Strictly one drop at a time?

[rimshaker]

Say I have tests that I know are going to be in the upper ranges. When I start adding and counting reagent drops, can I start off with 2-3 at a time and then swirl? Or would this chemically affect the endpoint somehow.

Common sense says i'm just being anal, but just wanted to make sure. I also use the 10mL shortcut method with the TA and CH tests.

 

[txborn]

If I know that my FC is 4 or over, I always add 3 or 4 drops initially then swirl between drops after that. Tried it both ways and the final value is the same.

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, time to fess up....I shortcut the drops method frequently. If I know I'm 100 plus on CH, I'll rapidfire 10 drops, swirl, and go from there. Same with Free Chlorine and Alk. Lazy and careless, I know, and I got burned twice on Free chlorine when my initial rapid fire drops cleared the solution and I had to do it over again.

I'm pretty sure the total time I saved was easily wiped out by having to repeat the test.....it's just in my nature to sometimes take shortcuts when I know I shouldn't.

 

[Buggsw]

I use multiple drops on the ones that I know are higher ranges.

 

[poolio]

on the alkaliinity test it depends on how much you aerate it when you swirl. that could affect it

 

[Rangerman]

Guilty of multiple drops too . . . when adding drops for the FC test, I'll add 'em up as I go, i.e., .2,.4,.6,.8, 1.0, 1.2, etc.
Same for the .5 method too.

 

[Guest]

on the alkaliinity test it depends on how much you aerate it when you swirl. that could affect it

Since the akalinity test is only measuring the carbonates and bicarbonates in the water and NOT the carbonic acid aeration will not have any effect on the outcome of the test.