How to Get the Test Kits You NEED

Swimming Pool Testing: Testing Principles

Back Guidelines Basic Terms Treatment Principles

Color perception: Lots of folks have problems distinguishing colors. You might be one of them. Since all practical pool test kits that cost less than $300, depend visual color perception, it's best to have several members in your family compare readings. If it turns out that someone can't read the kits, it's best to find that out before you've spent had all sorts of pool problems as a result. In my experience with training lifeguards, 1 in 5 males and 1 in 50 females cannot read these sorts of kits reliably.
Grabbing a sample: How you fill the test kit is important. Let me repeat that:

How you fill the test kit is important.

The best way is to get a clean plastic glass or bottle (NOT: a glass glass or bottle), and grab a sample from under water. Usually instructions say 18" under, and if your arms are that long, fine. But if you'll grab the sample from 6" under the water, that'll be good enough. Just hold the bottle upside down, immerse it, and turn it right side up, letting the water run in.

Where you collect the sample is important, too. (Do I need to repeat that?)

DON'T collect a sample near a return. Ideally -- assuming some lazy bozo hasn't plumbed returns right next to your skimmer -- collect the sample from right in front of the skimmer.

When you collect the sample is also important.

Ideally, you should collect after the pump has been running for an hour or so. But DON'T collect when the pump has been off for 12 hours. Go turn it on, wait 30 minutes then collect.
How to test: There's a good time to test and a bad time.

The good time is right after you collect the sample. The bad time is any other time.

To test, fill up your test kit with pool water, slosh it around, and then pour it out. THEN, fill it up to the marks, and start testing. If you want your test results to be meaningless, don't bother to rinse.

Follow the instructions when testing. Let me make one thing easier though. Getting the drop count exact IS important when you are COUNTING drops for the test measurements themselves. But, on all of the other tests, one drop extra won't change the test results. So, if you end up with an extra drop of OTO, or alkalinity indicator in the kit, don't worry. It won't change the results. (On the other hand, if you are counting drops for the alkalinity READING, losing count will change the results.)