Testing the test kit

[msachen]

Good Morning,

Cloudy water, high chlorine use, read pool school, tested cya (off the map high), diluted pool water over past week, pool clear, fc still zero, cya (with 50% diluted sample) 200.... oh yeah, cannot close pool to slam.

Stopped using stabilized pucks and have been adding 65% superchlor granules to get some chlorine in the water, even though it's rapidly consumed.

Is there a way to test my cya test kit so that I know the decisions I make are based on solid math?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

The 65% superchlor granules are probably adding more CYA than the tabs did. Is it Dichlor I assume?

What test kit do your have? If it is not one of the recommended test kits, that is what you need. You can buy a kit at a pool store, but again the pool store kits generally won't cut it. To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. All these kits contain that test while very few other kits do.

But, as a specific answer you your question, yes. You can get a sample solution that is exactly 50 CYA so you can test your test.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to TFP Mike!

What kit/method are you using for your Cya test?

 

[JohnT]

Good Morning,

Cloudy water, high chlorine use, read pool school, tested cya (off the map high), diluted pool water over past week, pool clear, fc still zero, cya (with 50% diluted sample) 200.... oh yeah, cannot close pool to slam.

Stopped using stabilized pucks and have been adding 65% superchlor granules to get some chlorine in the water, even though it's rapidly consumed.

Is there a way to test my cya test kit so that I know the decisions I make are based on solid math?

Thanks,
Mike

You can buy standard solutions for the TA, CH and CYA tests at TFTestkits.net These are essentially accurately prepared water samples to use to verify your test process.

 

[msachen]

Thanks. The superchlor granules are calcium hypochlorite 65%. I don't think this is stabilized. Please correct me if I'm adding to my problem.

The test kit is a Taylor. I don't know the number. It's housed in a large blue box. I use 5 drops of reagent #1 followed by 5 drops of reagent #2 to get fc. Then add 5 drops of reagent #3 to get tc. I subtract these to get cc. This used to be 1.0 and is now close to 0. Hopefully this is the FAS/DPD test of which you speak. The reverse side of the chlorine readings are the cya grid with the black dot on the bottom. Reagent #13 is used. The kit is full of drops that are unopened and never used. Base demand test, acid demand test, etc.

I didn't know if anyone knew the chemistry for making my own test solution. We have cyanuric acid and water.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[tim5055]

Thanks. The superchlor granules are calcium hypochlorite 65%. I don't think this is stabilized. Please correct me if I'm adding to my problem.

The test kit is a Taylor. I don't know the number. It's housed in a large blue box. I use 5 drops of reagent #1 followed by 5 drops of reagent #2 to get fc. Then add 5 drops of reagent #3 to get tc. I subtract these to get cc. This used to be 1.0 and is now close to 0. Hopefully this is the FAS/DPD test of which you speak. The reverse side of the chlorine readings are the cya grid with the black dot on the bottom. Reagent #13 is used. The kit is full of drops that are unopened and never used. Base demand test, acid demand test, etc.

I didn't know if anyone knew the chemistry for making my own test solution. We have cyanuric acid and water.

Thanks,

Mike

Cal Hypo is not stabilized, so no CYA - but it does add CH. You signature does not indicate vinyl or cement pool shell so no idea if you need CH.

The Taylor kit you describe is a DPD, not a FAS/DPD. the big difference is that DPD has a limit of 5FC where the FAS/DPD has a 50FC limit. Obviously for a SLAM that takes the FC up high you need the FAS/DPD 50 limit.

You are describing the problem with most Taylor kits. They give you things that eh average residential pool owner never uses and not a sufficient quanity of the stuff you do need. Hence why TF Test kits developed the TF-100 for the residential market. It doesn't have the p[retty blue box, but has the stuff we need.