Test For Total Alkalinity
After rinsing the tester clean, fill the large tube to the lower dash line. Add one drop of No. 4 solution and swirl. Next, add one drop of solution No. 5B, a total alkalinity indicator, and swirl. Add No. 3 solution, drop by drop until the color changes to clear, light yellow, or light green.
Finally, multiply the number of drops of solution No. 3 you used by 10 to determine the total alkalinity.
Note: Don’t perform this test if the residual chlorine is above 3.0. Chlorine must be in normal ranges before testing for TA .
Autoutlet Refractometer Saltwater Aquarium For Seawaterpooltanktestingmarine Fishkeeping 0
- Salinity RefractometerMeasure Salt Water or Salinity of Water,Monitor and Control the Concentration of Salt Water and Brine,Ideal for Aquariums and Marine Applications.
- Measures on 2 ScalesSpecific Gravity and parts per thousand and replaces your poor quality and difficult to read hydrometer.
- Density Measurement Range1.0-1.070, Minimum Scale is 0.001.
- Concentration Measurement Range0-100, Minimum Scale is 1.
- ATCAutomatic Temperature Compensation, 0-10°C.
Benefits Of Pool Water Test Kits
We all know that a pool kit has the purpose of bringing your pool water level at a decent balance but what you need to understand here is how that balance is achieved. What does it do that makes it such an indispensable tool? Well, here are a few reasons why you might want to invest in a good test kit:
- Will keep the water from your pool safe from the negative effects of UV rays, which have the ability to harm your body.
- It allows you to identify the exact number of elements that are found at that point in your pool.
- A test kit helps you keep the pool clean of bacteria and fungi, telling you exactly when you should add more water or change it completely.
- It protects you from any allergies or bacterial infections that you may catch from the pool.
Pool water test kits will give you enough data to keep things nice and hygienic so, make sure that you choose the one that can protect you from anything harmful. Along with the best pool shock and the high-end algaecide for pools, it will allow you to keep your pool squeaky clean of any harmful elements.
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What To Measure & How Often To Test
For balanced pool water levels, heres what you need to measure and often you should do the tests:
Free Chlorine
- Helps prevent the growth of bacteria and algae.
- Test 2 to 3 times a week.
- Ideal range: 1 to 4 parts per million .
- Helps prevent swimmer discomfort, improves chlorine effectiveness and protects equipment.
- Test 2 to 3 times a week.
- Ideal range: 7.2 to 7.6.
- When a pool’s pH falls outside the acceptable range, you may need to use pH adjuster.
Total Alkalinity
- Helps prevent pH from swinging in and out of range.
- Test weekly.
- Ideal range: 80 to 150 ppm.
Calcium Hardness
- Helps prevent surface damage such as scale and corrosion.
- Test monthly.
- Ideal range: 175 to 275 ppm.
Stabilizer
- Stablizer extends the life of chlorine by preventing chlorine burn-off due to sunlight.
- Test 2 to 3 times per season.
- Ideal Range: 30 to150 ppm.
Types Of Pool Water Test Kits
Purchasing a pool water test kit may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually fairly easy once you know what to look for in a quality kit. For instance, there are only three types of test kits you need to consider. The best one for you will be determined by your preference. There are pros and cons to each type, but no right or wrong choices.
Test strips
These thin white strips have a number of treated squares on them. Some have just three, while others may have as many as six. Each square performs a different test, and you can see the results in seconds. You simply match the color on the chart which is usually located on the container and you’ve got a good idea of what is going on with your pool water.
The downside to these strips is they can be easily contaminated. Just reaching in the container with wet hands can ruin most of the pack, so you must be careful. Also, not following the directions precisely may produce erroneous readings.
Test kits
The major drawback to this method is it is time consuming, especially if you need to perform more than one test. Additionally, the colors are fairly close in hue and it can sometimes be difficult to interpret your actual reading.
Digital testers
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Can Pool Test Kits Go Bad
Yes! Pool test kits go bad or rather stop functioning adequately after a while when the pool test reagents or pool test strips cease to function, which can lead to inaccurate test results due to bad chemical reactions.
Reagents and test strips often have a 1-2 years expiration time frame depending on the manufacturer of the pool test kits.
Salt Water Test Kit Options
Whether you are opening your pool in the spring or carrying out regular pool maintenance you or your pool service company will need to monitor the chemistry of your pool. If you have a salt water system you will also need to monitor the salt concentration even though it shouldn’t fluctuate unless you experience heavy rainfall or add fresh water to your pool.
A basic kit with a salinity test or test strip that measures salt content is all that’s required if you only want to test for salt levels in your pool. They are affordable and really easy to use while providing reasonably accurate results. If you are a handy pool owner and want to balance your entire pool’s chemistry a complete kit will help you do this quite easily with a bit of patience and practice.
It’s important to note that most drop test kits don’t include a salinity test, and quite often pool owner’s find out too late that they need to purchase a separate salinity test. Continue reading for our recommendation for a complete salt water test kit that includes a salinity test.
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The Different Chemicals Which Can Be Found In Your Swimming Pool
Of course, when proceeding to test the chemical balance and content in your pool, you will need to know which chemicals you will have to measure.
The chemicals which can be found in a swimming pool are dozens, and you should pick a test kit that tests for the chemicals which affect the quality of the water of your specific swimming pool or spa.
Here are the most common chemicals which are included in the tests of these kits:
Sodium bicarbonate this compound raises and affects the total alkalinity in the swimming pool.
Bromine this chemical element is used to stabilize the acidic and pH levels of the pool, to prevent the water from being too acidic.
Calcium hardener used for boosting the calcium hardness of the water in the pool.
Calcium hypochlorite a chemical that increases the chlorine levels and thus helps prevent algae growth and other impurities.
Chlorine commonly called trichlor or dichlor, chorine is used to chlorinating and thus eliminate the bacteria from your pools water.
Cyanuric acid it is used to balance and stabilize the chlorine levels, and also helps protect the pool from UV rays. The acid is usually infused in the dichlor or trichlor.
Best Pool Test Kits This 2021
If youre a pool owner, then you know all about the importance of good pool chemistry. The pH balance, chlorine, and calcium levels in your water will make or break the quality of your swimming experience. Thats why weve put together this list of the best pool test kits for maintaining the perfect pool chemistry.
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Taylor Service Complete Pool Water Test Kit K
This is one of the best models that you can get on the market when it comes to delivering on some good performance. It comes with some quality features that makes testing of the water chemistry easier and fast. In the end, you get to learn more about what your pool water contains. You should definitely enjoy owning it as it does help you maintain the water in the safe zone at all times.
The model is really good when it comes to the testing part. For many people, it does deliver on ease of use. You simply have to follow the instructions offered by the manufacturer to get the testing done. Since the instructions are clear, you should not have any trouble completing the tests. Since many people have given it a thumbs up, then you can be sure that the model will deliver on some good performance just as you would want.
You will definitely like the model for having an amazing performance. You will enjoy owning it today for being comprehensive when it comes to testing. The best part is that you can carry out many tests on your pool water and have an easy time understanding what it is all about. The model is good when it comes to testing the public or private pools. You can always be sure to get accurate results.
The model does come with printed color standards for you to use. It is then crucial that you get to color match with your tests to understand the water chemistry. As a result, many people find the method being relatively easy to follow.
Our rating:
Poolmaster Smart Test Strips
When you dip Poolmaster Smart Test 4-Way Combo Test Strips into your pool water, youll get an instant reading of four crucial chemical ranges, including pH, alkalinity, chlorine, and bromine. One container comes with 50 dip-and-read strips, which wont bleed colors when they come into contact with water.
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Poolmaster Water Chemistry Case Premiere Collection
The Poolmaster Water Chemistry Case 22270 Premiere Collection is the most popular pool water testing kit sold in the market. Its rated as the best by many for its accuracy and reasonable price.
Although not at a higher grade level like the Taylor K-2006, this water test kit helps you test for free chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, pH, Acid Demand and Total Alkalinity using the Drop Test method.. Its easy to use and get results more accurately with the help of the transparent test block and integrated color chips. You can match the colors more easily.
The Poolmaster Water 5 Way Test Kit 22270 Premiere Collection also comes with a plastic case that takes care of the test block and the chemicals. Its safer to keep them all in one place to avoid damage and leakage.
You also get 1oz solutions of #1-#3, and 1/2oz solutions of #4-#5. The only risky part here is to avoid the confusion between Phenol Red and #2 Phenol Red solutions. It would have been better if there was a different label for one of the bottles for customers to be better informed when re-ordering the correct Phenol Red bottle for their water test kit.
We also didnt like the fact that this pool test kit does not check for Cyanuric Acid.
If you have a cloudy or green swimming pool, you need a more advanced pool water test kit like the Taylor K-2006 recommended above. If your pool is clean enough, then the Poolmaster 22270 is your best choice for routine maintenance of your swimming pool.
Key Features
Why Do You Need A Pool Chlorine Tester
From pool cleaners to top-quality swimming pool filters and more, there are many items you need to keep your pool running properly and the water safe to swim in. If youre unsure in any way about purchasing pool water testing products, then take a look at the advantages of using a pool chlorine tester:
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Swimming Pool Test Kit Tips
Testing your swimming pool chemical levels is a great way to avert unsafe pool conditions. After a while, you will get used to the recommended testing process and it will take seconds to complete every test.
Here are some tips that will make your process more accurate and smoother:
- Use a new water sample for every test.
- You can pour the sample water as well as the reagent back into the pool after the tests.
- Different tests require different amounts of reagents and different color results.
- Every test kit is different.
- Read the instructions that accompany your kit.
- Get a logbook for recording the results every time you test.
Pros Of Pool Test Strips
- Fairly accurate when used properly
- Fast and easy to use
- Require very little technique to use simply dip in water for 10 seconds then compare colours with chart on instructions.
- Tests for multiple readings at once most test between 3 and 6 things at once including , Bromine, Total Chlorine, Phosphate, Total Hardness)
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How To Use A Pool Test Kit To Get The Most Accurate Results
Here are some tips on how to use a pool test kit to get the most accurate results.
- Read the instructions before you do anything. Focus especially on how to use the reagents. Adding the wrong reagent or using more than the recommended drops will give you the wrong readings.
- When taking a water sample from the pool, dip your hand up to the elbow. Do not scoop water from the surface, near the skimmer or the return line.
- If you are using a liquid digital test kit, wash the tube between tests or use a new tube to avoid contaminating the water.
- Use the white placard included in your liquid test kit to better see the watercolor and match it to the chart. If your kit does not have the card, use anything else you have on hand like a white sheet of paper to create a white background.
- If you are color blind or are not sure about the color, get a second opinion. If you are color blind, we highly recommend buying a digital liquid test kit or an electronic test kit.
- Do not use fingers to cover the tubes when mixing water with the reagent. Oils from your skin can affect the readings. Either jiggle the comparator to get a good mix or, if you are using a digital tester, use the included caps to seal the tube then mix.
Lamotte 2056 Colorq Pro 7 Digital Pool Water Test Kit
This is one of the top models when it comes to helping with testing your pool water. It does come with some good features that make its the best. For those who are looking to know the composition of their pool water, this could be a nice way to do it. You can be sure that the various models on the market might not as reliable as this one. Thanks to having the best reliability, you will always get more people interested in owning one today.
You are also going to like the fact that it is a digital tester and reader. This is because it comes with a photometer that should give you a digital reading of the test results. No more guessing and estimating as you can know the exact composition of your pool water. Being a digital model makes it one of the best for you to own right now. There is no doubt you are always going to have a good time owning one right now.
This is one of the best models on the market for doing all kinds of tests to your pool water. The model is good for testing free chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, pH, alkalinity, hardness, and Cynauric acid. As a result, you should find it coming in quite handy the next time you have to do the tests. The model should help you easily understand the pool water so that you can take the necessary steps to make the water even better.
Our rating:
- It is expensive
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How To Test A Pool With A Pool Water Test Kit
The testing should depend on exactly what you are planning to test. Chlorine and pH levels require a daily test, temperature and alkalinity need a weekly test, and calcium hardness needs a monthly test.
To test the water, you will first have to get the correct vials and strips for your pool. Sure, you may dip that strip into the pool but its much easier to simply collect it in the vial and do the testing in a safe environment. This will ensure that the readings you get are actually constant. You either dip the strip in the vial or you add a few drops from the reagent necessary to conduct the test the result being a change in color that will tell you what is wrong.
Make sure that the water you test is taken from an elbow-deep level. You dont want to take it straight from the surface, as the results might end up being inaccurate. With a strip test, in about 15 seconds, you should have your results.
The Best Test Strips: Aquachek Pool Water Test Strips
AquaChek Pool Water Test Strips
Test type: test strips
These test strips will be a good option for newbies who are learning how to maintain pool water safely and correctly. Compared to test kits , test strips are easy-to-use and are the cheapest way to test pool water.
But, there is a significant problem with the use of test strips they dont give the same accuracy and consistency as test kits. You will still have to compare the color on the test strip with the chart as with the liquid test kits.
Pros:
The quickest way to test the water, you just dip the test strip in the water and thats all.
The cheapest method of pool water testing.
Extremely easy-to-use.
Cons:
The least accurate way to test the water. Test kits are much more accurate.
Still need to compare the color on the strip with the chart as with liquid test kits.
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