Jack, a co-worker, said he’ll skip the road trip this weekend as he needs to clean up his pool. The first question I’ve asked him after that is, have you tested the water?
He had no idea how to do that. That’s the first time I taught someone how to use pool test strips and today it’s your turn.
Testing with test strips is super easy. All you have to do is get a sample from your pool, dip the strip, check the change of color, and match it with the provided chart. But if you need to figure out if you can pull this off or not, you can simply bring a water sample to your local pool store and let them test it on your behalf.
But to take care of your pool, do you really need this test, and how do you even read the test results exactly? And which test strips should you use for the weekly testing?
Read on to find out!
Key Takeaways
- For quicker results, pool test strips are better. But for more accurate results, liquid test kits work better.
- A pool’s water should be tested every week and in cooler seasons, once every two weeks.
Why Test Pool Water?
Before you do any kind of cleaning, it’s a must to test your pool water. But why does it even matter? Well, for the following reasons:
Ensuring Health and Safety
Without a pool water test, you’ll never know if the chemical balance is on point or not. Plus, it helps you prevent harmful bacteria and pathogens, ultimately saving swimmers from illnesses. On top of that, this way you can keep skin rashes, eye irritation, and even respiratory issues away.
Related Post: Wash Your Way to Health Mastery with Proper Hand Hygiene
Checking Water Clarity
You need to be sure about the chemical levels to maintain water clarity. After all, it’s the water clarity that makes the pool a more pleasant place to swim in.
Also, when the water is well-balanced, it becomes way more comfortable on the skin. And there’s no way for you to be sure about the clarity without regularly testing the water.
Protecting Pool Surface and Equipment
When you’re leaving the water unbalanced, nothing can save your pool equipment from corrosion. The same goes for plumbing and surfaces, which can ultimately lead to high repair costs. But when you test your water, you can stop that from happening.
Chemical Efficiency
When the chemical levels are at the right level, they help sanitizers, such as chlorine, keep the water clean. But without testing, you can never figure that out. Plus, when you’ve got accurate test results, you can save expenses by skipping overusing chemicals.
Balancing Water Chemistry
Whether your pool is usable or not depends on its water chemistry. But if you don’t test, you’re never going to know what your current pH levels, total alkalinity, or hardness are, and fix them if needed.
What Water Tests Are Needed for a Pool?
It’s clear that in order to keep the pool healthy, you need to run tests regularly. Such as the following:
Chlorine Level
The first one is a chlorine test. Here, you’re going to figure out free chlorine, which indicates the amount of chlorine available in your pool that will help to sanitize.
The other one is combined chlorine, which is basically an indicator of chlorine that has already reacted with contaminants.
pH Level
This will show you if the pH level is in its ideal range (7.2 to 7.8) or not. Figuring that out is important for two reasons. One, to understand if the swimmers are comfortable, and two, to ensure chlorine’s optimal efficiency.
Total Alkalinity
Usually, the ideal range of this is between 80 and 120 ppm. Being well-balanced here is a must, as it helps to prevent quick changes in pH levels.
Calcium Hardness
If it’s between 200 and 400 ppm, your pool is in good condition, at least in this part. Being on the right level here means your pool equipment isn’t going to get corroded any sooner. Plus, it prevents scaling on surfaces.
Cyanuric Acid
The best number you can have here is between 30 and 50 ppm if it’s an outdoor pool. It stabilizes chlorine by shielding it from sunlight.
Nitrates and Phosphates
Both nitrates and phosphates help keep your pool away from algae. So, you need to keep a check on the phosphates with a test to be sure whether they’re below 100 ppm or not, and for nitrates, it has to be close to 0.
Salt Levels
This test is basically required for saltwater pools. It will show if the salt level is between 2700 and 3400 ppm. Otherwise, the operation of the salt chlorinator system can be compromised.
How to Use Pool Test Strips for Perfect Water?
Pool water test strips are simply the easiest way to know about the water condition. To get an accurate result, all you have to do is:
Bring in the Supplies
First of all, put together all the supplies you need and start with the pool test strips. Pick a brand that will cover all the chemical tests you need. Also, get a cup or container to hold water. Make sure it’s clean and dry.
Collect the Sample
Turn on your pool pump and run it for at least an hour. You need this so the water can circulate properly. After that, dip the cup in the water. And skip surface water, as that might give you inaccurate results.
Dip the Strip
Dip the strip in the water and make sure all the test pads have gone in. Now, get it out immediately, and don’t let the excess water shake off.
Compare the Result
Hold the strip in a horizontal position as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually, they don’t suggest holding it for more than 15–20 seconds.
Avoid touching the pads during this time. Once the time has passed, check the color chart and match it with the pads’ results.
Interpret the Results and Adjust
Check if the result shows the chemicals’ position in the ideal range or not. Based on that, you need to decide if the water needs any adjustments.
In case the chemical levels in your pool are out of balance, add the required chemicals to get things back on track.
How to Read Pool Test Strip Results?
Do you know what is more important than knowing how to use pool test strips like a pro?
Well, it’s definitely understanding the test results. However, if you too find that tough, let me ease that up a bit for you. Here’s how to read the test results in the first place:
Comparing the Colors
After the testing is complete, check the color of the test pads on your test strips and match them with the chart the manufacturer has provided. Match each of the colors and check what it says.
Recording the Results
To record all the results, write down the value of each of the tested parameters. Usually, it includes free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, total alkalinity levels, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid (if applicable). Let’s make it all a bit easier for you with a table:
| Chemical | Status | Color | Action Required |
| Chlorine | Low | Light yellow | Adding more chlorine |
| Ideal | Medium yellow | No action required | |
| High | Dark Yellow/Orange | Reducing chlorine | |
| pH | Low | Yellow to light orange | Using pH increaser |
| Ideal | Orange to pink | No action required | |
| High | Dark pink to red | Using a pH decreaser | |
| Total Alkalinity | Low | Light green | Using alkalinity increaser |
| Ideal | Green to blue | No action required | |
| High | Dark blue | Using alkalinity reducer | |
| Calcium Hardness | Low | Light blue | Using calcium increaser |
| Ideal | Blue | No action required | |
| High | Dark blue or purple | Diluting pool water | |
| Cyanuric Acid | Low | Light green | Using stabilizer |
| Ideal | Green to blue | No action required | |
| High | Dark blue | Draining and refilling pool water partially |
What Kind of Test Strips Do I Need for a Small Pool?
The type of strips you need usually doesn’t depend on the size of your pool. What you actually need to keep in mind while picking test strips for your pool and hot tub is the type of test you want to do.
For instance, if you’ve got a pool that uses chlorine for sanitation, it’s better to pick strips that can test Free Chlorine and Total Chlorine. But if it’s not chlorine but bromine, pick strips that accurately test for bromine levels.
Sounds a bit confusing? Let’s make it a bit easier:
Basic Strips (3-in-1 or 4-in-1)
If you want tests for the core essentials, these strips can test pH, free chlorine in the water, bromine, and, of course, total alkalinity.
So, if your pool is a small one with a well-maintained condition, feel free to try these strips. You’ll find them in any local pool store.
Advanced Strips (5-in-1 or 7-in-1)
In case you’re more into additional tests like calcium hardness and cyanuric acid, I’ll recommend testing your pool water with these strips. If you can accurately use these, they can help you with your pool’s potential scaling or etching issues, basically calcium hardness.
Plus, you can use them in outdoor chlorine pools and look into the cyanuric acid or stabilizer levels. They’re quite helpful with pools that have ongoing water clarity issues.
Can You Use a Pool Test Strip for a Hot Tub?
It’s totally okay to use pool test strips for a hot tub. But for that, you need to get strips that are perfect for both a hot tub and a regular pool, something like AquaChek Spa 6-in-1.
As the temperature of hot tubs is high and the volume of water is low, water chemistry works differently here. That’s why you need to test the water 2-3 times a week, especially if the usage rate is higher.
That’s why you need to test the water 2-3 times a week, especially if the usage rate is higher. But apart from that, nothing much is different here. Just like in regular pools, you need to keep free chlorine or bromine, pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness on check here.
How Often Should I Test Pool Water?
The ideal frequency of testing your pool depends on two things: the season and the usage. Clearly, you’re going to need to do that more often during peak seasons, such as hot, sunny, and times with a higher bather load.
At such a time, you better test the water every week. Also, keep track of the microorganisms in your pool. But what about the new pool owners?
Well, they better test it 2-3 times a week in the beginning. But once you shock the pool, you need to do testing more often to be sure about the chemical balance. However, if it’s in cooler weather, doing the test once every two weeks should be enough.
Final Words
When you want to keep your pool clean, there are tons of things you need to keep in mind, especially when you’re testing the pool. So, in this article, I’ve tried to share with you in detail why you need to test your pool, which tests you should do, and how to use test strips like a pro.
Hopefully, it will not be a hassle anymore when it comes to checking chlorine levels in your pool water regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you leave pool test strips in the water?
Dipping the strip into the water for 2–3 seconds is enough for that. Once you get it out, holding it horizontally for 15–30 seconds will show you a color development or the result of the test.
What happens if I can’t get an accurate reading?
If you’re not getting any accurate readings with the strips, make sure you’re using the fresh ones that have been stored correctly. Also, try following the manufacturer’s instructions strictly while running the test.
Are pool test strips accurate?
Generally, they are. They can often give you an accurate indication of chemical levels, including chlorine, pH, and alkalinity.
Can you reuse pool test strips?
Obviously, not! As there’s a high chance of getting the wrong results that way. So, try using fresh pool and spa test strips every time.
Can pool test strips be wrong?
Yes, they can give wrong results, but only when they’re expired, not used correctly, or wrongly stored. Plus, sometimes environmental factors can trigger the wrong results on a pool water chemistry test.
