Acid and Base Demand tests: Useful or Not?

[CarlD]

Evan,
I'm willing to take your chastisement about the test kit versions. Yes, I dropped the ball on that one, though I DO like the K1000 OTO kit best.

But I'm not a pool pro, and neither are my fellow mods, as you and Ben are. I'm a shade tree mechanic as it were (as I am with my motorcycles) and I am always thinking about what is easiest and simplest for the homeowner to use to run his / her pool.

But our gradualist approach permiates ALL of our recommendations for chemical additions, whether it's acid, borax, baking soda, soda ash, or CYA. And we teach POP as part of that. We teach that POP is CRITICAL for cleaning up an algae bloom or for a Baq conversion. Yet you would have us think that applying it to an acid or base demand situation is too much and they'll run back to the "Magic in a Bottle" and get it trouble.

Well, you are not wrong. Many people will. We see it all the time when those incapable of POP have a bloom and ignore our advice (including yours) and run back to the pool store for the magic bottle. There's really nothing you or I can do about that. But does that mean we abandon the gradualist approach? Nobody likes to test two or 3 times a day. I sure don't. But when I have a problem (which usually happens when I come back from vacation or after a big storm, or days of storms) I test, add, test, add, etc.

So here's what I propose: You come up with a simplified, clear way to use acid demand that works for homeowners and I'll try it out. We can clean it up, simplify it, and make sure it's easy to use at pool side and not a white lab coat test. In other words, we can add it to the tool kit for those who want to use it as an alternate to the more gradual approach.

I don't mind having alternate approaches, though I do sometimes have to be reminded of that. But I do like alternates to be clear.

You see, I like simple, easy-to-remember approaches, preferably with a catch-phrase to help newbies and poolowners remember it. That's why I came up with "B-B-B" for Bleach, Borax, and Baking Soda. Is it complete? No. It omits acid, soda ash, polyquat and CYA. But it's catchy and easy to remember. It's a "hook" so to speak. "Ratchet down" for the TA lowering is similar to clarify the process. "Rule of Thumb" makes it easy to estimate the bleach or LC you need if you can't get to the Pool Calculator. "Shot Glass" encapsulates the method of dilution for extending OTO testing. Maybe this will be the "One-Shot" approach to raising pH. I don't know.

What I'm saying is I'm willing to work with you on it. I can't speak for the other mods or Ben, just me.

Carl

PS: I wrote this before Ben posted his last post. I should add that I will defer to Ben on modifying anything I put in this post. Still, if A/B testing is to be added to the tool box, even as an occasional test, it needs to robust and simple, not delicate and complicated, or it WILL cause more trouble than it's worth for the homeowner and non-chemist.C