Ok you guys....

[wmccall]

Also I HIGHLY recommend the Taylor testing kit in place of test strips.

Lips that touch test strips will never touch mine!
No, that isn't quite right, but I haven't had any test strips in a year

[Backpains]

Ok I'll bite..what's the diff between test strips and the taylor test thing? Checked the tub this morning guess what??? Bromine is super!! All my levels looks great so, I guess adding some more tablets to the feeder helped, as far as the scummy line, I think we've figured it out....hubby needs to shower before he gets into MY hot tub lol!!! Everything else looks good, I do however need to grab a couple of the prefilters from my dealer soon.

[Chas]

Lips that touch test strips will never touch mine!
No, that isn't quite right, but I haven't had any test strips in a year

OK, two things here:
1. While I thoroughly enjoy your work here as moderator and general all-around nice guy who supports hot tubbing as a rule, and I would gladly go out for hot wings any time we find ourselves on the same edge of the country, I am perfectly happy not having my lips ever touch yours. Ever. Come to think of it, I don't know why I would want my lips to touch a test strip...

2. I have used test strips on spas for many years with no problems. They may not be as accurate as a liguid reagent test kit, and they most certainly are not as accurate as a tablet reagent kit - they have always worked fine for me. I really try to keep spa care as simple as I can for myself and my customers.

I will admit that I have some customers who really like the reagent test kits better, and I gladly keep them supplied. There are folks who have a touch of color-blindness and one type of tester works better than the other, but I generally set people up on test strips.

[txwillie]

Ditto on Chas. I use test strips and also get my water tested every few weeks since strips don't test for hardness, or TDS. I usually test with a strip right when I fill the test water bottle so I can see how my strips compare to the liquid reagent test at the dealer. The results from the strips always match the results from the liquid test for bromine, ph and TA. Strips work just fine and are a lot simpler.

txwillie

[Vinny]

OK, here's a question from a newbie!

How do you test the spa water at night to compare colors from a tester? I'm familiar with water testing as I've had a pool for 4 years now, but they tell you to use indirect light to test and use outdoor lighting.

Am I being stupid with this and just test it using incandesent indoor lighting?

Thanks!

[wmccall]

I have fairly good sight when it comes to color, but  especially when it comes to ph, I can take a test strip and if I stare at it long enough,  it can read anywhere from 7.0 to 7.8 for example, and if I do it twice with the same water and two strips, I'll get two readings everytime.  Alk tests are almost as bad, I bought TDS strips once and I couldn't decide if it read 500 or 3000.  They seem to read chlorine levels ok, but thats it for me.

PS, the slogan came from a girl I liked in the 7th grade named Rhonda. She use to wear a shirt that said, Lips that touch liquor, will never touch mine. FYI- worthless info of the week!

[wmccall]

Am I being stupid with this and just test it using incandesent indoor lighting?

Thanks!

Here is your assigment for the weekend    At noon on a sunny day, take a reading out near the spa, decide on what it is, walk quickly into the house, look at it again, would you judge the same reading?

[txwillie]

the strips develop over time. you gotta read them at 15 seconds each time. if you read one at 10 and one at 20, they won't be the same. regarding indoor vs outdoor light, I guess I don't understand what you mean. You compare the strips to color charts on the bottle, both of which are in the same light. They probably do look different outdoors vs inddors, but the comparison will be the same.

txwillie

[hymbaw]

While this is true, Chlorine is less likely to raise your pH than Bromine. So its a good thing it is still 80% effective since you are much more likely to have high pH.

How would something with a ph of around 4 raise ph??

While it isn't as acidic as chlorine, it certainly is still acidic!!

[HotTubMan]

How would something with a ph of around 4 raise ph??

While it isn't as acidic as chlorine, it certainly is still acidic!!

Good question. I am not going to BS you, I do not have the chemistry background to answer it.

I can tell you that representatives from BioGuard, Beachcomber Plus, Lawrasons and Mursatt (all chemical suppliers) have told me this.

Perhaps my observations are skewed, but everything that I have observed in the tens of thousands of water tests I have done would support this claim.

From my understanding, it is not the introduction of the puck itself that raises the pH, but how bromine exists in the water that allows pH creep more than bromine.

Perhaps one of my colleagues here has a scientific explaination to support my statement.

[hymbaw]

Your chemical reps are either ignorant to the facts of misleading you. I would guess it's the latter. I think what they should be saying is that bromine doesn't bring ph down as effectively as chlorine (it DOESN'T raise ph). Ph tends to rise in a spa because the combined effects of aeration and heat causes CO2 to off-gas. CO2 in your water allows for the formation of carbonic acid, which holds your ph down.

[HotTubMan]

Your chemical reps are either ignorant to the facts of misleading you. I would guess it's the latter.  

I will assume that you meant to say "...the facts or misleading you......"
If that is what you meant, I wonder how you came to the the conclusion that they were misleading me intentionally. They certainly weren't pushing one over the other. They were explaining the differences.

May I ask what you qualifications are to make such a bold conclusion?

[hymbaw]

I did indeed mean "or"....good catch. I didn't mean to imply that they were misleading you to promote one over the other, or that they even know they are misleading you. But to tell someone(who shouldn't be as well versed as they on chemicals) that Hypobromous ACID will raise ph is misleading. As far as my qualifications, the dealer that I work for will not allow any employee to interact with a customer until they are proficient in water testing, chemical knowledge, and the practical marriage of the two. So you know, the majority of our information comes from Bioguard, which is why I was suprised your Bioguard rep would tell you such a thing. See if your rep can find you a copy of thier Bioguard ChemPlus 2000 training manual. It's quite comprehensive and could become an invaluable tool for you to help better serve your customers. The goal for all dealers should be to supply the facts to thier customers (warts and all) and let them make an informed decision. I'm sure you have nothing but honorable intentions when passing information along to your customers, that's why I through your reps under the proverbial bus.

[Vinny]

Here is your assigment for the weekend    At noon on a sunny day, take a reading out near the spa, decide on what it is, walk quickly into the house, look at it again, would you judge the same reading?

OK Bill, I did my homework even though it is a 3 day weekend and YES it's the same reading. Now should I shut my eyes to simulate night time? ... Keeping with me being stupid theme!  

You know,  of ALL the tests that I've done on my pool I NEVER thought of bringing it indoors to see!

[Backpains]

Hubby and I have no problems reading the test strips...it's pretty clear how to read them I guess unless your a little color blind it would be a little hard.....as far as testing the water at night we keep a flashlight out in the spa room to read it just in case.  I've noticed that it seems the Bromine is starting to catch up to my "unhealthy" use of the tub (lol just kidding I do use it more than the "average" person that's a true statement) you guys probably use your tubs maybe 1-2 times a day, where as I am using mine 5-6 times a day, if I start hurting I head for the hot tub, along with my regimen of meds it usually takes a little bit of the edge off.

Anyway, it seems to be getting better.

Backpains