TDS test strips.... good enough ?

[bachman]

I don't have any and just now thought to look them up to see if they are readily available. Seen others mention they have water tested for various things at a spa store. I'm thus far, all DIY on the water testing and monitioring but wouldn't hesitate a moment if I had some challenges or issue to solve or track down - I'd be taking in some test samples.

We are a few days away from our 90-day mark on filling the tub. I'd consider our use light and bather load light as well so I'm interested in seeing how healthy the water is as per TDS.
Seen a few mentions of those that use TDS as a guide for when to change in cases of extending beyond 90 days if TDS numbers are within range. I'm sure that's handy for those buying and hauling in water when it's an added expense or even extending to avoid a mid-winter change over.

Any advice or experiences related is helpful if you care to share, Still a lot of firsts for us with hot tub management.   

[bud16415]

All I have used is test strips and I find the Clorox brand to be the cheapest and cover the widest range of tests.

For me right now is the worst time in the north to have to change water or even be thinking about it. I try and do a water change and give the tub a good cleaning sometime before thanksgiving so I’m pretty sure I wont need one mid winter. What I have done mid winter in a pinch is do a half drain and fill if I wanted to lower the TDS or such.

Even doing filter cleaning I try and time it around a break in the weather as I like to do them outside with my hot water hose.

I do try and stay on top of it closer in the winter just because its more hassle if I did need to do a fill.

We use city water so I don’t know about trucked in water and the problems around doing that in the winter.

When I do a partial fill in the winter using the water from my homes water heater first plus with what is in the tub I can get in within a hour or so of doing it. 

[Tman122]

TDS test strips are a good quick reference. But a re-agent style TDS test is more accurate.

[bachman]

Thank you for the responses.

I've read of others doing a partial fresh fill also, makes sense when you can get away with it.
I'll go with the test strips to see about where we land. I'm on round two of topping off water level so there 's that too. Within this 90 day cycle I've added about 4 to 5 pails of warm water from the house to top off some evap loss and just the other day, about 15 to 18 gallons more. No doubt I'm diluting things some but I think our city water is good so maybe it helps just a bit more on the change out cycle. I need to pay attention to the obvious water loss/add to expect some wandering chemistry I suppose.
At work, I have a meter and could 'borrow' it as a general rule of thumb for TDS.
Yet most of I read on meters is they are always needing to be set, calibrated or checked for accuracy. The tap water for work shows 68.50 ppm TDS so I guess I'll just verify that with what my house reads then test the tub and see if it makes sense. If not in a ball aprk range of test strips, then I'll know how much or little to trust it.

Meter I can use;

https://goo.gl/images/W4GZUc

[bachman]

** Update --
I did just happen to do some searching and found a Hach brand test strip that tests 3 things, two of those being T D S and Cyanuric acid. I'll purchase and see how that works.
It felt like a lucky hit, Really the only two things I was missing.   

[swilly1000]

I put my tub into service October 1st and am aiming to get 6 months between water changes.  So far so good on water balance, if a few hiccups along the way.  I've taken samples in for testing on three occasions but otherwise use the test strips.

[bachman]

I put my tub into service October 1st and am aiming to get 6 months between water changes.  So far so good on water balance, if a few hiccups along the way.  I've taken samples in for testing on three occasions but otherwise use the test strips.

Good for you, that's encouraging news and along the lines of what I want to do. Thanks for posting.

Our bather load is so low, I know it should prove to be a positive factor all else being equal. Just want to have a few more ways to test and verify so I'll report back with how useful or accurate these strips seem to be.
We filled and started things up Oct 28th and the water seems very healthy testing with the drop kit and appearance. Nothing chemical -wise has been out of whack by any big margins (yet) …. Beginners luck I guess.
No big margins as I rate = Safe to tub ranges for ph and sanitizer, clarity/appearance or water, fresh or clean odor.

I'll be pleased just getting 4 -5 months so I'm out of winter and not wasting water neeedlessly. It can't hurt that with normal evap, I'd say the tub has 30 to 40 gallons of fresh add since the orginal fill.

[bachman]

One "A few" new questions and I'll keep here under test strips since it's a tub parameter issue anyways.... Soaking versus ph

As I've read, tub ph level can bump up just by running the jets / pumps for a while and I've tested that to find the result holds true. I've had many times when the ph seems to have dropped off a bit and the tub hadn't been used in a few days. Before running to the cupboard to add 'stuff', I'd run the pumps for a while with the cover off and see the change. 
Related to this and also from reading posts and shared experiences, many of us like to soak rather than multiple run times/hours of the pumps/jets aerating.

Q Since my ph fades off a bit and we haven't been using the tub or the pumps a lot lately, does it hold true that we 'soakers' are more often going to see this as a natural result versus those that run the pumps regularly ?


Q Do we save some chemical use by utilizing the pumps/jets rather then adding the ph UP or is it just a temporary boost when we'll need to correct it with additive anyway within a day or few ?

I ask because I'm a bit shy of tossing in chemicals when I can get away with less, not-so-much due to being cheap but rather a want for keeping the residuals needed without over-kill or causing big variations.
I'd have thought three months in, I'd know a little something by now but the questions keep coming ,,, lol

Opinions, thoughts or experiences welcome.