LaMotte ColorQ Water Tester

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stevet1 said:
ALK- I must say that the dropper tip on my TF-100 gives drops that are slightly too big, I always read 10 points lower (1 drop less) compared to using the original taylor bottles/tips.
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Since the precision of this test is +/- 10 ppm with a 25 ml sample then if you are getting a difference of 1 drop you are in spec and the test result is the same. Unless you are testing a known standard you have no way of knowing which test (TF100 or Taylor) is the more precise one.
Many people do not understand what the precision of a test means and expect different methods of testing to produce exactly the same results. If the test results are within the proper range, such as your example above, then the test is considered 'accurate' (the results are reproducible within the specified range).
 
Reviving an old thread. I recently purchased the ColorQ Pro 7. I'm partly color blind so this is a great option for me (instead of bugging my wife to help me read colors :mrgreen: ) . I still have an unused test kit but I'm not sure if I should return that one since the CYA and CH tests seemed to be off in the past? Is this still the case?

Thx!!
 
Thanks for the heads up! I still have the manual test strip kit, so I'll use that for CYA and CH (and have my wife assist me). I just had the pool replastered last week, so I definitely want to stay on top of all the chemicals. Looking great now :)
 
NoPool4U said:
Thanks for the heads up! I still have the manual test strip kit, so I'll use that for CYA and CH (and have my wife assist me). I just had the pool replastered last week, so I definitely want to stay on top of all the chemicals. Looking great now :)
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Test strips do not test for Calcium Hardness (CH), they only test for Total Hardness which includes magnesium so is pretty much useless to you. Test strips are also notoriously inaccurate for testing CYA. You really should get a good drop-based test for CH and CYA and the Taylor K-2006 or TFTestkits TF-100 (or TF-50 to be more economical in your situation) kits would be good to have anyway in case the chlorine level gets high at any point due to shocking. Your ColorQ won't read very high chlorine levels since the DPD chlorine test bleaches out, but the FAS-DPD chlorine test in the K-2006 or TF-100 won't bleach out.
 
NoPool4U said:
Thanks for the heads up! I still have the manual test strip kit, so I'll use that for CYA and CH (and have my wife assist me). I just had the pool replastered last week, so I definitely want to stay on top of all the chemicals. Looking great now :)
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From another post on another thread:

"I tested three pools at the start of the season, CYA levels 140, 160 and 190, the test strips from three different well known companies read 30-40 and 0

Make your own conclusions but the money wasted on strips vs the excellent Duraleigh TFP kit at an excellent price?
I cannot yet buy the component parts of that kit for anywhere near the money, trust me I have tried".
 
Hmm, interesting. It does sound like I'll need a separate test kit then. Just FYI, after refilling the pool the CYA read 3 twice even though there wasn't any in there yet. Then I added enough conditioner to roughly up it by 25ppm and it read 22ppm. So, it seems off but sort of consistent since all my other levels changed a little less than expected as well. I based it on 15000 gallons but the pool holds a little more; just hard to exactly calculate because it has 4 rounded corners.
 
Just a warning to those wanting to buy one of these testers:

I know 4 people, myself included that have purchased LaMotte photo test kits and every one of them has had the same issues. After 1-3 months the readings become very inconsistent (meaning same tests done twice read very differently) and more importantly they get er7 code continually. Everyone I know that has one takes very good care of it, maintains and cleans it as directed by the manufacturer and still the exact same issues happen within a couple months.

Very disappointing as I was very happy with the accuracy and convenience initially. I am one that is partially color blind so a digital read was helpful, and everyone knows test strips are as useful as just guessing.

Even more frustrating is the very limited 6 month warranty, that from all accounts LaMotte isn't very willing to do warranty work on them and holds the customer liable for a poor quality product. I don't know this personally because I haven't sent mine in yet, but this is what Ive been hearing from others that have. I will post my experience with them when I send it back. One individual told me that LaMotte told him there is nothing they will do, even though it is well within the 6 month warranty period.

So for those that want to get one, I would hold off or go with another company. $150 price tag for something that works for 1-3 months or less is a waste. Research and find a better product. Four different people with the same kit, having the exact same results....not good.
 
Jaxmarand said:
Just a warning to those wanting to buy one of these testers:

I know 4 people, myself included that have purchased LaMotte photo test kits and every one of them has had the same issues. After 1-3 months the readings become very inconsistent (meaning same tests done twice read very differently) and more importantly they get er7 code continually. Everyone I know that has one takes very good care of it, maintains and cleans it as directed by the manufacturer and still the exact same issues happen within a couple months.

Very disappointing as I was very happy with the accuracy and convenience initially. I am one that is partially color blind so a digital read was helpful, and everyone knows test strips are as useful as just guessing.

Even more frustrating is the very limited 6 month warranty, that from all accounts LaMotte isn't very willing to do warranty work on them and holds the customer liable for a poor quality product. I don't know this personally because I haven't sent mine in yet, but this is what Ive been hearing from others that have. I will post my experience with them when I send it back. One individual told me that LaMotte told him there is nothing they will do, even though it is well within the 6 month warranty period.

So for those that want to get one, I would hold off or go with another company. $150 price tag for something that works for 1-3 months or less is a waste. Research and find a better product. Four different people with the same kit, having the exact same results....not good.
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I strtongly disagree. I have been using LaMotte ColorQ since 2007 (the same device) with no issues. I change reagents annually per their rec, but have had none of the issues you speak about. I think your problems are unique AND are not typical of this great product. I also use a titration (Taylor) as backup on a weekly basis and the ColorQ pH, TA, FC, TC track closely.

I do not use the ColorQ for CH and CYA since it is inaccurate for those tests.
 

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I just purchased a TF100 test kit and will make comparisons throughout this year with each and will confirm results. I've very analytical and have kept records testing almost every other day in my hot tub since it opened in December. I keep all my records on an excel sheet and prior to obtaining the TF100 kit, I went regularly to a local pool/spa store and had independent testing with the LaMotte, with good comparison. I belive the LaMotte did better than the store several times. Time will tell and I'll make sure I post some results in a few months.
 
I've got to say that I like my LaMotte tester. I can go through the entire process in less than 5 minutes. I just got my TF100 test kit last night and checked for hardness and my LaMotte indicated 300 and TF100 indicated about 450. I've got to say that the LaMotte is much quicker and will use it for quick regular testing and plan on using the TF100 on the weekends where I can spend more time - probably 15-20 minutes to do all the tests and use the stirrer. I do like the fact that I don't have to distinguish colors. Doing the real quick reading test, yellow and red are hard for me to distinguish but I never thought I was color blind. LaMotte came with more reagants than TF100 and I purchased the upgrade. Will come back regularly for comparisons.
 
A difference in reading of 300 vs 450 is a significant error for one kit or the other. Historically, the Color-Q has had problems with precision, especially on the CH and CYA tests, while the TF-100 has been quite a bit more dependable. The Color-Q also has serious problems when the FC or CH level is out of it's design range (which does happen sometimes).

With some practice and an electric stirrer you can do all of the TF-100 tests in well under 15 minutes, though the TF-100 will always be more work than using the Color-Q.
 
Jason,
That's why I bought the TF-100. Prior to the Color-Q, I had one of those strip readers, and moving from that to the Color-Q was a tremendous improvement. If I had been on this site, I probably would have never bought the Color-Q. The funny thing about CH, when I get the water tested at the store, it was comparable. I guess I'm jumping the gun after one test. Time will tell when I get consistent readings. I know with the TF-100, I'll run out of reagants very quickly with a CH test using 40 drops to test once though. Haven't tested CYA because I'd rather sit down and have a BEER when I get home from work after that 1 hour commute near Silver Spring (Adelphi). Since I'm only testing the hot tub rather than the entire pool at this time, it's just testing my different kits. I know that all my chemicals are well in balance so far (I test every other day since December) and look forward to future comparisons. Bottom line, the hot tub water always looks awesome, no smell and plaster appears to be very smooth and no visual problems, so that helps me to believe testing so far has been accurate. I know all of you are true believers of the TF-100 kit (thus my reason for purchasing one), but for quick testing, still like that Color-Q. By the way, I do have that electric stirrer but didn't even open the package last night (BEER). Will wait till this weekend. The problem with the weekend and BEER, counting those drops might get a little tough...
 
XsAllOverIt said:
Jason,
....
By the way, I do have that electric stirrer but didn't even open the package last night (BEER). Will wait till this weekend. The problem with the weekend and BEER, counting those drops might get a little tough...
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Use the 10ml sample for CH - it saves reagent.

The speedstir has a timer built in. Usually I add the first two reagents and let it stir until it shuts off. Then start it again and add 20 drops. When I restart I add a couple more at a time. Once it goes from pink to purplish, I add drops at a slower rate. Many times it stalls at purple but another cycle will make it go sky blue without adding any more reagent.

You'll like the speedstir. It does the work. You only need one hand to add drops. The other is free for the beer.
 
Just an interesting little side note.....we just got back from the Bahia Principe resort in Punta Cana and they use the Color Q for their testing. I saw them carrying around their little kit to all the pools.
They also post their health department reports for all to see.
I just cannot even imagine the nightmare of keeping those pools sanitary.....I've watched those people at the pool bars....they never leave the water and we all know what that means.
 
Gotta tell you I'm on the fence with both of these tests. Comparisons for 2 days:

2/12/2011 (Hot Tub - 70 degrees)
LaMotte Color Q
FC 5.52
TC 5.52
pH 7.7
tAlk 51
CH 367

TF-100
FC 7.0
TC 8.5
pH In range in visual
tAlk 90
CH 500
CYA 20

2/21/2011 (Pool - 34 degrees)
LaMotte ColorQ
FC 0.24
TC 0.38
pH 8.3
TAlk 64
CH 249
CYA 11

TF-100
FC 0
TC 0
pH No measurement
TAlk 60-70
CH 390
CYA Very low

CYA seems to be the only one that agrees well. I'm not sure why the TF-100 doesn't have a drop test for pH?
 
Richard,

I'm just curious, when you get it tested at a pool store, what's your CH? My CH is significantly higher with the TF-100 tester? When I got my CH tested at the store the 3 times I took it to the same store, their numbers have either been dead on to my ColorQ or lower, so CH seems to me to be a really hard one to measure accurately. Perhaps you can get a ColorQ and your CH will go down by several hundred :)
 

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