Never did introduce myself, did I?
Hi! I'm munky--well, Kendra, but everyone calls me munky! I live in Naylor, Arkansas--which most people, even locals, have never heard of. It isn't even really a town. It's what Arakansans call a "populated area". So, to give you a slightly better idea, it's about 42 miles north (with a smidge of east thrown in for flavor) of Little Rock.
Current pool is listed in my signature. I don't have my good test kit yet, but I get to order it on Monday and I'm terribly excited! I can't wait to get reliable results, so I can keep my pool water looking as nice as all those pics I keep seeing around here!
It's our second season with this pool, and we've surprised ourselves by deciding we want to look into getting a "real" AGP next year. Heck, when we were looking at houses, one of our main requirements was no pool, 'cause we didn't want to have to do that much work! And even this little thing was a lot of work last year, before I found this place. Before setting it up this year, I deliberately went looking for some way to make it easier ... and found it here! Yes, one has to test the water regularly and make adjustments as necessary, but I couldn't keep chlorine in my pool for anything last year! And, not having taken the time to learn any better, I just kept putting chlorine tablets in the pump (1/2 tablets, actually, since that's all that'll fit) and shocking it every week. I hardly even used the crappy little test kit I bought last year, because I just didn't understand what it was telling me, or why any of it mattered!
So, for the last month or so, I've been lurking around here, reading tons of stuff about other people's problems--and the explanations not just of how to fix them, but why. You all are great about explaining why a problem occurs in the first place and why the solution you offer should fix it!
I've also been reading Pool School. I think I'm on my 4th round through. There's just so much it's hard to retain it all! I'm half considering printing it all out and putting it in a binder to keep with my pool supplies!
Oh, and "us" is me and my 65-year-old mother, who lives with me. I convinced her to come with me when work transferred me to Arkansas, since none of the rest of the family was left close by in Texas. There are also 5 dogs, 4 cats, 2 hens and an indeterminate number of guinea fowl, but they don't use the pool! Heck, one of the dogs appears to be immune to water. Tried to drop him in a kiddie pool once, and I swear he bounced off the water and landed halfway across the yard, perfectly dry--and thoroughly offended. The rest have been known, on occasion, to step into a kiddie pool, but nothing they can't stand in. Anyway, that's beside the point.
I'm excited to be here, and excited to be learning so many new things! Can't wait for my test kit to arrive. The whole family is coming in a few weeks for a reunion, and I want the water perfect!
Hmm ... that makes me think of a question. There will be kids--mostly older kids, but a few young'uns. Any special preparations I should make with the water? We're already making sure they can't get into the pool unsupervised.
And OMG, there's a monkey smiley?! :monkey:
Hi! I'm munky--well, Kendra, but everyone calls me munky! I live in Naylor, Arkansas--which most people, even locals, have never heard of. It isn't even really a town. It's what Arakansans call a "populated area". So, to give you a slightly better idea, it's about 42 miles north (with a smidge of east thrown in for flavor) of Little Rock.
Current pool is listed in my signature. I don't have my good test kit yet, but I get to order it on Monday and I'm terribly excited! I can't wait to get reliable results, so I can keep my pool water looking as nice as all those pics I keep seeing around here!
It's our second season with this pool, and we've surprised ourselves by deciding we want to look into getting a "real" AGP next year. Heck, when we were looking at houses, one of our main requirements was no pool, 'cause we didn't want to have to do that much work! And even this little thing was a lot of work last year, before I found this place. Before setting it up this year, I deliberately went looking for some way to make it easier ... and found it here! Yes, one has to test the water regularly and make adjustments as necessary, but I couldn't keep chlorine in my pool for anything last year! And, not having taken the time to learn any better, I just kept putting chlorine tablets in the pump (1/2 tablets, actually, since that's all that'll fit) and shocking it every week. I hardly even used the crappy little test kit I bought last year, because I just didn't understand what it was telling me, or why any of it mattered!
So, for the last month or so, I've been lurking around here, reading tons of stuff about other people's problems--and the explanations not just of how to fix them, but why. You all are great about explaining why a problem occurs in the first place and why the solution you offer should fix it!
I've also been reading Pool School. I think I'm on my 4th round through. There's just so much it's hard to retain it all! I'm half considering printing it all out and putting it in a binder to keep with my pool supplies!
Oh, and "us" is me and my 65-year-old mother, who lives with me. I convinced her to come with me when work transferred me to Arkansas, since none of the rest of the family was left close by in Texas. There are also 5 dogs, 4 cats, 2 hens and an indeterminate number of guinea fowl, but they don't use the pool! Heck, one of the dogs appears to be immune to water. Tried to drop him in a kiddie pool once, and I swear he bounced off the water and landed halfway across the yard, perfectly dry--and thoroughly offended. The rest have been known, on occasion, to step into a kiddie pool, but nothing they can't stand in. Anyway, that's beside the point.
I'm excited to be here, and excited to be learning so many new things! Can't wait for my test kit to arrive. The whole family is coming in a few weeks for a reunion, and I want the water perfect!
Hmm ... that makes me think of a question. There will be kids--mostly older kids, but a few young'uns. Any special preparations I should make with the water? We're already making sure they can't get into the pool unsupervised.
And OMG, there's a monkey smiley?! :monkey: