TF-Pro Salt

[smicale]

Hello,
I have had my pool for about 5 yrs now and I have always used test strips. I tried using the Taylor kit my pool guy gave me when we first opened but I found it to be so confusing. I want to start to try and understand this and I am looking at the TF-Pro Salt kit. How long will that last me? I am comparing to some digital options that sit in your pool and monitor it and tell you what it is you need. Sutra and water Guru are two I am looking at. I’m sure people on this forum will say not to do the digital stuff. I just want something easy since my time is limited and I hate it when things go haywire. Any help is highly appreciated.

 

[Newdude]

I’m sure people on this forum will say not to do the digital stuff

Because many actual members here tried them with lackluster, or worse results. (Search the forum for Guru / Sutro and see the threads for yourself) The best you can hope for is that it works for a year before it doesn't. The second best you can hope for is that it is consistently off, and you can learn to always subtract 40% (etc). The other half the time they are just random # generators.

Get the pro salt. It's hands down the best value. Any step to it is laughably simple. 'Add 1 drop of XYZ' or ' each drop is 200 ppm salt'.

We will be your training wheels for as long as you need, for free. (Its a pretty sweet deal)

 

[smicale]

Appreciate the feedback. After I buy this kit how long will it last? I live in Ohio and I only get May - Sept usually to have my pool open. Will I need to buy a new kit each year?

 

[Newdude]

The kit is mostly for the parts needed to test. The refills go on sale each spring for mid $40s. Off sale the tfpro refill kit is $54.

You could probably get 2 years with a short season if the kit is stored climate controlled.

 

[JamesW]

I tried using the Taylor kit my pool guy gave me when we first opened but I found it to be so confusing.

TF100TestKit

The TF-100 sets the standard for excellence in Pool Testing Kits. It contains 7 separate tests to give you accurate readings on each important pool water parameter.

www.youtube.com

 

[sande005]

In Minn, about the same season as you, and I routinely have 1/2 of everything leftover, or a bit more, at the end of the year.
Because going pure TFP a couple of years ago has saved me massive amounts of dollars in other pool costs, I just buy the refill each spring, to make sure it is good for the season.

 

[smicale]

How accurate do I need to be with pool gallons. I have done some measurements of my pool. 36'x18' with depth measurements of 3.5', 4.5', & 5.5'. It comes out close to 22,000 gallons. I also have a tanning ledge 8'x12', it is about 7" deep.

 

[Newdude]

Its a broad stoke at first and it's easy to dial in when you dose and it does more/less than you expected.

 

[Mdragger88]

For volume,
Put your estimate in
PoolMath and adjust up or down as needed based on your actual test results from calculated additions of chems.
My pool measurements say a little under 26k gal but when using 27k gal in poolmath my results are generally dead on.
As for how long does the kit itself last- i have had my tf100 for almost 10yrs. I replace the reagents as needed. I have both a pool and spa so I buy more refills of the chlorine & ph reagents than probably anything else. The rest get replaced after 2 years so they are fresh . I don’t use the ch reagents (cuz i have very low ch water and don’t add any) so I don’t replace those. It’s finally time to replace my cya googly eye tube (he’s provided much service over the years) so that will be added to my next tftestkits order.

 

[SecoSteve]

TFP is by far the best method you will find in taking care of your pool. I have saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars by using this method. I stay out of the pool store now, do my own testing, and get any chemicals I need from Walmart, Lowes/Home Depot.

As far as pool volume, get the Pool Math app for $7/year and enter your estimated pool volume into the app. Then, when you need to make a chemical addition, the app will tell you to add say 53oz of Muriatic acid to reduce Ph from 8.0 to 7.6. If that 53oz didn't give the result intended then you need to adjust your pool volume either up or down. The app is awesome and makes testing sooo easy.

 

[smicale]

Ok you are all contributing to making me pull the trigger on this. Is the base $170 kit all I really need?

 

[Gambit80]

That is the one I bought a year ago to start testing. First ever pool installed last year. Seemed a bit overwhelming at first, but honestly, it is something I look forward to. Kind of relaxing to go out and take care of the pool (probably because it is so easy!). I have refilled Chlorine and PH more often, but I was testing daily last year. As I got used to testing and understanding my pool, I went to three times a week in the summer to one a week in the winter. Starting to ramp up with UV here in Florida, so I am back to three times a week.

I cannot encourage you enough to take the step. The testing, the Speed Stir & Pool Math make it so easy. Everyone marvels at our pool water, wanting to know how much time I spend. About 10-15 minutes every three days and a weekly cleaning. Simple.

 

[SJPoe]

Ok you are all contributing to making me pull the trigger on this. Is the base $170 kit all I really need?
View attachment 640224

It has everything you need. If you REALLY wanted to, the only thing I would add to the TF-100 Pro salt is a few extra test tubes and a couple of extra stirrer magnets - just means you can sit and run all your tests in one go, rather than constantly washing out the tube and magnet.

Also, if you 'forget' to rinse your FC test and leave it overnight (like I have never ever done) you'll have a backup tube that isn't stained black (ask me how I know!!!)

 

[SecoSteve]

Ok you are all contributing to making me pull the trigger on this. Is the base $170 kit all I really need?
View attachment 640224

Yes that is perfect. Next season you'll only need the refill set, which is about $50, but there's a sale in March that brings it to about $43.

The OTO Chlorine test is one I never use. It is the test on the left side of the Ph test comparator. It just tells if there's Chlorine in the pool. Make sure to use the DPD Chlorine test. That is more precise. Also, be careful with the Silver Nitrate R-0718 liquid. Do not let that get on your skin as it can leave a brown stain once it comes in contact with sunlight that takes about a week to go away

 

[Newdude]

The slam option which doubles the FC tests really comes in handy for newbs and swamps who will both be testing more at first and might exhaust the regular supply.

Once it's all second nature and/or the pool is TFP clear, the base kit / refills have plenty.

The Ph / salt meter is a toy for those who like gadgets. The test strips aren't very accurate, nor needed. The sample sizer is another gadget that some love while most of us don't.

 

[sande005]

You may want to add in the "CYA Standard Sampler". It is premixed water with a CYA reading of 50, to be used when you run the CYA test. That test is the hardest to discern what the result should look like, and the standard allows you to see what it looks like when the black dot disappears. Then you can be confident in the reading from your own pool.
There are other standard samples available also, but unless you have color blindness or other vision concerns, they are easy to see the correct end result, so not needed.

 

[spaHabit]

I bought the TF-Pro Salt a couple of weeks ago. Initially it can seem daunting to use... but go slow and follow the step by step instructions... Now that I've used it a few times it's become much easier and faster to run a test. The ones I have the most difficulty with are the CYA and pH test block. My vision with glasses makes it hard to determine when the dot disappears (perhaps getting the sampler would help -- but that won't improve my vision ). The test block is akin to test strips (which I've never used); one has to match colors which is difficult. In my case the reading can change depending on the background light and the whiteness of the background... Now that I've used them, I really like the drop tests as they are easy to interpret.
In hindsight I don't know if the salt test is really necessary becasue my SWG I have gives me a readout directly. When I buy a refill next year I may just get the TF-100 refill.

 

[JamesW]

I don't know if the salt test is really necessary because my SWG I have gives me a readout directly.

In my opinion, it is necessary.

The AquaRite uses the performance of the cell to determine salinity. For each cell (T-3, T-5, T-9 OR T-15), Hayward knows the performance of a properly functioning cell at each temperature and salinity combination. The higher the salinity and/or water temperature, the higher the performance (chlorine output).

To get the performance of the cell, divide the instant salinity by the actual salinity. If the ratio is less than 75%, it's time for a new cell. For example, 2,000 (instant salinity) ÷ 3,600 (measured salinity with a test kit)=56%. Check the cell and clean it if necessary. If that doesn't work, it's time for a new cell.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JamesW]

If you rely only on the readout, you will add about 6,000 ppm of salt as the cell fails and then you need to drain and refill about half of the water.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

In hindsight I don't know if the salt test is really necessary becasue my SWG I have gives me a readout directly

The SWG readout should only be used to determine if the SWG is happy. You should be using the salt test to confirm anything the SWG tells you. I have a friend who's salt cell was going bad and giving him erroneous low readings. He didn't realize it until he had kept adding bags of salt and the reading wasn't increasing. He had about 5000ppm of salt in his pool by the time he realized this which resulted in him having to drain a bunch of water.

The good news is that the salt reagents will keep for several years, as long as you keep them in a climate controlled area. I typically only purchase the salt refill once every 2 years or so.

--Jeff