mscdman Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 I have a set of test strips that I purchased that claim to test free chlorine and free bromine which I don’t really care about. However what I am interested in is testing total bromine levels. The test does have a reading for total chlorine levels but does not list total bromine as an indicator can I use the total chlorine test for bromine? Other test kits seem to have total chlorine/total bromine as the same test... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cusser Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 The test strips will work. The readings will be a little different though. I can't remember the conversion, some here will know, or see Google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscdman Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 @Cusser thanks. It’s just odd because the results charts below on the package mentions FREE chlorine and bromine but for TOTAL it only lists chlorine and not Bromine leading me to believe it won’t test TOTAL bromine. Yet some other kits say both total chlorine and bromine on the same reagent 🤷🏻♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 You cannot test "total" bromine, or bromide, levels in your water with a standard test kit or strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscdman Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 How come this aqua check test stop kit below shows it checks total bromine? AquaChek Total Bromine Test Strips (50 Count) (4 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B9208R8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_baj-FbZFZX15N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscdman Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 1 hour ago, RDspaguy said: You cannot test "total" bromine, or bromide, levels in your water with a standard test kit or strip. Also if you cannot test total bromine can you only test free bromine? I’m confused how I’m supposed to check my Bromine levels in the tub so I’m not adding too much or too little... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 There is no "free" and "total" bromine, there is bromine and bromide. There is no test that I am aware of that will test bromide, only bromine. Call it free or total as you wish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNW Soaker Posted January 14, 2021 Report Share Posted January 14, 2021 Ya you don't need to worry about "total bromine", the active bromine will show on the strip and the other stuff is actually bromide that doesn't pose an issue or anything, it's called a "bank" and it is activated with shock (and will then show up) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDspaguy Posted January 14, 2021 Report Share Posted January 14, 2021 Test strips are notoriously unreliable. I recommend a good test kit. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted January 16, 2021 Report Share Posted January 16, 2021 On 1/13/2021 at 10:10 PM, PNW Soaker said: Ya you don't need to worry about "total bromine", the active bromine will show on the strip and the other stuff is actually bromide that doesn't pose an issue or anything, it's called a "bank" and it is activated with shock (and will then show up) No, bromide does not show up as part of the total bromine. Total bromine is a measure of hypobromous acid and bromamines. Bromamines, unlike chloramines, are effective sanitizers. Total bromine is tested the same way as Free Chlorine with DPD, FAS-DPD, tetramethylbenzidine test strips, or syringaldazine/vanillin azine test strips. Fun fact, if you want to convert the chlorine scale on your comparator or test strip container to give a total bromine reading then multiply the 'chlorine' reading by 2.25 to get total bromine. However, most comparators and test strip bottles just double the chlorine reading for their bromine scale (which is certainly close enough for the ppm levels we are testing). Testing for sodium bromide (bromide bank) is much more difficult and either involves the use of sodium bromide titrator test strips (similar but not the same as salt test test strips) or by using a chemical titration test that is beyond the scope of home users and is more involved and/or uses highly toxic reagents such as mercuric nitrate (as opposed to the much less toxic silver nitrate used in the Taylor titiration test for sodium chloride). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNW Soaker Posted January 18, 2021 Report Share Posted January 18, 2021 On 1/16/2021 at 9:16 AM, waterbear said: No, bromide does not show up as part of the total bromine. I was trying to say the same thing... FYI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 11 hours ago, PNW Soaker said: I was trying to say the same thing You didn't which is why I corrected you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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