Pool Water testing methods - Direct Pool Supplies

To achieve crystal clear pool water you will need to ensure that all your chemical levels are sitting in perfect harmony. Pool water testing is the most effective way to get an accurate snapshot of the health of your water.

Liquid Pool testing kit Vs Test Strips

You don’t have to be a chemist to keep your pool sparkling clean. To keep things simple, use a testing method that you find fast, easy and convenient. That way you’ll be more likely to stick to your testing regimen. There are two basic types of pool water testing methods that our customers use. There are the pool test strips and the liquid test kits.

Liquid Kits:

This type of pool testing kit requires you to add a sample of water into a plastic comparator. From there you add drops of a chemical reagent which will change the colour of the water sample. Compare the colour of the water sample to the comparator for the fast water analysis. Customers love this style of test kit as it just seems to last forever without an expiry date.

Pool Test Strips:

Pool test strips are an easier and more convenient way to test your pool and spa water. For accurate analysis, simply dip the pool test strip into the water sample for one second and then remove it. The strip will change colour, which you will then compare to the test stip bottle. Types of test strips available:

Cyanuric acid
Total dissolved solids as well as
Free chlorine,
pH
total alkalinity.

One downside to test strips is that they have an expiry date

Conclusion: From our point of view, you should choose the pool testing kit that you are most comfortable with and are most likely to continue using. No matter what type of test kit you decide to use, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to get the best results.

Q: Why do my Test Strips read 0ppm for free chlorine, while my DPD test shows a free chlorine reading?
A: If there is a high level of combined chlorine in your pool or spa, it is likely the DPD test is showing a false positive for free chlorine and your Test Strips are giving an accurate reading.
Q: Do I need to test as frequently with test strips?
A: Yes. We suggest testing both ends of the pool a minimum of 2 times per week, and spas before each use
Q: Is DPD more accurate?
A: The DPD test for chlorine can be affected by interferences, such as an over-abundance of monochloramines or potassium monopersulfate (used for shock-treating pools). These can give a false positive reading for free chlorine with the DPD chemistry. Recognized technical studies are available to support these claims. In addition, the DPD test requires careful technique and several steps to get the best test
Q: How accurate are test strips?
A: Test strips are at minimum comparable in accuracy to liquid colour comparator tests. Because test strips are more convenient, we believe they actually deliver greater accuracy. They reduce the chances of human error associated with liquid kits, which require measuring samples and counting drops of reagent