Drop Based PH kit

[CivengPE]

I was wondering if there may be a better mouse trap out there as to measuring PH. I have been using the OTO kit that came in the TF100 kit, but I really suck at telling the difference between the colors.

The drop based tests in the TF100 are awesome and leave very little to interpretation. Is there a drop based PH kit that is reasonable accurate and priced? I couldn't find one on TFTeskits site.

Thanks,
Shannon

 

[jblizzle]

Sorry, the pH test with the OTO test is really the best pH test. There is no drop based test.

There are digital tests, but often the accuracy seems to be pretty suspect.

 

[rjward]

I tend to like the Taylor K2000 series 9056 comperator (which use a different reagent) because it has a bit more separation on the pH levels (6 levels with .2 separating them versus 5 levels with .3 - .4). I use my K1000 for a quick daily / every other day and then on the weekends I use the 9056 and the K1000 to compare them. Admittedly not necessary but I am just a a bit geeky that way.......

If it is something that you want to pursue - just a heads up it's cheaper to buy the block and reagent(s) than to buy the whole kit assuming you already have a TF100

 

[duraleigh]

I am with rjward. The 9056 gives you another gradation but added a bit much to the total cost when bundling in the TF-100.

Often, a VERY easy solution is to have another person estimate the test results with you and take the average of your findings.

I struggled a bit the first season, but like most everything, the pH test now seems much easier because of my prior experience.

 

[schertzy82]

Try holding the test up to the light in front of a sheet of white paper. That always helped me. If it looks like this, then it's too low. If it looks like this, then it's too high. If it looks like this, then it's about right.

 

[ping]

I like to read the block held a few inches away from one of my windows or back door at arms length with the sun shinning. My windows and door have white casings. This gives a nice background and neglects other colors from blending in. Like schertyzy82 said, the white background with light is what you want.

 

[CivengPE]

Well I think I have it down now. I judge the PH to be 7.8 when I got home this evening. When I used the pool calculator to calculate the amount of MA it was spot on with my retest after addition.

I will just have to get used to telling different shades of pink apart!

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[Kwikee]

Would a multi value litmus paper work? The one that has several colours and can read from about 2 to 13? Or even one that changes a few different colours between 7 and 8?

 

[JasonLion]

Would a multi value litmus paper work? The one that has several colours and can read from about 2 to 13? Or even one that changes a few different colours between 7 and 8?

Work at all, yes. But it wouldn't be nearly as easy to read as the standard PH test. The wide range tests basically give you one color for anything between 7 and 8, and the paper strip narrow range tests are never quite as good as the liquid test.