hello all, i have a 12,500 gal. softswim AG pool. this year in start-up chemicals is was $294.00!!
RIDICULOUS. $20 for clairifier $24 for algicide $30 for bactericide $20 for balance pak 100 and 200 $25 for balance pak 300. now to let my blood pressure go down. would it be cheaper in the spring to just drain the pool down to 5-10" and buy 1 bottle of A, B, and C instead of all that **** they sucker you into like stain control, poly-crap blue. and the rest of it.

Hi, I am not as familiar with biguanide pool systems, but as far as I know the only substitute for the biguanide would be to switch over to chlorine. You have to have some type of sanitizer in the water for it to be safe and I am not aware of a generic biguanide.

All the balance pak stuff has a generic equivalent. Look at the active ingredient on the label and google it to find the generic. A properly sanitized pool will not need algaecide and should not need clarifier.

We call that being pool stored.

You don't need clarifier, or algaecide, or bactericide. Balance Pak 100 is exactly the same stuff as baking soda, and grocery store baking soda is not only one quarter of the price, it is also a higher grade purer version. Balance Pak 200 is the same chemical as washing soda, also available from the grocery store for less, though not quite as dramatic a savings, and so on. It depends on the pool, but I would guess you could do the entire startup for $30 to $50, or less if you are really careful.

As long as you're in that deep, what's another C-note? Head over to http://tftestkits.net and order up a TF100 with the speedstir option. You'll be able to test the water and add only what you need, rather than going yo-yo route that the pool store guides you down, and next year at startup, you'll be able to do it faster and cheaper too.

I say, you switch over to chlorine and call it good.

Now hold on there my friend, you must not shoot off too quickly! Remember that water is espensive, here in France it is cost me $130 to refill my pool water! And because of the global warming cooling their is no rain now and my well is empty, so I cannot use that water.

But then you will find the good advise here to fix your water. This is the best list here I am found.

Maybe your well will return when Global warming cooling warming returns...

Yes then well maybe that you are right now. They say it will rain finaly today, we have now 2 month with allmost no rain!

hello, renohuskerdu i contacted kingston terill my current water district and they said it would be $60-$70. so next spring i will be draining my pool. Thanks for all the help guys.