Salt Water Test Kits

A salt water test kit designed specifically for analyzing salt water pool chemistry will allow you to monitor and balance the salinity and chemistry of your pool. A good quality kit will take the guesswork out of maintaining your pool and prevent over treating that can be costly and even dangerous. If your chlorine generator doesn't have an automated salinity sensor or chemistry controller we recommend testing and balancing on a weekly basis and even daily during high usage to ensure the health of your pool. 

salt water test kits

There are many different testing options including strips and kits. The basic and easiest to use options include instant strips and more complex and exact ways to measure chemical levels like drop tests. If you are up for the challenge of balancing your pool yourself we have some great recommendations for complete test kits that include instructional videos, pool chemistry apps for your smartphone or tablet and everything required to carry out your own testing so you can stay on top of your pools maintenance. 


The Complete Guide to Salt Water Pool Maintenance

Everything you need to know to maintain your salt water pool and keep it running smoothly all season.

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the complete guide to salt water pool maintenance


The Best Salt Water Test Kits

It's important to stay on top of the chemistry and salt concentration of your pool water to ensure the chlorine generator operates at maximum efficiency. The salt cell will create chlorine more efficiently and last significantly longer if the salinity is kept within the manufacturers recommended range between 2500-4500 ppm and all other chemistry levels are kept within desired ranges. As you learn how your pool behaves over time it will become easier to maintain your salt water pool but in the beginning we recommend testing often.

Whether you are opening your pool in the spring or carrying out regular pool maintenance you or your pool service company will need to monitor the chemistry of your pool. If you have a salt water system you will also need to monitor the salt concentration even though it shouldn't fluctuate unless you experience heavy rainfall or add fresh water to your pool. 

  1. Salt Water Test Strips
  2. Complete Salt Water Test Kits
  3. Digital Salt Testers
  4. Digital Chemistry Testers
  5. Complete Digital Pool Chemistry Kits

1. Salt Water Test Strips

Salt water test strips are easy to use and will provide reasonably accurate salinity and chemical readings within seconds. They are handy as a back up product to ensure that your salinity levels are within ideal operating range, even if your chlorine generator provides a salt reading. Most test strips will measure salinity levels between 500-7000 ppm and will work great as long as you are within that range. 

The only disadvantage with test strips is that they do have a range of error of about 200-300 ppm and for that reason they aren't ideal if you want a really accurate reading. If you want a more precise reading you should consider a drop test or digital tester. It's important to note that most drop test kits don't include a salinity test, and quite often pool owner's find out too late that they need to purchase a separate test for salt level readings. 

8 in 1 Pool and Spa Test Strips with Salt Test

Complete 8-way pool and spa test strips including salinity 0-2000 ppm.

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salt water pool test strips

2. Complete Salt Water Test Kits

This type of test kit is a bit more complicated than strips and takes a bit longer to get results, but it's worth it. It will eliminate any doubt about the chemical levels and salinity and allow you to make an informed decision about adjusting chemical and salinity levels in your salt water pool, especially when a chemistry related issue arises. A complete salt water test kit will measure the necessary chemicals in your pool including salinity by using silver nitrate in a handy dropper bottle.

If you own a salt water hot tub they come with a bromine test so you don't have to purchase a separate test kit. An all-in-one kit like the Taylor Technologies K-2006-Salt will cover all of your salt water pool testing needs in one handy and reliable kit. Whether you are a salt water pool owner or professional pool service technician you will find a complete kit worth every penny with accuracy you just can't find with test strips. The value of knowing free chlorine levels down to micro particles can't be overstated enough.

Taylor Technologies Complete Salt Water Pool Test Kit K-2005-Salt

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This complete test kit has everything you need to monitor and balance your salt water pool chemistry.

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salt water pool complete test kit

3. Digital Salt Testers

If you want instant and accurate testing results, a digital salt tester is an excellent option. These handheld units will replace strips and reagent bottles so you won't ever have to use them again when testing for salinity. If you plan on testing salinity regularly or you're a pool professional these are a great investment because you won't need to purchase any more strips or droppers. 

eSeasonGear Digital Salinity and Temperature Tester

This digital tester is designed specifically for salt water with a range of 0-5000 ppm.

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digital salt tester

4. Digital Chemistry Testers

If you want the convenience of being able to test more than just salinity instantly with a digital meter you may want to consider a multi chemical tester. Get instant results including salinity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), temperature and even electrical conductivity (EC) which is very handy for salt water pool owners. If you're willing to spend a little bit more on a digital tester that tests more than just salt levels these are great option.

5 in 1 Digital Pool Tester for Salt Water Pools and Hot Tubs

Digital test meter that measures salinity 0-9990ppm, pH, TDS, EC and temperature.

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digital salt water pool tester

5. Complete Digital Pool Chemistry Kit

The ultimate in salt water test kits is a new and revolutionary pool testing kit that measures everything electronically. You can count on fast, safe, easy testing that delivers precise results on a digital readout. In addition to ultra accurate results you can rely on industry leading ranges including salinity or chloride from salt 80 to 6700 ppm and combined chlorine 0.0 to 12.0. You can have confidence knowing your pool chemistry levels like never before. 

ITS Complete 25 Test Digital Pool Chemistry Testing Kit 

Complete digital pool testing kit for the ultimate in pool chemistry management.

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complete digital pool testing kit

Salt Water Test Kit Safety

It's always important to keep safety in mind not only for yourself but for anyone else around you when working with the chemistry of your pool. If you are using a drop tester or reagents that require the mixing and adding of chemicals always wear gloves and protective eyewear. It's also a good idea to keep children and pets away from the area you are working. There is a wide range of salt water test kits available on the market today. The simple test strips are often sufficient for residential pool owners to keep an eye on salt and chemistry levels between servicing from a professional. If you carry out your own balancing and maintenance we recommend a quality drop test kit. 







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