New test chems = high TA and CH??

[flipflop]

We started our pool for the season a few weeks ago (added SWG this year...yay!), and I'd been testing with chemicals leftover from last season. Apart from the DPD powder which I think was giving me iffy results, everything else seemed in line. Our new chems from tftestkits.net arrived a few days ago, and we tossed the remains of the old chems and started using the new ones. With the new ones, my TA and CH readings are off the charts. I thought maybe the testing agents for those two tests might be bad, but after taking another run at it, I think the problem might be the drop bottles. The drops coming from the R-0009 (alkalinity test) and R-0012 (CH test) bottles seem to be on the small side.

As a cross check, I had my wife take a sample by our local pool store, and their results were way closer to what I thought mine should have been. Has anyone else had an issue with a new batch of testing agents?

 

[CrystalRiver]

It's a known issue for the TA test. Haven't heard of it for CH. You need to wipe the tip of the dropper after every drop. It's due to static electricity that will dissipate after wiping for the first couple of tests.

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you still have the old bottles? You might try swapping the tips. If not, we'll tag @OTPirate. She may have another recommendation for you.

 

[flipflop]

It's a known issue for the TA test. Haven't heard of it for CH. You need to wipe the tip of the dropper after every drop. It's due to static electricity that will dissipate after wiping for the first couple of tests.

Weird. I've been using the same test agents from tftestkits for over 10 years and never had this issue. I'll admit to not always following the instructions and wiping the tip between drops, but it's never been a problem before.

 

[flipflop]

Do you still have the old bottles? You might try swapping the tips. If not, we'll tag @OTPirate. She may have another recommendation for you.

This is me, kicking myself for not saving the old bottles. We used to do that.

 

[Texas Splash]

This is me, kicking myself for not saving the old bottles. We used to do that.

No worries. If needed TFTestkits can send you some replacements if that ends-up being the issue. They'll contact you shortly.

 

[acoady]

I'm having the same issue. Just got my test kit yesterday, and my TA and CH tests were way off the charts. I noticed the same thing with the drops for r0012 and r0009 being significantly smaller than the other reagents. This morning I took off the tip for the R0012 and tried to clean it. When I ran the test again I went from 28 to 16 drops. I think its still almost double the readings I got from pool stores over the last month.