My new spa was recently installed, and I'm a first-time owner. I recently ordered a Taylor test kit (K-2106) after seeing them recommended over the test strips. First set of measurements from the test kit, taken yesterday afternoon, were:
Bromine: 16 ppm (I had shocked the spa a few hours earlier; previous bromine readings per water testing were between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm)
pH: 7.4
TA: 60
Hardness: 70 (no water softener; this is just our city water from the outside hose)
I added 2 oz of baking soda after testing and plan to retest today. I have been frustrated by low bromine levels since starting the spa up, even though I added bromine granules to create a bank. I'm using 3 tablets per week in a floater. Let me know if you have suggestions.
The kit itself was easy and fun to use. I've created a spreadsheet to track things. And of course, the spa itself is wonderful.