I just use the phosphate test strips. I've only had a couple of pools that I suspected had phosphate problems. Treating them aggressively with constant high chlorine levels (3.0-5.0 ppm) and using Swimtrine is also very effective in conjunction with the Phosfree. The Swimtrine is a copper based algaecide and is very effective against aggressive mustard algae on the walls - the best for this situation.
Heard some negative things about Natural Chemistry's Phosphate test - your pool store is probably correct as a reading of 1000 is pretty way out there. You would have to pour a bag a fertilizer in your pool to get that kind of reading ;)
No not hiding. I "approve" comments because there are a lot of Twits on UA-cam who make obscene comments. I've had to completely block some people. Today someone commented "smoke pot." not relevant. I was simply pointing out that with a high chlorine level (10 ppm+), since the Taylor kit is a dye it could give you a false reading. They also go bad since they are dye based. I like the Taylor kit and just bought myself a new one with all fresh dyes and tubes. Hope that clarifies for you.
DPD is NOT a dye. It is a chemical that reacts with oxidising chemicals to form a red colour. It will be bleached at levels in excess of 20ppm of free chlorine which is unlikely to be in a pool. as regards the colour getting lighter if chloramines are present, it would get darker. The second reagent has gone off as the drops are brown and should be colourless. The first reagent is the buffer, The first two reagents measure free chlorine. The third reagent is potassium iodide and with the first two measures TOTAL chlorine, the difference being chloramines,
Phillip Walker Only the K-2006 uses the DPD which is the preferred method of testing. The latest FAS-DPD 2006 test kit can go as high as 50 ppm. Now if you have that much chlorine in your pool you have issues :)
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 I know the DPD comparator method as well as titration with ferrous ammonium sulphate. We supply both types as well as an alternative that is selective to free chlorine only either at high or low range.
Great video, thanks! The one thing I would add is that Taylor also has test strips that are very easy to read and actually come individually foil-wrapped to preserve their integrity. Taylor also has an FAS-DPD test kit (k-2006) that tests for chlorine via titration which helps guys like me who have trouble differentiating the colors. Again, great video!!
They still sell that kit here the K-1000 series kits. I use the PoolMaster kit and get a 2 oz. OTO refill. I like the OTO as the color is more definite. The dye used in the the K-2000 kits is hard for me to tell the exact levels. Everything else about this kit is perfect. Maybe I will suggest they use the OTO for the 2000 series kits.
They sell taylor test kits here but not with OTO, the chemical from what I understand is carcinogenic, I don't think we are allowed to sell it, or use it... weird :) My technicians use palintest photometers on the road but it was just interesting...
***** That is funny. Yes, it is a carcinogen along with D.E., Trichlor Tablet (at least in Europe it is a class 45 carcinogen), Dichlor Granular is a 1A carcinogen... I can just about list everything I use out there. Why they would single out the OTO - sounds political ;). I wear Nitrate gloves to help cut down on my exposure out there - you can see them in most of my videos.
Yeah D.E filters aren't really used here much and they have come up with a product called I think it's Aquacel? (I don't have any D.E customers, I normally replace them if I come across them) which filters just as well as D.E and doesn't have the carcinogenic qualities. Generally the filters here are media filters and we use a glass bead media in them which means no re-charging... I don't really use or sell much dichlor (we use more sodium hypo) but Chlorine is a bit like the sun, unfortunately is something none of us can avoid lol ;-)
***** I try to push the salt systems on my customers. Not sure if they are popular in your part of the World. About 35% of my pools are salt water generator pools. The SWG produce Sodium Hydroxide very similar to what is in Liquid Chlorine and chlorine gas. It is a "natural" way to produce chlorine; non-carcinogenic way. They are great.
I just bought the Taylor 2005 test kit. You said you use a chlorine neutralizer. Will it say chlorine neutralizer or something else. I don't see anything like that in my kit.
What's brand do you recommend because My local pool test my phosphate 250 and I add the correct amount phospfree to the filter .Then I retest with the natural chemistry phosphate test (with the tablet) it indicate that phosphate level 1000 ? Is the phosphate test kit inaccurate or did my phosphate level increase significantly ?
Thank You for your videos , After retitring from my 1st career last summer, I started a service and cleaning company in Texas and your tips and videos have been extremely helpful . Ideas or sources on pricing for services in my region would be very helpful. Once again a big thanks to you and everyone else on this forum you for sharing your knowledge and expertise
If you email me I can give you some different services charges and rates. Consider joining me on Patreon for one on one help and for the Group thread there. 👍
has no one pointed out that when these tests are performed, the dropper should be held 1)still over the comparator and 2) held vertical, as the drop size is directly associated ( and built into the design) with the quantity of fluid that is present when the meniscus is broken; or creates a drop....? Good video though- you sound like you know your stuff.
These tests have a margin of error that far exceeds the differential in drop size from a slightly off vertical dropper. The alkalinity, for instance, is measured in relatively large increments of 10ppm. The difference in drop size is insignificant in comparison to this range of measurement. Additionally the acceptable range for alkalinity is pretty huge. Not trying and needing to be exact because you are checking twice a week and the target is constantly moving. To damage your pool you’d have to be out of range for a month or more
The only difference is the chlorine test itself. The K-2006 uses a powder that you add drops to and it is easier also to tell when you have combined chlorine. I use the K-2005 and will be filming the K-2006 soon. I like the K-2005 - the pool forums recommend the K-2006. A good 5-1 test kit is also fine and cost a lot less. I use this one also on my route -Poolmaster 22260 Basic 5-Way Test Kit with Case - it cost less than $20 and will get you started. Getting the K-2005 or K-2006 is also a good idea but this basic kit will get you started
I am usually answering e-mails and comments from 7-9 pm each night - I know I lead an exciting life ;) If your salt system doesn't give you a salinity reading the best thing is to take a sample to your local pool store where they can do an electronic test. The test strips they sell work, but they are sometimes hard to read if you haven't used them all the time. Find a good local pool store in your area and take a sample in to them. The good thing is that salt doesn't evaporate so the only way to dilute it is with splash out, backwashing of the filter and occasionally if you get large amounts of rain. Therefore the salinity level stays pretty stable so you will only need to bring in a sample periodically and not every month. What salt system do you have?
I’ve been using the k-2005 and I’m really happy with it, but today i did an alkalinity text and got an odd reaction. After I started adding the drops off triple 9 the dye went from green to blue and then to yellow. Instead of the usual green to clear to red. Have you experienced this as well?
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How The pools has a high cyanuric acid level. Accompanied by high chlorine as expected. I did a 2/3 drain to get the cya reading into range and lowered it to 200 ppm. After that I experimented with the bio active cya reducer. I did not get a change and the cya is still at 200-250ppm. Controlling cya is another issue I need to talk to you about. But I noticed that you used a chlorine neutralizer in your alkalinity test with the OTO when you had high chlorine levels. Can this be done with a k-2005 reagent?
I have a video on treating Black Algae in my Algae Playlist on my Channel. After treating it you must keep your chlorine level at 3.0 or higher at all times or the Black Algae could return. That is effective as I have a few pools with Black Algae and keeping a high chlorine level prevents it from returning.
It's sad that you judge your comments before allowing them to appear. Obviously you have something to hide. Your taylor test kits aren't working right because you're dropping them into a 5 gallon bucket and not the test kit device. Obviously you are not, nor do you care to be honest .... The taylor test kits work and you know it!
He most likely screens his comments to prevent a bunch of dumb comments like yours. Don't know why he approved your useless comment anyhow. If you watch the video and actually pay attention or are smart enough to comprehend what he's saying then you would know the 5 gallon bucket demonstration was for example purposes of a super high chlorine level that bleaches out the dye in the reagent rendering it useless and inaccurate showing zero chlorine, so then the dumb person that watches these videos and doesn't listen or comprehend the tips and warnings adds even more chlorine. If he would of put that water in the testing comparator it would have showed the same thing. So maybe he's hiding the crayons and construction paper to spell it out for simple minded people to actually understand what he is doing in these videos. Haha Try this Step 1: Open Mouth Step 2 : Insert Foot
I just use the phosphate test strips. I've only had a couple of pools that I suspected had phosphate problems. Treating them aggressively with constant high chlorine levels (3.0-5.0 ppm) and using Swimtrine is also very effective in conjunction with the Phosfree. The Swimtrine is a copper based algaecide and is very effective against aggressive mustard algae on the walls - the best for this situation.
Heard some negative things about Natural Chemistry's Phosphate test - your pool store is probably correct as a reading of 1000 is pretty way out there. You would have to pour a bag a fertilizer in your pool to get that kind of reading ;)
No not hiding. I "approve" comments because there are a lot of Twits on UA-cam who make obscene comments. I've had to completely block some people. Today someone commented "smoke pot." not relevant. I was simply pointing out that with a high chlorine level (10 ppm+), since the Taylor kit is a dye it could give you a false reading. They also go bad since they are dye based. I like the Taylor kit and just bought myself a new one with all fresh dyes and tubes. Hope that clarifies for you.
DPD is NOT a dye. It is a chemical that reacts with oxidising chemicals to form a red colour. It will be bleached at levels in excess of 20ppm of free chlorine which is unlikely to be in a pool. as regards the colour getting lighter if chloramines are present, it would get darker. The second reagent has gone off as the drops are brown and should be colourless. The first reagent is the buffer, The first two reagents measure free chlorine. The third reagent is potassium iodide and with the first two measures TOTAL chlorine, the difference being chloramines,
Phillip Walker Only the K-2006 uses the DPD which is the preferred method of testing. The latest FAS-DPD 2006 test kit can go as high as 50 ppm. Now if you have that much chlorine in your pool you have issues :)
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 I know the DPD comparator method as well as titration with ferrous ammonium sulphate. We supply both types as well as an alternative that is selective to free chlorine only either at high or low range.
Great video, thanks! The one thing I would add is that Taylor also has test strips that are very easy to read and actually come individually foil-wrapped to preserve their integrity. Taylor also has an FAS-DPD test kit (k-2006) that tests for chlorine via titration which helps guys like me who have trouble differentiating the colors. Again, great video!!
Do they still use OTO to test chlorine in the USA? They stopped using it here just over 10 years ago and no one sells it any more...?
They still sell that kit here the K-1000 series kits. I use the PoolMaster kit and get a 2 oz. OTO refill. I like the OTO as the color is more definite. The dye used in the the K-2000 kits is hard for me to tell the exact levels. Everything else about this kit is perfect. Maybe I will suggest they use the OTO for the 2000 series kits.
They sell taylor test kits here but not with OTO, the chemical from what I understand is carcinogenic, I don't think we are allowed to sell it, or use it... weird :) My technicians use palintest photometers on the road but it was just interesting...
***** That is funny. Yes, it is a carcinogen along with D.E., Trichlor Tablet (at least in Europe it is a class 45 carcinogen), Dichlor Granular is a 1A carcinogen... I can just about list everything I use out there. Why they would single out the OTO - sounds political ;). I wear Nitrate gloves to help cut down on my exposure out there - you can see them in most of my videos.
Yeah D.E filters aren't really used here much and they have come up with a product called I think it's Aquacel? (I don't have any D.E customers, I normally replace them if I come across them) which filters just as well as D.E and doesn't have the carcinogenic qualities. Generally the filters here are media filters and we use a glass bead media in them which means no re-charging... I don't really use or sell much dichlor (we use more sodium hypo) but Chlorine is a bit like the sun, unfortunately is something none of us can avoid lol ;-)
***** I try to push the salt systems on my customers. Not sure if they are popular in your part of the World. About 35% of my pools are salt water generator pools. The SWG produce Sodium Hydroxide very similar to what is in Liquid Chlorine and chlorine gas. It is a "natural" way to produce chlorine; non-carcinogenic way. They are great.
I just bought the Taylor 2005 test kit. You said you use a chlorine neutralizer. Will it say chlorine neutralizer or something else. I don't see anything like that in my kit.
It's one of the reagents for the chlorine test
What's brand do you recommend because My local pool test my phosphate 250 and I add the correct amount phospfree to the filter .Then I retest with the natural chemistry phosphate test (with the tablet) it indicate that phosphate level 1000 ? Is the phosphate test kit inaccurate or did my phosphate level increase significantly ?
what's is the best test kit for phosphate ? thanks
Thank You for your videos , After retitring from my 1st career last summer, I started a service and cleaning company in Texas and your tips and videos have been extremely helpful . Ideas or sources on pricing for services in my region would be very helpful. Once again a big thanks to you and everyone else on this forum you for sharing your knowledge and expertise
If you email me I can give you some different services charges and rates. Consider joining me on Patreon for one on one help and for the Group thread there. 👍
has no one pointed out that when these tests are performed, the dropper should be held 1)still over the comparator and 2) held vertical, as the drop size is directly associated ( and built into the design) with the quantity of fluid that is present when the meniscus is broken; or creates a drop....? Good video though- you sound like you know your stuff.
These tests have a margin of error that far exceeds the differential in drop size from a slightly off vertical dropper. The alkalinity, for instance, is measured in relatively large increments of 10ppm. The difference in drop size is insignificant in comparison to this range of measurement. Additionally the acceptable range for alkalinity is pretty huge. Not trying and needing to be exact because you are checking twice a week and the target is constantly moving. To damage your pool you’d have to be out of range for a month or more
what is the diff bt taylor 2005 vs 2006? which one would you rec for my salt water pool? thanks
The only difference is the chlorine test itself. The K-2006 uses a powder that you add drops to and it is easier also to tell when you have combined chlorine. I use the K-2005 and will be filming the K-2006 soon. I like the K-2005 - the pool forums recommend the K-2006. A good 5-1 test kit is also fine and cost a lot less. I use this one also on my route -Poolmaster 22260 Basic 5-Way Test Kit with Case - it cost less than $20 and will get you started. Getting the K-2005 or K-2006 is also a good idea but this basic kit will get you started
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 Also, what test should i use to test my salt level? Thanks so much for your help and quick reply!!!!
I am usually answering e-mails and comments from 7-9 pm each night - I know I lead an exciting life ;)
If your salt system doesn't give you a salinity reading the best thing is to take a sample to your local pool store where they can do an electronic test. The test strips they sell work, but they are sometimes hard to read if you haven't used them all the time. Find a good local pool store in your area and take a sample in to them. The good thing is that salt doesn't evaporate so the only way to dilute it is with splash out, backwashing of the filter and occasionally if you get large amounts of rain. Therefore the salinity level stays pretty stable so you will only need to bring in a sample periodically and not every month. What salt system do you have?
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 :-) I have no idea!! :-)
Athena Vu Thanks for quick reply. Ill go home and check and ill let u know :-)
I’ve been using the k-2005 and I’m really happy with it, but today i did an alkalinity text and got an odd reaction. After I started adding the drops off triple 9 the dye went from green to blue and then to yellow. Instead of the usual green to clear to red. Have you experienced this as well?
Could be metals in the water. Anything unusual happen?
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How The pools has a high cyanuric acid level. Accompanied by high chlorine as expected. I did a 2/3 drain to get the cya reading into range and lowered it to 200 ppm. After that I experimented with the bio active cya reducer. I did not get a change and the cya is still at 200-250ppm. Controlling cya is another issue I need to talk to you about. But I noticed that you used a chlorine neutralizer in your alkalinity test with the OTO when you had high chlorine levels. Can this be done with a k-2005 reagent?
How can control black algae?
I have a video on treating Black Algae in my Algae Playlist on my Channel. After treating it you must keep your chlorine level at 3.0 or higher at all times or the Black Algae could return. That is effective as I have a few pools with Black Algae and keeping a high chlorine level prevents it from returning.
It's sad that you judge your comments before allowing them to appear. Obviously you have something to hide. Your taylor test kits aren't working right because you're dropping them into a 5 gallon bucket and not the test kit device. Obviously you are not, nor do you care to be honest .... The taylor test kits work and you know it!
He most likely screens his comments to prevent a bunch of dumb comments like yours. Don't know why he approved your useless comment anyhow. If you watch the video and actually pay attention or are smart enough to comprehend what he's saying then you would know the 5 gallon bucket demonstration was for example purposes of a super high chlorine level that bleaches out the dye in the reagent rendering it useless and inaccurate showing zero chlorine, so then the dumb person that watches these videos and doesn't listen or comprehend the tips and warnings adds even more chlorine. If he would of put that water in the testing comparator it would have showed the same thing. So maybe he's hiding the crayons and construction paper to spell it out for simple minded people to actually understand what he is doing in these videos. Haha
Try this
Step 1: Open Mouth
Step 2 : Insert Foot