Hello all. Greetings from sunny, hot and humid, often rainy Baton Rouge, LA. I had my pool installed/constructed/built 3 years ago at the constant, repeated, unforgiving, daily, never ending requests from my wife.
I guess I will start with the basics:
18x36 IG vinyl liner pool
1.5 HP pentair pump
large pentair tegalurus sand filter
inline chlorinator
kreepy krawley 4 wheeled automatic cleaner
water volume approx 25,000 gallons
one skimmer basket, 2 drains at deep end
4 water return jets
First, thank you for this site. I have been lurking and reading on here off and on for about 2-3 years. I know my method of keeping my pool clear isn't the cheapest, isn't the smartest, isn't the wisest, and I'm ready to start my own pool water testing and stay away from my local pool store as much as possible.
I apologize, but I am an EZ pool user. My pool builder suggested it. I have maintained virtually a clear pool year round since I built it. I enjoy taking care of my pool. But, I am spending too much dang money on it and I'm ready to take charge. I will simplify my pool care: when I am home from work (I work 24 hr shifts at the FD) I look at my pool every day. I empty my skimmer basket as needed. I empty my secondary basket on the pump as needed. I run my automatic cleaner about 2-3 times a week for maybe 3 hours. On either Saturday or Sunday I add 4 scoops of EZ pool to it, refill my chlorinator with the pucks, set my dial to 2.5-3.0 depending on the water test results, backwash and rinse (before adding my chems of course) add some Super Blue clarifier to it as a maintenance dose, and sometimes I will use perfect pool+phos free as a maintenance dose. I have my water tested at my local pool store every 14 days. I am not doing my own testing like a fool. But, I will have my Taylor K-2006 in tomorrow. My clean filter pressure is 20. I backwash when it rises to 25-26, that is normally every 14 days.
I just finished reading pool school for the second time and it makes perfect sense. I think I can do it. But, I am a bit apprehensive. Why? I don't know. I guess because what I am doing is working. But, I am tired of spending the $180 plus tax every ten weeks or so for the EZ pool. I understand it is copper sulfate based. I know I have too much CYA in my pool due to my pucks (last reading was 70). My normal chlorine readings are FC 2.0 and TC 2.0, that is where I was suggested to keep it. I guess because the copper sulfate in EZ pool is keeping the algae at bay. I have had no algae problems. I don't feel my local pool store is taking advantage of me. Many times I go in there, get the water checked, and am told just keep doing what you are doing.
My pool gets very hot during the summer. Mid 90's sometimes by the afternoon. It gets direct sunlight about 10 hours a day from 0800 - 1800 hrs. I am currently running my pump from 1000 - 2000 hrs, 10 hours a day. I run my pump year round, but dial back the hours during the cold winter months. I do not have a heater for the water.
So, why am I here? I want to take charge. I want to simplify. I don't think I need the copper based product. I think I can do it. If I don't need Super Blue clarifier, then I will stop using it. If I really don't need perfect pool+phos free, I will stop using it.
Question:
Is it advised to COMPLETELY shut off my inline chlorinator? That for some reason makes me nervous. My pool, I think, will manage the CYA levels if I dial back my inline chlorinator low enough to keep the level in correct range (due to sunlight)?
I would like to continue to use it, at very low settings, if possible. But, if the pucks are simply a waste of money, I will discontinue their usage. I spend about $95.00 on a 40 lb bucket roughly once a year.
I guess I will start with the basics:
18x36 IG vinyl liner pool
1.5 HP pentair pump
large pentair tegalurus sand filter
inline chlorinator
kreepy krawley 4 wheeled automatic cleaner
water volume approx 25,000 gallons
one skimmer basket, 2 drains at deep end
4 water return jets
First, thank you for this site. I have been lurking and reading on here off and on for about 2-3 years. I know my method of keeping my pool clear isn't the cheapest, isn't the smartest, isn't the wisest, and I'm ready to start my own pool water testing and stay away from my local pool store as much as possible.
I apologize, but I am an EZ pool user. My pool builder suggested it. I have maintained virtually a clear pool year round since I built it. I enjoy taking care of my pool. But, I am spending too much dang money on it and I'm ready to take charge. I will simplify my pool care: when I am home from work (I work 24 hr shifts at the FD) I look at my pool every day. I empty my skimmer basket as needed. I empty my secondary basket on the pump as needed. I run my automatic cleaner about 2-3 times a week for maybe 3 hours. On either Saturday or Sunday I add 4 scoops of EZ pool to it, refill my chlorinator with the pucks, set my dial to 2.5-3.0 depending on the water test results, backwash and rinse (before adding my chems of course) add some Super Blue clarifier to it as a maintenance dose, and sometimes I will use perfect pool+phos free as a maintenance dose. I have my water tested at my local pool store every 14 days. I am not doing my own testing like a fool. But, I will have my Taylor K-2006 in tomorrow. My clean filter pressure is 20. I backwash when it rises to 25-26, that is normally every 14 days.
I just finished reading pool school for the second time and it makes perfect sense. I think I can do it. But, I am a bit apprehensive. Why? I don't know. I guess because what I am doing is working. But, I am tired of spending the $180 plus tax every ten weeks or so for the EZ pool. I understand it is copper sulfate based. I know I have too much CYA in my pool due to my pucks (last reading was 70). My normal chlorine readings are FC 2.0 and TC 2.0, that is where I was suggested to keep it. I guess because the copper sulfate in EZ pool is keeping the algae at bay. I have had no algae problems. I don't feel my local pool store is taking advantage of me. Many times I go in there, get the water checked, and am told just keep doing what you are doing.
My pool gets very hot during the summer. Mid 90's sometimes by the afternoon. It gets direct sunlight about 10 hours a day from 0800 - 1800 hrs. I am currently running my pump from 1000 - 2000 hrs, 10 hours a day. I run my pump year round, but dial back the hours during the cold winter months. I do not have a heater for the water.
So, why am I here? I want to take charge. I want to simplify. I don't think I need the copper based product. I think I can do it. If I don't need Super Blue clarifier, then I will stop using it. If I really don't need perfect pool+phos free, I will stop using it.
Question:
Is it advised to COMPLETELY shut off my inline chlorinator? That for some reason makes me nervous. My pool, I think, will manage the CYA levels if I dial back my inline chlorinator low enough to keep the level in correct range (due to sunlight)?
I would like to continue to use it, at very low settings, if possible. But, if the pucks are simply a waste of money, I will discontinue their usage. I spend about $95.00 on a 40 lb bucket roughly once a year.
