How often do you really test your water?

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S

Stewbacca

0
Jul 19, 2011
7
Sonoma, CA
Wondering how often everyone actually tests their water.

I can do weekly tests if I’m lucky... does anyone do more than weekly? Less?


Just curious.


Also, anyone know how to make the signature pop up when using the Tapatalk app?
 
I can do weekly tests if I’m lucky
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For FC, that's way too long. Some others you can do that with. For me personally, I test FC and pH daily because they are that important to me between algae prevention and calcium scale control. TA just about every day as well. Just takes a minute. CH and CYA I'll get by one a month or so.
 
I know my pool and check PH every third day. CL weekly since i have a SWG.

You have to learn what checks your pool needs when based on your equipment and environment.

TAPATALK is handicapped and does not show signatures. Web or mobile interface to TFP works better and lets you see links to Pool School - Pool School and PoolMath
 
It's not a question of right or wrong. And not about what everyone else is doing. It's about consequences. And risk vs reward. At stake are five minutes a day vs a costly, time consuming SLAM Process process to clear an algae outbreak. So that's up to you. The more time you allow between tests, the greater the risk of something happening to your pool. Over time, you'll get a feel for what you can get away with, and up the stakes to every other day, then every three days, etc. How long have you been at this? How well do you know your pool? You say you don't have time to test. Do you have time to do a SLAM? Just something to think about.

Richard, can I borrow from your signature? You say it best:

Troublefree does not mean Maintenancefree. It's like brushing your teeth: You can spend a couple minutes a day and pennies a week or go to the dentist once a year and spend several thousand dollars.
A pool is like a pet - you have to feed it every day, even the days you don't want to play with it!
 
I like to test FC every day but can skip for a day or two if busy and bump up FC with average additions of bleach with confidence. I only check pH once a week now as it has settled in at 7.8. As for TA and CH I only test once a month as I know the fill water and it's small effect. As for CYA I bought a pint bottle of reagent and tested often after I filled the pool last summer and slowly raised the CYA. I also tested quite a bit this spring to verify levels and practice my method. Now confident of my concentration I have backed off to once a month but have noticed a slight decline in CYA that I easily remedy with several trichlor pucks during the long hot weeks of summer.
 
For me: FC and pH 1X per week, CYA, TA, and CH once a month, borates twice a year. Whenever there has been significant rain and water drain, CYA, TA, CH, and borates.

After a while, I found that the pool was so stable that I didn't have to check daily. Sometimes I do a math calculation (% water drained out after heavy rain) and will add CYA, CH, and Borates based on my last number and percentage lost. Then I check those levels a few days after adding to see what I have. I just had to replace 15% of my CYA, CH, and borates after a drain. I waited a few days and rechecked and they were right in line with my goals.
 

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Same here. I only do once a week, or the night after a big party. I used to test daily, but once that Stenner was dialed in, it was so boringly consistent that I didn't need to. I start testing more frequently as I suspect the chlorine tank may be getting close to empty before I get my refill.
 
Up until this season I was down to FC, CC and pH maybe 3 times a week and rarely anything else.

My pool took a liter of bleach, every day, like clockwork. If I had a big bather load, or a monsoon came through, then maybe I would test and adjust, but in reality, that pool was so consistent and stable I could have tested once a week. I used to test every day, and write down the result. after about 40 daily entries of the exact same numbers, I stopped.

This season I went to a SWG, so I am back to testing FC, CC and pH almost daily (call it 5 times a week) and TA about twice a week. I do have it dialed in pretty well, but my pH drifts upwards at a (so far) non-consistent rate, so I have to check that and add acid as necessary.

-dave
 
I try to get up to test at least weekly. Only reason is that we don't live here 24/7. so I test when I can. I've gotten lucky and values haven't had huge swings on me. With that said if I leave it for 2 weeks I end up having to slam.
 
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