I'm starting to lose my mind.
I'm trying to learn how to care for my pool, but I am having so many issues with reliable testing that I don't know where to start. For now, I guess I should focus on salt levels, which is what is driving me nuts.
I tested my pool for salt level using the Acquacheck salt test strips. They read that levels were on the low side, about 2800 ppm or a reading of 6 on the strip. I was also having a high chlorine issue and decided to take a sample to a pool store. To my surprise, when they tested, salt came back at 2362 ppm which is way off from the 2800 ppm I had from the strip. I bought 40 lbs salt bag and went home. Before dumping the salt in, I saw that the SWG was reading 3000 ppm, or the exact amount that they recommend. So it was all over the place. I dumped in 40 lbs of salt in my 10K gallon pool/hot tub thinking that the store's test might be more accurate than these test strips.
The next day I tested and now the Acquacheck was reading 3220 ppm or 6.2 on the strip. Somewhat higher than recommended, but manageable.
A couple of days later (today) I went to a different pool store to test water. To my surprise, they came back with about 2200 ppm, so LOWER than the 2362 ppm of the other pool store and AFTER dumping in 40 lbs of salt in the pool. Meanwhile, the SWG is still reading 3000 ppm, like nothing has happened.
What is the most reliable way of testing salt in pools known to mankind?
I'm trying to learn how to care for my pool, but I am having so many issues with reliable testing that I don't know where to start. For now, I guess I should focus on salt levels, which is what is driving me nuts.
I tested my pool for salt level using the Acquacheck salt test strips. They read that levels were on the low side, about 2800 ppm or a reading of 6 on the strip. I was also having a high chlorine issue and decided to take a sample to a pool store. To my surprise, when they tested, salt came back at 2362 ppm which is way off from the 2800 ppm I had from the strip. I bought 40 lbs salt bag and went home. Before dumping the salt in, I saw that the SWG was reading 3000 ppm, or the exact amount that they recommend. So it was all over the place. I dumped in 40 lbs of salt in my 10K gallon pool/hot tub thinking that the store's test might be more accurate than these test strips.
The next day I tested and now the Acquacheck was reading 3220 ppm or 6.2 on the strip. Somewhat higher than recommended, but manageable.
A couple of days later (today) I went to a different pool store to test water. To my surprise, they came back with about 2200 ppm, so LOWER than the 2362 ppm of the other pool store and AFTER dumping in 40 lbs of salt in the pool. Meanwhile, the SWG is still reading 3000 ppm, like nothing has happened.
What is the most reliable way of testing salt in pools known to mankind?