Help, Please

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Personally, I would go with whoever has the fastest shipping (kit cost compared too). From day to day, one or the other can be the better value, but it's cents on the dollar. When you comparison-shop, look at the 2006C, not the 2006A. The A has less reagents.

Either way, it is money well spent. That horrible phos-free "bargain" you got is almost the cost of the kit!
 
You don't need phos free... You need chlorine and a test kit that can test high levels of chlorine and also a CYA level.

Everything you need to know to clear your pool is here. We're not here to make money off you. We just want you to understand your pool and enjoy it most of all. You've been given good solid advice.

Just remember this... If it's green, you need chlorine! Now go stock up on some bleach.
 
If you don't know exactly what your CYA level is right now, it would be best to rely solely on regular liquid bleach (generic is fine). The plain stuff. Tablets, pucks, and most bags of sock from the pool store tend to increase CYA levels, and yours may already be too high. We won't know until you get the proper kit and can confirm for sure.
 
Very few places have the recommended test kit. You will probably have to order it online. Leslie's carries a test kit for about $85. It's called the 81329 but not all stores stock it. You must get the kit that has the FAS-DPD test.

You can get the K2006C or TF100 for less than that online.
 
I went back to a different Leslie Pool store today for a water test and to look at their test kits.

They told me I should only need to test chlorine from 1 to 5 ppm for a residential pool and that anything beyond 10 is not necessary. I did not buy one of their kits.


Here is what their test said:
Free Chlorine: 0
Total Chlorine: 1
Alkalinity: 50
pH: 6.5
Cyanuric Acid: 20
Calcium: 50


They told me that ANY chlorine they sell is fine for my pool as it is apparently low on everything. They said to continue with the stabilized pucks, but that I need to immediately get my calcium and alkalinity up to prevent damage to my plaster. :-(


They sold me a 15 pound bucket of Calcium Plus and and a 10 pound bucket of Alkalinity up. I paid around $48


They said that I need to add each of these about 2 to 3 pounds at a time wait eight hours then come back for another test to see how much it changes my numbers.


Any ideas? I still need to buy a testkit, but I have some numbers now. I just don't want to have to drain and refill; I hope the water is salvageable.
 

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NETwizz, in all the time I went to my local Leslies Pool store, not once did they ever explain to me the relationship between CYA and FC based on the Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart. Did they explain that to you by any chance? I would not be surprised if most of the employees there didn't understand it. The stabilization they are recommending pushes your CYA higher, therefore requiring an FC higher than 5. It's quite simple really, but they never explain it.
The TFP methods work. But you cannot mix pool store advice with TFP care. With your own test kit, you'll understand why.
 
Your experience today proves why you should get a kit and trust the good people on the forum.

For example, Leslie's Alkalinity Up is sodium bicarbonate. Arm & Hammer baking soda is the same exact chemical but much cheaper! And, you don't know for sure that you need it right now.
 
OMG... I just started reading all that Pool School stuff... It blows my mind what I don't know. I now understand why when I was a kid and my parents had a pool it was always green. It was probably way over stabilized!

The pool store says my Cyan Acid is at 20. That means I need a minimum of 4ppm (they could be off by by a little and it could be 30). The pool store recommended 2 to 2.5 ppm. That's below the Troulbe-Free-Pool Target!

Nobody ever explained it.
 
I saw the pics of the test strips and thought "DUN DUN DUN!" Lol!
I'm new on this journey too. And I'm telling ya' - just buy the recommended pool kit. Give these fine folks here your numbers, and within 3 days you'll be SO glad you did. (It may take longer than that to clear your pool, but that's about the time things will start to "click".
Sorta like the Nike commercial - JUST DO IT!
:)
While waiting on your kit to arrive, see if you can find some 12.5% bleach (don't buy too much as this percentage is only good for about a month.) There's a thread about the best bleach prices that can help you locate it. And start looking at the sale circulars and stores for prices of the lower beach content so you will always know a good price when you need to stock up.
Cheers!
 
Ok as you seem to be learning, after two trips to leslies and getting swindled. Pool stores no matter what names on the outside make money off of chemicals. All you will ever need is liquid chlorine(bleach or concentrated pool chlorine compare prices in your area vs % of chlorine to decide) a one time does of stabilizer, and acid or base to control your PH. The other crud is like putting on a band aid when you need stitches or an amputation. The chlorine pucks of any kind are usually "stabalized" meaning they have CYA in them and other crud. You want to know every chemical you put in your pool every time you add something the only way to do that is avoid the pool store and use basic chemicals not pool stuff. Then and only then can you understand and know whats going on in your pool without unwanted chemicals messing up your day
 
One more thing, please put your pool information in your signature so we can give better specific advice, for now we have been dealing in broad strokes that apply to all types and sizes of pools, but as we go along it will help to know what type of pool you have, for example on the calcium mentioned above. Calcium is only needed in plaster/concrete pools and maybe fiberglass pools, but serves no purpose in a vinyl pool, so if you happen to have a vinyl pool either in ground or above ground that calcium increaser that Leslies sold you was a complete waste of money.
 
Feel beat-up yet??? Lol

We are just all about home-testing and using inexpensive chemicals.... Once you get your kit, and stay out of pool $tores, we'll not be so preachy!

And hey, I just noticed that you are already posting to help others. Good for you!
 

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