Easier way to test chlorine when maintaining higher FC

[ideal2545]

Hi All,

i was curious how those of you who keep a higher FC test? do you test daily and if so do you have another method other than the fas-dpd test? I feel that it’s a waste of test chemicals to keep using it daily.

Thanks!!
Jon

 

[tomfrh]

You can use less water, or dilute it 2:1 or even thinner.

I only test a few times a week.

 

[Jimrahbe]

i,

Once you get a "feel" for your pool you should not have to test daily...

This is not rocket science, so you don't have to be perfect... If you are shooting for 6 ppm anywhere between 4 and 8 is fine, you just want to make sure you don't drop below the minimum of 3 ppm.

I like to run a little on the high side so that I don't ever have to worry about it.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[shingles]

I like to maintain my pool on the high side for my CYA. In the beginning I was testing daily, often twice a day. Now i have it figured out in terms of how my ph likes to drift, what SWG setting should be, and how the FC fall and rise occurs, I am now testing every 2-3 days.

 

[zea3]

You can use the OTO test just to make sure their is chlorine in the pool, and do the FAS/DPD test 1 or 2 times a week to make sure you are staying in target range. Richard 320 posted his observations a while back about how high chlorine looks in the OTO test.

From my own research (which I hunted down here using search) Blinding yellow is about 10. School bus yellow is about 12-13. Hunter orange is around 18, up around 25 it starts to look pumpkin orange. I never went any higher than that, but it's been reliably reported that it eventually will turn brown if you get high enough.

It's not terribly accurate. The FAS-DPD test is. Once you tame the pool and learn its ways, you only need to use the FAS-DPD test a couple times a week, the OTO test is good enough to ensure you're in range. That's all it's good for - a range. 4>7 all look like 5 to me.

 

[getreal720]

As stated, once you "learn the pool"... you'll probably need to run the test twice a week or so.

I've done many chlorine tests out of the TF-100 kit I bought last June, and it seems like their are
plenty more to go.


Just how high are your CYA / FC levels?

 

[ideal2545]

I'm at CYA between 45-50 so I'm trying to stay in the 4-8 range, I prefer to stay on the higher end at 7 or 8 because our summers here in Santa Clarita, CA are really bad, we've been hting the 110's for a few weeks and the pool is in the sun like non-stop!

 

[CeltiaK]

I use a different comparitor block: Amazon.com : Taylor 9056 Chlorine and Bromine DPD Comparator Replacement for 2000 Series : Swimming Pool Liquid Test Kits : Garden Outdoor

It's just a rough estimate, but fine for the FC 8-9 level I maintain. I have a SWG and keep my CYA around 70.

The only thing is, you have to use different reagents - the TF100 reagents aren't correct for this block.

It needs:
R0001
R0002
R0004 (not R0014)

But I like it a lot since I only test with DPD powder every 2-3 weeks by the end of summer.