Why are Taylor test kits preferred?

[droidian]

I see Taylor test kits discussed as preferred and am just wondering what diifferentiates them from the Rest? I have a Pentair and wondering why I should switch?

[PoolDoc]

Your question threw me -- I was thinking Pentair doesn't make kits! But, they bought Rainbow several years back, and you have one of the Rainbow kits.

The Rainbow OTO / phenol red kit is fine. Their CYA test kit is probably also fine. But the DPD tablet kit is not so fine. DPD tablets bleach out, and give a zero reading if the chlorine gets a little high, so people add even MORE chlorine, which is also not so fine.

The Taylor kit is the cheapest complete kit with a DPD-FAS test for chlorine, which allows accurate tests up to 50 ppm. But, if you already have a complete Rainbow kit, you can buy just the DPD-FAS test, rather than the whole kit.

[CarlD]

Leslie has a kit as well, but it's the Taylor kit in a Leslie's box and costs a little more. The FAS-DPD test from Taylor is the K-1515 series, since you have all the others.

[droidian]

Thanks for the reply. I have had many problems with my pool since we purchased this house last February so I'm extremely interested in getting the best test results and water quality I can get without pool store assistance(and expense!). A lot of the problems were due to a couple of small leaks which we discovered and repaired and now a broken SWG which needs repair. I have taken a personal vow to get this pool under control and maintain a pristine swimming environment going forward. My Rainbow kit is probably about 6 years old and hasn't been really stored under the proper conditions so I'm guessing if I need to replace the reagents in the kit that I might as well go ahead and purchase a Taylor but which is the best choice, assuming I am starting fresh? Which model is recommended? I have maintained 4 pools with out giving much regard to regular testing, only addressing problems as they arose, so I am very interested in learning the chemistry and tests and testing often. Thanks again.

[PoolDoc]

I have maintained 4 pools with out giving much regard to regular testing, only addressing problems as they arose, so I am very interested in learning the chemistry and tests and testing often.

Pools are a lot easier, if you stay ahead of them. But once you get the hang of things, you won't need to -- and shouldn't -- test anything but chlorine daily. Over-testing leads to over-correction which leads to pool yo-yo.

We want you to have a kit that's accurate ENOUGH, not the most accurate, because the most accurate is expensive, slow, and subject to operator error.

We don't want you to do as little as possible on your pool, but we want you to do as little as possible AND still keep a well-maintained pool.


So . . .

1. Go get another kit like the Rainbow, to use today and as a back up. They're cheap, and OTO is reliable, if not super accurate.
2. Order the K2006 (2 sizes -- get the big one if your budget is not tight). You can use the Amazon link in my signature. Do NOT get the K2005
3. Don't wait on the SWCG fix. An SWCG is just a METHOD of adding chlorine; you can chlorinate now, with household bleach. Post your gallons, or dimensions, and someone will tell you how much.

You're in Louisiana, where your pool can get slimed even in winter, so you want to go ahead and get started. It's easier to clean up when it's colder, than when it's hot.

[droidian]

Thanks and you are right about our Louisiana winter weather conditions. I'm not waiting on the SWCG, which by the way is a Goldline with a burnt varsistor, I am managing with MA and 6% bleach as needed, testing often with my Rainbow kit. One last question concerning the Rainbow kit which I would just as soon keep and replace the reagents but do I need to be concerned abut the test vials and the validity of the different color gradients? The colors look bright and crisp and while not stored in ideal temperature conditions the kit has been stored in a dark to very low light condition for the most part, but is that a concern? Speaking of the Goldline I have received a replacement varsistor and hope to get the replacement completed this weekend so I can get it up and running again. Great advice and thanks again!

[PoolDoc]

I'm not sure which kit, with which reagents, you have. OTO and cyanuric acid reagent should be fine. Phenol red, if it's not discolored, should be fine.

Don't know what else you have.

[droidian]

My kit has five bottles of reagent numbered 1 - 5. I test for chlorine, TA, pH, acid demand with it but no CYA, which I have been told by a pool store only needs to be tested for once a year. I am more concerned about the test vials and colors being accurate enough for comparison.

[aylad]

Hi, and welcome from a fellow Louisianian!!

Your CYA needs to tested once a year if you're not using any stabilized products (like dichor powder or trichlor tabs) and not adding any CYA itself--but if you're using any of those things, or if you have a lot of splashout or backwash frequently, it needs to be tested more often so you can make sure you're keeping the right amount of chlorine in the pool. I find that in our climate, a higher CYA than normal works better for me, but it requires testing at least once a month to maintain it at the levels I like.

[droidian]

Thanks Janet! What test kit do you use and what would be your recommendation for a new test kit? Thanks again for the kind welcome.