Please share how you collect water for testing....I'm curious how everyone else does this...

[kjdiver]

My first ideal technique was a 3d printed water collector I bought on amazon for $11 in 2018. This actually worked very well for a few years, then the shape and bottles got more difficult to align and the device finally broke. One of the best $11 I spent on my pool.

Fast forward to this year, my $3 water collection system (LOL) using part of an old pool pole. I can easily test many different depths of the pool and spots, most importantly not getting my arm wet or breaking my back. Not sure how long this setup will last, but maybe provide ideas to others?

Please note regarding my pool, I recently opened the pool and middle of SLAM....at least now it looks tropical instead of the green marsh

 

[SJPoe]

I use two 20ml syringes, and I stick my arm in the pool to about the elbow, fill them up, and then use them for whatever testing I need. I think the syringes are about $2 a pop. They also double as a mini-squirt gun for terrorizing the dog/grandson/wife as required...

 

[Newdude]

I use a kids plastic cup at elbow deep. (No glass at pool. Ever) Then I use the CYA squirter thingie to fill the vials from it.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I just swish the test strip through the water real quick.



I've also heard a plastic measuring cup works well.

 

[Toxophilite]

One thing Leslie's is good for, free water test bottles.

 

[IceShadow]

1” PVC pipe capped on one end with a small hole drilled near the cap. Thumb covers cap to go down, moves to let water in, then covers again to pull water from pool.

 

[mrm1682]

I stick my arm in and fill up a couple of the measuring cylinders from TFTkits.

Some of y’all are so fancy…making me think I’m doing it all wrong.

 

[IceShadow]

This ^.^

 

[SJPoe]

Some of y’all are so fancy…making me think I’m doing it all wrong.

The "arm-to-the-Elbow", or 'AttE' method as I like to call it, also has the benefit of Thermal Feedback - an instant and foolproof check on the function of the heater (beyond turning a big pile of dollars into a smaller pile)

 

[CarolineM]

I purchased a condiment bottle set from the dollar store, it has the squirt lid. Put it in the water upside down, when up to my elbow I turn it right side up, fills with water. The squirt lid makes it easy to fill the tester tubes.

 

[pjt]

Two foot length of ½" PVC pipe ($2).



Use it like a big straw. Put your thumb over one end, dip the other end ~18" below the surface, momentarily release your thumb and the pipe fills with water, put your thumb back on, and extract the water filled pipe.



Empty the pipe's water into a plastic condiment bottle ($1). Makes dispensing sample water very easy and precise. Arm stays dry too.

 

[PoolStored]

One thing Leslie's is good for, free water test bottles.

Same, not leslie's, but local pool store water test bottle. Kneel, Elbow Deep, shallow end, middle.

 

[Toxophilite]

Same, not leslie's, but local pool store water test bottle. Kneel, Elbow Deep, shallow end, middle.

Truth is, they are quality. I'm 1.5 years into it and still soft and pliable, no cracking. Even the inking won't fade or wear off! I guess could tape it on a stick.

 

[Mdragger88]

I just reach in & scoop with the test tube or my plastic measuring cup if I’m doing more than fc.
I attempt to go elbow deep without falling in I don’t have a deep end so I figure it’s sufficient.

 

[jmastron]

I collect into an old Leslie's plastic bottle, because that makes a good squeeze bottle to dispense into the measuring cylinders.

Warm water (mid 70s or higher): Reach my arm in with the bottle upside down so it doesn't fill until ~1 foot deep, then turn it and take out.

Cold water: 2ft long 3/4" PVC pipe that I had laying around, as above I cover the top my palm (a bit too big for thumb), stick it down a foot or so, release the top and recover, then lift out and release into the bottle on the pool deck. Usually takes 2-3 dips to fill the bottle. I have plans to make a nice PVC stick that's longer so I don't have to bend as much, with caps and smaller holes drilled in the top so I can use my thumb, and the bottom so it won't just pour out before I get to the bottle to hopefully make it a one-dip process. That's been on the list for 4-5 years, so obviously not a priority!

 

[Decoy205]

I use the Leslie’s bottle and reach up to elbow to fill. I get just enough in there to do a round of tests.

 

[clambert1273]

Another Leslie's bottle here. I have a mark I use to get from same place every time, it's in the middle away from returns so I figure if it's good there then I'm safe. I kneel and go down to elbow.

 

[Katygreys]

Each Night, I pound in a bunch of one by two inch stakes all around my pool and tie string in between them to create a 1‘ x 1‘ grid over my pool. I then use my drone to collect 50 mL samples from the center of each of the 1 ft.² grids. I use the “PVC Straw Method” as described above, covering of the hole in the PVC is controlled by an actuator on the drone. Samples are collected in each square at depths of 12”, 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36”. After combining all retrieved samples, they are loaded into a lab-grade mixing device (think: Home Depot paint mixer). After 300 seconds of mixing, the samples is split and testing begins. Two certified Pool Testing Professionals perform tests in a double blind format, each with a Taylor K-2006C purchased from separate retailers and whose reagents have different date shift codes. A Pool Testing Jury President presides over the affair, and testing is recorded at 4 million frames per second to facilitate slo-mo replay of testing if required. When testing is completed, a 90 minute appeals period begins. Ninety minutes later, if no appeals are filed, the results are recorded by the Jury President into the Pool Math application on an iPhone 8 model device. Prior to recording, the Jury President and an Unnamed Neighbor use separate keys to unlock a safe containing a number randomizing device. The random number for the day is then selected (at random of course) and added manually to each result. This adds an additional layer of security. All data is instantly synced to the cloud and triple-quadruple-encrypted.

What do y’all do?

 

[clambert1273]

Each Night, I pound in a bunch of one by two inch stakes all around my pool and tie string in between them to create a 1‘ x 1‘ grid over my pool. I then use my drone to collect 50 mL samples from the center of each of the 1 ft.² grids. I use the “PVC Straw Method” as described above, covering of the hole in the PVC is controlled by an actuator on the drone. Samples are collected in each square at depths of 12”, 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36”. After combining all retrieved samples, they are loaded into a lab-grade mixing device (think: Home Depot paint mixer). After 300 seconds of mixing, the samples is split and testing begins. Two certified Pool Testing Professionals perform tests in a double blind format, each with a Taylor K-2006C purchased from separate retailers and whose reagents have different date shift codes. A Pool Testing Jury President presides over the affair, and testing is recorded at 4 million frames per second to facilitate slo-mo replay of testing if required. When testing is completed, a 90 minute appeals period begins. Ninety minutes later, if no appeals are filed, the results are recorded by the Jury President into the Pool Math application on an iPhone 8 model device. Prior to recording, the Jury President and an Unnamed Neighbor use separate keys to unlock a safe containing a number randomizing device. The random number for the day is then selected (at random of course) and added manually to each result. This adds an additional layer of security. All data is instantly synced to the cloud and triple-quadruple-encrypted.

What do y’all do?

Best response EVER

 

[Mdragger88]

Each Night, I pound in a bunch of one by two inch stakes all around my pool and tie string in between them to create a 1‘ x 1‘ grid over my pool. I then use my drone to collect 50 mL samples from the center of each of the 1 ft.² grids. I use the “PVC Straw Method” as described above, covering of the hole in the PVC is controlled by an actuator on the drone. Samples are collected in each square at depths of 12”, 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36”. After combining all retrieved samples, they are loaded into a lab-grade mixing device (think: Home Depot paint mixer). After 300 seconds of mixing, the samples is split and testing begins. Two certified Pool Testing Professionals perform tests in a double blind format, each with a Taylor K-2006C purchased from separate retailers and whose reagents have different date shift codes. A Pool Testing Jury President presides over the affair, and testing is recorded at 4 million frames per second to facilitate slo-mo replay of testing if required. When testing is completed, a 90 minute appeals period begins. Ninety minutes later, if no appeals are filed, the results are recorded by the Jury President into the Pool Math application on an iPhone 8 model device. Prior to recording, the Jury President and an Unnamed Neighbor use separate keys to unlock a safe containing a number randomizing device. The random number for the day is then selected (at random of course) and added manually to each result. This adds an additional layer of security. All data is instantly synced to the cloud and triple-quadruple-encrypted.

What do y’all do?