Taylor Test Kit ?

[Haynes]

I have been thinking about purchasing the Taylor Test Kit.  I find those test strips hard to read.  How does everyone like their Taylor Test Kit?  What all does it test?  Does it test for water hardness?  Where did everyone purchase theirs from?

Thanks,
Haynes

[newtotubbing]

The test kit is the way to go.  There are a few websites that sell them at a discount , just do a search.

The strips are ok, but the test kit does it all.  The booklet that comes with it explains the chemistry behind it all and is real informative.

Jonathan

[Brewman]

Another alternative is a less extensive reagent test kit, like the ones you can get a Walmart for about $15.
 They test Ph, alk, Chlorine or Bromine, hardness, and cyanuric acid.  Might be all you need.
Brewman

[Spa_Tech]

I much prefer the Taylor Test kits... partly because I do so much testing. The Taylor gives you accurate easy to read results and you can pick and choose what youre testing for... Unlike the test strips-- you wind up testing for everything everytime you dunk...

The kit I buy tests for free chlorine, bromine, TA, pH, Calcium Hardness etc...you can select between different kits.

One caveat to buying pool and spa chems from Wally world is that none of the people there know how or what to use- and their inventory is typically seasonal... by September the pool and spa stuff is replaced by back to school supplies.

[tony]

I purchased mine at rhtubs.com.  Tests everything you need..free chlorine, combined chlorine, bromine, pH, acid demand, base demand, water hardness, TA, CYA.  IMO, the only thing strips are good for is a quick chlorine reading.

[ArcherC]

The Taylor test kits are awesome. All of our commercial customers use them because they are very accurate. They are also easy to get refills for because most dealers should carry them. There are two kits that will do everything you need, the 2005 and the 2006. The 2005 will test the clorine using drops and the 2006 will use a powder reagent. If you want the most accuracy at higher chlorine levels go with the 2006, but for cost reasons, the 2005 works just as good for at home use.

[drober30]

I was wondering what kit!

I seen there is a "Taylor Complete" which I think is the same as the "K-2005"

I'm going to pick one up locally here. After shipping charges I found that the price at the local pool stores to be within a few bucks.

[z71tahoe193]

Sorry to take this off topic, but my CYA is so high or low when i test for it I can not even get a reading. I never see the black dot getting close to disapearing, so Im afraid I have not been correcting for this in my total alk. Any thought?

[Brewman]

I've never gotten a reading on that test either, and I'm assuming it's because I don't have the buildup.
Probably the same for you.
Brewman

[ArcherC]

"Sorry to take this off topic, but my CYA is so high or low when i test for it I can not even get a reading. I never see the black dot getting close to disapearing, so Im afraid I have not been correcting for this in my total alk. Any thought?"

So your water is clear in the test tube? If this is the case then your CYA should be low, which in a spa is fine. If you are using dichlor, when the cya gets to the point where it is hard to see the dot at all, it might be a good time to drain. If you are using bromine, you should not have any cya except possibly from a chlorine based shock.
Another possibility is that your testing reagent might be over a year old and could have gone bad.