Test strips are notoriously inaccurate. They also will not measure the higher FC levels necessary to perform the SLAM.
New Guy Here!!!
- Thread starter Timreams
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I would not waste my money on strips, they are just terrible. Not that they are guaranteed to be much better, but get the water tested at a pool store that uses a drop based kit (not strips or computers).
Dave ships the TF kits out of NC, so you could have it in a few days.
Dave ships the TF kits out of NC, so you could have it in a few days.
****, i dont know anywhere around here that does a liquid test. pool city uses the same strips i usually use and these guys Waterworks Pool Supply Co use a computer.
ok so if i am reading the Pool School correctly i need to get my CYA or Stabilizer at or near 0ppm, then i need to add enough chlorine to get it to a "shock" level. i need to keep the pump running and filter clean and readjust my CYA and Shock daily. And just keep doing this until the algae is gone and the water clear?
Your CYA needs to be around 30. Once you are in the SLAM process, don't worry about anything in the pool other than FC. No need to measure anything else until the SLAM is complete. You are adjusting FC, not "shock". The word "shock" is a 4 letter word around here, it causes so much confusion we try to avoid it. If you say you are adjusting "shock", we assume you mean you are going to dump a package of dry pool shock stuff from the pool store into the pool.
No quite. You want some CYA in the water to protect the FC from the sun, but do not want the CYA to be too high. Then you maintain the FC at the "shock" level for that CYA. The CYA will not change. You just have to keep raising the FC back to SLAM level until you pass the 3 criteria to stop (which requires the FAS-DPD chlorine test).
ok, now i get it.
so since i dont have anywhere close to do a drop test is a computer test more accurate than a strip test?
Also in the beginning is the TF-50 test kit ok just to get the pool clear, once i prove to my wife your methods are better i am sure i can talk her into the tf-100 or better for long term testing.
so since i dont have anywhere close to do a drop test is a computer test more accurate than a strip test?
Also in the beginning is the TF-50 test kit ok just to get the pool clear, once i prove to my wife your methods are better i am sure i can talk her into the tf-100 or better for long term testing.
Well, many of the computers just use a test strip and the computer reads it. Why not for giggles and to make yourself feel 
get the water tested at both places and see for yourself how much they do not match.
The problem with the TF-50 is that it does not have as much of the FAS-DPD reagents. And since you need to SLAM, you are going to need a lot. Do you already have a pH test? The TF-50 does not have one.
get the water tested at both places and see for yourself how much they do not match.The problem with the TF-50 is that it does not have as much of the FAS-DPD reagents. And since you need to SLAM, you are going to need a lot. Do you already have a pH test? The TF-50 does not have one.
ok well, tf-100 or bust then i guess. maybe i can also find a better pool place to get my water tested. until i get the kit.
And if you can swing it, the XL option. I would hate for you to run out in the middle of the SLAM. Plus then you will have some left for the rest of the year and starting next year.
So here are my current numbers from the pool place. They do use a drop test then enter the values into the computer.
Tds - - - 1500 no idea what this means
Cya - - - 100
Tc - - - - 3
Fc - - - - 3
Ph - - - - 7.8
Total Alk - 130
Hardness - 200
Tds - - - 1500 no idea what this means
Cya - - - 100
Tc - - - - 3
Fc - - - - 3
Ph - - - - 7.8
Total Alk - 130
Hardness - 200
TDS is meaningless. It includes everything in the water like TA, CH, salt, etc.
The CYA is an issue if that is to be believed ... way too high requiring replacing at least 50% of the water ... again, if you believe the result.
The CYA is an issue if that is to be believed ... way too high requiring replacing at least 50% of the water ... again, if you believe the result.
they told me today those numbers are perfect and that I should have a crystal clear pool, then he said to throw 5 bags of shock in it.
if I throw 5 bottles of chlorine bleach in it would that do any good?
if I throw 5 bottles of chlorine bleach in it would that do any good?
Who knows. We do not recommend blindly adding chemicals.
5 121oz of 8.25% bleach would add 39ppm of FC ... that would almost get you to SLAM level if your CYA is 100+ppm ... and then you have to keep adding to maintain it there. BUT, you and the pool store can not test that high, so how do you know how much to keep adding?
You have to make a choice, get a kit and learn our methods, or keep trying the pool store method.
5 121oz of 8.25% bleach would add 39ppm of FC ... that would almost get you to SLAM level if your CYA is 100+ppm ... and then you have to keep adding to maintain it there. BUT, you and the pool store can not test that high, so how do you know how much to keep adding?
You have to make a choice, get a kit and learn our methods, or keep trying the pool store method.
oh for sure I don't want to do the pool store method, there is no way I am adding shock to my pool at this point.
I just need to get the pool useable for as cheap as humanly possible. telling my wife I need to spend $70 on a testing kit + whatever I am going to need to get the pool itself clear in not going to work. I can refill my pool for $300, I HAVE to be able to fix it for ~50% of that or less in order to convince her to continue with these methods. the problem is that so many people she knows have had pools for decades and never had algae.
I just need to get the pool useable for as cheap as humanly possible. telling my wife I need to spend $70 on a testing kit + whatever I am going to need to get the pool itself clear in not going to work. I can refill my pool for $300, I HAVE to be able to fix it for ~50% of that or less in order to convince her to continue with these methods. the problem is that so many people she knows have had pools for decades and never had algae.
Tim,
Literally everything we teach about Pool water management centers around you learning how to accurately test the pool water. Reading through this whole thread, it is apparent you are not able to do this.
There really is no point arguing with you further on the merits of what we teach since it will not help you in any fashion.
We wish you the best of luck taking care of the pool but the methods we teach and what you are able to do are just not compatible.
Literally everything we teach about Pool water management centers around you learning how to accurately test the pool water. Reading through this whole thread, it is apparent you are not able to do this.
There really is no point arguing with you further on the merits of what we teach since it will not help you in any fashion.
We wish you the best of luck taking care of the pool but the methods we teach and what you are able to do are just not compatible.
i don't even know how to respond to that. i understand the goal of your methods, but also know i have already spent $300 trying to fix my pool and if its going to take another $300+ that is just financially irresponsible.
Can you tell me beyond a shadow of a doubt i can fix my pool for less than another $300 using your methods, if you can i will order your test kit right now.
Can you tell me beyond a shadow of a doubt i can fix my pool for less than another $300 using your methods, if you can i will order your test kit right now.
The thread is going nowhere so I will close it. Patrick, you can certainly start a new thread if you like but you'll come right back to the same roadblock.....we cannot help you with TFPC unless you can post current test results that are valid......it's the heart and soul of everything we teach.
I would say that including a proper kit, you should be able to fix the pool for under $200 ... but non of us can make any guarantees.
This is the busiest time of the year on the forum and I agree with Dave, there are many people who are ready and willing to learn and this thread seems to be going no where.
Just read the many many posts like this one all over the forum:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/76060-Drain-it?p=657435&viewfull=1#post657435
This is the busiest time of the year on the forum and I agree with Dave, there are many people who are ready and willing to learn and this thread seems to be going no where.
Just read the many many posts like this one all over the forum:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/76060-Drain-it?p=657435&viewfull=1#post657435
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