TFTestKits CYA View Tube Question

[CarolD]

I own the K-2006 test kit, but I was poking around on the TFTestKits website looking for things to spend my money on (since I now stay out of the pool store). I ran across the CYA View Tube for $3.50. It's a nice looking view tube with a bigger dot at the bottom, so I think it might be easier to read. The description says "This is the the CYA view tube designed for use with the TF-100 kit, not the Taylor kit (emphasis mine.) It is marked to measure between 20-100 ppm."

Don't the Taylor test kits and the TFTestKits use the same reagent r-0013? Don't they use the same 1:1 pool water to reagent ratio? If so, why wouldn't the TFTestKits tube work with the reagent I got from my Taylor kit? Color me confused.

 

[an1vrsy]

Calling @OTPirate

 

[Donldson]

I believe the reason is because the k-2006 mix bottle is only sized for the smaller view tube in that kit, so it would not produce enough to use in the TF-100 view tube unless the CYA were higher than 50 or so. Also the k-2006 R-0013 bottles are equally small sized, so you would only get 2-3 properly sized tests. So to use the TF-100 CYA tube you need the TF-100 CYA mixing bottle and should have the TF-100 size R-0013.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Donldson is correct. BUT, Since the ratio is 1:1 you don't have to use the included mixing bottle. You can just add equal amounts of pool water and R-0013 to the regular vial and pour from it into the view tube.

In fact that's how I do it. I use the standard 9198 tube and use the 14.6 ml mark. I have two 9198's so I add 14.6ml of pool water in one and 14.6 ml of R-0013 in the other and mix them together on the speedstir. (The reason I use 14.6 ml is because it's marked on the cylinder.)

 

[PoolGate]

Being able to see the black dot "better" is not really the point of the tube.

 

[OTPirate]

Yes, Donldson is correct. When putting together the TF-100 test kit, it was decided to use the view tube reading 20-100 ppm

 

[CarolD]

Being able to see the black dot "better" is not really the point of the tube.

Yeah, I said easier, not better...but I get your point. Most of the videos online that I've seen used the tube with the larger dot. It's a difficult test to read, and very subjective, so was trying to see if a different tube might make it easier for me to determine when the dot disappears. Truly, I've done the test over and over with the same sample and gotten a different result every time. I guess I should just accept that the best I can do with this test is get chain saw precision and be happy with that.