The Reagent Locker
The exact testing kits, chemicals, and equipment used in the field, organized by category. Curated from real experience, not a sponsorship list.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Pools Scientific earns from qualifying purchases made through links on this page. Product recommendations reflect our own field-tested experience and independent judgment. We do not accept payment from any manufacturer in exchange for a favorable mention.
The Testing Stack
What you test with.
A manual drop-count kit, not test strips alone. Strips are fine for a fast chlorine and pH check, but alkalinity, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardness need real numbers. Pick either system below, both are field-proven.
Test Kit System
LaMotte ColorQ Pro 7
LaMotte ColorQ Pro 7 — Kit & Reagents
Digital colorimeter kit plus every individual reagent, so you can restock exactly what you use instead of buying a full refill kit every time.
Test Kit System
Taylor K-2006C
Taylor K-2006C — Kit & Reagents
FAS-DPD drop-count kit, Service Complete configuration built for frequent testers. Every individual C-size reagent listed for restocking.
Test Kit Accessory
TDS & Salt Meter
LaMotte 1749 Tracer
Salt, TDS, and temperature pocket tester. Purpose-built for salt pools, avoids the expensive silver nitrate reagent a full chloride titration requires.
Maintenance Tools
What every pool needs on hand.
Basic tools every pool owner should own, regardless of visit schedule.
Maintenance Tool
Skimmer Net
Pentair Leaf Rake
Standard skimmer net for surface debris, mounts to any standard telescoping pole.
Maintenance Tool
Pool Brush
Sepetrel Pool Brush
All-surface brush attachment, #1 rated in its category. Match bristle stiffness to your surface type.
Maintenance Tool
Telescoping Pole
ProTuff 16ft Pole
Heavy duty telescoping pole, 16 feet extended, fits standard net, brush, and vacuum head attachments.
Maintenance Tool
Vacuum Hose
Poolmaster Vacuum Hose
30 foot, 1.5 inch manual vacuum hose, made in USA.
Maintenance Tool
Vacuum Head — Vinyl
Vinyl Vacuum Head (VH-710)
Weighted, vinyl-safe vacuum head for vinyl liner pools specifically. Do not use a plaster-rated head on vinyl.
Maintenance Tool
Vacuum Head — Plaster/Fiberglass/Painted
All-Surface Vacuum Head (VH-102)
Rated for plaster, fiberglass, and painted surfaces. Choose this one instead of the vinyl head if that’s your surface type.
Chemicals — Water Balance
What moves your numbers.
Single-ingredient chemicals only. No additive packages, no dye, no fragrance. Purity and consistency over brand loyalty.
Water Balance
Total Alkalinity Up
Sodium Bicarbonate
100% sodium bicarbonate, no additives, 50 lb bag. Raises total alkalinity.
Water Balance
pH Up
Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash)
100% sodium carbonate, no additives, 50 lb bag. Raises pH without disturbing alkalinity.
Water Balance
pH Down
Muriatic Acid
31.45% HCl, straight acid, no buffering, no fragrance. The only acid for pH reduction, no substitutes.
Water Balance
Calcium Hardness Up
Calcium Chloride
94% calcium chloride, 25 lb bag. Raises calcium hardness.
Storage
Bulk Chemical Storage
Airtight Storage Bucket
Gamma seal screw-on lid, true airtight double-gasket seal. For any bulk chemical bought larger than one dose. Never store different chemicals in the same bucket.
Chemicals — Sanitization
What keeps water safe.
Sanitizer
Liquid Chlorine
12.5% Liquid Chlorine
NSF/ANSI 60 certified, 12.5% strength, no dyes or additives.
Sanitizer
Cal-Hypo Shock
68% Cal-Hypo, 12x1lb Bags
Individually sealed 1 lb bags, safer against moisture exposure than a single bulk bag.
Salt System
Pool Salt
Morton Salt, NSF Certified
NSF-60 certified, 40 lb bag. No documented contamination pattern, unlike some competing brands.
Chemicals — Stain and Metal Treatment
What protects the surface.
Stain Treatment
Active Stain Removal
Ascorbic Acid
100% ascorbic acid, no additives, 2 lb. First step in the stain removal protocol for metal staining.
Stain Treatment
Active Stain Removal
Jack’s Magic The Magenta Stuff
32 oz. Active metal stain removal, following ascorbic acid treatment.
Chemicals — The Orenda Line
Ongoing prevention, daily use.
Orenda’s core lineup, cleared for brand mention. Used daily across the field route.
Orenda
Scale & Metal Chelant
Orenda SC-1000
Scale and metal chelant, 1 gallon. Ongoing stain and scale prevention, especially important for salt systems.
Orenda
Phosphate Remover
Orenda PR-10,000
Concentrated phosphate remover, 1 gallon. Strips phosphates that feed algae and undercut chlorine efficiency.
Orenda
Enzyme & Phosphate Remover
Orenda CV-700
1 quart. Catalytic enzyme plus phosphate remover, breaks down bather waste and oils while keeping phosphates in check.
Orenda
Chitosan Clarifier + Enzyme
Orenda CE-Clarifier
1 gallon. All-natural chitosan clarifier with added enzymes, no blue dye or synthetic polymers.
Equipment
What runs the system.
Pentair brand exclusively. One flag before you buy: some Pentair equipment (including salt cells and pumps) falls under Pentair’s TradeGrade policy, meaning warranty coverage may be limited when purchased online rather than through an authorized dealer. These are legitimate listings, just worth knowing going in.
Filter
420 sq ft
Pentair Clean & Clear Plus 420
Cartridge filter, 420 sq ft. Replacement cartridges below.
Filter
520 sq ft
Pentair Clean & Clear Plus 520
Cartridge filter, 520 sq ft. Replacement cartridges below.
Salt System
Salt Cell — Up to 13,000 gal
Pentair IntelliChlor IC20
Rated 20,000 gallons. Sized using capacity × 1.5 for cell longevity margin.
Salt System
Salt Cell — Up to 20,000 gal
Pentair IntelliChlor Plus30
Rated 30,000 gallons. Sized using capacity × 1.5 for cell longevity margin.
Salt System
Salt Cell — Up to 30,000 gal
Pentair IntelliChlor IC40
Rated 40,000 gallons, the closest available size at this tier. Sized using capacity × 1.5 for cell longevity margin.
Pump
1.5 HP Variable Speed
Pentair IntelliFlo3 (011066)
1.5 HP variable speed pump, current generation model.
Pump
3.0 HP Variable Speed
Pentair IntelliFlo3 (011075)
3.0 HP variable speed pump, for larger systems needing more flow.
Off-Season Program
What closes it down right.
Product cards only. For technique (line blowouts, plug installation), consult manufacturer instructions or a professional. Air pressure equipment carries real injury risk if used incorrectly.
Winterizing
Skimmer Protection
Gizzmo Skimmer Winter Protector
Freeze protection for the skimmer body.
Winterizing
Line Plugs
Aquatix Pro Expansion Plugs
1.5 to 2 inch expansion plugs for skimmer and return lines.
Winterizing
Ice Equalizer
Swimline HydroTools Air Pillow
4×4 ft air pillow, relieves ice expansion pressure under a winter cover.
Winterizing
Cover Pump
Little Giant Automatic Cover Pump
1/3 HP, 1700 GPH, automatic on/off for rainwater removal from a winter cover.
Packages and Combos
Curated Amazon Lists.
Bundled starting points for common needs, built as Amazon Lists rather than a single product page. Coming soon.
Coming Soon
Amazon List
Chemical Pool Startup Package
Every Water Balance and Sanitization item on this page, bundled for a new pool or a fresh season opening.
Coming Soon
Amazon List
Chemist’s Circle Basics Package
Test kit of your choice, TDS meter, net, brush, pole, hose, and the correct vacuum head for your surface.
Coming Soon
Amazon List
Off-Season Shutdown Package
The full winterizing kit plus a closing shock dose, bundled for season end.