Pool store vs Taylor 2006c

[eviittaa]

Hi,
I recently purchased the Taylor 2006c kit. I ran some tests but also took some water to the pool store to compare numbers. According to Taylor kit my TA is 125 but the pool store report says it’s 83. I did the Taylor test several times to double check my work. Any advice? I’m new to pool maintenance so a bit nervous on what numbers to go by

 

[Britali]

That is the whole reason people here recommend your own test…because you cannot rely on pool store tests. Trust your test kit

 

[bertschb]

Any advice?

Yes. Stop going to the pool store

 

[tdkrebsb]

Hi,
I recently purchased the Taylor 2006c kit. I ran some tests but also took some water to the pool store to compare numbers. According to Taylor kit my TA is 125 but the pool store report says it’s 83. I did the Taylor test several times to double check my work. Any advice? I’m new to pool maintenance so a bit nervous on what numbers to go by

In my experience, the pool store numbers are not accurate. If you are using the Taylor test kit your numbers should be very accurate. On a side note; do not go to the pool store for help. They are mostly there to sell you expensive pool chemicals using test equipment that is not as accurate as the results that you can get at home. Learn the BBB pool method and you will never need to bring in a sample to the pool store again. Hope this helps!

 

[HermanTX]

Some pool stores provide an “adjusted Alkalinity”. By deducting the cyanurate acid portion of the TA to provide an adjusted Alkalinity. Look at the test data & any notes they provided.

Please refer to the TFP Wiki on TA - here is the info from it. You did not post your CYA number but you could be comparing apples to oranges. Furthermore, as others have stated - pool store results are notoriously inaccurate so take there results it with a grain of salt. So if you have the K2006 test kit - ALWAYS GO BY YOUR TEST DATA. Don’t try to compare between pool stores as it will drive you insane

Start Quote
Cyanurate does contribute to the TA.
Some test procedures say you should deduct 1/3 of your CYA from your TA to really get a true reading but this in effect is producing the carbonate alkalinity value. PoolMath accounts for the effect and no adjustment is needed for TFP Methods. Taylor, for example, describes the practice of deducting 1/3 of the CYA value which in effect is removing the cyanurate alkalinity portion to produce the carbonate alkalinity value. Taylor then use this carbonate alkalinity value to calculate their Saturation index (SI).[4] In practice the concentration of the cyanurate ion is pH dependant where at a pH of 7.0 it is 22% of the CYA. The percentage increases with pH where at a pH of 8.0 it is 36% of the CYA value. [5]

When cyanuric acid is added to the water, the hydrogen ions that are released lower the TA as much as the resulting cyanurate raises the TA. So, adding cyanuric acid has no net effect on TA. End Quote

 

[gingrbredman]

but also took some water to the pool store to compare numbers

The first thing in converting to your own testing is to trust your own testing. The CYA test can be a little tricky at first to get, but even if you are 80% correct, you are probably still more accurate than the PS. All other tests are pretty straightforward, and would never try to compare my tests with a PS. You wouldn't take a test in school, and then compare your work with the dumbest kid in the class, which is what people kind of do when they compare their legit tests with a pool store.

Any advice?

Trust your results. Any questions on test methods or results, post here, there are so many people ready and willing to help with the experience and knowledge you can trust. Finally, never use the "free" pool store tests, ever.

 

[jark87]

Trust your results.

This is the best advice. My local Leslie’s tests are usually very close, if not spot on, with my own, but I trust my own tests when there’s an occasional variance. And I don’t take water to Leslie’s very often - only when I want to validate the subjective CYA test. That’s the one test I have very little confidence in.

 

[eviittaa]

@gingrbredman
Yeah I’m having trouble knowing how to get the CYA number. Do I read the result as soon as I can’t see the black dot OR is it ok to wait a few seconds to let the water settle before adding more? If I immediately read the result it’s like at 100 vs 80 if I wait a few seconds in between pours as I look to make sure I can’t see the black dot.

 

[Britali]

You are supposed to take a quick look. So I pour til dot gets fuzzy look away then look back quick (I try not to stare at it though it is so tempting lol)…pour little more & repeat hehe

 

[eviittaa]

You are supposed to take a quick look. So I pour til dot gets fuzzy look away then look back quick (I try not to stare at it though it is so tempting lol)…pour little more & repeat hehe

I found the TFP article regarding the CYA test. I’ll try again tomorrow

CYA Testing - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[generessler]

And I don’t take water to Leslie’s very often - only when I want to validate the subjective CYA test. That’s the one test I have very little confidence in.

Consider getting the TFP reference CYA solution. It's known 50 ppm, so you can practice and calibrate your eyes. Really helped me feel more confident about judging the dot.

 

[kaabob]

This is the best advice. My local Leslie’s tests are usually very close, if not spot on, with my own, but I trust my own tests when there’s an occasional variance. And I don’t take water to Leslie’s very often - only when I want to validate the subjective CYA test. That’s the one test I have very little confidence in.

This is interesting... general consensus around these forums is that CYA reading from the pool store is wildly inaccurate? Ive been testing my CYA at the pool store and it was ~70s last year, but dipped to ~60s lately (slowly declining over the summer due to the very warm 80+degF water temp). Pool store seems pretty accurate?

Side note I did purchase the TF-100 and due to the CYA being such a subjective test it has been hard getting good at eyeballing the level. Been doing the test at night after getting back from work but seems like I'll need to test on weekends in bright sunlight at waist level to get a more accurate reading...

 

[jark87]

Pool store seems pretty accurate?

I use Leslie’s test results to validate my own. I usually have a hard time discerning when the dot disappears, so my tests result in a range rather than a number. Leslie’s results are always within that range, so that helps me determine a specific number. Next year, I’ll order the 50ppm calibration solution from TFP. That should at least help me better understand my own results.

 

[duraleigh]

Hoping the pool store knows more about your pool and testing your water is a false hope.

 

[HermanTX]

@gingrbredman
Yeah I’m having trouble knowing how to get the CYA number. Do I read the result as soon as I can’t see the black dot OR is it ok to wait a few seconds to let the water settle before adding more? If I immediately read the result it’s like at 100 vs 80 if I wait a few seconds in between pours as I look to make sure I can’t see the black dot.

Try this method
pour the mixed solution to a known level, say 90, peer in and confirm you can see black dot. Now pour mixed solution to 80 mark, peer in again, if you can still see dot, hold tube up and pour mixed solution to the 70 mark, then peer in again to view dot. Continue this until you are not able to see the dot - then use your CYA number as the value you last saw the dot. This method avoids constantly looking down the tube which can create the illusion of always seeing the dot due to staring down the tube. This also helps that you only report CYA values in decade numbers due to the logarithmic scale of the tube.

 

[HermanTX]

This is interesting... general consensus around these forums is that CYA reading from the pool store is wildly inaccurate?

I suggest that any correlation of your personal test results to pool store results are purely accidental. I find this especially true in the summer months because just too many temporary employees who are relegated to basic roles. There are 3 items that affect repeatable results
1 -Those stores that use electronic devices must keep the units calibrated.
2 - Cross catamination can occur between the various pool water samples due to handling and lack of controls
3 - Lack of experience by personal performing the tests - more so for those that have significant turnover in employees or use of temporary employees during the swim season

 

[Newdude]

Also you can reuse the sample as many times as you need. Pour it back in the squirter and retest until you get 2 out of 3 to agree.

I find I need to pour and look quickly. If I let the vial sit for a bit the cloudiness settles and I can see the dot again. If I stare, then my brain finds a way to see it. Wanna see your brain lie to you? Look at your nose. It's been there this whole time, probably even longer.

Pour to a 10s mark, look away and glance back super quick. Call it yes or no and continue if need be. Instead of trying to prove it's a 40, it's way easier to prove it's not 30 or 50. (Etc) Whatever 10 fits in the middle is close enough for our purposes.

 

[bertschb]

Consider getting the TFP reference CYA solution.

I did this and it really helped. The CYA test had me frustrated for months but now I'm very confident with my results.

As others have mentioned, fill to 100, glance. If you see the dot, fill to 90, glance. If you see the dot, fill to 80. Rinse and repeat. I don't STARE trying to find the dot. If I don't see it right away, I'm done and use the previous value where I COULD see the dot.

I always use the same lighting conditions and stand in the same place. The key for me was to use the reference 50ppm CYA solution to verify my results.

 

[Stump]

I agree with Newdude you can use and check your sample as many times as you want.
I will fill to first mark right in front of my face, I then look away lower sample to my waist then one glance yes or no, if yes i see the dot I place in front of my face fill to next mark look away lower to waist level one glance yes or no until I no longer see dot.
This has always worked for me. If you have others at home perform the test for them but let them do the dot verification.
One other way I can check and no sun is required in our main bathroom there is a multi-bulb light fixture that I can turn my back to and will cast a shadow just like being outside on a sunny day. I always get the same results as performing test outside.