Hi! I am very glad to have found TFP. We've had an above ground pool that we bought used and have been enjoying for the last few years.
Figuring out what amount of chemicals to add to my pool and how to interpret testing has been a challenge. I have done the best I could with limited information and periodic struggles with the green monster, though have always managed to get the pool back to clear. The last year we had the pool up I tried using bromine, with no real direction on how to do it. Somehow the pool stayed clear, but I am not sure why, because it doesn't seem I ever had enough bromine in it (I seem to remember using algaecide and shocking regularly).
This year I decided to do some extended research and was delighted to come upon your site. All of a sudden, many of the questions I have always had are being answered! I love Pool School and have read all the basic articles. I have ordered the TF testkit 100 and should get it by next week.
Here is where I am at now. I am giving up on bromine for this year. I would like to get a SWG but can't afford it at this point in time. So it is back to chlorine. Until I get the new test kit, I tested with my old test kit (Aqua Chem). I am not sure how helpful it is because the chemicals are at least a few years old. What I got was FC 0, PH 7.2, TA 40, CH 0. Don't have a way to test CYA right now.
My question is, what should I do while I wait for the new test kit? I know I need to be adding chlorine/bleach. I am not sure if I should try to raise the PH or add stabilizer or raise total alkalinity without knowing if my test kit is accurate.
Figuring out what amount of chemicals to add to my pool and how to interpret testing has been a challenge. I have done the best I could with limited information and periodic struggles with the green monster, though have always managed to get the pool back to clear. The last year we had the pool up I tried using bromine, with no real direction on how to do it. Somehow the pool stayed clear, but I am not sure why, because it doesn't seem I ever had enough bromine in it (I seem to remember using algaecide and shocking regularly).
This year I decided to do some extended research and was delighted to come upon your site. All of a sudden, many of the questions I have always had are being answered! I love Pool School and have read all the basic articles. I have ordered the TF testkit 100 and should get it by next week.
Here is where I am at now. I am giving up on bromine for this year. I would like to get a SWG but can't afford it at this point in time. So it is back to chlorine. Until I get the new test kit, I tested with my old test kit (Aqua Chem). I am not sure how helpful it is because the chemicals are at least a few years old. What I got was FC 0, PH 7.2, TA 40, CH 0. Don't have a way to test CYA right now.
My question is, what should I do while I wait for the new test kit? I know I need to be adding chlorine/bleach. I am not sure if I should try to raise the PH or add stabilizer or raise total alkalinity without knowing if my test kit is accurate.