I really like this site, wish the internet had all this information when I opened my first pool 15 years ago. There was only one site that I found back then that told the truth poolsolutions dot com
I remember the excitement of my first pool, I just wanted it to be perfect. My male ego was stoked with chemical test kits, filter system, chlorine, bromine, ionization, ………*Tim Taylor grunt*
I had my newly assembled pool filled with crystal clear water and swore to the pool gods it would always stay this way. I eagerly went to town filling my test tubes and chart checking.
Oh LORD….not enough PH…..I ran to pool store with water sample. I was sold some PH up powder….and felt so relived, now I can repair my hidden problem.
Added the PH up and now something went wrong with my alkalinity…..OMG my pool is falling apart,I run back to store with another sample.
Added more pool store junk to pool….even had to add muric acid…, plus more PH up / PH down…this cycle went on for several weeks.
I also noticed sand in my pool and went back to the store for help. The store sells me new cartridge filer system and a Bromine dispenser which was described as a gentler sanitizer for my pool water.
Swapped out my sand filter and Bromine dispenser……now sure that I would be master of my pool domain!
Nooo, Noooo, Noooo…PH problems again……what the heck is going on! Several hundred dollars and several pool store recommendations without solution except making my wallet lighter.
I felt beaten and just gave up…..and tried to enjoy my pool…The water looked clear and clean but I knew it really wasn’t because I had the test results.
Well the weeks went by and nobody died swimming, my pumps and equipment kept running. Although I found the frequent filter cartridge cleanings disgusting and replacement’s very costly.
Then it happened, a very hot month and I slacked off on the Bromine and my pool turned green. Back to the pool store, I added algaecide, clarifier, ton of other junk but could not completely de-green my pool.
Back to the store and the same guy who sold me the Bromine said I need to use chlorine and only that can kill agae. I added chlorine shock and my pool turned into a funky green grey smog….I found out that the Bromine and Chlorine are not friends.
I felt defeated, almost to the point I should drain it and start over….. Then I found poolsolutions Wow, I found out I was a sucker in a multi million dollar business scam.
Some of the basics I learned :
1. Chlorine is the best sanitizer.
2. Sand filters are simple and easy to maintain.
3. 20 mule Borax is all I need to PH adjustments.
4. Clarifiers works great for small contaminants.
I found that the original sand filter I installed only malfunctioned because I put regular sand in it (dope). Pool filter sand is a bit coarser, so I changed the sand and began filtering my pool.
I added more super shock, and patiently waited a few days and my pool turned blue again, but cloudy. I added a several ounces of clarified and waited a few days. I vacuumed up all the dead algae on the bottom.
Checked my PH and added the Borax , about 1/3 a box at a time until proper PH was met. The Borax does not cause the alkalinity to fluctuate like the store chemicals.
Wow my pool was crystal clear again!
Now that 15 years have gone by as a pool owner…..i can say my main cost in operating my pool is the electricity for running the pump.
I used 3” chlorine tablets in a dispenser, I don’t even look at my PH….since that balance is only important if you have a pool heater. I have found that PH will stabilize into a normal ranges naturally.
The sand in my filter will last forever if I routinely backwash and rinse.
I remember the excitement of my first pool, I just wanted it to be perfect. My male ego was stoked with chemical test kits, filter system, chlorine, bromine, ionization, ………*Tim Taylor grunt*
I had my newly assembled pool filled with crystal clear water and swore to the pool gods it would always stay this way. I eagerly went to town filling my test tubes and chart checking.
Oh LORD….not enough PH…..I ran to pool store with water sample. I was sold some PH up powder….and felt so relived, now I can repair my hidden problem.
Added the PH up and now something went wrong with my alkalinity…..OMG my pool is falling apart,I run back to store with another sample.
Added more pool store junk to pool….even had to add muric acid…, plus more PH up / PH down…this cycle went on for several weeks.
I also noticed sand in my pool and went back to the store for help. The store sells me new cartridge filer system and a Bromine dispenser which was described as a gentler sanitizer for my pool water.
Swapped out my sand filter and Bromine dispenser……now sure that I would be master of my pool domain!
Nooo, Noooo, Noooo…PH problems again……what the heck is going on! Several hundred dollars and several pool store recommendations without solution except making my wallet lighter.
I felt beaten and just gave up…..and tried to enjoy my pool…The water looked clear and clean but I knew it really wasn’t because I had the test results.
Well the weeks went by and nobody died swimming, my pumps and equipment kept running. Although I found the frequent filter cartridge cleanings disgusting and replacement’s very costly.
Then it happened, a very hot month and I slacked off on the Bromine and my pool turned green. Back to the pool store, I added algaecide, clarifier, ton of other junk but could not completely de-green my pool.
Back to the store and the same guy who sold me the Bromine said I need to use chlorine and only that can kill agae. I added chlorine shock and my pool turned into a funky green grey smog….I found out that the Bromine and Chlorine are not friends.
I felt defeated, almost to the point I should drain it and start over….. Then I found poolsolutions Wow, I found out I was a sucker in a multi million dollar business scam.
Some of the basics I learned :
1. Chlorine is the best sanitizer.
2. Sand filters are simple and easy to maintain.
3. 20 mule Borax is all I need to PH adjustments.
4. Clarifiers works great for small contaminants.
I found that the original sand filter I installed only malfunctioned because I put regular sand in it (dope). Pool filter sand is a bit coarser, so I changed the sand and began filtering my pool.
I added more super shock, and patiently waited a few days and my pool turned blue again, but cloudy. I added a several ounces of clarified and waited a few days. I vacuumed up all the dead algae on the bottom.
Checked my PH and added the Borax , about 1/3 a box at a time until proper PH was met. The Borax does not cause the alkalinity to fluctuate like the store chemicals.
Wow my pool was crystal clear again!
Now that 15 years have gone by as a pool owner…..i can say my main cost in operating my pool is the electricity for running the pump.
I used 3” chlorine tablets in a dispenser, I don’t even look at my PH….since that balance is only important if you have a pool heater. I have found that PH will stabilize into a normal ranges naturally.
The sand in my filter will last forever if I routinely backwash and rinse.
