New Kit Just arrived! What am I doing wrong?

[TC1006]

Tell us step by step how you tested

Hey @wireform - Here are the steps I followed.

1. Grabbed 10ml of water from the pool from about a foot below the surface
2. Put the tube on the SpeedStir and dropped the magnetic spinner thing in there and turned it on.
3. Put in one spoon of the DPD powder. The spoon that comes with the kit. The sample turns dark pink.
4. While the sample is still spinning, start adding and counting drop by drop of the R-0871
5. Multiply the number of drops by .5

 

[TC1006]

TC,

Do you know any of your neighbors that have a pool? Even if you don't know them, just ask for a water sample and see what you get..

If this 'unknown' sample also reads very high, then I would suspect your new test kit.

If the sample tests in the normal range, then it would confirm that your pool has really high FC..

Not a very accurate test, but easy to do..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jim. I have a friend close by who has a pool. I'll ask for a sample of his water and test it

 

[TC1006]

Here are the latest results. I’ve been managing the FC by practically leaving the Salt cell off for the last week or so. It has come down quite a bit.

I’ve been struggling with high Alkalinity for some time. Tried some methods posted by @PoolStored by adding Muriatic Acid and bringing down the pH to 7.0 and then using our water jets and aerating to bring it back up. But I haven’t done that in a few days and the Alkalinity has come down on its own.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

Still can’t grasp how the Pool Store water link tests are so far off.

I also did an OTO test and it seems to confirm there is high Chlorine.

 

[TC1006]

Here is another question - can Calcium Hardness increase on its own? It has been low but somehow it has gotten up on its own. I have a hunch why that is but wanted to check here first.

Here is the summary for the last 30 days.

 

[PoolStored]

Still can’t grasp how the Pool Store water link tests are so far off.

This is with a trained technician and calibrated machine. No idea what you get with $5/hr and no calibration...

Testing_Accuracy.jpeg

• PoolStored
• Sep 1, 2024

 

[PoolStored]

Here is another question - can Calcium Hardness increase on its own? It has been low but somehow it has gotten up on its own. I have a hunch why that is but wanted to check here first.

Fill water with HIGH CH.
Old reagents.
Dirty vial (clean with rubbing alcohol).
Testing Errors.

Water Testing Errors - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Newdude]

But I haven’t done that in a few days and the Alkalinity has come down on its own

Sweet. You can force it, or wait it out. Neither changes the price of beer but everyone seems to be set in their 'way'.

FWIW, I'm on team wait it out.

Still can’t grasp how the Pool Store water link tests are so far off

Lol. Being accurate has zero to do with their business model. They exist to sell you things and turn a hefty profit. The more they foul you up, the more cures they can sell you. One might even go so far as to wonder if their tests are off on purpose.

can Calcium Hardness increase on its own?

High CH fill water raises calcium, but probably not by you, rarely needing to fill. In the hot climates with crazy evaporation they are filling everyday.