Which test kit and why?

[dianeaustin]

I'm not sure where to post this since I have questions both about Baquacil to chlorine conversion and about water testing, but here goes...

I discovered this site a few days ago when I decided to switch from Baquacil back to chlorine. I bought a Poolife Deluxe 6-way Test Kit from my local (25 miles away) pool supply company. The kit tests for total chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, total hardness and cyanuric acid. I have read many of the threads dealing with baq- to chlorine conversion. I'm still a little fuzzy on testing (I'm still a little fuzzy on everything right now.)

My pool is inground, vinyl liner, about 24,000 gal. I began the conversion process on Wednesday with a baquacil reading of 31. I added 25 pounds of a non-chlorine shock (44.7% potassium monopersulfate). That night I added 6 gallons of bleach (6% chlorine). I've since added 18 more gallons of bleach and 10 pounds of hth shock (47.5% calcium hypochlorite).

I'm testing my baq levels with test strips and I'm getting approximately zero readings. My chlorine testing is not so clear. I understand that I should keep my chlorine at 15 ppm, and my test kit only reads up to 5 ppm. I tried to dilute by using 1.5 ounces of pool water to 3 ounces of bottled spring water, mixing that well and then testing. My readings then look like 5 ppm (x 3 to compensate for the dilution, which equals 15 ppm.) But I'm not sure if it's really 5 ppm or if it's more than that. How would I know--would it be a darker pink than the test kit comparison? It's not changing over time--it's the same when I've just added chlorine or when I retest in the morning.

So one question is: should I buy a Pool Solutions test kit? Which one? Why? I've seen something about FAS DPD but I don't know what that is. Am I testing correctly now? Am I using too much chlorine? Shouldn't my chlorine be dropping overnight?

My water is beginning to clear a bit. When I began this process on Wednesday (four days ago) I couldn't see the bottom step. The pool was milky white and had been for two weeks. I vacuumed to waste last night and then backwashed. This morning I could faintly see the liner pattern in the shallow end.

Any help would be appreciated.

[duraleigh]

Hi, Diane,

Yes, buy the Poolsolutions PS234. You'll be on the same page as most on this forum and it will pay you back over and over.

If you had it now, it would measure your FC for you to 15, 20, or however high you take it. It is simply the best money I've spent on my pool.