This is my first post here...found this forum after trying to research phosphate problems with pools...needless to say that was after I bought the pool stores $46 jug of Phosfree...
I have aqua check test strips and I don't know how to post the equivalent #s that everyone always does, but I've ordered a kit from this site tf100 something or another...all areas of the strip are "in range" except FC...and I can't figure it out.
The backstory...I bought a foreclosed home last year June and the home has a preexisting 24ft round AG vinyl pool...last year was a nightmare dealing with not really knowing how to maintain anything on the pool, to faulty equipment (sand filter w/ a busted valve) to eventually algae problems and the struggle continued until I nearly lost my mind and knocked it down...My wife and daughter were none to happy about my woes with the pool and begged me to give it another season. Fastforward to this season, purchase all new equipment, skimmer, de filter new pump etc.
Opened it up, green and murky. Connected all the new equipment, "shocked" and let run overnight. I will admit, I used the bagged powder version of shock (remember, still new here...). Water cleared up and there was some debris on the bottom. Test water...no FC? Shock it again and let it run overnight. More gunk on the bottom, vacuumed it up again and "regenerated" the filter (all new de and flushed it out). All the while, the rest of the chemicals are "in range" based on the cheapo test strips. So ph, cya alk all "seem fine".
Still having trouble with FC levels, my initial voyage to my local pool store to have them test and ask for advice...pool store tests with their strips (has more rows than mine) and he says I have TC but no FC was present. Told me to shock it using 3lbs all at once. So I trot back home, do exactly that and low and behold no FC less than 15-20 min later...again...Now frustrated evermore, head back to pool store with another water sample...this time they test for phosphates and it turns blue in this tube, sells me a $46 jug of stuff and explains what to do...So here I am, did what he said and started googling phosphates only to come upon your site which basically calls me dumb for thinking phosphates has something to do at all with my water...Any thoughts or feedback before I get my kit to get you guys more info?
The water itself is blue, clear-ish just a tad cloudy, no visible debris or algae forming that I can tell...
I have aqua check test strips and I don't know how to post the equivalent #s that everyone always does, but I've ordered a kit from this site tf100 something or another...all areas of the strip are "in range" except FC...and I can't figure it out.
The backstory...I bought a foreclosed home last year June and the home has a preexisting 24ft round AG vinyl pool...last year was a nightmare dealing with not really knowing how to maintain anything on the pool, to faulty equipment (sand filter w/ a busted valve) to eventually algae problems and the struggle continued until I nearly lost my mind and knocked it down...My wife and daughter were none to happy about my woes with the pool and begged me to give it another season. Fastforward to this season, purchase all new equipment, skimmer, de filter new pump etc.
Opened it up, green and murky. Connected all the new equipment, "shocked" and let run overnight. I will admit, I used the bagged powder version of shock (remember, still new here...). Water cleared up and there was some debris on the bottom. Test water...no FC? Shock it again and let it run overnight. More gunk on the bottom, vacuumed it up again and "regenerated" the filter (all new de and flushed it out). All the while, the rest of the chemicals are "in range" based on the cheapo test strips. So ph, cya alk all "seem fine".
Still having trouble with FC levels, my initial voyage to my local pool store to have them test and ask for advice...pool store tests with their strips (has more rows than mine) and he says I have TC but no FC was present. Told me to shock it using 3lbs all at once. So I trot back home, do exactly that and low and behold no FC less than 15-20 min later...again...Now frustrated evermore, head back to pool store with another water sample...this time they test for phosphates and it turns blue in this tube, sells me a $46 jug of stuff and explains what to do...So here I am, did what he said and started googling phosphates only to come upon your site which basically calls me dumb for thinking phosphates has something to do at all with my water...Any thoughts or feedback before I get my kit to get you guys more info?
The water itself is blue, clear-ish just a tad cloudy, no visible debris or algae forming that I can tell...