22000 gal pool, using 2 gallons of 10% bleach a week to maintain...

[gdog2004]

50 being acceptable on the low end comes from TFP recommended levels, which can be found here: What Are My Ideal Pool Levels? - Trouble Free Pool

Additionally the PoolMath app @ajw22 linked in his post above mine also outlines 50 as an acceptable minimum. If you don’t have the app I highly recommend, it makes calculating additions much easier and if you subscribe also logs your additions so you can view a record of test results/additions/maintenance performed/etc.

OK good to know. I think for the most part, most of the sources I mentioned
agree on general ranges for your pool for CYA and FC but differ on TA.
I will check out the app, Thanks! I am assuming it is available in the android play store.
I am a long time reader of this forum and have done BBB for awhile and the pool always looks great (as long as I stay on top of it)

 

[RMcGirr83]

TFTestKits is an independent company from TFP. They operate independently and make their own recommendations in their test kits.

They may be an independent company from TFP but I can pretty much guarantee they are owned and operated by the same individual(s). In fact doing a business lookup using the phone number provided on the tftestkits site produces this. It's good to be transparent.

 

[magiteck]

They may be an independent company from TFP but I can pretty much guarantee they are owned and operated by the same individual(s). In fact doing a business lookup using the phone number provided on the tftestkits site produces this. It's good to be transparent.
View attachment 336218View attachment 336219

It’s not meant to be a secret and is discussed on many threads here, but yes TFP and TFTestkits have the same owner. However, one (TFP) is a charity and the other (TFTestKits) is a business and as such operations and finances are strictly separate.

The owner operates TFTestkits personally and relies on admins and moderators to operate the charity/forum. Neither entity can legally influence the other. There is no advertising for TFTestkits on the forum, only private individuals recommending it based on our own research and experiences.

I get it can be confusing but ultimately this is why you might see differences in “recommended levels” and such between the two.

 

[superuser]

They may indeed be legally separate entities, but there's a financial benefit to paying to support this site, via a discount on TFTestKit products. I'm no lawyer, but that feels about as close to advertising as you can get without running afoul of the 503(c).

I'm guessing I'll be hand slapped by the staff, but I would imagine to the lay person the connotation is that troublefreepool.com mods do indeed "advertise" TFTestKits.com

 

[RMcGirr83]

I wonder if the 503(c) issues donation letters for donations greater than $250 per IRS regulations.

The 501(c)(3) donation receipt is required to be completed by charitable organizations when receiving gifts in a value of $250 or more. It’s utilized by an individual that has donated cash or payment, personal property, or a vehicle and seeking to claim the donation as a tax deduction. Often a receipt detailing the extent of all donations over the course of the year will be issued to provide the total annual contributions made by a single donor, the value of which can be deducted from their gross income.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I would imagine to the lay person the connotation is that troublefreepool.com mods do indeed "advertise" TFTestKits.com

Superuser,

I "advertise" Toyota, Samsung, PolyTec pools, the LaMotte ColorQ, Pentair equipment, and yes the TF-100, plus many other things.. And I bet I am like almost everyone else in the world.. I recommend the things that I have used and work well for me. If you see something nefarious in that, then the problem is you.. Everyone here is a volunteer, so we have zero reasons to recommend anything that we do not believe in.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I have chosen to move this to the Forums and Suggestions subforum as it appears to be more appropriate there as you discuss the forum recommendations.

Maddie
TFP Moderator

 

[gdog2004]

I have to say, I have always thought of the TF test kits as something affiliated with TFP. I had no issue buying the kits vs a Taylor kit or whatever because I always viewed it as financially supporting the forum I know and love that has helped me so much over the years. It sounds like I may actually be doing that indirectly being the same person owns both. Fine by me, I love the site and appreciate EVERYONES feedback.

 

[newdude]

Upon stupid amounts of positive feedback here, from regular Joe/Jane users with no connections whatsoever..... many of whom were even brand spanking new members.... I purchased from tftestkits and got the prompt service firsthand with quality products.

I now swear by them with personal feelings about it as I have seen with my own eyes. In the meantime I have read countless threads where a total newbie experienced delivery issues that were beyond the scope or fault of tftestkits, and watched Rebecca step right in and send a 2nd kit, no (or barely any) questions asked.

Until it’s proven to me otherwise, by real world users and not fake review bots, I will blindly use them for anything they sell. Maybe some other retailer has a slightly better price. Will eBay user 463845 step right in to help and/or come through as promised ? It’s not worth finding out to me.

 

[superuser]

Personal opinion, having been in the community forum space for decades (from user, to mod, to admin, to community platform manager a large internet media company), I haven't personally worked with any communities/forums structured under a 503(c). But since it seems to work here, it's nothing more than one guy's casual opinion. I haven't seen their financials

The only part that feels strange is the attempt to 'explain' the two entities as separate. They really aren't, and I think most people realize that. I've got nothing against the owners or the way they choose to setup their businesses. I've surfed the tftestkits website looking at refills and adding FAS-DPD to my kit. Haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I wouldn't hesitate to order from them based on peoples' positive reviews.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

They are entirely separate. No money crosses from the forum donation to the test kit owner. All funds raised for the maintenance of this forum are used for web site services and updating the program.

I find it kind creepy that this boggles you so much. A pool lover who was active on the forum for years bought the forum when the original owner wanted to end it. This kept the forum up and running. It later applied for and rec'd Not for profit classification from the gov. Nothing nefarious.

He also saw a need for a test kit that met specific ways we do things here. As you may have noticed not many test kits are on the market with the FAS-DPD tester, which we feel is necessary. So as a private business he made up the kit which was most handy and sold them on the side.

You are welcome to jump in and help answer pool questions just like I do- as a volunteer who enjoys pool ownership and remembers when I was kinda clueless as to what to do. Its a Pass it On idea.

Maddie

 

[Bigpaws]

I am aware that there are connections between the two companies.
I do not purchase all of my reagents from tftestkits. I do not feel there
is anything nefarious with these companies.

My purchases from tfteskits has been as expected. They go beyond my expectations
when I emailed questions. They had a product that was in limited supply. That item was
not on the website. I sent an email to tftestkits. A response was somewhere around an
hour later. They put the item back up for purchase so that I could order it. This is something
that I do for my customers.

These are the types of companies I like to do business with.

-Bigpaws

 

[gdog2004]

Well, financials aside...I don't really care who owns what or who profits from what. This forum has been a LIFESAVER for me as a once new pool owner, my only point of confusion was the recommended TA levels in the TFT test kit for a chlorinated pool (80-100) vs what is being recommended on the site (50-70) (which to be honest, differs from almost everything else on the internet) but I have settled in between 80-90 without any issue.