New to pool ownership

[Rsmith]

I made a deal with my wife last year. As a former motorcycle owner I was getting the itch to get back on a bike after 30 years. My wife finally relented last spring and I am now a proud owner of a Harley Davidson softail deluxe. That's the good news. In exchange for the bike she wanted a pool. We now have a pool and I am the guy who has to take care of it. It was built last fall with the exception of the finish and jump rock. The finish was applied and water was added 3 weeks ago. I attended a "pool school" at a local pool supply place and have just started to add some chemicals. I am beginning to think the bike was a mistake. We are sooo lost as to the direction to go in as far as water treatment and would appreciate any insight from anyone out there. An Intellichlor IC40 was installed with our equipment but we are undecided about salt or regular chlorine at this point. The pool place was pushing Mineral Springs but the blogs we found are surely pushing us away from that. What would be the best treatment to start with. We can always change, right?

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

Nice pool. What we teach is self management and the simplest amount of chemical additions to your pool. We also teach that p[recision testing of your water is the secret to a crystal clear, easily managed pool. I would suggest you read this first "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School.

That will give you the basics you need to start learning and making decisions.

So, to answer your question, "What would be the best treatment to start with.?" Chlorine is the very best sanitizer for your pool. All the other systems are simply not as good.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Your first and most important step is already completed - you registered here on TFP and have asked for help. We will gladly help you with your new pool!! (Sorry, pools only, I don't do bikes BUT CONGRATS on the Harley!!)

Your next MOST important step is to take control of your own pool water testing. That is a must if you want folks here to give you the very best advice. TFP considers pool store testing to be sub-standard at best. We do not use test strips here (we call then "Guess-Strips" because that's about as good as they get, a rough guess). We use the very best chemical testing available to residential pool owners - the Taylor Technologies test reagents. TFTestkits.net sells the TF-100 which includes all of the standard Taylor chemistries and, on Amazon, you can find the Taylor K-2006 test kit which is the flagship test kit offered by Taylor Technologies. One of these test kits is a MUST HAVE for pool ownership. We stress this not because we are trying to sell you something (no one here makes any money off test kits) but because these testing chemicals have a proven track record of accuracy and reliability that is unmatched by any other product on the market.

Finally, go to TFP's Pool School and browse all of the article, particularly The ABC's of Water Chemistry and The Chlorine/CYA Chart.

Once you get your test kit, post up water results and any questions you have and you'll be flooded with help.

Welcome to TFP

Matt

 

[Rsmith]

Thanks for the reply. So no to a salt system even though the builder installed the IC40?

 

[kimkats]

HI! I LOVE that pool and area! NICE job!

Salt should wait until 30 days out from fill. We will get back to that when it is time.

How about you start a thread in "Just getting started" and will answer all of your questions there. Let us know when you get your test kit. THAT is the most important thing right now.

Kim:cat:

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thanks for the reply. So no to a salt system even though the builder installed the IC40?

Sorry I wasn't too clear. Salt systems are well respected around here. I have an IC40 myself and I would not own a pool if I could not have an SWG.

 

[Rsmith]

Perfect. Thanks for clarifying. I'm at work and my wife and daughter are home brushing the sides . I had them test the water. Ill start a new thread in the "just getting started page and post some numbers. Look forward to all of your inputs. thanks

 

[Casey]

Nice! We're on our second HD! We have a Night Train.

Welcome!