Using the K-2006

[waste]

I don't see an alk reading, while calcium isn't important to your liner pool, you do want to test the alkalinity.

Call me cheep but, I test the cl with the 10 ml (1 drop = .5 ppm) to save my reagents - it's close enough for day to day testing (I'll only do the 25 ml test if I'm battling something and need that precision.)

For alk and hardness, I use the 25 ml test until it has 'stabilized' and then I use the 10 ml alternative test (1 drop = 25) to insure that I'm still where I was. The cya test can't be done with less reagent, so I'd only do it if you had lost a lot of water or had added more the week before. (BTW - Mom, I get ~6 3/4 tests out of 2 .75 oz bottles in the K2005/6 kit )

[AnnaK]

Don't worry too much about being off on the CYA test. The whole thing is a range, anyway. You're good between 30 and 50 ppm. You're marginally okay even at 70 ppm but you would be using more bleach. Sounds like your water tested right in the middle of the range so you can switch to straight bleach now and not use the pucks anymore.

Those tests will become second nature in a few days. Do the pH and the 10 ml FC/CC test daily and check your alkalinity once a week. If your pH stays steady your TA (alk) is probably okay as well.

[Manslick]

Thanks all.

On the way to work this morning it hit me that the distance from my eye to the CYA tube would be a variable in the black dot visibility.

I was sitting down outside at 5PM in the afternoon sunlight and right on top of the tube, so at waist level the tube will be 24” from my eye. I think that would tend to make the dot disappear sooner assuming my eyesight is as good from 2 feet. If true that would lower the CYA level.

I had this water tested at Leslie’s on Saturday and was told the level was 30 so I added some stabilizer since 30 being the low end got me worried.

So okay, I’m going with bleach. With a 36K gal pool, what’s the dosage? Were do you guys get yours?


Hey waste; no I did not do an alk test yesterday but I plan on it tonight.

My first test showed it to be low, so I added 5 lbs of alk up.

Hey AnnaK – nice to see some reassuring words concerning the CYA test.

[waterbear]

The Taylor website has some excellent videos on how to properly use your test kit.

[Manslick]

The Taylor website has some excellent videos on how to properly use your test kit.

Many thanks waterbear.

[wsommariva]

May want to use baking soda instead of alk up. Should be cheaper. And I personally stay away from pool store tests. I rely on my test kits. Also check the expiration dates on the reagents. I just buy new ones each spring.

[CarlD]

Where I live, Baking Soda is about $.80/lb, but Alk Up and similar products run up to $3/lb. What's the difference? The package and the price! Both are Sodium Bicarbonate (but the pool store version calls itself Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate--to fool you into thinking it's not the same as Bicarb...it is).

pH Up! Balance Pak 200(or is it 300?) runs at least $3/lb. It is Sodium Carbonate. Sodium Carbonate is sold as Arm&Hammer Washing Soda (in the yellow, not orange box) and costs again, about $.80/lb.

"Liquid Chlorine" is frequently sold in 6% concentrations at pool stores. It is identical to Ultra Bleach (6%). If the pool store's is cheaper per gallon, buy it. If not, don't. They also sell "Liquid Shock" which is between 10% and 12.5% concentration. Basically double the price of bleach. If it costs less than half as much per gallon, buy it. If more, then go with bleach.

It's all about labeling and pricing and trying to confuse you into paying more.

Carl

[Manslick]

Where I live, Baking Soda is about $.80/lb, but Alk Up and similar products run up to $3/lb. What's the difference? The package and the price! Both are Sodium Bicarbonate (but the pool store version calls itself Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate--to fool you into thinking it's not the same as Bicarb...it is).

pH Up! Balance Pak 200(or is it 300?) runs at least $3/lb. It is Sodium Carbonate. Sodium Carbonate is sold as Arm&Hammer Washing Soda (in the yellow, not orange box) and costs again, about $.80/lb.

"Liquid Chlorine" is frequently sold in 6% concentrations at pool stores. It is identical to Ultra Bleach (6%). If the pool store's is cheaper per gallon, buy it. If not, don't. They also sell "Liquid Shock" which is between 10% and 12.5% concentration. Basically double the price of bleach. If it costs less than half as much per gallon, buy it. If more, then go with bleach.

It's all about labeling and pricing and trying to confuse you into paying more.

Carl

So if the pool guy says I need 5 lbs of alk up, then I buy 5 lbs of A&H? There's no fillers to worry about?

I've never used liquid chlorine so how do I figure the dosage using bleach?

Thanks Carl.

[Manslick]

May want to use baking soda instead of alk up. Should be cheaper. And I personally stay away from pool store tests. I rely on my test kits. Also check the expiration dates on the reagents. I just buy new ones each spring.

Thanks wsommariva. Where do you get your reagents?

[robbym70]

The Taylor website has some excellent videos on how to properly use your test kit.

A thousand Kudos to waterbear for posting the link to the Taylor site with training vids...Received my K-2006 last week but hadn't sorted out how exactly to use it...Found this link with the vids and voila--now I know (somewhat) what I'm doing. At work now but will post later in another thread re: current levels and ask for next logical steps...

As a 1st time pool owner I can't tell you how glad I found this site before I got "pool stored"