Test Strips: really that bad?

Ok, so I've been doing a lot of reading here and at pool solutions and, being a new pool owner, I'm somewhat suprised to hear the printed opinion that test strips shouldn't be used, period. Are they really THAT inaccurate? Is this opinion bias from some sort of pool care purism?

I could understand perhaps wanting to make sure you did a weekly formal testing, but what about for the daily check? (Also suprised to learn that I need to be checking daily with the summer sun/heat, thought weekly was going to do just fine). Are some strips better than others?

Thanks for the help!

Strips are like water-wings on kids. If you depend on them, you'll get in trouble. But if you use them wisely, they can help.

You have to know their limits, what they are good for, and what they are not good for.

There are only two types of strips I can recommend:
The Insta-Test 6 from LaMotte and the...AquaChek Silver 6 way Check. I've tried the others and they are worthless.
Edited Correction: AquaChek 7, not Silver 6

But these do work--if you are VERY careful to:

1.Follow the directions exactly

2.Keep them VERY dry

3.Replace them EVERY season.

4.Use another strip if the coloring isn't even

5.Approach the results from them with GREAT skepticism.


They will tell you if your FC is absent, very high or roughly where you want it.

pH tests are VERY hard to read.
The CH and TC tests are worthless.
The CYA test is very hard to get a good read on.

Basically, you have to think of strips as the canary in the coal mine, the first check of a problem. If the FC strip is white--you need chlorine RIGHT NOW! If it's deep purple, you are probably OK.

The problem with strips is Pool stores sell them as a substitute for drop tests, claiming they are more accurate. NONSENSE! They sell them as easier. Well, they are quicker, but is that the same as easier? They sell them to beginners and that's the beginning of trouble.

I absolutely do NOT recommend them for beginners. Learn to do proper drop testing. Learn your pool. Learn what works and doesn't work BEFORE you use strips. Then you'll KNOW when the strips are giving you a decent read, and when they are giving you garbage.

You'll also know when to drop-test because you don't trust the strips.

One last caveat: These are the ONLY 2 strips I will use, and they are EXPENSIVE. The LaMottes cost about $10-$12 for 50 strips, and the AquaCheks run $30 for 100. You need to replace them every season at a minimum, so they add up quick.

My life is very, very hectic and I sometimes have not even a minute to check my pool during the week, so I'll use a strip. But every week, I run a FULL set of tests with Ben's kit. If I have time, I use Ben's PS-200 for TC and pH testing during the week.

I'm not happy using strips, but I DO know how to use them and what they can tell me--and what they can't.