Can’t determine Ph

[jsdet21]

I’ve been having this issue since I opened my pool. I cannot tell what the Ph is because the water color doesn’t look like any of the test colors. Help!

 

[PoolStored]

7.9 or 8.0.
Lighter than the purple 8.2.
More orange than the 7.8.

 

[proavia]

Welcome to TFP!

Try one less drop of reagent - use 4 drops instead of 5.
This can help make it easier to match the color.
To me it looks between 7.2 and 7.5 - a picture makes it difficult to determine.

 

[pjt]

A consistent background is key. To get good backlighting, hold the block in front of your computer monitor/tablet/phone with a blank white screen displayed. Also, try holding the block sideways or upside down. Sometimes that helps distinguish colors better. I also use two old hotel keycards to mask off areas and narrow down my decision.

 

[wireform]

Basically a well lit background will make it easier like up against a white cloud in the sky.

 

[setsailsoon]

js,

Welcome to TFP! I used to have a lot of trouble with this because I'm colorblind in the colors at the top of the scale... at least I thought I was. Turned out I had cataracts forming. Now that I've had that corrected it's pretty easy for me. There are a lot of men that have color blindness that affects reading this test though. I look at it like this:

• Anything yellow is below 7 and not good.
• Any kind of orange with no hint of purple is 7.2 to 7.5
• As purple creeps in it's 7.6 and above
• Completely purple is 8.2 and above

It's important to remember that ph above 8.3 does not change the color appreciably so it can be way above 8.3.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[jsdet21]

Thank you everyone! I will try each of these with this evening’s test.

 

[SecoSteve]

Are you sure you're using the correct Ph indicator solution for YOUR specific test kit?

 

[jsdet21]

I’m using the TF-Pro from TFP.

 

[SecoSteve]

Ok. Your signature says otherwise. Is the Ph indicator R-0014?

 

[jsdet21]

Ok. Your signature says otherwise. Is the Ph indicator R-0014?

Shoot. Thank you for noticing! I’ll change that. Yes.

 

[RickRude]

Try one less drop of reagent - use 4 drops instead of 5.
This can help make it easier to match the color.

Would you mind explaining this? Does this not result in a false low reading? Apologies but I do not know the chemistry behind the pH test.

 

[proavia]

Would you mind explaining this? Does this not result in a false low reading? Apologies but I do not know the chemistry behind the pH test.

It does not give a false reading. The color just isn't as intense. This sometimes makes it easier for some to determine the final reading.

Suggest everyone start off with 5 drops - per the test kit instructions. If it's difficult to read with 5 drops, try 4 drops.
Doesn't work for everyone though.

 

[Ray.Pyle]

I’ve been having this issue since I opened my pool. I cannot tell what the Ph is because the water color doesn’t look like any of the test colors. Help!

Your comparator looks like the same from my new TF-Pro kit. The differences between 7.5 and 7.8 colors are almost indistinguishable. Other, albeit cheaper, comparators show easily distinguishable differences between 7.2, 7.6 and 7.8. I think Taylor has another comparator that actually shows a similar difference in the middle range but I don’t know if it uses a different reagent. However, this ceased to matter much to me after spending time reading other posts on this site and someone suggested it was probably okay to keep the pH between 7.2 and 8.0 and quit my almost daily OCD-like attempts to keep it within a narrower range around 7.6. Works for me even if it seems a bit loose. Am I wrong?

 

[cledee]

I’ve been having this issue since I opened my pool. I cannot tell what the Ph is because the water color doesn’t look like any of the test colors. Help!

@jsdet21 That looks similar to what mine was for a few weeks 7.3 to 7.4. Right now mine is at 7.5 and it matches the R-14 color.