Taylor Test Kits

[rosewoodsteel]

Tman,

I was on Amazon a few minutes ago looking for a Taylor re-agent test kit, which you suggested.
I thought this would be easy, until I saw how many kits Taylor makes.
I will be using bromine in my tub.   What kit would you suggest for my use?

Thanks,

John / rosewood

[chem geek]

The best and most accurate one for bromine is the Taylor K-2106.

[meriflower]

The best and most accurate one for bromine is the Taylor K-2106.

Yes, that is the kit I use.  A little spendy but much more accurate then the test strips.  I still use the strips if I want to do a quick check.  Here's a youtube video which quickly demonstrates how test with a Taylor kit.  It does come with a booklet that tells which vial and how many drops.

http://youtu.be/C28xZSGFZdQ

[Spoiledrotten]

I bought a Taylor test kit, but it ends up like the test strips where you're still guessing at colors. I started using the AquaChem digital tester that yields numbers, not colors. If it's not perfectly accurate, that's ok. Is your color guess perfectly accurate? Not a chance, in my opinion.

[rosewoodsteel]

Thanks, guys.
 
I appreciate your input and also the you tube video (thanks, meriflower).

I guess Tman and Vortex are out for a drink together.

[Tman122]

The best and most accurate one for bromine is the Taylor K-2106.

I was going to concur.

I'ts just such a nasty day in northern Minnesota. Wind and snow and cold. I was going to move snow, got a suited up. Wind was blowing it around it seemed futile but if I don't knock the drifts down in front of the garage even my truck will get stuck. Snow falls in under the garage door, door don't stinkin close. Snow plow busted. Sorry rant, need some sun.

[chem geek]

I bought a Taylor test kit, but it ends up like the test strips where you're still guessing at colors. I started using the AquaChem digital tester that yields numbers, not colors. If it's not perfectly accurate, that's ok. Is your color guess perfectly accurate? Not a chance, in my opinion.

The only test in the Taylor K-2006 for chlorine or K-2106 for bromine where you do a color match is the pH test.  For the FAS-DPD chlorine test, you simply count the drops until the sample goes from pink/red to clear.  For the Total Alkalinity (TA) test you count the drops until the sample goes from green to red.  For the Calcium Hardness (CH) test you count the drops until the sample goes from red to blue.

Perhaps you were using a DPD chlorine test in a Taylor kit such as the 2005 or the 1000 series.  That's where you compare colors and I agree that's not as easy to get right, but the FAS-DPD chlorine or bromine test is pretty much foolproof.  Go to this link, click on "Pool / Spa" under "Liquid Kits" on the left, then under the video scroll to the link under "K-2006 Complete™ Kit with FAS-DPD:" that says "To Test (Free and Combined) Chlorine using FAS-DPD  [updated 3/5/10]" and click on that link.  You will see that there is no comparison to a color standard and instead one simply counts the drops until the color goes from pink/red to clear.  This example was for chlorine where you multiply the number of drops by 0.2 for a 25 ml sample size or by 0.5 for a 10 ml sample size to get either Free Chlorine (FC) or Combined Chlorine (CC) depending on which stage of the test you are doing.  For bromine in the K-2106, you multiply the number of drops by 0.5 for a 25 ml sample size or by 1.25 for a 10 ml sample size.

[rosewoodsteel]

The best and most accurate one for bromine is the Taylor K-2106.

I was going to concur.

I'ts just such a nasty day in northern Minnesota. Wind and snow and cold. I was going to move snow, got a suited up. Wind was blowing it around it seemed futile but if I don't knock the drifts down in front of the garage even my truck will get stuck. Snow falls in under the garage door, door don't stinkin close. Snow plow busted. Sorry rant, need some sun.

That sounds like one horrible day.   I hope the weather has gotten better for you since this post.
Just wanted to let you know that the Taylor K-2106 kit has arrived.
Now all I need is a hot tub to use it with.

[Tman122]

Test your source water. Familiarize yourself with your water and what it will need for balancing. PH and TA