Used TFP methods all summer - questions remain

[Eilum]

This was my first year with the pool and used TFP method all summer. With two weeks left till closing, decided that it was too much time and money to continue daily testing and bleach additions, so threw some pucks in a floater. I dont mind CYA rising cause only a couple more weeks.

The pool has been crystal clear with a reading of FC 8 with the pucks and residual chlorine that I added two days ago

My question is whether the TFP method really holds a huge advantage over pucks. I am not suggesting using pool store with all their products - that is crazy. But why not use a combination next year? The TFP testing and use of liquid shock along with pucks? This way won't have to worry about FC ever reaching 0 and might not need the daily addition of bleach.

In terms of price, I found that the bleach and liquid shock really adds up and the $100 or so for large bucket of pucks might not be much more expensive than daily addition of 1/2 to 1 bottle of bleach.

What am I missing?

 

[pabeader]

You are missing the rapid build up of CYA. As long as you manage that by water replacement during the year, you can do the puck thing. There are effects on pH that you have to take into account also.

At the bottom of the pool math page is a thing that will tell you the effect of each puck you use.

In the end, TFPC is all about knowing what you are putting in your pool and what the results of that will be.

 

[duraleigh]

You are doing exactly what we teach here at TFP. You are managing your pool water because you understand the chemistry and have learned that you can vary a routine and still get clear pool water.

If you abandon your education and stop testing because "it's too much time and money", you should be careful that you don't slip back to the casual ways of pool management. One BIG dose of algae in your pool will quickly wipe out your "savings".

 

[Jimrahbe]

+1 to what bob says...

Our job is not to tell you what to do, but to make it possible for you to decide what makes the most sense for you and your pool.

The real savings with TFP is not the daily cost to maintain your pool, but the additional cost of all the unnecessary "stuff" the pool store sells to the uneducated.

Jim R.

 

[Isaac-1]

As the others have said the key to TFP is not abandonment of trichlor pucks, or any other method of chlorination, it is understanding of what is going on in your water through proper testing and chemical management. For many people the easiest option is establishing a fixed CYA then maintaining the correct FC level for that CYA level, but it is not the only way. There is nothing wrong with using trichlor, it is just harder to do as you suddenly then have a moving target for your proper FC chlorination level, one that using trichlor alone will only hit for so long until CYA builds up out of control without some volume of water replacement.

 

[MarianParoo]

To give you a rough idea about the impact of pucks, every 10ppm of FC added by trichlor results in a raise in CYA of 6ppm. Every 10ppm of FC added by dichlor results in a raise in CYA of 9ppm. They also lower your pH.

 

[Eilum]

Thanks, it is so good to know that I have learned the system and that I am not making a mistake. This website is unbelievable!!

Thank you for all the info and all the help.