Thanks stu! I go deep for the test water. Hadn't thought about testing in the sun? I have been. It's just where my most convenient table is. Good reason huh? Age of the kit is an unknown, it is a re-packaged Leslies bought in-store. Kind of worried about that. I am getting more convinved to punt and eat the scratch. Boy, I hate to. My stubborn self. Wouldn't matter if it was $6.00 instead of $60.00. It is the owning up to making a mistake part. I guess it's just time. I make plenty of them though.