I went to Leslie's today to check out their store and chlorine program, and I was talking with an employee there. She told me to try to avoid liquid chlorine, because it "adds salt to your pool which does nothing for it". Now, I already knew it adds salt (thanks to Pool Math), but doesn't salt make the water a little softer? It wouldn't really matter to me about her mentioning that, until she told me to use calcium hypochlorite. I asked her "doesn't it add calcium to the pool", and she said no. I always thought it added calcium to the pool and increased calcium hardness. Isn't that worse for the pool than the salt?
She also told me to try phosphate remover. Is this necessary if I don't have algae growing? Can someone explain to me what exactly phosphates do to the pool besides feeding algae and causing cloudy water. Is it worth using? She also said she would test my water for phosphates, and it looked like she was going to do it with a test kit. Are there any test kits that test for phosphates?
I just looked at Pool Math again and noticed that cal-hypo also adds more salt! Am I missing something, or is this total ****. She seemed to know a little more than me, and was very helpful and kind.
She also told me to try phosphate remover. Is this necessary if I don't have algae growing? Can someone explain to me what exactly phosphates do to the pool besides feeding algae and causing cloudy water. Is it worth using? She also said she would test my water for phosphates, and it looked like she was going to do it with a test kit. Are there any test kits that test for phosphates?
I just looked at Pool Math again and noticed that cal-hypo also adds more salt! Am I missing something, or is this total ****. She seemed to know a little more than me, and was very helpful and kind.