Which test kit do I really need?

[CarlD]

Yes, you have to order kits or refills from other sources. Two that work very well are Leslies on-line (they are far better than the retail stores for this) or TaylorTechnologies.com.

Leslies has a straight FAS-DPD test kit--that's all it tests is FC and CC but it's the Taylor test Ben used for years and it's good to at least 50ppm. This single test is about a $20 item, and it's the best $20 you can spend! You can get refills from them too--somewhere we've stickied the list of substitutes if you have Ben's later kits. The earlier ones used the straight Taylor codes.

[KurtV]

The test kit available here is very similar to Ben's (also based on the Taylor K-2006) and it also includes the OTO chlorine test for those daily quick and dirtys. For what you get I think the price is significantly better than the K-2006 or the Leslie's equivalent.

[bbse]

thanks everyone, sorry to here that Ben is MIA, I will get a kit elsewhere. There is a local company that sells Taylor products and has a kit for 36.50 with the DPD test up to 5 ppm. I may just get that one for now because it has all the other stuff and just add a better chlorine test down the road. I need to get started testing now. From what I have read I could do the distilled water dilution thing and get close on higher chlorine numbers.

[Poconos]

Also check out this online place.
http://www.spspools-spas.com/
The thing that Bens kit had going are the extra reagents for the commonly used ones. Personally I don't do the OTO test but that's my preference. For the K-2006 kit the CYA reagent (R-0013), Calcium buffer (R-0010), FAS-DPD titrating reagent (R-0871), and the DPD powder (R-0870) get gobbled up first so you can order larger bulk refills of those. Keep the bulks refrigerated and closed, except to refill the smaller bottles, and they last a real long time. Years.
Al
As for Ben...still MIA and no contact.

[bbse]

I just got back and I bought locally, a Taylor K-2005 kit for $36.50. It doesn't have the FAS/DPD test in it but by using the 1.8ML mark on the DPD scale and multiplying by 5, I can check all the way to 25 PPM for chlorine.

My numbers were

FC 16
TC 16
CYA 70
PH 7.2
Alk 145
Cal 150

This is a 30' above ground with 45" of water. I calculated it has about 19,647 gallons. I have been fighting a little algae since last fall, I have shocked it three times so far and it is clearing up nicely. I shocked it as soon as I got the pool filled back up and got the pump going, I have a center drain also. That was about 3-4 days ago, then I shocked it day before yesterday and I added a quart of polyquat 60, I shocked it again last night. I still have a little algae, as soon as it drops below 10 I think I will brush, vacuum and maybe hit it one more time but I may wait. I am not sure at this point.