To maintain your pool glowing and secure for enjoyment, you want to keep its water chemistry. The Wi-Fi-enabled Crystal Water Monitor ($499) makes that science easy, with the power to report your pool’s oxidation discount potential (ORP), complete alkalinity, temperature, and pH ranges each 10 minutes. You do want to alter out the sensor each two years, however you may get limitless replacements and some additional options when you pay for a $99 annual service plan. The excessive retail and subscription costs stay a draw back, although, contemplating the second-generation model of the top-rated WaterGuru Sense is available in at $325. That mannequin measures extra chemical substances than the first-generation one we examined, and we nonetheless desire its subscription-free operation.
A Easy Design, However a Expensive Subscription
The model of the Crystal Water Monitor I reviewed works for swimming pools that use Chlorine or Bromine for sanitization, however you possibly can order a salt-water variant as nicely. The system consists of a monitor base that sits exterior of your pool or scorching tub and a sensor that goes within the water at a depth of round 18 inches. The puck-shaped monitor, which measures 2.0 by 5.5 inches (HW), has a white, textured lid that pops off to disclose a water-proof compartment for the three AA batteries (included) that energy it. The batteries ought to last as long as a yr earlier than you want to exchange them. Underneath the hood is a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio that connects the monitor to your cellphone and your private home community so it may possibly ship check outcomes to the cloud. The gadget doesn’t assist voice controls.
A multifunction button and an LED indicator are additionally below the lid. You should use the button to provoke an on-demand water check (fast press) or to reset the gadget (lengthy press). The LED flashes white whereas the monitor is in setup mode, flashes blue throughout an on-demand check, pulses inexperienced after a profitable setup or on-demand measurement, and blinks crimson if there’s a difficulty with both. The producer, Normal Galactic Programs, couldn’t present an official IP ranking for the gadget on the time of writing, however a spokesperson stated it was someplace within the IP66 vary.
The sensor unit, which is available in at 7.0 inches lengthy and 1.2 inches vast, connects to a knowledge port on the aspect of the monitor through a 47-inch cable; each are fully waterproof. The sensor measures ORP ranges, complete alkalinity (dissolved carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and cyanurates), pH (acidity) ranges, and water temperature. It takes these measurements each 10 minutes and sends them to the cloud, however you may also use the aforementioned multifunction button for on-demand information. Take a look at outcomes can be found through the companion app (for Android and iOS).
The built-in sensor has a lifespan of round two years as a result of it makes use of a gel that steadily depletes. Substitute sensors do not price something so long as you may have an lively subscription plan (free for the primary yr, and $99 yearly thereafter). Along with free sensor replacements, a subscription unlocks cloud-based historic readings, dosage suggestions primarily based on measurements, and the power to scan check strips through the app. In case you do not pay for a subscription, you possibly can nonetheless use the app to learn chemistry ranges, however it’s as much as you to find out how a lot of a chemical you want to add and when. The corporate says non-subscribers also can buy new sensors, although at a yet-to-be-determined worth.
Aside from the monitor and sensor, the field consists of mounting brackets, screws, adhesive, and plastic ties for attaching the monitor to a pool ladder, the aspect of a scorching tub, or a flat floor reminiscent of pool coping. You additionally get a check strip equipment that measures the present free chlorine, bromine, complete chlorine, alkalinity, pH, complete hardness, and cyanuric acid ranges.
Crystal Water Monitor App Expertise
The Crystal Water Monitor cell app is intuitive and tells you what you want to know at a look. The primary web page exhibits a big icon within the form of the monitor, together with its related pool or scorching tub identify, the present water temperature, the variety of lively suggestions (if any), and the time because the final studying. The icon is blue when your water chemistry is balanced, however turns orange when not less than one of many readings is off. Faucet the icon to see the most recent pH, ORP, and temperature readings. When you’ve got a subscription, you additionally get a listing of needed actions, reminiscent of including chlorine, stunning the pool for extra highly effective sanitization, or including pH plus or pH minus chemical substances. Choose any of these to view dosage suggestions primarily based in your pool dimension and the kind of chemical substances you employ. You may scroll down on this display to view historic pH, ORP, and water temperature ranges during the last week, month, three months, or yr.
To customise the settings for the related pool or scorching tub, faucet the gear icon within the upper-right nook. Right here, you possibly can inform the app which chemical substances you employ by scanning the bar code on the chemical bottle or bundle. If the app would not acknowledge your specific model, merely faucet Add a New Chemical, scan the barcode, and enter the identify and lively ingredient. With this data, the app tells you ways a lot of every chemical you want. This display additionally gives a listing of latest actions, useful for maintaining observe of drain and refill dates.
Actionable and Dependable Readings
I had the Crystal Water Monitor up and operating very quickly. First, I downloaded the cell app, created an account, and headed out to my pool with the monitor and a Phillips screwdriver (for attaching the pole mount). The app requested me to decide on my setup (pool, scorching tub, or swim spa), so I chosen the pool choice and gave it a reputation. I then chosen my sanitizer sort (Chlorine, Salt, or Bromine), entered my water quantity and residential location, and enabled notifications.
Subsequent, I put in the three AA batteries, related the sensor, and used my cellphone to scan the QR code on the again of the monitor. The LED instantly started flashing blue, and a immediate within the app requested me so as to add my Wi-Fi community particulars. The monitor paired with my community after a couple of seconds, so I tapped Subsequent, scanned the QR code on the sensor, and unscrewed the cap. (Watch out with this step as there’s a small quantity of water within the cap from the manufacturing facility.) I confirmed I eliminated the cap and positioned the sensor within the pool at a depth of round 18 inches. To finish the set up, I hooked up the monitor to my ladder utilizing the included bracket and plastic ties, confirmed that the sensor was submerged, and verified that the sensor cap was safely saved. (You will want this when you shut your pool sooner or later in the course of the yr.)
The monitor took 35 minutes to acclimate to my pool water, after which I obtained a push notification with the required actions to stability my pool’s water chemistry. Because it seems, my pH and alkalinity have been each excessive, and my ORP was low. The app additionally requested me to make use of the included check equipment to submit a water report back to the app. I added the really helpful dosage of shock and chlorine tablets and broadcast 4 cups of pH minus (dry acid) across the pool. Inside two hours, my readings have been balanced.
The monitor’s pH and alkalinity readings have been at all times in keeping with these from a Sutro Good Water Monitor that I positioned in the identical space of the pool. Moreover, ORP readings have been much like these from a devoted ORP meter. Each time the monitor detected an imbalance, it despatched push alerts immediately. Extra necessary, the really helpful actions at all times resulted in balanced water chemistry. Moreover, the water temperature readings matched these from my current pool thermometer.
Pool Upkeep Made Simple
Whether or not you may have a pool or a scorching tub, the hubless Crystal Water Monitor makes it straightforward to maintain your water crystal clear and freed from algae, odors, and micro organism. It takes readings each 10 minutes and sends correct suggestions every time it is time to add a sanitizer or modify your pH and alkalinity ranges. You may balk at its $500 worth and the primarily required $99-per-year subscription, however it may possibly prevent cash over time by guaranteeing that you just use the right dosages of chemical substances solely as needed. In case you would slightly keep away from a subscription, take a look at the Water Guru Sense. We gave the first-generation model our Editors’ Selection award due to its low working prices, and the $325 second-generation mannequin (which we’ve but to check) measures extra chemical substances extra ceaselessly.
