Taylor K-2006 Test Kit: The Complete User Guide

The Taylor K-2006 is the industry-standard professional pool test kit in North America — the kit referenced in CPO training, PHTA materials, Pool Math, Orenda documentation, and virtually every serious pool chemistry resource. If you're servicing residential pools professionally, this is the kit. This guide covers every test in the K-2006, the correct procedure for each, what to watch for, and the reagent maintenance practices that keep results accurate over time.

K-2006 Kit Contents and Reagents

Test 1: Free Chlorine (FC) — FAS-DPD Method

This is the test that makes the K-2006 the professional standard. The FAS-DPD titration accurately measures FC at any concentration — unlike DPD color comparison which bleaches out above 5–10 ppm.

1. Fill the small tube to the 25 mL mark with pool water sampled at elbow depth, away from returns
2. Add 5 drops R-0870 (DPD indicator powder) — the sample will turn pink proportional to the FC level
3. Cap and mix
4. Add R-0871 (FAS titrant) one drop at a time, swirling after each drop
5. Count drops until the pink color completely disappears
6. FC reading = drops × 0.2 ppm

Example: 12 drops to clear = 2.4 ppm FC

Test 2: Total Chlorine (TC) — FAS-DPD Method

TC includes both free chlorine and combined chlorine (chloramines). TC minus FC = Combined Chlorine (CC). CC above 0.5 ppm suggests a shock or enzyme treatment is needed.

1. After completing the FC test, add 5 more drops of R-0870 and 5 drops of R-0871 to the same tube
2. Wait 2 minutes (allows combined chlorine to react with the indicator)
3. Continue adding R-0871 drops until the color again clears completely
4. Total drops used across both FC and TC additions × 0.2 = TC reading

Test 3: pH

1. Fill the large tube to the 25 mL mark with pool water
2. Add 5 drops R-0014 (phenol red indicator)
3. Cap and mix — the water turns a color from yellow to red/pink
4. Compare the tube color to the pH comparator block under bright light
5. pH is the matching block color

Note: high chlorine (above 10 ppm FC) can interfere with the phenol red reaction, causing a false lower pH reading. If you've just shocked the pool, note this in your records.

Test 4: Total Alkalinity (TA)

1. Fill the large tube to 25 mL
2. Add 2 drops R-0007 (sodium thiosulfate — neutralizes chlorine interference)
3. Add 5 drops R-0009 (TA indicator) — turns green
4. Add R-0008 (sulfuric acid) one drop at a time, swirling after each
5. Count drops until color changes from green to red/orange
6. TA = drops × 10 ppm

Test 5: Calcium Hardness (CH)

1. Fill the large tube to 25 mL
2. Add 2 drops R-0010 (EDTA titrant buffer)
3. Add 20 drops R-0011 (CH indicator) — turns wine red
4. Add R-0010 one drop at a time, swirling after each
5. Count drops until color changes from wine red to blue
6. CH = drops × 10 ppm

Test 6: Cyanuric Acid (CYA) — Turbidity Method

1. Fill the CYA tube with pool water to the 7 mL line
2. Add the melamine reagent (R-0013) to the 14 mL line
3. Cap and invert 3–4 times to mix
4. Allow the turbid white precipitate to develop for 30 seconds
5. Look through the open end of the tube toward a white surface in good light
6. Find the CYA reading where the black dot on the tube bottom just disappears

Note: if the dot disappears before 30 ppm is visible, CYA is low. If the dot is still visible at 100 ppm, CYA is above 100 ppm — dilute the sample 50/50 with distilled water and multiply the result by 2.

After the Test: Using Results for Dosing

You have accurate test results — now the dosing calculation determines how much chemical to add. Pool size in gallons, current readings, and target readings go into the calculation. This is where PoolLens accelerates the process — enter your test results and pool volume, get precise chemical additions immediately. Accurate tests plus accurate dosing equals reliable chemistry at every stop.