New fibergalss, saltwater pool owner, received my TF-100 kit on Monday, so just now starting to use. Two local pool stores were recommended, one uses Taylor reagents, the other the LaMotte electronic kit. Both stores show my TA around 95 and CH around 240. My testing (yesterday and today) show TA over 200 and CH at 450. CYA is currently at 50 (I have additional stabilizer to add) and PH consistantly 7.5 - 7.6. How do you know which set of numbers to trust? I tested right after going to the pool store today and still got the higher numbers.
Differences between TF-100 and Pool Store Testing
- Thread starter Aggiegal98
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,745
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum.
We , and you, should trust your test results.
I suggest you read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
We , and you, should trust your test results.
I suggest you read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Ohhh lordie, if I wasn't sure of your sincerity I'd say your question was an Aggie Joke! <--just kidding. Brother is an Ag class of '75
Aggiegal, there is so much difference in these test kits and store testing. I'll just rattle off a few reasons (in no particular order)
-TF-100 does use the Taylor reagents. Those reagent are the gold standard, IMO. The TF-100 adjusted the amount of reagents in a kit to suit the quantity needed based on the TFP method. For example, you test your FC far more often than CYA, so the TF-100 gives you more reagent for the FC test and less for the CYA. Still plenty to get most folks thru almost 2 years of testing as long as they're not having algae problems.
-Pool stores are renowned for inaccurate test results. If you were to bring them another sample the following day they'd come up with different results. We've seen that far far numerous times. Your accuracy depends on who is running the test; their training; the calibration of the machine; how much they need to sell to make bank that day. That "Free Test" they offer is rarely ever free.
- I always (99.9%) trust you doing your own tests over any fancy system or pool store employee. No one cares more to get it right than you.
-What's the TA of your fill water? Test that and let me know?
Maddie
Aggiegal, there is so much difference in these test kits and store testing. I'll just rattle off a few reasons (in no particular order)
-TF-100 does use the Taylor reagents. Those reagent are the gold standard, IMO. The TF-100 adjusted the amount of reagents in a kit to suit the quantity needed based on the TFP method. For example, you test your FC far more often than CYA, so the TF-100 gives you more reagent for the FC test and less for the CYA. Still plenty to get most folks thru almost 2 years of testing as long as they're not having algae problems.
-Pool stores are renowned for inaccurate test results. If you were to bring them another sample the following day they'd come up with different results. We've seen that far far numerous times. Your accuracy depends on who is running the test; their training; the calibration of the machine; how much they need to sell to make bank that day. That "Free Test" they offer is rarely ever free.
- I always (99.9%) trust you doing your own tests over any fancy system or pool store employee. No one cares more to get it right than you.
-What's the TA of your fill water? Test that and let me know?
Maddie
Last edited:
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
take your water to 3 stores and each one will give you different results....
Go with YOUR results and you will be good from now on
Go with YOUR results and you will be good from now on
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,233
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Below is an excerpt from the extended test directions for the TA test. The first paragraph is important with a new test kit. Trust your results...
"Sometimes a static electric charge can build up on the R-0009 dropper bottle tip, causing the drops to be smaller than usual and making the test read higher than actual. You can prevent this by wipping the tip of the dropper bottle with a damp cloth or tissue before you start and after each drop.
Hold the dropper bottles vertically and squeeze gently, so that drops come out slowly and seem to hang on the tip of the dropper bottle for a moment before falling."
"Sometimes a static electric charge can build up on the R-0009 dropper bottle tip, causing the drops to be smaller than usual and making the test read higher than actual. You can prevent this by wipping the tip of the dropper bottle with a damp cloth or tissue before you start and after each drop.
Hold the dropper bottles vertically and squeeze gently, so that drops come out slowly and seem to hang on the tip of the dropper bottle for a moment before falling."
One of these thing is not like the other Great. Now it’s gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Thanks a lot.
I did run across this as i was reading through the forums today looking to see if someone had asked this question before. We've got rain these next couple days. I'll give this a try tomorrow.
Fill water looks to be about PH of 8. That's another weird thing...the color test vs PH meter on my pool water is different (meter is 7.2, color test looks a lot closer to 7.5) I calibrated the meter today and it still tested around 7.2. I did both on the tap water, color test looked like 8.2, meter was 7.9Ohhh lordie, if I wasn't sure of your sincerity I'd say your question was an Aggie Joke! <--just kidding. Brother is an Ag class of '75
Aggiegal, there is so much difference in these test kits and store testing. I'll just rattle off a few reasons (in no particular order)
-TF-100 does use the Taylor reagents. Those reagent are the gold standard, IMO. The TF-100 adjusted the amount of reagents in a kit to suit the quantity needed based on the TFP method. For example, you test your FC far more often than CYA, so the TF-100 gives you more reagent for the FC test and less for the CYA. Still plenty to get most folks thru almost 2 years of testing as long as they're not having algae problems.
-Pool stores are renowned for inaccurate test results. If you were to bring them another sample the following day they'd come up with different results. We've seen that far far numerous times. Your accuracy depends on who is running the test; their training; the calibration of the machine; how much they need to sell to make bank that day. That "Free Test" they offer is rarely ever free.
- I always (99.9%) trust you doing your own tests over any fancy system or pool store employee. No one cares more to get it right than you.
-What's the TA of your fill water? Test that and let me know?
Maddie
I never could get a pH meter to work right so I'm a drop based girl. In most all the tests though the drop based ones are most accurate. Not sure of the pH one since it can be kinda subjective.
Make sure you hold it up and put something white behind it. See if that helps? If it looks "in between" two numbers it can be that.
Make sure you hold it up and put something white behind it. See if that helps? If it looks "in between" two numbers it can be that.
I redid the TA test today, taking special note of the size of the drops. The first two came out tiny and quick. After wiping, they normalized in size and it took 8-9 to turn pink. Light pink and 8, darker at 9. I feel much better about this test today.