SLAM + old K-2005C

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eco-help

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Apr 4, 2014
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Tampa, Florida
I have been SLAMMing (due to failed SWG + inadequate amount of Chlorinating Pucks) without a testkit.. seems to be going ok.. but then my pump became too noisy.. so I am going back to basics and buying a testkit (+replacing my pump & figuring a new SWG Cell)

have a K-2005Complete kit (it literally says Complete on the box) from 2014! It's almost full but I never used it because it was hard to read (colorblind to point I have a color eye test I can't see any of the numbers past the first page (which is basically black and white)).. however I can see colors just not make out shades of them..

What is best recommendation? I did see the TFP Start up XL kit.. I like the idea of the speedstir and the whale brush but if I just replenish the kit I have (plus add the FAS-DPD... and have someone else look at the test results... )
One question is the TF-100 kit, I read that it doesn't require color matching so much.. but then I read it uses same Reagents as Taylor.. confused.

Too many options.. can someone guide me?

Thank you for your help.
 
Only color match is the pH test. Get a pH meter instead, just be sure to calibrate it often.

All the other tests are color changes. FC is pink to clear. TA is green to red. CH is red/pink to blue.

As your kit is so old, getting a full TF100 with Speedstir plus the pH meter is what I would suggest.
 
mknauss said:
Only color match is the pH test. Get a pH meter instead, just be sure to calibrate it often.

All the other tests are color changes. FC is pink to clear. TA is green to red. CH is red/pink to blue.

As your kit is so old, getting a full TF100 with Speedstir plus the pH meter is what I would suggest.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I see the Start up kit has options for Speedstir and PH meter -- is that the most cost effective way? (considering I like the idea of the whale brush) -- does it also test salt? If not can you recommend?
 
To test salt levels you need the K1766. That is an extra test kit.

I am not sure what the best packages are. Put together the items you want and email or call TFTestkits. They will get back with you.
 
Test kit arrived speedstir, PH pen, everything. Current pool pump screaming loud still (they don’t fix themselves unfortunately) so can’t run 24/7 ... replacement Monday (let’s say 5pm). I can pickup SWG cell today (4/25)
@3:25am My FC is about 28 (I am still getting used to the determining slightly pink vs clear and at 57+ drops even with XL kit I am going to run short quick!)
I have been adding 1 jug total of chlorine a day so pretty sure I have been in SLAM range
I haven’t re-measured CYA since before raising FC and it was not using a valid method .. 51 is what it read
CC is darn that’s hard.. I will edit this when I figure it out
Pool looks clear to me but there remain black dots on the floor.. I have been brushing and cleaning the filter (daily in the beginning less the past 4 days) and used robot every other day (it’s a new robot I hate for high chlorine (that I had no idea how much I had) to damage it - I use as little as possible)
How do you brush the very tight corners and in / under the weir? I have a small brush but it isn’t small enough
I don’t have any other valid test information.
What do you recommend I do next? Will any test information be valid with FC so high? Can the PH test pen accurately read when there is high FC?
 
Last edited:
CYA is usually the hardest test to get used to. Don't worry it's often just a confidence thing. Back to the sun helps and look away then look down at the tube. As soon as you don't see the dot as soon as you look down you're done. It's a logarithm scale so you round up. So if your reading is 55 the result is 60.

I have the same color blind issue you do and I've been using the pH pens for a long time. As Marty says be sure to calibrate often. I keep a little plastic jar with calibration fluid and calibrate every other time. Change the calibration fluid every 2 weeks. When you find that your pH level doesn't stabilize before the unit turns off you need a new one. The glass tip has a liquid in it that gets consumed. They last about a year. Longer if you keep pH probe storage solution in the cap. Also don't let the tip dry out as this dramatically shortens the life. A nice thing about them is they are not affected by high FC.

Sounds like you're making good progress. Just keep doing what Marty advises and you'll be done soon.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Chris
 
eco-help said:
Pool looks clear to me but there remain black dots on the floor..
Click to expand...
Once you can call heads or tails on quarter in the deep end, do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

The black dots. If you can scrape off some of one, smear it on a paper towel. Post what color you see.
 
setsailsoon said:
CYA is usually the hardest test to get used to. Don't worry it's often just a confidence thing. Back to the sun helps and look away then look down at the tube. As soon as you don't see the dot as soon as you look down you're done. It's a logarithm scale so you round up. So if your reading is 55 the result is 60.

I have the same color blind issue you do and I've been using the pH pens for a long time. As Marty says be sure to calibrate often. I keep a little plastic jar with calibration fluid and calibrate every other time. Change the calibration fluid every 2 weeks. When you find that your pH level doesn't stabilize before the unit turns off you need a new one. The glass tip has a liquid in it that gets consumed. They last about a year. Longer if you keep pH probe storage solution in the cap. Also don't let the tip dry out as this dramatically shortens the life. A nice thing about them is they are not affected by high FC.

Sounds like you're making good progress. Just keep doing what Marty advises and you'll be done soon.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Chris
Click to expand...
who is Marty? There isn’t a post above this that says what to do!
 

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I guess I was asking what to do today. Through Monday when I get a pump
Do I test OCLT overnight today (do I maintain SKAM level for that?

Do I maintain SLAM levels knowing I can’t run the pump 24/7 till Monday?
If not I need to buy new salt cell today and let FC drop get back to normal

During SLAM - testing chemicals - with the kit and PH pen will tests (other than chlorine) be accurate?
 
setsailsoon said:
CYA is usually the hardest test to get used to. Don't worry it's often just a confidence thing. Back to the sun helps and look away then look down at the tube. As soon as you don't see the dot as soon as you look down you're done. It's a logarithm scale so you round up. So if your reading is 55 the result is 60.

I have the same color blind issue you do and I've been using the pH pens for a long time. As Marty says be sure to calibrate often. I keep a little plastic jar with calibration fluid and calibrate every other time. Change the calibration fluid every 2 weeks. When you find that your pH level doesn't stabilize before the unit turns off you need a new one. The glass tip has a liquid in it that gets consumed. They last about a year. Longer if you keep pH probe storage solution in the cap. Also don't let the tip dry out as this dramatically shortens the life. A nice thing about them is they are not affected by high FC.

Sounds like you're making good progress. Just keep doing what Marty advises and you'll be done soon.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Chris
Click to expand...
CYA .. ok thank you- will moving test indoors be better?
What is this PH storage fluid you are referring to?
I didn’t buy extra calibration liquid/packets only have the one use stuff given in the package.. I need more ? :(
 
eco-help said:
CYA .. ok thank you- will moving test indoors be better?
What is this PH storage fluid you are referring to?
I didn’t buy extra calibration liquid/packets only have the one use stuff given in the package.. I need more ? :(
Click to expand...


No do the CYA test outdoors. There are a number of videos that will help. Here's one for a similar test. If you really have trouble you can get a standard solution to practice with. Most people don't need this after they practice a little. Ph storage solution is has the same liquid that's inside your glass electrode so the solution doesn't get consumed when you store in it. Even if you run out of storage solution number one priority is to keep the tip wet when in storage. Water is way better than nothing. Get what ever calibration liquid you need for your unit. Should be a reference in the instructions. A bottle lasts me almost a year.

Chris
 
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setsailsoon said:
No do the CYA test outdoors. There are a number of videos that will help. Here's one for a similar test. If you really have trouble you can get a standard solution to practice with. Most people don't need this after they practice a little. Ph storage solution is has the same liquid that's inside your glass electrode so the solution doesn't get consumed when you store in it. Even if you run out of storage solution number one priority is to keep the tip wet when in storage. Water is way better than nothing. Get what ever calibration liquid you need for your unit. Should be a reference in the instructions. A bottle lasts me almost a year.

Chris
Click to expand...
I wasn’t able to test outdoors it was too dark I think I invalidated my CYA results.. others ok to test indoors? I used speedstir light for all but CYA (which I could still see black dot Regardless how high it was)

I was/am planning to test early morning for the Overnight Chlorine test. Let me know if that is possible with these test results or if I need to try tomorrow night a bit earlier.
Used PH test from TF-100 not PH pen

Total test time 1hr start to finish! (I kept throwing out too much water resulting in level below the line.

------------------------------------------

Test Results 04-25-2020 @ 08:10 PM

------------------------------------------

Free Chlorine: 8.0

Combined Chlorine: 0.5

pH: 8.2

Total Alkalinity: 100

Calcium Hardness: 875

CYA: 0

Salt: 4400



------------------------------------------

Maintenance 04-25-2020 @ 02:55 PM

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Vacuumed



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Maintenance 04-25-2020 @ 11:30 AM

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Cleaned Filter, Brushed



------------------------------------------

Test Results 04-25-2020 @ 03:25 AM

------------------------------------------

Free Chlorine: 28.0

CYA: 51
 
I very much doubt the CH is accurate. My pool water is continually evaporating and I am adding city water quite often.
I observed the tests indoors (lighting)

I will re-do all tests in the morning. I might need to buy sample water to practice (as @setsailsoon advised)

Is it best to observe the tests (other than CYA) indoors or outdoors (lighting)? -- I plan to test before sunrise.

(Although I know everyone's love for Pinch-A-Penny I have used 2 different stores and their results have always been in the ok level (if they were trying to sell me something they would say it was low?) and always close in value to each other.
For instance:
3/5/20 Location A CH 245
4/13/20 Location B CH 350
Until I have 20 tests under me I really think their values are closer than mine. (same people do the testing, they always rinse the test tubes, they use syringes to measure, likely new reagent(s) what more are they supposed to do?)
 
Just post your complete test results in the morning as close to sunrise as you can except CYA; do the CYA a little later. Marty will advise but he needs test results. He always needs your test results not pool store tests.
 
setsailsoon said:
CH is a very straightforward test. How much pool shock have you added? That adds calcium.
Click to expand...
Pool Shock? No I just used Liquid Chlorine and the 1.5 weeks (I can verify more accurately if needed) of TriChlor 3" tablets when the SWG failed. ~10 tablets (again I can verify the number in the morning)
Prior to that 100% SWG no liquid Chlorine (unless I went on vacation or had issue with Algae (I think once or twice prior since 2014)
 

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