Phosphates and Copper

[TomAtlanta]

I use the drop test kit I got from here, the Trouble Free TF-100. I also occasionally take a water sample to a pool store for testing to double check my results. Last week I went to Leslie's. They have a machine that tests the water without any drops. It gave me about the same results that I get from the drop tests, but it also gave me results for Phosphates and Copper which I have never tested for before. It said they were both high.

Questions:
Are the Phosphates and Copper tests important?
If so, why aren't they included in the test kid sold here?
If they are high, does it matter and should I do something about it?

 

[Bperry]

I use the drop test kit I got from here, the Trouble Free TF-100. I also occasionally take a water sample to a pool store for testing to double check my results. Last week I went to Leslie's. They have a machine that tests the water without any drops. It gave me about the same results that I get from the drop tests, but it also gave me results for Phosphates and Copper which I have never tested for before. It said they were both high.

Questions:
Are the Phosphates and Copper tests important?
If so, why aren't they included in the test kid sold here?
If they are high, does it matter and should I do something about it?

They maybe got lucky today on the other tests. Tomorrow is another story.

Phosphates don’t matter if you keep the chlorine level correct, but copper will cause staining on pool surfaces. Metals testing is the only one some people recommend a pool store for since it’s expensive to do it yourself.