Wow I am terrible at reading this test. I saw a post in another thread that you are supposed to let the solution "settle" for at least a minute, but it was an old sign. Should I be letting the solution settle inside the view tube with the tf-100 kit? I can actually see the suspending particles floating around when trying to read it and I don't want my results to be off.
CYA testing
- Thread starter elmorage
- Start date
It should be well mixed before pouring it in the view tube.
It is a hard test to get used to. The best thing to do is pour the sample mixture back and forth from the vial to the mixing tube several times. This gives you a general concensus of when the black dot disappears.
It is a hard test to get used to. The best thing to do is pour the sample mixture back and forth from the vial to the mixing tube several times. This gives you a general concensus of when the black dot disappears.
Correct lighting is often the biggest problem with this test, it should be done outdoors in sunlight with your back to the sun, with the view tube held at arms length
- May 4, 2011
- 634
My past test results seem to have been off by 15ppm because of testing inside.Isaac-1 said:
I've added a link in my signature to the reference thread I'm working on, first thing I put in it was the 50ppm CYA solution to verify your CYA test. So you can see what 50ppm looks like. 2nd post is a video of the test being performed. Check it out.
That was helpful, thanks. I am doing the process correctly, just having trouble determining the vanishing point. I think I either convince myself I still see it and add too much solution, or think it is gone when in fact it is still visible. I guess it isn't helping that we haven't had full sun in two days.
I guess I just have to have faith that the inch by inch water drain is lowering the CYA and wait for a nice bright day to confirm it with the test.
I guess I just have to have faith that the inch by inch water drain is lowering the CYA and wait for a nice bright day to confirm it with the test.
When you first think it's gone, then that's around the end. Don't keep fooling yourself after that. Pour the tube contents back into the bottle and do it again as often as you like.
Of all the descriptions of how to interpret this test, I think chem geek's above is the best posted yet. Don't keep trying to "trick" yourself into believing.....your first observation is likely the most accurate.
- May 4, 2011
- 634
It's obvious what method I like.Speedo said:
Buy the solution and remove the guess work completely. I will be testing next week since I added some CYA on Wednesday and using the solution first to see 50ppm.I think I am getting the hang of it, at least compared to where I started. The biggest challenge was separating the black dot from the reflection of my head. I have found my back to the sun makes the reflection worse and I have better luck from the side. Refilling the squirt bottle and repeating the test over and over was a helpful suggestion.
Anyway, over the last three days of draining and refilling we have dropped the cya from almost 100 down to 60. Now that I have stopped using pucks and dichlor to shock, I think that number is manageable until the end of the season when we can drain a more substantial amount of water.
Anyway, over the last three days of draining and refilling we have dropped the cya from almost 100 down to 60. Now that I have stopped using pucks and dichlor to shock, I think that number is manageable until the end of the season when we can drain a more substantial amount of water.