What to test and how often
Home pools follow Healthy WA’s advice. Public pools (aquatic facilities: aquatic centres, schools, hotels and caravan parks, residential developments of 30 or more dwellings) follow the WA Health Code of Practice. Where the two differ, both are shown.
| Test | Home pools (Healthy WA) | Public pools (WA Health Code of Practice) |
|---|---|---|
| Free chlorine | At least daily. Minimum 2 mg/L in stabilised pools, or 3 mg/L above 26 °C. Unstabilised pools and spas: 1 mg/L, or 2 mg/L above 26 °C. | Same pool minimums. Spa, hydrotherapy and wading pools: 3.0 mg/L. |
| pH | At least daily. 7.2–7.8, with 7.5 ideal. | 7.2–7.8 (7.2–8.0 with bromine). |
| Stabiliser (cyanuric acid) | Daily if you use it. 30–50 mg/L. | At least weekly. Recommended 20–50 mg/L, no more than 100 mg/L. |
| Combined chlorine | Always lower than free chlorine. | Recommended no more than 30% of free chlorine. |
| Total chlorine | — | No more than 8 mg/L while in use. |
| Total alkalinity | Part of water balance. | 60–200 mg/L. |
| Calcium hardness | Part of water balance. | 50–400 mg/L. |
| Salt / TDS | — | Salt pools: in the chlorinator maker’s range. Others: recommended no more than 1,000 mg/L above the supply water, 3,000 mg/L at most. |
- Hot days: test before the first swim and at least once more during the day.
- Heated spas: test at least twice a day while in use.
- Public pools: test by hand before opening, then at least every 4 hours (Group 1), three times a day (Group 2), twice a day (Group 3) or once a day (Group 4). Spas get one extra test a day. Controller readouts don’t count as a manual test. Keep the records for two years.
- Reagents: read free chlorine with DPD 1 and total chlorine with DPD 3; combined chlorine is total minus free. Read pH with phenol red. All are in the range below as liquids and tablets.
Other tests, when the pool calls for it
- Magnesium: mineral pools (see mineral pools). Use the Magnesium strip (0–400 ppm) or an 801 Series Spin disc.
- Phosphate: algae that keeps coming back. Get the scheme water checked for phosphorus too. Use the Phosphate strip or a 204 or 801 Series Spin disc.
- Copper and iron: stains, coloured water, bore top-ups (see pool stain identification). Use the Copper-Iron strips or a 104 or 402 Series disc.
- Borate: borate-treated pools. Use the Borate strip, a 304 Series disc or the 402 Series disc.
- Salt: low chlorinator output (see salt chlorinator low output). Use the PRO Salt strip or a TRACER salt meter.
Insta-TEST strips: the quick check
Dip-and-read strips for poolside checks between full tests.
| Strip | What it reads | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Plus, 50 strips | Free chlorine (bromine), total alkalinity, pH | WT0034 |
| 4 Plus, 50 strips | As 3 Plus, plus total hardness | 3029-H |
| POOL 4 Plus, 50 strips | Free chlorine (bromine), total alkalinity, pH, cyanuric acid 0–250 ppm | 3032-H |
| 5 Plus, 50 strips | Free chlorine (bromine), total chlorine, total alkalinity, pH, total hardness | 2977-H |
| 6 Plus, 50 strips | As 5 Plus, plus cyanuric acid 0–250 ppm | WT0082 |
| PRO600 Plus, 100 strips | Same as 6 Plus, with cyanuric acid to 500 ppm | WT0037 |
| PRO Salt, 50 strips | Salt 1,500–5,000 ppm | WT0081 |
| Magnesium, 25 strips | Magnesium 0–400 ppm | WT0132 |
| Phosphate (PRO), 50 strips | Phosphate 0–2,500 ppb, read in a test tube | WT0055 |
| Copper-Iron, 25 strips | Two strips: copper 0–3.0 ppm and iron 0–5.0 ppm | WT0046 |
| Copper, 25 strips | Copper 0–3.0 ppm | WT0080 |
| Copper-pH-Alkalinity, 25 strips | Copper, pH, total alkalinity | WT0047 |
| Borate, 25 strips | Borate 0–80 ppm | WT0045 |
| Biguanide, 25 strips | Biguanide, total alkalinity, pH, total hardness | 2938 |
| Biguanide 6-way, 25 strips | Biguanide, biguanide shock, peroxide, total alkalinity, pH, total hardness | WT0165 |
| Monopersulphate-pH-Alkalinity, 50 strips | MPS (low / OK / high), total alkalinity, pH | WT0043 |
| Peroxide, 25 strips | Peroxide (biguanide shock) 0–90 ppm | WT0035 |
| pH-Total Chlorine Wide Range, 25 strips | Total chlorine 0–50 ppm, pH 4–10 | WT0051 |
Using them right
- Multi-test strips: dip for 2 seconds, pull out pads up, shake once and read straight away.
- PRO Salt strips: dip for 2 seconds, don’t shake. Hold the strip level in the shade and read at 20 seconds.
- Keep wet fingers out of the bottle, close the cap tightly and store it somewhere cool and dry.
WaterLink Spin Touch: the full analysis
How it works. Fill one sealed SpinDisk with less than 3 mL of sample, put it in and start. The meter runs every test on the disc automatically: about 60 seconds on a single-use disc, about 30 seconds on a 3-use disc. Every test on the disc runs at once, so you can’t run just one factor.
Which disc
| Disc | Tests | Uses | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 104 Series, Chlorine | Free and total chlorine, bromine, pH, total hardness, alkalinity, cyanuric acid, copper, iron, salt | Single | 4348-D (10) / 4348-J (100) |
| 204 Series, Chlorine + Phosphate | As 104, but phosphate instead of iron | Single | WT0142 |
| 304 Series, Chlorine + Borate | As 104, but borate instead of iron | Single | 4350-J |
| 402 Series, Biguanide | Biguanide, biguanide shock, total alkalinity, pH, calcium hardness, copper, iron, borate | Single | WT0095 |
| 501 Series, Chlorine | Free chlorine, bromine, total chlorine, pH | 3 per disc | WT0127 |
| 601 Series, Chlorine + Alkalinity | Free chlorine, bromine, pH, total alkalinity | 3 per disc | WT0134 |
| 801 Series, Magnesium | Free and total chlorine, bromine, pH, hardness, alkalinity, cyanuric acid, salt, phosphate, magnesium (no copper or iron) | Single | WT0164 (10) / WT0153 (100) |
Update the Spin Touch software/firmware before first using a new disc type.
Reading ranges. Free chlorine 0–15 ppm, pH 6.4–8.6, total alkalinity 0–250 ppm, cyanuric acid 5–150 ppm, copper and iron 0–3.0 ppm, salt 0–5,000 ppm, phosphate 0–2,000 ppb, borate 0–80 ppm. Calcium hardness on the 402 disc reads 0–800 ppm.
In-store or Mobile?
The meter is the same in both. Both come with three syringes, a calibration check disc and a USB cable with wall adapter. Discs are sold separately.
- WaterLink Spin Touch (3580-AU, WT0085) adds a counter mat for the shop.
- WaterLink Spin Touch Mobile (3581-AU, WT0086) comes in a waterproof carry case with foam inserts.
- Both run on an internal rechargeable battery, about 150 tests per charge. A car charger (WT0166) is in the range below.
Results and reports. The meter stores 250 results. It sends results by Bluetooth to a phone or tablet, or by USB to a Windows PC. With a WaterLink Solutions account (sold separately), results go to the customer’s record with treatment recommendations. Firmware updates need a USB connection to a Windows PC.
Getting good readings
- Fill the disc and run it within 10 minutes. Don’t pre-fill.
- Spa samples above 38 °C: subtract 0.1 from the pH result, or better, let the sample cool below 32 °C first.
- Take the disc out after every test. A disc left in the chamber can leak and damage the meter.
- Wipe off salt residue daily. Salt damages the meter and throws out results.
- Copper over 4 ppm makes the hardness result read low.
Other kits in the range
- ColorQ 2x photometers: handheld, waterproof Bluetooth meters for poolside use. The PRO 7 reads free and total chlorine, bromine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness and cyanuric acid, with liquid reagents for chlorine and pH and TesTabs for the rest. The PRO 9 Plus adds copper and iron, with biguanide as an option.
- Liquid and tablet reagents: DPD 1, DPD 3, phenol red (pH), alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, copper and iron refills. Liquids in 30 and 60 ml, tablets in packs of 50 to 1,000.
- TRACER meters: pocket meters. The Total Chlorine meter reads 0–9.99 ppm with a tablet in the sample cup. The Salt-TDS-EC-Temp meter reads salt and TDS up to 9,999 ppm. The pH-Salt-TDS-Temp meter adds pH.
- Specialty kits: the Free Chlorine-pH kit is a DipCell with TesTabs reading free chlorine 0.5–10 ppm and pH 6.8–8.2. The DL-51 DipCell kit adds total chlorine, alkalinity, hardness, acid and base demand, and cyanuric acid. The Copper Low Range kit reads copper from 0.05 to 1.0 ppm.
The full LaMotte range at AGent
Every line on AGent’s LaMotte list, in its 13 sections. Codes starting WT are AGent codes, with the LaMotte part number in brackets after the product. Other codes are LaMotte part numbers. Call your rep for pricing.
1. WaterLink Spin Touch — Photometers & warranty
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| WaterLink Spin Touch (3580-AU) | WT0085 |
| WaterLink Spin Touch Mobile (3581-AU) | WT0086 |
| SpinCare Extended 3rd Year Warranty | SC-1095 |
2. WaterLink Spin — Reagent discs
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| 402 Series Disc, Biguanide, 100 pack (4331-J) | WT0095 |
| 501 Series Disc, Chlorine 3 x 3 use, 50 pack (4334-H) | WT0127 |
| 601 Series Disc, Chlorine + Alkalinity 3 x 3 use, 50 pack (4335-H) | WT0134 |
| 104 Series Disc, Chlorine, 10 pack | 4348-D |
| 104 Series Disc, Chlorine, 100 pack | 4348-J |
| 204 Series Disc, Chlorine + Phosphate, 100 pack (4349-J) | WT0142 |
| 304 Series Disc, Chlorine + Borate, 100 pack | 4350-J |
| 801 Series Disc, Magnesium, 10 pack (4355-D) | WT0164 |
| 801 Series Disc, Magnesium, 100 pack (4355-J) | WT0153 |
3. WaterLink Spin Touch — Accessories
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Cleaning Tissues, 50 /pack | 0669 |
| Syringes, 3 /pack (1189-3) | WT0064 |
| Syringe Tips, 3 /pack (1189-TIP) | WT0065 |
| Calibration Check Disc Spin Touch (1705) | WT0115 |
| USB Cable Spin Touch (1712) | WT0173 |
| AC SPIN Touch Adapter (1725) | WT0183 |
| Car Charger (1727-CC) | WT0166 |
| Black Disc Cover Spin Touch (1719) | WT0147 |
4. Insta-TEST — Test strips
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Biguanide, Alk, pH, Hardness, 25 strips/bottle | 2938 |
| Biguanide, Shock, Peroxide, Alk, pH Hardness, 25 strips/bottle (2941) | WT0165 |
| 3 Plus, 50 strips/bottle (2976-H) | WT0034 |
| 4 Plus, 50 strips/bottle | 3029-H |
| POOL 4 Plus, 50 strips/bottle | 3032-H |
| 5 Plus, 50 strips/bottle | 2977-H |
| 6 Plus, 50 strips/bottle (3028-H) | WT0082 |
| PRO600 Plus, 100 strips/bottle (3028-J) | WT0037 |
| Monopersulphate-pH-Alkalinity, 50 strips/bottle (2982-H) | WT0043 |
| Peroxide, 25 strips/bottle (2984-G) | WT0035 |
| pH-Total Chlorine (Wide Range), 25 strips/bottle (2987-G) | WT0051 |
| Copper, 25 strips/bottle (2991-G) | WT0080 |
| Copper-Iron, 25 strips/bottle (2994-G) | WT0046 |
| Salt, 50 strips/bottle (2998-H) | WT0081 |
| Copper-pH-Alkalinity, 25 strips/bottle (3001-G) | WT0047 |
| Borate, 25 strips/bottle (3017-G) | WT0045 |
| Magnesium, 25 strips/bottle (2926-G) | WT0132 |
| Phosphate, 50 strips/bottle (3021-H) | WT0055 |
5. ColorQ — Photometer kits
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| ColorQ Biguanide 5 | 2062 |
| ColorQ Copper Pool/Spa 5 | 2066 |
| ColorQ 2x Pool 4 Kit | 2085 |
| ColorQ 2x TesTabs PRO 4 Kit | 2082 |
| ColorQ 2x PRO 7 Kit (2086) | WT0075 |
| ColorQ 2x TesTabs PRO 7 Kit | 2087 |
| ColorQ 2x PRO 9 Kit | 2088 |
| ColorQ 2x TesTabs PRO 9 Kit | 2099 |
| ColorQ 2x PRO 7 Plus Kit (2094) | WT0077 |
| ColorQ 2x PRO 9 Plus Kit (2097) | WT0078 |
6. ColorQ — Reagent refill packs
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Reagent Refill Pack for PRO 7 (R-2056) | WT0114 |
| Reagent Refill Pack for PRO 7 TesTabs | R-2057 |
| Reagent Refill Pack for PRO 7 Plus | R-2064 |
| Reagent Refill Pack for PRO 9 Plus | R-2067 |
| Reagent Refill Pack for 2X PRO 7 (R-2086) | WT0167 |
7. Liquid Reagents
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Biguanide Reagent, 30 ml (3919-G) | WT0091 |
| pH Reagent, 30 ml (7037-G) | WT0098 |
| pH Reagent, 60 ml (7037-H) | WT0099 |
| Total Alkalinity Indicator, 30 ml (7039-G) | WT0100 |
| Total Alkalinity Indicator, 60 ml (7039-H) | WT0101 |
| Calcium Hardness 2 Reagent, 30 ml (7041-G) | WT0102 |
| Calcium Hardness 2 Reagent, 60 ml (7041-H) | WT0103 |
| Calcium Hardness 1 Reagent, 30 ml (7042-G) | WT0104 |
| Calcium Hardness 1 Reagent, 60 ml (7042-H) | WT0105 |
| DPD 1A Reagent, 30 ml (P-6740-G) | WT0109 |
| DPD 1A Reagent, 60 ml (P-6740-H) | WT0108 |
| DPD 1B Reagent, 30 ml (P-6741-G) | WT0110 |
| DPD 1B Reagent, 60 ml (P-6741-H) | WT0111 |
| DPD 3 Reagent, 30 ml (P-6743-G) | WT0112 |
| DPD 3 Reagent, 60 ml (P-6743-H) | WT0113 |
8. Tablet Reagents — 50 & 100 packs
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Iron Tablets, 50/pk (3725A-H) | WT0087 |
| Iron Tablets, 100/pk (3725A-J) | WT0088 |
| Copper Tablets, 50/pk (3808A-H) | WT0089 |
| Copper Tablets, 100/pk (3808A-J) | WT0090 |
| pH Tablets, 50/pk | 3880A-H |
| pH Tablets, 100/pk (3880A-J) | WT0163 |
| Alkalinity Tablets, 50/pk | 3882A-H |
| Alkalinity Tablets, 100/pk | 3882A-J |
| Calcium Hardness Tablets, 50/pk | 3883A-H |
| Calcium Hardness Tablets, 100/pk (3883A-J) | WT0168 |
| ColorQ 2x Hardness Tablets, 100/pk | 3887A-J |
| ColorQ 2x Alkalinity IG Tablets, 100/pk (3896A-J) | WT0187 |
| DPD 3 Tablets, 50/pk | 6197A-H |
| DPD 3 Tablets, 100/pk | 6197A-J |
| DPD 1 Tablets, 50/pk | 6903A-H |
| DPD 1 Tablets, 100/pk (6903A-J) | WT0162 |
| Biguanide Shock Tablets, 100 | 6930A-J |
| Cyanuric Acid Tablets, 50 (6996A-H) | WT0096 |
| Cyanuric Acid Tablets, 100 (6996A-J) | WT0097 |
9. ColorQ — Accessories
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Tablet Crusher (0175) | WT0062 |
| Test Tube 5 ml (0201) | WT0063 |
| Test Tube ColorQ 2X, 6 pack | 0205 |
| Brush | 0514 |
| Sample Bottle (0688) | WT0169 |
| ColorQ Sample Bottle 30 ml (0689) | WT0155 |
10. TRACER — Electronic test meters
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Total Chlorine Meter | 1740 |
| pH Meter (1741) | WT0068 |
| ORP Meter (1742) | WT0069 |
| Salt-TDS-EC-Temp Meter (1749) | WT0070 |
| pH-Salt-TDS-Temp Meter (1766) | WT0071 |
11. TRACER — Sensors, calibration & consumables
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Sensor, Chlorine (for 1740) | 1732 |
| Sensor, pH (for 1741) | 1733 |
| Sensor, ORP (for 1742) | 1734 |
| Sensor, pH-Salt-TDS-Temp (for 1766) | 1755 |
| Sensor, Salt-EC-TDS-Temp (for 1749) | 1765 |
| Sample Cup | 1745-1 |
| pH Buffer Tablets, pH 7.00, 100/pk | 3984A-J |
| Calibration Standard, 3,000 ppm, 500 ml (HB-021-L) | WT0107 |
| Calibration Standard, 12,880 uS/cm, 500 ml | HB-007-L |
| Chlorine Tablets for #1740, 100/pk | 7044A-J |
12. Specialty Test Kits
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| Copper Low Range Test Kit | 3619 |
| Dipcell Kit DL-51 | 7013 |
| Biguanide-pH Test kit | 7016 |
| Biguanide-pH Test kit, 12 /pack | 7016-12 |
| Free Chlorine-pH Test Kit | 7019 |
| Free Chlorine-pH Test Kit, 12 /pack | 7019-12 |
| Refill for Copper Low Range Test kit | R-3619 |
| Refill for Biguanide-pH Test Kit | R-7016 |
13. TesTabs — 1,000 tablet boxes
| Product | Code |
|---|---|
| ColorQ 2x Hardness Tablets, 1,000/bx | 3887A-M |
| ColorQ 2x Alkalinity IG Tablets, 1,000/bx | 3896A-M |
| Cyanuric Acid Tablets, 1,000/bx | 6996A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 1, 1,000/bx | 6999A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 3, 1,000/bx | 6905A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 4, 1,000/bx | 6899A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 1, Instr. Gr., 1,000/bx | 6903A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 3, Instr. Gr., 1,000/bx | 6197A-M |
| Chlorine DPD 4, Instr. Gr., 1,000/bx | 6906A-M |
| pH Phenol Red, 1,000/bx | 6915A-M |
| Total Alkalinity, 1,000/bx | 3920A-M |
| Cyanuric Acid, 1,000/bx | 6994A-M |
| Ca Hardness, 1,000/bx | 6846A-M |
Based on
- WA Health, Code of Practice for aquatic facilities (s 5.1 and s 5.4)
- Healthy WA, swimming pools and spas
- LaMotte product pages, manuals and instruction cards
- Product labels and safety data sheets
Checked against these sources, October 2026. Always follow the kit instructions and the product label.
General information for pool and spa trade professionals. Every pool is different. This guide does not replace the product label, the SDS, the equipment manual or advice from a licensed tradesperson, and figures quoted from the WA Code of Practice apply to public aquatic facilities. To the extent permitted by law, AGent Sales & Services Pty Ltd accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from reliance on it. Website terms.