Anybody tried the blue devil CYA test kit

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The problem with that test kit, if I remember correctly, is that the scale goes up to 60, then STOPS, then they put a mark at 100. My SWG pool requires CYA at 60-80ppm. And because the scale is logarithmic, you can't really guess very well. Waste of money for me in my quest to find a better testing kit.
 
tf,

I saw this the other day and decided to give it a try.. I bought the Pentair version, which of course cost more.. :p It appears to be the same except comes with 8 oz. of reagent.

Pros...

I love the sliding dot!!! I find that, for me, I get very repeatable results, where not so much with the fixed dot.

It has now become my primary test for CYA.


Cons..

It takes a lot more reagent per test, about 1 oz. The linked unit comes with 4 oz or only 4 tests.

The inside of tube turned hazy after two tests.. but then so did my TF-100 tube. Because of the fixed sliding dot mechanism it will be much harder to clean, which I have not yet done. Have no idea if that will be a problem later on or not..

The sliding dot mechanism is very sloppy.. So once the dot disappears it is hard to hold the slide and then look at the scale. I did find, after a few tries, that if I use one finger on the slide to take out the slop, that I can hold the slide in place and then read the scale.

Just like all CYA tests the scale gets closer together the higher you go. The scale does stop at 60 and then jump to 100, but in my case anyway, knowing I am above 60 and below 100 is all I need. Although not as accurate, you can still make a logarithmic "guess" at where you are and be pretty close.

The kit is bigger than the TF-100 and takes up more room in my carrying case.


Thanks for posting,

Jim R.
 
Just curious why you only want to know if you are above 60 and less than 100? For me at least, 60-80 is the range but 70-80 is the recommended range.
 
Goody,

I probably could have said that better.. While the test might not tell me exactly what my CYA is, just looking at the where the water is on the scale between 60 and 100 does gives me a pretty good idea of the CYA level.

While I like to be between 70 and 80, as long as I am above 60 and below 100, close is close enough. I just don't believe that being outside the 70 to 80 range makes a critical difference.

The main problem with CYA is when it gets well above 100 and you try to keep your FC at 3 ppm... :p

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Joe,

The instructions that come with it do not say anything about the lighting at all.. My plan is to get some 50% CYA standard solution and test it, both inside and out...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
good idea - I did exactly that. Standard solution is 50ppm. I found that in total shade, and only taking a quick glance I was getting 57ppm. With my back to the sun and really staring at it, I got 52. So it might depend on the individual. That difference might not sound too bad, but the lines near 50ppm are far apart, while the lines at 70 and 80ppm are close together.
The standard solution is $5 plus $5 shipping. I waited to purchase some other chemicals to make the $5 shipping more worth it.
 
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