SWG converstion complete - Is Taylor R-0870 supposed to work the same?

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TimInMA

TimInMA

Member
May 26, 2019
8
Westborough, MA
I've been using Taylor's testkit for years and when checking FC before converting to a SWG pool the color would change quickly to pink to indicate chlorine. However, I just converted to a SWG and noticed that using the Taylor DPD reagent (R-0870) doesn't turn pink as quickly as it did before it was a salt pool, is that normal? How long I should wait?

Background:
We followed the SLAM and had the pool dialed in nicely, then I added the salt and waited a day for things to stablize, then my wife measured FC and it was 0-1 and was worried that algae would come back so she kept adding chlorine, and wasn't getting a measurement, that's when we took in a sample to have it tested and it came back at FC = 13, (SWG is off). So last night before I went to bed, I did a FC test and it barely turned pink (using Taylor R-0870), I left it on the kitchen counter and overnight it got very dark pink.

I'm thinking that salt must change the time it takes for the Taylor reageent to work, because I bought a Chlorox kit and it showed the FC immediately.

Thoughts?
 
The salt does not effect the FAS-DPD test.

How old is the R0870 powder?

Always use the OTO test in the K1000 if the other FC test is suspect. The OTO will immediately tell you if there is chlorine in the sample.
 
mknauss said:
The salt does not effect the FAS-DPD test.

How old is the R0870 powder?

Always use the OTO test in the K1000 if the other FC test is suspect. The OTO will immediately tell you if there is chlorine in the sample.
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The R0870 powder is about 1-2 years old. I used the OTO test from the Chlorox test kit and it was immediate. If I have a chance I'm going to do a time-lapse video of both methods today, and will repost. Thanks for the quick response.
 
Correction on the age of R0870, my wife had just bought a new container yesterday which had an expiration date of 5/2024.
I just made a 5 minute time-lapse showing the difference between the two type of methods:

BTW: Salt level is at 3200
 
Last edited:
TimInMA said:
Yes I did shake it good for about 20-30 seconds, I made sure there were no more crystals on the bottom.
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You should just swirl it gently not shake it. There should be a few crystals left after you’re done swirling it if there’s not, that means there’s not enough powder being added.
 

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Bperry said:
You should just swirl it gently not shake it. There should be a few crystals left after you’re done swirling it if there’s not, that means there’s not enough powder being added.
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I wish the instructions were more clear about that, I didn't know I need to treat it like I'm making a martini. :) Thanks for the tip, will try that.

Is it normal for the pool to be cloudy for a some days after you add all the salt to covert to a SWG pool? A friend told me to expect a week before all the salt settles down and the water clears up.
 
You should really invest in a SpeedStir. It would make most of these issues go away.

You add DPD powder and swirl (slow swirling, not shaking) until the mixture turns pink. Crystals on the bottom don’t matter. Then you begin titrating right away. You don’t let it sit. If you let it sit, CCs will slowly react with the dye to make it change back to pink. Once the FC test is complete you immediately add the 5 drops of R-0003 and then titrate again.

You should take no more than 1 minute to compete the entire FC/CC testing. Again, a SpeedStir makes this much simpler.
 
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