chemical balance

Hello, My wife and I had our pool built during the construction of our home. The builders had someone taking care of the pool until everything settled and we moved in. This last visit he has was in March about 2 months ago now. I have not done any maintenance to the pool since we moved in other...

Hello, First season with a pool that came with the house we just bought. I think I’m getting close to getting things right but wanted some recommendations with chlorine and CYA. I bought a taylor K1004 test kit before coming here and didn’t realize it didn’t test CYA. Bought strips for CYA and...

Our pool tile is discolored in patches on our spillover spa. I have tried everything to clean it and nothing seems to work. Any suggestions on how to clean and how to prevent? Thanks!

Hi all, I’m new to SWG world and could use some help. Here are my numbers taken from Taylor Kit: FC: 4 Cc: 4.5 PH: 8 Alk: 110 CYA: 77 CH: 200 When I go to Leslie’s they are reading my TA as 62…So I read the post on TFP about SWG, CYA, and TA/PH relationship. The post says the following: “In...

Hello all, We have had our pool for two weeks, and the water had been nice and clear until 7/18 when we tested TA, PH, and FC and adjusted per the Pool Math app around 1600 cst, and ran pump 24 hours. Our water has went from pretty and clear to the color of the water in the attached photo...

Hi all, I know the best way to measure water is with a test kit but with 2 small toddlers and a busy work life I’m unable to measure as often as I’d like. Local pool companies charge a ton and often don’t balance chemicals correctly, while Leslie’s is just a pain and they always talk me into...

Hello TFP community! It's been one year since becoming a pool owner and joining TFP. I have learned so much but still have a ways to go, especially in the confidence dept. We started the year with a pump that died and the SWG also went out - they were both 10yrs old. All have been replaced...

This is our first year opening our pool and testing the water/maintaining it. We were built last year, and completed around early/mid August so we didn't have much to maintain before the pool builder closed us up. The pool builder "opened" by checking the system, cleaning the auto-cover, and...

Something has been staining my tile grout and cover a greenish color over the past few weeks (see photos), and I can't figure out what the issue is. I'm hoping someone here is more knowledgeable than me and may be able to help. My ~6K-gallon pool is technically still under construction in...

Hi, I have been doing my own testing for 4 months now and have some questions: The Total Chlorine is all over the place (from 5 to 27 to 11.5) the CH ppm has dropped to 275 after holding steady from 300-400 the TA is holding at about 100 the CYA has NEVER been as low as 40-50—but holds above...

I've been reading up on pool chemistry and the recommended ranges and the Total Alkalinity range seems all over the place. This site recommends 50-90 ppm (the lowest by far I've seen on any site), most recommend 80-120 ppm, another prominent resource for pools recommends 100-150 ppm, and the...

Hi - I am a first-time pool owner. We broke ground Feb 18 and we began swimming in mid-March this year. I am trying to follow the TFP methodology. It seems that I am going through about a quart or two of Muriatic Acid per week and several pounds of Baking Soda a month. Not sure if this is...

Our family is new to pool ownership and we're struggling to figure it all out. We've had an all out war with algae over the past few weeks but I think my wife finally won that one. Now we seem to be battling sunlight and pump run times. We’re burning through chlorine pretty quickly, although...

Hello, 1st time pool owner. The pool is a few years old and I am trying to get everything dialed in. Looking for any info/tips for maintenance and alternatives to my local Leslie's chemical. Would also be nice if anyone has any advice more specific to our area/climate near Alvin/Manvel/South...

Our pool is about a year old now and it has several spots that are discolored. I had the water tested and it was way low in calcium and ph was off also. I was using home test strips and according to the local pool store those are unreliable. I got the pool balanced but the discoloration remains...

Hi there, I just moved into a home with a pool, and I didn't really have much time to care for the pool. I'm trying to measure the chlorine level in my pool, and I am doubting whether or not I'm doing it correctly. For context, a pool company came out just yesterday and SLAMed the pool. I'm...

I’m new about pool treatment. After getting my pool complete fixed and looking brand new, the person in charge to take care it for 30 days like a new baby didn’t do the right job. Only show up 4 times in 3 weeks when supposed to be twice a day for 30 days. Anyway now I’m trying to learn how to...

Out of balance thanks to the heavy down pours this week. Rains are over now. Have kept solar cover on pool and know FC will go down when I pull back and get some sunlight on the water. Have also bypassed the chlorinator right now too so not adding more. Should I be concerned about the low pH...

After 20 some years of public pool usage I decided to have my own pool so I purchased and installed an above ground endless pool 1400gl soft vinyl, outdoor installation. Trouble is, everytime I swim, within few ours, I feel chest compression and burning lungs lasting til the next day. The water...

Hi, I'd be curious to hear about everyone's experience with chlorination strategies to figure out what would work best for me. For many years, I've been using trichlor pucks along with calhypo for shock with mixed success. It's been pretty painful to deal with the high levels of CYA and the...

Hi everyone. I tested my water for the first time today and was disappointed with the results. I’ve followed what the pool store told me to but now don’t really trust them so am planning on just doing it myself. I have only had the pool for a couple weeks but here is everything I have done so...

HELLO! I'm new here, & new yo owning a bigger pool than ever. Lol relax its only a 15ft, one of the quick set vinyl pools. Even thought some of my friend recommended me not to get it, I still have it. Anyway to the chase, I knew nothing of the cleaning till last week when I was @ the store I...

Hi folks! Just recently filled a Saltwater pool and am working on getting it leveled out. Got a TF-100 kit. We filled the pool on 5/18, added 100lbs of salt on 5/19, then after the salt dissolved after two days we put our pump on it’s “BOOST” mode and let it do its thing. Initial test showed...

Hi all - New on the forum and need some help diagnosing a weird white cloud that is getting kicked up when I brush my pool. Here's the story. I've been using chlorine bleach for the last few years to maintain FC, as opposed to tablets of any sort. In the last month I discovered the...