These days test strips are becoming more popular to use than photometers or liquid test kits. This is because they are quicker and easy to use as you will not need to mess around with adding drops of chemical to several water samples and anyone can use them.
You can get a range of test strips that can test for different ranges and different combinations. The good thing with test strips is that you can test for 3-6 different ranges with 1 pack of test strips, which can save you a lot of money if you are on a budget. You need to test your swimming pool at least 2-3 times per week and should be tested if the pool has been used a lot, if animals have been in the pool and after a spell of heavy rain.
The ranges that you can use test strips for are
- Free Chlorine
- Total Chlorine
- Total Alkalinity
- pH Levels
- Cyanuric Acid
- Bromine
- Phosphate
- Total Hardness
Using test strips is very straight forward, all you need to do is to follow these 4 basic steps
1) Dip 1 strip into the water and wait for about 5 seconds. Make your hands are clean and dry
2) When the 5 seconds is up, take the strip out of the water and wait 10 seconds for the result to appear. Then compare the results against the chart on the box of the box.
3) Now you can adjust any of the chemicals that need adjusting that were shown on the strip
4) Then run a filter pump to help circulate the water. Then you need to wait about 4-6 hours to test the water. So, if the levels are now in the right ranges for that chemical, no further action is need, but if that hasn't happened than you will need to repeat it over again.
So now you know how to use test strips, you might want to know how they work?
Well test strips are normal made of plastic and at the end of the strip there are sticky pads which have been soaked with a special chemical. So, when you have dipped the strip into the water the pads will change colour and you will compare the colour to the chart on the back of the box. Each colour has a label and gives you the ranges that each chemical should be in the water.
How accurate are test strips?
Yes, they are very accurate. This is because they are based on the technology from the medical industry, so the results need to be accurate. Some experts say that test strips are better than liquid test kits because there is more likely to be a human error with the drop kits as if you don't put in right number of drops than the result will not be accurate. So as these are easy to use and don't re the only way that the results will not be accurate is if you use expired or contaminated strips.
Here At Test All Water We Have A Wide Range Of Test Strips From Manufacturers Inlcuding La Motte, Palintest & Lovibond. Check Out Our Range Of Test Strips Here