Hold the water test strips briefly in the pool water. After a few seconds, color fields will appear on the test pads. You can determine the water values by comparing these color fields with the color fields on the test tube. Using the color scale, you can then assess the water values of the pool water. Based on the results, you can see what maintenance your pool needs - for example, whether you need to add chlorine or if the pH level needs to be lowered or raised with pool chemicals. Hold the test strip in the water for 5 seconds, then hold it horizontally and read the results after 5-10 seconds of immersion.