toadlife
0
poolmama67 said:So I take it that the HTH test kits are worthless?
The HTH test kits (the "OTO" one) are not worthless. The limitation they have is that they only test total chlorine instead of free chlorine and combined chlorine and they only test up to 5 ppm chlorine. To test above 5 ppm with the test kits that use the color matching, you have to dilute the sample with water that has no chlorine (preferably distilled water).
I got by my first year of BBB with one of those 6 way HTH OTO test kits from Walmart, but have since moved onto a Taylor K2005 + Taylor FAS-DPD Chlorine test, which together is a roughly equivalent to the TF-100 test kits everyone here mentioned has all of the tests.
I would recommend getting a TF100, or a Taylor K2006. I made a mistake in buying the K2005, which is why I had to buy the FAS-DPD test separately. I also recommend the "Speedstir" as mentioned above. I ordered one with my FAS-DPD test kit and it makes doing the drop by drop test MUCH easier.
If I had it to do all over again I would have just bought a TF100 or Taylor K2006 in the first place, but I didn't find TFP until after I had cleared up the swap that came with my house.