Poll: How do you test your water?

[wmccall]

I use multiple choice, I think it is more fair for the water than fill in the blank.  

HTH Test kit, $15 at Walmart

[tonyp]

My water finds multiple choice too hard.  So I soften it up with a True/False test and occasionally shock it with a pop quiz

Strips and HTM from WalMart

[stl-rex]

Checkit pH Meter.  Strips for everything else.  I hate picking among the colors on the strips for pH.  Everything else is usually a pretty clear cut indication.

[drober30]

Taylor test kit.  Strips for free chlorine only.  I find test strips for everything else totally unreliable too!

[nicker]

test strips here for my quick tests and once a week I use my taylor kit.

For those that use the test stips that also test hardness...what brand are they?  And do you find them easy to read?  I have separete strips for hardness and they are hard to read.  Id like to get the stips that test, Clorine, Alk, PH and hardness all in one.

[drewstar]

My water finds multiple choice too hard.  So I soften it up with a True/False test and occasionally shock it with a pop quiz

Strips and HTM from WalMart

I picked up a spa test kit the other day, and wow, I mean
what is this stuff?

Alexander the Great is to Persians as Dichlor is to _______?


I'm going back to the regular  old dopey  test strips.  

[grahamtasia]

Test Strips work well

[Bodyaches]

Old fashioned way.

Double tube test for clorine and PH.

SemperFi   Dick

[ssbraun]

Old fashioned way.

Double tube test for clorine and PH.

SemperFi   Dick

Unless I'm mistaken, this method gives a total chlorine result rather than free chlorine (as in the kind that can do the killin')  Please correct me if I'm wrong!

[drprwnap]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'm finding the test strips hard to read.  Thinking about getting something different but haven't decided yet. Might try a pH meter....

drprwnap  

[drewstar]

Unless I'm mistaken, this method gives a total chlorine result rather than free chlorine (as in the kind that can do the killin')  Please correct me if I'm wrong!

The older test kits (OTO) would check only TC, however it's my understanding that the newer kits that use DPD, check for Free chlorine.

[Backpains]

Test strips..check once a day usually in the am when hubby and I go out for our first soak at 5:am (btw...this is the most COLDEST darn winter I think I've ever felt around these parts!!!! Who was the one who talked me into skinny dipping?? Who was the IDIOT who said "au Natural" is best?)

[TattedVenus]

Bioguard 1200V Test Kit, and test Calcium at the store once a month

[TrikkeAddict]

Taylor test kit

[Daveflave]

Didn't like the test strips so I bought a Cool Pooltester.  It's basically a colorimeter and costs about $100.  Very accurate.