Finaly got my Salt system working

Thank you Evan. I'll see if I can find some and post back with the results.

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds? Even shorter in full sunlight. You dip the strip into the pool, hold it horizontally, and compare the test pad after about 25 seconds. After 30 seconds, the test pad will change rapidly so it's useless after that.
The slow read strip takes a bit longer (3 t0 10 minutes). You place the strip in a sample container with about an inch of water and the strip standing upright, with only the bottom of the strip in the water. There is a yellow strip along the top. When at least half of the strip turns black, your test is done. The strip will turn white along a numbered scale. This number must be compared to the scale on the test bottle that the strip comes in. I make special note of this because the strip is marked specifically to the scale on the bottle. If they are the same batch number, then you can, but they can be very different from bottle to bottle.
Above all, you must keep your hands dry when removing a test strip. Keep the bottle closed tightly. And keep the bottle out of the sun, or heat. Any of these conditions can compromise the rest of the strips and you might as well throw it away.

Electronic meters are, as Evan said, accurate as long as they are regulary calibrated.

Salt water aquarium Hygrometers are not within the range for pools, so are not applicable.

Realize that a chemical test (salt strips or titration) is testing specifically for chloride ions while a meter, whether stand alone or a readout in the SWCG is testing the conductivity of the water, making some assumptions about the makeup of the ionic material in the water so the two will not always agree. Also, temperature does affect conductivity so it will be lower when the water is colder and higher when the water is hotter which is why it sometimes seems that the salt level is dropping in colder weather when measured with a meter or the cell readout. As far as your salt system is concerned it is since the conductivity is lower but if you add more salt you will find that the salt is too high once the weather warms up.

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Originally Posted by Poolsean

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds? Even shorter in full sunlight. You dip the strip into the pool, hold it horizontally, and compare the test pad after about 25 seconds. After 30 seconds, the test pad will change rapidly so it's useless after that.

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Thanks Sean. I was not aware that LaMotte had come out with a salt test strip. As I said before the Hach strips (the slow ones) are actually a titrator. As the liquid rises up the strip the chloride ions react with the silver nitrate and change color. When the chloride is used up there is no further color change as the liquid rises up the strip.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Poolsean

There are quick read and slow read strips. The quick read strips give you results within about 30 seconds. These strips give you a short window of opportunity to compare the test pad to the label... maybe 3 seconds?

The slow read strip takes a bit longer (3 t0 10 minutes). You place the strip in a sample container with about an inch of water and the strip standing upright, with only the bottom of the strip in the water.

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Sean, This is GREAT INFORMATION. Another weapon in the arsenal of not being "Pool Stored", and knowing exactly what to look for while in the pool store.

Thanks a Million, BTG