- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,000
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The tftestkits one has enough for 16 tests
Cyanuric Acid (CYA) Test Kit
POOLNerd vs. pool retailer - who's test is more accurate?
- Thread starter P00LNerd
- Start date
You do realize that every time someone utters those last words, the world goes 'Hold my beer!' and creates a better fool...
My test kit is something I don’t give much consideration to the cost. Combined with the information on this site, a proper test kit will save money - especially compared to a pool store. I spent a boat load of money on my pool so the cost of a test kit doesn’t even register. Plus, I live in a northern climate and if I couldn’t swim because my water got out of balance, that would be very disappointing - to lose swim days out of an already short season.
I’d recommend getting the tfpro kit and be done with it. Note that the pro kit has the pro size cya tube which uses half the reagent. I prefer that option.
I also wouldn’t want to be without my speedstir. Makes the process a lot easier and quicker.
I’d recommend getting the tfpro kit and be done with it. Note that the pro kit has the pro size cya tube which uses half the reagent. I prefer that option.
I also wouldn’t want to be without my speedstir. Makes the process a lot easier and quicker.
IMO, this is HUGE, great point. My friends lose two weeks at least once a season and it's only 12 weeks long for many of them.
Not fully eradicating the first battle makes 2 more and half the season is gone.
Short season here, too. Still running 55F - 75F here this year, so other than a few hot days, we haven't had any pool weather yet. Water is 87F - 89F, thanks to heater and solar cover, but air is too cold for anyone but the kids to enjoy the water.
I ordered K-1515-A, K-1721, K-1503 (for house water issue), and the SpeedStir starter pack.
I ordered K-1515-A, K-1721, K-1503 (for house water issue), and the SpeedStir starter pack.
Does Taylor normally send out shipping notification / tracking info? I ordered over the weekend, and expected tracking info / shipment notification on Monday, but so far… nothing. I guess I’ve been spoiled by Amazon.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,000
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Yep. Amazon didn't have all of them, so I just went straight thru Taylor site.
I imagine they have the same automated software everyone does to keep the customer informed. It's a key metric for most businesses and it also serves the purpose to put most of the shipping blame on the carrier. 'We sent it Monday, talk to USPS / UPS / FedEx/ etc' 
Well, I hope not. Because if that's the case, they probably still haven't boxed and shipped my order, as I've received no notification or tracking info from Taylor or UPS recently.
Well, I hope not. Because if that's the case, they probably still haven't boxed and shipped my order, as I've received no notification or tracking info from Taylor or UPS recently.
Is there a reason you didn’t just order it from TFtestkits.net? Would have been way faster.
It's a way better value too. The TFpro comes with better rations, a $48 stirrer and a nicer case for the same money.
Well, I hope not. Because if that's the case, they probably still haven't boxed and shipped my order, as I've received no notification or tracking info from Taylor or UPS recently.
If the original order hasn’t been processed, it can likely be canceled. Cancel the order and order the TFpro. It should be to you no later than the order you’re waiting on.
Saturn94
Bronze Supporter
- Mar 11, 2015
- 1,864
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Taylor doesn’t ship as fast as other sites like Amazon. It can take several business days before you will get a shipping notice.
From Taylor’s website;
“…We are committed to shipping all in-stock items within 7 to 10 business days, if not sooner...”
Personally, I haven’t had great luck getting fresh/unexpired reagents from Amazon.
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Yeah, that was another factor in my decision to order direct, versus going to the pool store to hunt thru dusty kits on their shelves. Figured Taylor would have the least-aged reagents, and I wouldn't expect any pool store to have the total hardness kit.
the block test is supposed to be the daily test though. I’ve gone all summer just using it, and not using the fas/dpd at all.You need to add a Taylor k1515 (fas/dpd) FC test to your kit. The block test is too vague to dose to our needs, only goes to 5, and tests TC which is a useless parameter.
2+3 =5 and 5+0= 5 tell two entirely different stories. The answer being '5' means nothing.
However this summer I’ve got my CYA a bit higher than usual, 40 instead of 20-30. so target FC is 5-7 which is above the block test. So does that mean I have to use the fas/dpd test daily?
We've found folks need to be leveled up a couple stages before it was good enough. Too many got bit before they were ready. I use it myself to spot check at times, but I don't advise newer testers to.
Compare both for a while and you'll eventually be able to spot the taxi-cab yellow you need to be comfortable with it. With a SWG it's easier as my top range is either orange or darn near close to it. Lol.
*disclaimer: the block test is only an idea and not an actual value. If there are any questions whatsoever, fas/dpd is needed right then and there. Plus regular checks once or twice a week.
So, perhaps a few of you will find this interesting. It's been frustrating the heck out of me.
First, today's test for FC and pH:
To my eye, this looks like FC = 3 and pH = 7.0'ish.
I loaded the image above into the computer, picked the colors, and did a full 4th order multivariate match by HSV... a bunch of engineering speak for letting the computer pick the match on Hue, Saturation, and Value of each color. The computer puts the values at FC = 5.3 and pH = 7.5. That can't be right, my eye tells me.
So, then I match (4th order) by Hue alone, and I get numbers that don't seem so terribly off, but still not quite right: FC = 2.0 and pH = 7.2.
Then I do the same with my test strips, because they test many more parameters (namely CYA), and I get the following, by full 4th order HSV multivariate match:
TH ppm 190
FC ppm 3.4
TC ppm 6.3
CYA ppm 90
TA ppm 135.9
pH ppm 8
Here's some pictures of the test strip against the bottle:
My eye has more trouble picking test strip colors, but here's the two things I'm primarily comparing:
FC
Here's why it's important: Going by eye on the Taylor kit, I've been adding pH Up, over and over. It still looks low to me, but the test strip says its high. Computer analysis of the Taylor kit image shows it's somewhere in the middle.
First, today's test for FC and pH:
To my eye, this looks like FC = 3 and pH = 7.0'ish.
I loaded the image above into the computer, picked the colors, and did a full 4th order multivariate match by HSV... a bunch of engineering speak for letting the computer pick the match on Hue, Saturation, and Value of each color. The computer puts the values at FC = 5.3 and pH = 7.5. That can't be right, my eye tells me.
So, then I match (4th order) by Hue alone, and I get numbers that don't seem so terribly off, but still not quite right: FC = 2.0 and pH = 7.2.
Then I do the same with my test strips, because they test many more parameters (namely CYA), and I get the following, by full 4th order HSV multivariate match:
TH ppm 190
FC ppm 3.4
TC ppm 6.3
CYA ppm 90
TA ppm 135.9
pH ppm 8
Here's some pictures of the test strip against the bottle:
My eye has more trouble picking test strip colors, but here's the two things I'm primarily comparing:
FC
- FC
- K-1004 kit
- 3 by eye
- 2.0 by computer (by Hue only)
- 5.3 by computer (by HSV)
- Test strip
- 3+ by eye
- 3.4 by computer (by HSV)
- K-1004 kit
- pH
- K1004 kit
- 7.0 by eye? Really doesn't look like any of the samples, to me.
- 7.2 by computer (by Hue only)
- 7.5 by computer (by HSV)
- Test Strip
- 7.8 by eye? Really doesn't look like any of the samples, to me.
- 8.0 by computer (by HSV)
- K1004 kit
Here's why it's important: Going by eye on the Taylor kit, I've been adding pH Up, over and over. It still looks low to me, but the test strip says its high. Computer analysis of the Taylor kit image shows it's somewhere in the middle.
reggiehammond
Gold Supporter
- Oct 4, 2020
- 2,253
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Trusting test strips for anything is a fools' errand. Just wait for your proper test kits, but ordering from Taylor is unwise. We use them for work related items (non-pool) and the consistently wait 7-10 days before shipping the most painfully slow way possible.
Thanks for the advice. Where do you guys normally order your kits, to ensure they're fresh? Amazon didn't have all of what I was ordering. and Taylor reported shipping by UPS ground. I'm in the 1-day zone to them for UPS ground, and they stated that order modifications must be made within 24 hours to beat ship window, so I was honestly expecting these kits on Tuesday from a weekend order.
I'm not sure what to think about test strips. Pool stores seem to use them, with a computer to analyze the strip, and hold their data up as absolute truth / gospel.