How To Use Pool Test Strips

Poolmaster Smart Swimming Pool And Spa Water Chemistry Test Strips

• For maintaining healthy water chemistry in swimming pool or spa
• Analyzes four chemical factors free chlorine, bromine, alkalinity and pH
• Dip in water for instant reading no-bleed pads give accurate color reading
• Comes in easy-to-store container
• Contains 50 strips per kit

Maintaining your pool or spa water chemistry is critical to the health of your facility. Poolmaster test strips will help you analyze four key factors with an instant reading, no mess.

Use regularly for quick assurance that everything in the swimming pool or spa is perfect.

How To Use A Pool Test Kit To Check Water Quality

• Skill Level: Beginner
• Estimated Cost: $20

The beginning of warm weather means the beginning of pool season. That’s when it’s time to start checking your water quality. In a typical residential swimming pool, this means you need to routinely check for:

• pH
• Total alkalinity
• Acid demand

And there are other tests you might need to do, as well. Don’t worry if you didn’t ace chemistry in school pool test kits are fairly easy to use if you follow the directions.

Improve Accuracy By Following These Simple Rules:

Avoid testing at night time.

During this time of day it will be too dark for the camera on your smartphone to get a clear picture quality and may not get an accurate reading. Also if it is too dark, the app may fail completely.

When scanning the strip, have it in a bright area.

I find positioning myself in a way that I do not become a shadow over the test strip helps. Try and have a clear view to the sky giving your phones camera the best shot available.

Natural sunlight is the best when scanning the smart strips.

Scan the test strip within 15 seconds.

The quicker you scan the strip with your smart phone the better. I always have my phone ready with the app. As soon as I dip the strip I am ready to do the scan.

Do not wipe water off prior to scanning.

After removing the strip from the dip in the pool, shake it, do not wipe it with a cloth or you fingers. This will cause an inaccurate reading.

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How Do I Use My Tap Score Chlorine Testing Strips

Dip your strip into a glass of water and move it back and forth for 30 seconds. Alternatively you can hold it under a stream of water for 10 seconds.

The pads will change color to indicate Total Chlorine and Free Chlorine .

Hold your strip up to the chart to see your result. Estimate results fall between two color blocks.

Note: all Tap Score City Water Tests include chlorine testing strips.

How Often You Should Test Pool Water

While there is no standard timeframe to perform different tests, some perform the tests daily, while others do it after two weeks. All these are acceptable. But if you want to be on the safer side, you can use the following recommended schedule:

Testing for chlorine: Two to three times a week

pH: two to three times each week

Acidity: anytime the pH level needs adjustment

Alkalinity: every week, unless the pH has changed recently.

Calcium hardness: at least once a month

Cyanuric acid levels: at least once every month

Total dissolved solids: at least once every month.

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What Are Pool Test Strips

Pool test strips are at-home pool water tests designed to measure chlorine and pH levels in a pool.

Pool test strips have two paper sides with chemicals printed on them one for measuring the chlorine level, another for measuring the pH level. You crush or break off each chemical side at its designated point , then dip it into your water to start the test.

Pool test strips are a fast and easy way to check pool water levels without getting out of the pool or relying on external equipment like an electronic tester, but they cannot measure chlorine in saltwater pools.

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• When adding wear gloves or old clothes. Most people almost always seem to bleach themselves.
• When opening tab buckets always turn your head, gases can take your breath away, in severe cases if they get wet you can burn your lungs.
• If adding liquid shock to the pool I suggest resting the container on the top step of the pool and dumping in. This is to avoid splashing on the deck and causing bleaching of the deck.
• If adding granular chlorine shock. Always premix.
• Usually needs to be regulated weekly

Rule of thumb:

• DO NOT put pool chlorine into your spa or spa chlorine into your pool.
• For pools use one tablet per 10,000 gallons of water. For the average pool that is 3 4 tablets per week depending on the weather and use of the pool.
• For chlorinated spas, use ½ oz of chlorinating granules per 500 gallons of water.

ALK alkalinity. This is the buffer for the pH in the water. The pH level in pool water can directly affect the efficiency of the sanitizer . The pH level for the human body and eyes range from 7.2 – 7.6 this is the comfort zone. If the pH of the water is too low or too high it can irritate your eyes and skin. Often, when people complain of eye and skin irritation they think it is the chorine levels that is causing it, but no, its the pH level. When the pH of the water is not in balance it can also do damage to the pool’s equipment and surface.

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Working With Test Kits

Standard kits for testing water chemistry come in several different types. The particular kit used in this demonstration, the 4-in-1 by Biolab Guardex, tests your pool water’s pH, chlorine, acid demand, and total alkalinity. Other available kits are 2-in-1 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 .

Other types of kits include test strips or provide analysis through the manufacturer’s website or an app or online calculator. You can also get a reading by taking the kit to your pool supply store. Be aware that the bottle numbers, vial sizes, and chemicals in this project are unique to this particular brand of test kit. Follow the instructions for your kit usually, you can find them online.

How To Use Jacuzzi Test Strips

Jacuzzi strips are better than liquid testing because there is less chance of human error. For the best results, use pool test strips after proper guidance. Follow the following steps.

• Run the water in pool an hour or two before the testing process to accurately measure chemical levels.
• At first, dip one of the strips in the water and let it stay there for 2-6 seconds. Of course, your hands must be clean during this process.
• Then take it out and leave it for 10-15 seconds. The strip will change its color.
• Match the color with the ranges given on the backside of the box or bottle of strips and observe the values.
• Now carefully check which chemicals level requires to be fixed.

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How Do I Test Pool Water

There are several types of testing supplies available on the market varying in price and accuracy. Since I work for a company that sells pool supplies, it was fairly easy for me to get customer input via our amazing review program, and I was able to narrow down the bestselling water testing supplies to make it easier for you to make the selection to your liking.

Hot Tub Spa Chemicals How To Read Your Test Strip

Anytime you add PH Minus, Granular Bromine or Granular Chlorine, or your Shock run tub with cover OFF for 15 minutes.

Your levels should be around this range:

• Calcium 250
• Alkalinity 120
• PH 7.8

The first reading on your test strip is Hardness. If the hardness is Low you can get Foaming in your hot tub and deposits will accumulate on your pump equipment. To Increase the Hardness you need to use Spa Calcium to bring your Hardness level up.

Your 2nd reading on your test strips is Bromine. It is very important to keep your bromine in the OK range to prevent Algae growth or damage to your spa cover and equipment. If your level is too low you will get cloudy water and eventually slimy algae. If your levels are too high you can ruin your spa cover and pillows and equipment. It can also harm the skin. It is easier to control your bromine by using a floating dispenser. You can easily adjust your dispenser according to the reading you get on your strips. Granular bromine can also be used to compensate for low bromine.

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How Many Times Should Hot Tub Water Testing Strips Be Used

• Testing for chlorine: Two to three times a week
• PH: two to three times each week
• Acidity: anytime the pH level needs adjustment
• Alkalinity: every week, unless the pH has changed recently.
• Calcium hardness: at least once a month
• Cyanuric acid levels: at least once every month
• Total dissolved solids: at least once every month.

How To Read Pool Water Test Strips

Maintaining clean, clear and fresh water in your above ground swimming pool is an absolute must. Without maintaining properly balanced water you may end up with skin and eye irritations, algae growth, murky water and possibly do damage to your pool. Luckily, keeping an eye on the various levels are made cheap and easy with pool water testing strips. In this article, well go over how to read pool water test strips as well as the main levels youll be checking.

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What Water Tests Are Needed

In order for us to have a sparkling clean and well-balanced pool, we have to ensure that the levels of pool chemicals stay within the ideal range of:

• pH: 7.2 7.6
• Bromine: 3-5 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid: 30 50 ppm

Testing your pool water and maintaining perfect chemical harmony is not rocket science but it definitely involves regularity and consistency on your part.

Using Pool Test Strips

Your indoor swimming pool near Salt Lake City relies on a delicate balance of chemicals that will keep the water clean, healthy, and comfortable for swimming. Once youve finished up the pool installation process, youll need to be able to tell how balanced the chemicals in your water are. Watch this video for some tips on using pool test strips.

Part of swimming pool maintenance is testing the chemical levels to make sure theyre in balance. You can do this using pool test strips. Your test strip will have a couple of readers for different chemicals, and you can match them up against the chart on the back of the container to see if they are in the safe range. Dip your entire test strip under the water for a couple of seconds, compare it to the chart, and then adjust your levels accordingly to enjoy a safe, healthy, and clean pool.

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Aquachek Total Bromine Pool Test Strips

Bromine isnt the most common form of pool treatment, but there are plenty of pools out there that rely on it.

For pools and spas that use bromine, Aquachek offers a 50-pack of test strips that quickly test total bromine, pH, total hardness, and more. Results appear on the strips in less than a minute and is easy to test.

Pool & Hot Tub/spa Test Strips

Did you know that you can check the free chlorine level and pH of a public swimming pool or hot tub before getting into the water, using an over-the-counter test strip? Hot tubs and pools with good disinfectant and pH control are less likely to spread germs. That is why its important to know that any pool or hot tub you are swimming is being well maintained.

Most superstores, hardware stores, and pool-supply stores sell pool and hot tub test strips.

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How To Read A Pool Test Strip Color Chart

Pool test strips are an easy way to get instant and accurate pool water test results. Select a test strip product that is compatible with your water typechlorine or bromine pool, salt pool or spa.

Simply dip one test strip into pool or spa water at elbows depth and remove immediately. Shake once to remove excess water. Hold strip level and visually compare the strip to the color chart included on the bottle. Select the corresponding test result colors within 15 seconds of wetting.

For expert pool water analysis results and personalized product and dosage recommendations, . With the app, you can enter visual results manually or scan-to-test with Clorox® Pool& Spa Multi-Use Smart Strips.

For best results, never wipe or dry test strip after dipping. Read results in natural daylight. Keep wet fingers out of the bottle and store test strips in a cool, dry place. Test strips are not reusable.

Parameters And Ranges Of Bosike Test Strips For Spa

• Water hardness:

All out Hardness is a proportion of the degrees of calcium and different minerals in spa/pool water. In the event that the Hardness is excessively low, it can bring about the corruption of metal parts and undesirable froth. A hardness that is too high can similarly prompt darkness in the water and the development of scales on a superficial level.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your hands on these Bosike pool test strips to enjoy your swims and pool and spa time in a clean and healthy environment.

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Are These Strips Accurate

They are accurate. This is as they depend on the information from the clinical business, so the results should be exact. A few experts say that test strips are superior to fluid test units as there is more at risk to be a human blunder with the drop packs as though you dont put an inaccurate number of drops, the outcome wont be precise.

Henceforth as these are not difficult to utilize and dont re, the solitary way the outcomes wont be exact is to utilize lapsed or messy strips.

When To Test Pool Water

There is no set guideline for when to conduct various tests on pool water chemistry. Some people test all components daily, and this is a perfectly acceptable, if slightly obsessive, schedule. However, many pool experts suggest the following schedule for testing:

• Chlorine levels: Two or three times each week
• pH: Two or three times each week
• Acid demand test: Whenever pH levels need adjustment
• Total alkalinity: Weekly, unless pH has changed, in which case you should always test the total alkalinity
• Calcium hardness: Monthly

• Four-way pool water test kit
• Sink to wash test kit
• Towel to dry test kit

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Aquachek Swim Pool White Salt Test Kit Strips

• Best test kit for saltwater pools

Not all pools rely on chlorine to keep the water clean. For pools and spas with salt, the Aquachek White Salt Test Kit Strips can be used to quickly and accurately regulate the salt levels in the water. Each kit comes with 40 strips, comes with clear instructions on measuring salt levels, and testing the water approximately twice a week will ensure that your pool remains optimally treated.

Pool Water Testing Instructions

Meniscus line is the point of the bottom curve

You can have the most expensive Pool H2O Test Kit on the market, but If you dont know the size and volume of your pool and dont perform the directions properly which includes sampling the water test, it just wont matter. Here is a good Pool Volume Calculator to use for any size or dimension that you may have.

Reagent go Bad! So you need to replace them every season. Store them with other pool chemicals in a cool dry place out of the rain and sun. Take consistent samples from the center of the pool down to your elbow 12-18 deep. Dont ever touch the sample or the pads on the Test Strip. Learn to remove an excess sample to the correct water line mark on the Comparator or Test Cell.

See the Meniscus Curve on the right there is a big difference in the right and wrong amount in the Test Cell. Follow directions for any kind of Test Kit you use. Watch the video on running a test with a Drop Reagent Test Kit and the Test Strip

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Three: Read The Pool Water Level For Total Chlorine

At this point, youll know how much free chlorine is in your swimming pool water and compare it against a range of seven-eight but what about total chlorine?

The test strips will measure both free and combined chlorine to tell you the total amount in the water. The test strips should read between three hundred and four hundred ppm, but its best to use swimming pool chlorine levels above five hundred for your safety.

To avoid nasty swimming pool chemicals costs, youll need a good measuring stick something that will tell you whether or not there is enough free chlorine in the pool.

S To Test Water With Clorox Smart Strips

Read all the steps before beginning. Once the smart strip has been placed under water, you should scan it with the app within about 15 seconds. Therefore familiarize yourself with the steps first, that way you will be able to complete the scan quickly and get the most accurate readings.

You can test your pools water without using the mobile app if you prefer matching the colors to the chart that is provided with your kit. I however, prefer using the Clorox Pool & Spa app, that is what the smart strips were invented for.

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