I received my T-100 today and did my first round of tests.
Per the basic two vial test, CL was in the 5-10 range and the PH was between 7.5 and 7.8.
FC = 4
CC = .5
CH = 200-250
TA = 90
CYA = 40
Comments/Observations
Not sure about the chlorine. On the basic test kit, the color was a pretty deep yellow. I was a little surprised that FC was as low as indicated with the main test. However, it does seem basically in line with the results I've been getting from the pool store though my last visit my FC and TC were 5.6. Still, seems a bit low.
PH is not something I'm too concerned about. I got a digital meter and it just so happens that my son in law works at a plating company in the lab. They have a very sophisticated PH meter and the digital meter I have is calibrated and reading spot on. My reading was 7.6 so the basic test is in line. This is a lot different from my first basic test. I think the regents in that kit must be faulty/out of date because that reading has been consistently higher than my meter and usually read above 8. Which, is what lead me to get the digital meter in the first place.
CH - not sure about this test. It's hard for me to tell when it turns from red to blue. At 8 drops it's at least dark purple and by 10 drops, it's for sure blue. So, that's why it's 200 - 250. This is not too far off from the pool store which had me around 160. Not sure how refined this number needs to be.
TA is 90 and the pool store had me at 84, so that seems right on.
CYA has me a bit perplexed. I did the test twice (actually did all of them twice just to get the hang of things) and I got a reading of around 40. The pool store has been showing around 60. Not sure how sensitive this test is when it relies on me, a poor seeing person, to see a dot in a tube. Interestingly, it seems like I can see it pretty well. Of course, as I moved toward the window (sun light), I could see it better. I'm just not sure on this one, how far to go. Is it that you just can't make out the black dot, or it has to go away completely? As I said, even at 40 I could barely make out the dot. A couple drops after that and it was fully gone. So my CYA could even be lower than 40, but it wasn't anywhere near half way to 30.
I'm not going to do anything based on these tests. I plan on doing them again tomorrow morning and then doing an OCLT starting tomorrow night. As I said, I'm just getting comfortable with the process for now.
Regarding the process, I did get a speedspin. How do you use it? When the instructions say something like add 5 drops and then mix, do you shut it off before you add the next regent, or do you keep it spinning the entire time. I'm thinking here of the FC/CC test where you add drops, evaluate color, add drops to clear, add drops to color and then back to clear. Do you just leave it spinning the entire time? Probably no big deal, but just wondering.
Thanks for the assistance.
Per the basic two vial test, CL was in the 5-10 range and the PH was between 7.5 and 7.8.
FC = 4
CC = .5
CH = 200-250
TA = 90
CYA = 40
Comments/Observations
Not sure about the chlorine. On the basic test kit, the color was a pretty deep yellow. I was a little surprised that FC was as low as indicated with the main test. However, it does seem basically in line with the results I've been getting from the pool store though my last visit my FC and TC were 5.6. Still, seems a bit low.
PH is not something I'm too concerned about. I got a digital meter and it just so happens that my son in law works at a plating company in the lab. They have a very sophisticated PH meter and the digital meter I have is calibrated and reading spot on. My reading was 7.6 so the basic test is in line. This is a lot different from my first basic test. I think the regents in that kit must be faulty/out of date because that reading has been consistently higher than my meter and usually read above 8. Which, is what lead me to get the digital meter in the first place.
CH - not sure about this test. It's hard for me to tell when it turns from red to blue. At 8 drops it's at least dark purple and by 10 drops, it's for sure blue. So, that's why it's 200 - 250. This is not too far off from the pool store which had me around 160. Not sure how refined this number needs to be.
TA is 90 and the pool store had me at 84, so that seems right on.
CYA has me a bit perplexed. I did the test twice (actually did all of them twice just to get the hang of things) and I got a reading of around 40. The pool store has been showing around 60. Not sure how sensitive this test is when it relies on me, a poor seeing person, to see a dot in a tube. Interestingly, it seems like I can see it pretty well. Of course, as I moved toward the window (sun light), I could see it better. I'm just not sure on this one, how far to go. Is it that you just can't make out the black dot, or it has to go away completely? As I said, even at 40 I could barely make out the dot. A couple drops after that and it was fully gone. So my CYA could even be lower than 40, but it wasn't anywhere near half way to 30.
I'm not going to do anything based on these tests. I plan on doing them again tomorrow morning and then doing an OCLT starting tomorrow night. As I said, I'm just getting comfortable with the process for now.
Regarding the process, I did get a speedspin. How do you use it? When the instructions say something like add 5 drops and then mix, do you shut it off before you add the next regent, or do you keep it spinning the entire time. I'm thinking here of the FC/CC test where you add drops, evaluate color, add drops to clear, add drops to color and then back to clear. Do you just leave it spinning the entire time? Probably no big deal, but just wondering.
Thanks for the assistance.