of 55 today. That’s the one nugget of satisfaction I got out of the result.
He immediately told me that using liquid chlorine was bad because it raised your TDS too much - never mind that aside from TDS being meaningless my measurement was well below their recommended limit of 2500.
Of course he advised me to buy their really expensive phosphate remover since my levels were so high, even though I told him I’d never had an algae problem in three years of using liquid chlorine.
Another thing the he asked me: "when is the last time you drained your pool?" He asked it so nonchalantly, as if draining your pool was something people did all the time. I found that amusing.
He said I should use the pucks of granular chlorine because it wouldn’t raise my TDS like liquid chlorine does. *facepalm*
Toadlife - How long did it take to get to the pool store? That could be a factor in the chlorine reading. Or might there have been something in the container that the chlorine decided to kill off? I'm also curious why you diluted your sample? Was that an OTO test you performed, and if so how did you get a TC reading? Just curious here... oh, and with the CYA, different lighting situations can fumble with the interpretation of results. Did you pour and re-pour a number of times to check your average?
And, how's life as a toad anyway? :~}
And, how's life as a toad anyway? :~}
toadlife
0
frogabog said:
It only took about 30 minutes from the time I took the sample to the time the Leslie's guy tested it. I used a clean glass baby bottle to carry the sample. I took the sample for my test and the Leslie's test from the same spot in the pool and used the same baby bottle for both mine and the Leslie's test, so there is no chance that the chlorine burned off or anything like that.
I diluted my sample because I have a DPD CL test kit with one of those readers that only tests to five PPM. Because my CYA is 80, I bring my FC to 11 and let it drift down to 4 before I add more. This allows me to go several days without having to add bleach. My test kit is the Leslie's "Total Poolcare DPD test". It's adequate except for not being able to test for Cl above 5ppm. I'll buy a TF100 one of these days.
As for the CYA test, I don't know why I got a 55 reading. Previous three tests I had done were in the neighborhood of 80, which is what the Leslie’s guy got, but getting a 55 spooked me. For the drop based tests, the dude was putting drops in the tube at a rate that was almost too fast to count, so I chalk it up as him being a lazy Rear. The CYA test is a little harder to screw up as you don’t put individual drops – just one part water and reagent. The Leslie's guy had a really cool CYA view tube that was much larger. I want one of those!
"toad" name comes from my high school mascot, the “Horned Toads”. It's a long stupid story.
toadlife
0
Update:
I just re-tested my water after running the filter on high for two hours and having five kids (plus one overgrown kid) jump and splash in the pool for an hour. The results for everything including CYA were exactly the same. I tested CYA three times and it's still tests at exactly 55 every time.
The view tube was viewed outside in bright daylight, but not directly in the sun. Should I be viewing the viewtube in indoor light?
I just re-tested my water after running the filter on high for two hours and having five kids (plus one overgrown kid) jump and splash in the pool for an hour. The results for everything including CYA were exactly the same. I tested CYA three times and it's still tests at exactly 55 every time.
The view tube was viewed outside in bright daylight, but not directly in the sun. Should I be viewing the viewtube in indoor light?
No, you view it with your back to the sun so you are shading the tube looking straight down into it in front of you. That's strong indirect light which is the best viewing condition for the test. I'm not sure why it's reading differently for you now.
I wonder if it old be differences in the bottles themselves. If cleaning the tip to try to keep consistent results.... These bottles are not precision instruments, they're mass produced plastic bottles, is there really any quality control?
toadlife
0
chem geek said:
Ok, then I think my readings of 55 from today at accurate, as I did the readings outside at around 11AM and 3PM respectively when the daylight was still strong. I believe my past readings were the ones that were off as they were done indoors under the brightest light in the house - which of course is nothing compared to daylight.
So it looks like Leslie's results were pretty much wrong all around. :lol:
toadlife
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chem geek said:
Thanks for the tip. I tried CYA reagents from my Leslie's test (purchased this spring) and from a seperate bottle of CYA reagent which I purchased directly from Taylor two years ago and they both gave the same result of 55, so I think my tests are good.
What else does the Leslie's kit have in it? Can you test for TA, pH, and CH?
I ask because you don't need a TF100 if you've got all the rest. Just get a FAS-DPD kit from TFTestkits and be done with dilution and guesswork. Here's the link, it's $26. FAS/DPD Chlorine & CC's test You'll really like this test, no more trips to the pool store.
So, CYA is 55. Now you know :~}
I ask because you don't need a TF100 if you've got all the rest. Just get a FAS-DPD kit from TFTestkits and be done with dilution and guesswork. Here's the link, it's $26. FAS/DPD Chlorine & CC's test You'll really like this test, no more trips to the pool store.
So, CYA is 55. Now you know :~}
toadlife
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frogabog said:
The Leslie's kit I bought is basically a rebranded Taylor K-2005. It has FC/TC, CH, TA and CYA. It also has acid and base demand tests, but those are pretty useless with tools like pool calculator and bleachcalc. It cost me about $45.00 Leslie's.
Thanks for the advice on the induvidual test. I'm going to grab that.