POOL & SPA WATER CHEMISTRY

STRIPS VS. LIQUIDS?

What testing method should you use?

You don't have to be a chemist to keep your pool sparkling clean. To keep things simple, use a testing method that you find fast, easy and convenient. That way you'll be more likely to stick to your testing regimen. There are two basic types of testing method used by most consumers: test strips and liquid kits.

Liquid kits require that you put a sample of water into a plastic comparator and then carefully add drops of chemical reagent, watching for a change in the color of the sample. Liquid kits with the reagent OTO were once widely used to measure chlorine, but they have fallen out of favor in recent years. OTO measures only total chlorine, not free chlorine, which is the form of chlorine most effective in sanitizing your pool. In addition, we now know that the chemical reagent in the OTO-type kit can cause cancer. Kits using the liquid reagent known as DPD do measure free chlorine. However, if you test for free chlorine using a DPD #1 liquid test kit, be aware that high levels of combined chlorine, or chloramines, can cause false-positive results when testing free chlorine. Substances such as monopersulfate (used for shock-treating pools) can also affect the results of the DPD test by causing a false positive reading. Moreover, the DPD test requires careful technique and several steps to get the best results.

Test strips, the easiest method for pool and spa water testing, are fast and simple to use because they eliminate the need to measure samples and count drops. Typically, you simply dip a strip in the water for one second and then remove it. You then compare the color on the strip to the color chart on the label. Industry and water quality experts report that test strips are comparable in accuracy to liquid kits. In fact, many believe they actually deliver greater accuracy than liquid kits because they require less technique.

At ThePoolZone.com, we recommend AquaChek pool and spa test strips. Many local and state health departments now recognize AquaChek test strips as an approved testing method. This means that professional pool and spa service technicians as well as other industry experts trust the accuracy of AquaChek pool and spa test strips. AquaChek offers a complete selection of reliable test strips to test a wide variety of pool conditions, including cyanuric acid and total dissolved solids as well as free chlorine, pH and total alkalinity. No matter what type of test kit you decide to use, be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations to get the best results.