Can anyone recommend a digital tester?

[Sjde]

In our small town there aren’t many choices of service people and we just had to hire someone new for our vacation rental. He took a class but doesn’t feel well-prepared because they cut it down to 1/2 day instead of 2 days since he was the only student!
To make things easier for him I’d like to get a tester with a digital readout. Can someone recommend one?


Also , I know there are apps for pools where you input the reading and it tells you exactly how much to add. Is there anything similar for hot tubs?

TIA.

 

[JimMarshall]

LaMotte makes a couple but they aren’t overly accurate from what we have seen here. I think you’d be better off with a TF 100 and 10-15 minutes of training.

As far as the app, you should be able to use the PoolMath app with your hot tub.

 

[Sjde]

Is the TF 100 better than the Poolmaster drop kit I use?


Our guy uses the HTH 6 way test strips.

 

[Sjde]

I looked at the app and it doesn’t show Alk, pH or bromine?
What is CSI?

 

[mknauss]

Is the TF 100 better than the Poolmaster drop kit I use?


Our guy uses the HTH 6 way test strips.

Strips are essentially useless. May as well guess.

Your Poolmaster I assume can do CYA? I would imagine the TC and pH is only good to 5 ppm TC. TF 100 is a FAS-DPD test kit, light years better than the Poolmaster.

- - - Updated - - -

PoolMath app accepts inputs for FC, CC, TA, pH, CH. CYA, salt, Temp. It calculates CSI (Pool School - Calcium Saturation Index (CSI)))

It does not track bromine.

 

[Sjde]

Yes it can do CYA

 

[Sjde]

Under What to Track , where you check items, I don’t see pH or TA

 

[mknauss]

Right. Those two are automatic. Go to New Log, Test Results. Enter some data, they will show up.

 

[Sjde]

Thanks!

i can’t seem to get past Pool Setup to New Log.

Also acrylic isn’t a choice. ( So I chose vinyl).

 

[Winnie-the-Pool]

Thanks!

i can’t seem to get past Pool Setup to New Log.

Also acrylic isn’t a choice. ( So I chose vinyl).

If your pool/hot tub is an acrylic shell, I think fiberglass would be the best choice.

After you setup your pool tap the "check mark" in the upper right to "save" your Pool Setup. You will also do that to save each log entry (test results, maintenance, chemical addition, etc.)

That should take you to the Overview screen. Tap the + New Log at the bottom center to create a new log entry.

After entering Test Results and tapping the "check mark" to save, you will again be taken to the Overview screen. Tapping any result will take you to an advice/recommendation screen which will tell you the suggested action to bring that result to the suggested level.

To get familiar with the app, just setup a pool and enter some made up test results. Then you can just delete the pool later.

You can use the same app on multiple devices and see what entries are made by others by signing in with the same username on each device.

You can send the person you just hired to Pool School to learn all they need to know and there will be plenty of folks to offer advice if they have any questions or problems.

 

[Sjde]

This says the Poolmaster is as good as the Taylor-

https://www.pooladvisors.net/best-pool-test-kit/

 

[mknauss]

It is not. But you can buy what you wish.

Good luck.

 

[Winnie-the-Pool]

This says the Poolmaster is as good as the Taylor-

https://www.pooladvisors.net/best-pool-test-kit/

From that site, it appears that the Poolmaster test kit does NOT test for CYA, FC over 5ppm or CC. Not to mention how much other misinformation there was on that page.

There is no digital tester that will allow you to perform the tests necessary if you want to use the TFP methods as described and supported on this site, you need an appropriate test kit.


Quick draw Marty...

 

[Donldson]

From that site, it appears that the Poolmaster test kit does NOT test for CYA, FC over 5ppm or CC. Not to mention how much other misinformation there was on that page.

And that is how you can tell the difference between someone looking for useful information and someone just looking for verification of their opinion. It is very easy to spot the very questionable information on that page. Deficiencies between that tester and the k-2006 are laid out clear as day. But when someone is just looking for what they want to hear the blinders go up.

OP: unless you are willing to spend over a thousand dollars on a really top of the line professional digital tester then you are not going to find one accurate or reliable enough that we recommend it. If the person you are hiring needs help in figuring out how to use a k-2006 then perhaps my 8 year old daughter or my 60 year old mother who failed basic chemistry in high school can help? They both picked it up quite easily when I showed them. Seems it should be a prerequisite to getting paid to handle a pool or spa, not something to deal with after the fact. If you can't trust them to count drops, how can you trust them to dose chemicals correctly?!?

 

[Sjde]

Thanks for all the help!

Ya, I wish there was someone else I knew to hire or could go and do it myself.

I confess to not reading the entire article but looked at the ones recommended and pros and cons of each.

I’ve ordered the Taylor product.

And I got the pool app to work but now have another question. Is it suggested I buy a scale? Because it says to add 0.3 Oz soda ash by weight. I was hoping for oz.

 

[JimMarshall]

If my understanding is correct, the first number listed should be by volume, the second should be by weight.

Depending on your full test results borax may be better to increase your pH with. Washing soda greatly increases alkalinity with will cause a great amount of upwards pH drift when you run your spa jets.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

TT2000 Taylor-

 

[Winnie-the-Pool]

TT2000 Taylor-

I'm confused... what does this mean?

 

[Dirk]

If my understanding is correct, the first number listed should be by volume, the second should be by weight.

I thought that was a translation of the same thing, not two different measurement systems. 18 oz is 1 lb, 2 oz. You'd use one or the other depending on what device(s) you're measuring with, but both are "by weight" in this example.

 

[Donldson]

I'm confused... what does this mean?

He means the Taylor TTi 2000 digital test kit. It costs a thousand dollars, requires reagents that cost far more than refilling a TF-100, and is more complicated to use than a TF-100. But it is probably accurate and reliable enough to use if anybody is tired of carrying around all those Benjamins in their wallet. Personally I would recommend the TF-100 and donating the remaining $900 to TFP, but to each their own.