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Noob impressions with test strips versus Taylor

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silversun:
I keep both as well. I use the strips to test cya periodically, which i find to be a much easier test than testing using the taylor kit.  Just drop it in and compare.

cya is also the test with the most room for error. Is it 30 PPM or 50? it hardly matters for me.. once it's in range I start using bleach as my primary sanitizer.

I use taylor to test basically everything else.

Sam:
I'm surprised to see such a difference in bromine readings and suspect there are other factors at play. 


I personally don't even stock reagent test kits anymore.  In my experience, test strips are "close enough".  We aren't refining plutonium here. 

Additionally, as I understand it, reagent test results may actually be less accurate when certain factors are not accounting for; age of the reagents, reagents that have experienced sun or extreme temperature exposure, not properly reading the miniscus (https://water.usgs.gov/edu/meniscus.html), even holding the reagent bottle at the improper angle while dripping can affect the drop size, which obviously changes the result.  I highly doubt that most people using these kits are aware of this stuff so are they really getting a more accurate result than test strips?

In the end, I am of the opinion that people are lazy (myself included), and anything that simplifies hot tub maintenance will often result in "better" hot tub maintenance.  That's my policy for the last 6 years or so and it seems to work in our case.  Your mileage may vary and I don't mean to imply my way is the proper way.  Just throwing out a counterpoint to what I've heard a lot of industry professionals teach.

bachman:
^  Simple is good, like that idea and will look for confidence-building results in test strips and a few second checks with the regent kit.
Especially like the idea we don't need plutonium test strips !!   ;D

For the most part, the regent kit I just got made me feel confident in results and that caring for the tub will be as easy as I thought or maybe easier. I'll will probably default to the drops kit for steering me on chemistry unless or until the strips become a big variation and question the trends but maybe a few strip tests a week and a few regents tests  (3 or 4) a month.

Sam:
Awesome to see how often you test your spa!  I think as time passes and you establish your routine, you probably can decrease that frequency pretty significantly.

bachman:

--- Quote from: Sam on December 02, 2018, 05:37:03 pm ---Awesome to see how often you test your spa!  I think as time passes and you establish your routine, you probably can decrease that frequency pretty significantly.

--- End quote ---

That sure makes sense.  I'm the weak link in the chain here until I get a few miles under my belt so-to-speak -  lol. In fact, I'm already thinking about it from the standpoint of just being safe and not really obsessing on it. I've yet to see a result on the strips that would worry me about anyone getting in the tub although I would have asked about anyone with a bromine sensitivity as it was a bit high for 2 days. It's really just me and my wife unless special plans.


On another note, I'm very pleased with my first month utility bill as coming in right at my forecast based on many others who shared some info and thoughts. Week three Sept to Oct was pre hot tub and electric avg was not quite 20kwh per day. Bumped to 33/day on this first month with the first fill and heat, 400 gallons from 54 degrees to 102 (5 or 6 hours I'm guessing) and then our use and heat maintaining. This is not all tub either since we do more aux heat with an electric baseboard unit at times, more dryer running and ? else. 20 to 33 is $1.30 per day with some chilly weather coming on.

Really happy with the set up. Most work seems to be shoveling or sweeping the snow path to it, or will be soon enough. Nothing deep yet this year.

 8)

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