Which do I believe?

[Tuckerclan]

I bought a tf 100 test kit and today I got a 5 on the chlorine test but a 6 on the extended chlorine test so divided by2 and that is only 3. Which to believe?
I did the tests twice and got the same results.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If I understand you correctly you got 5 ppm on the OTO test and you counted 6 drops on the 10ml FAS-DPD test, so that's 3 ppm? If that's correct I'd believe the FAS-DPD. The OTO test is a good 'yeah there's some chlorine in there' but not very good at giving an accurate quantity. Not nearly as good as the FAS-DPD test.

 

[ajw22]

You doing this? This is the chlorine test you want to use.

TFT Chlorine Test Directions

• ajw22
• Jul 11, 2019

 

[Tuckerclan]

Yes Allen, I did both the quick Cl and Ph test and then the Fas/DPD test.
got a 5cl 7.5 ph 3cl

 

[Tuckerclan]

I am curious as to why there is no ph test in the tf 100 other than the little blue kit test. If there was a ph test I could throw the kit out and my speed stir would fit in the provided case.

 

[ajw22]

Believe and use the FAS/DPD CL test.

Use the OTO color comparator just for the pH test. Don't bother using it for CL.

 

[ajw22]

I am curious as to why there is no ph test in the tf 100 other than the little blue kit test. If there was a ph test I could throw the kit out and my speed stir would fit in the provided case.

TFT does not need to reinvent the wheel for a pH test that is as good as it gets.

 

[Tuckerclan]

No, but they did a better cl test and if there was a ph test that would fit in the kit, you wouldn't need the redundant cl test and the kit within a kit would be better.

 

[jblizzle]

No, but they did a better cl test and if there was a ph test that would fit in the kit, you wouldn't need the redundant cl test and the kit within a kit would be better.

I think what you're failing to realize is that the tf100 is just Taylor reagents repackaged. Taylor happens to have multiple different ways of testing chlorine, the fas-dpd chlorine test is the best. Taylor also has multiple pH tests, and the one included in the tf100 is the smallest package with the widest range.

 

[Tuckerclan]

I can see the test kit is just repackaged, for lack of a better description, but I guess my point of a different ph test is missing it's mark, so I defer.

 

[mknauss]

Remove the R0013 bottle and store in a kitchen/laundry room cabinet. You only need to do that test every several weeks to a month. Then your Speedstir fits in that area. That is what I do.

 

[Tuckerclan]

Actually since my cya level is higher than normal, I test it more often then I should, but I did think of putting the R0013 in a smaller bottle for the same reason. Maybe I'll cut off the cl test and just keep the ph test of the blue kit. Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

I don't keep the OTO/pH test blue box in my TF-100, but I do fit the Taylor salt test blue box and my SpeedStir and the large R-0013 bottle all inside the TF-100 box.

 

[duraleigh]

Use the OTO color comparator just for the pH test. Don't bother using it for CL.

I do not agree with that advice. The OTO chlorine test is in the TF-100 for a reason......it is not just haphazard.

1. There are times when newbies don't understand how to use the FAS/DPD correctly or they are confused by the results. The OTO test is about as bullet proof as you can get to detect if you have chlorine in your pool.
A newbie may report 3.00238 with the FAS/DPD or gets a zero result when, in fact, the FC is so high it bleaches out the pink. None of this occurs with the OTO. It is virtually never misinterpreted and can help many newbies get on the right testing track. It is completely reliable......just not accurate.

2. Some, not many but some, cringe at the cost per test of the FAS/DPD yet want to check the FC daily (and they should) The OTO fills this bill perfectly and is VERY fast to boot.

I know some simply like the precision of the FAS/DPD and don't mind the cost and it's all they use. Most of the time, all I would use is the OTO. My chlorine was quite stable and it was easy and quick for me to read the OTO pretty close to daily and also easy to see a darker or lighter yellow than I saw yesterday......I tested for changes/trends and not so much precise ppm's.

So, the TF-100 gives you some options. I know that comparator takes up a lot of space and the TF-100 could drop that comparator and replace it with just a pH comparator block but I think giving the customer the option as to which CL test he cares to use is worth it.

Like mknauss, I kept my CYA bottle separate. If you are testing much more than about 6 times yearly for CYA, you are testing it too much.

(Oops! sorry! I didn't answer OP's question.....you should believe the FAS/DPD test.)