Question about CH Test Coloration

[jmarcum]

Thanks again. I'll give the acid a try. From testing this am it took 4 drops to get the color down to the recommended ph. According to the ph chart that means I need a little over a quart so I'll just do a little at a time and retest. As far as the pool size goes the pool builder told me 12,000 gallons but the next time I refill it I'm going to get the water company to do before and after readings to confirm. Are any of the digital water testing devices available to consumers worth buying?

[CarlD]

I never bother with the acid demand test. My pH is too high? I add a cup of acid and recheck in an hour.

Pool volume is simple solid geometry. Once you have the cubic footage volume of the water, not the pool, you multiply by 7.48 to get gallons.

[jmarcum]

Now I am just totally confused. I did as you suggested, added small amounts of acid, retested 1 hour later. My test shows great numbers on everything so I took a sample to the pool store to see how right or wrong I was.

My Numbers:
FC:12.5
pH: 7.4
TA: 80
CH:400
CYA:70

The numbers and reccomendations from the pool store are below. She suggested I turn my chlorinator back on and set it to the Max (5) because, according to her test my FC is 0

[jmarcum]

Here's another quick test I did with a 6 way test strip. I know these are not as accurate as the Taylor but still this doesn't indicate anywhere near the 0 that the pool store reported.

[CarlD]

If both your K2006 test kit and the guess strips match, ignore the pool store.
I bet it was some kid using strips. Sorry I suggested it. I have never heard of anyone getting a 0 FC reading and a positive CC reading. if TC is 1.8 and FC is 0, then C must be 1.8. I don't believe their numbers.

BTW, the "Alkalinity Plus" is very, very, very, expensive baking soda. Sodium bicarb, but they use an alternate name, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, which is the same thing, just an elaborate attempt to fool you.

Before you waste money on calcium and risk going 'way over 400, invest in new reagents first.

[jmarcum]

Yea I agree, I think either their machine just doesn't read as high as my FC is or it was broken. My CC according to K2006 is ~.25 or less. It's almost undetectable. Oh and it was an adult and they do use some sort of machine for the testing.

I've been reading these forums enough to know not to buy any of the chemicals from the pool store. They do sell reagents though and I may grab some from them next week.

[CarlD]

Yeah, Some of them stock Taylor reagents. Leslies only stocks Taylor which is good. But they rarely have everything you need, which isn't so good. On Line is more reliable.