the "wrath" of TFP - test strips

[joemkraus]

OK, I know I will take a lot of grief here, but not sure what everyone has against test strips. Yea, they are not perfect by themselves, but:

1. when FC is a bit high, PH test seem way off on drop test, cannot distinguish the color, but test strips seem accurate
2. when FC is above 5 cannot tell level on drop test without FAS -DPD test (which is a bit of pain every day, but agreed more accurate) where the test strip will give indication up to FC =10

I am not advocating them as a replacement, but for every day use I find them convenient and not so inaccurate.

OK, everyone, bring on the grief

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

 

[ajw22]

1. when FC is a bit high, PH test seem way off on drop test, cannot distinguish the color, but test strips seem accurate

That is a known limitation of the pH test. I would not be making significant adjustments in pH based on test strips.

Taylor pH Test is Unreliable When FC > 10

Chlorine test strips basically tell you that you have high enough chlorine in the pool when the exact FC ppm really does not matter.

As long as you know your pool it can work for you.

 

[mguzzy]

Ok.. I'll chime in... and come out of the closet. I use test strips just for the convenience and speed. I know their limitation and have a pretty good idea how they should respond in my pool for most situations. The other thing to remember is test strips are very sensitive to moisture contamination. It doesn't take much to make a bottle of strips useless. And it gives the kids something to do, so they don't waste my reagents. BUT, if anything seems out of wack... I'm pulling out the dropper bottles to confirm.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

Most people get to know there pool pretty quickly and find it is not necessary to test every day.

Using test strips is fine as long as you understand their limitations.

Our goal is to teach pool owners what they need to know, so they understand what they are doing, and not to tell them what they must do.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[joemkraus]

Thanks, I feel "un-vilified" Yea, when I know the PH is lower than the drop test is indicating I use the strips to verify as frankly they seem pretty accurate to me, and yes for a quick FC test, they also work great...but of course will not abandon my TF100!

 

[Donldson]

"I know their limitations" ?

Given that we have seen entirely impossible readings from test strips, I really don't think anybody using them actually knows their limitations. Since they have the ability to give completely untrue results, that seems like the kind of limitation that would entirely preclude their use.

Funny how people think they don't have time to properly test their water, but they somehow find the time to write out posts trying to defend their usage of test strips.

 

[joemkraus]

wow, strong comments. I have been using test strips for 10 years and find them almost always in the ball park.

 

[ajw22]

wow, strong comments. I have been using test strips for 10 years and find them almost always in the ball park.

Your ball park may have wider fences then other folks here.

 

[Donldson]

Found them in the ball park based on what? Have you also owned a TF-100 or Taylor k-2006 the past 10 years and always checked the results against them? Given the completely waste of time that would be I'm doubting it.

 

[joemkraus]

just got my TF100 a year or so ago, so only correlated for about a year, but yes they are pretty accurate in that time frame

 

[joemkraus]

again, I am not defending test strips as the ONLY solution, but as indicated sometimes the drop tests are off more then than the test strips. TF-100 is the best of course

 

[mariane]

again, I am not defending test strips as the ONLY solution, but as indicated sometimes the drop tests are off more then than the test strips. TF-100 is the best of course

Interesting.
If the drop tests are off, that indicates user error, testing technique error, what ever name you want to give it. I would trust my drop test over guess strips any day.

 

[Katodude]

If you want a quick test rather than use strips, I keep an OTO kit outside in a drawer. It give me based on how dark the yellow is a good guess if I have enough CL, and it has a pH test. Very fast and close enough to determine if I need to follow up with FAS DPD test.

I like to run a little hot with CL so anything less than a dark yellow cause me to run another test.

 

[AndyTN]

I have a quick testing method you can use. See below.

1. Is your pool green? == You are low on chlorine
2. Does your pool smell like your washing machine when using bleach? == Your chlorine has moved to the dark side
3. Did you just dump in 6 gallons of bleach? == Your chlorine is too high
4. Is your pool crystal clear with no smell? == You are likely good to go but should test anyway

 

[duraleigh]

TFP has always based it's pool management techniques on the ability to test PRECISELY and CONSISTENTLY...........strips simply don't measure up....period.

Certainly, everyone is welcome to manage your pool at whatever level you like, but if you are incorporating test strips into your management program, you are falling short of the precision and repeatability that TFP promotes.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

There are other good pH tests other than the Taylor one. Why Taylor doesn't have you add a chlorine neutralizer drop before the pH test is beyond me? Other kits do it. If you really want a good reading you really have to get an electronic meter and standards to calibrate it every time you use it. But strips? How can you even tell what the pH is? I can't. By the way the TA test in another popular kit is better too since you can be color blind and use it. I am not but my neighbor is.. And he's happy I discovered that other kit... Both read EXACTLY the same. I am very picky. I like to cross check my tests and to do that I use different kits where I can.

As for chlorine? Oto is Oto is Oto. If you want an accurate reading above 5 PPM FAS-DPD is really the only way. You can cut water with distilled or RO for Oto with okay results but even that is better than strips.

 

[ajw22]

There are other good pH tests other than the Taylor one. Why Taylor doesn't have you add a chlorine neutralizer drop before the pH test is beyond me?

They do. Read PH - Taylor pH Test is Unreliable When FC > 10

You can correct the chlorine interference by adding 1 drop of R-0007 to a 50 mL sample; then add that treated sample to the comparator.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

You can but it generally doesn't come in the kits. Most other manufacturers kits have the drop as a standard part of the test. There is just a little bit too much love here for the Taylor branded kits, honestly. In some cases there are no good alternatives like CH and CYA. But in most other cases there are other brands that are just as accurate.

 

[duraleigh]

But in most other cases there are other brands that are just as accurate.

I disagree. There is no "love" for Taylor brand here.......they simply produce the best. That's why the TFTestkits is made from Taylor chemistry. It is the most accurate and most repeatable testing you can buy.

Would you please name the others that are "just as accurate" and tell us how you would cobble them together to produce a cohesive kit? One that the average pool owner could use to successfully manage his pool water?