If you’re about ready to post and ask some questions, you will first need to help us and yourself by getting some basics out of the way.
Profile
Please put the city and state in which you live in your profile. Your climate is important to the advice you receive.
Signature
Please put the following information in your signature.
- The size of your pool in gallons
- If your pool is an AG (above ground) or IG (in ground)
- If it’s IG, tell us if it’s vinyl, plaster/pebble, or fiberglass
- The type of filter you have (sand, DE, cartridge) and, if you know, the brand and model of the filter.
- If you know, please tell us the brand and model of the pump, and mention if is it a two speed or variable speed pump.
- Date of pool build/install, particularly important if less then a year old.
- What kind/model of water test kit you are using
- Other significant accessories or options, such as a spa , SWG, or cleaner
- Please mention if you fill the pool from a well or are currently on water restrictions
Please keep your signature to 5 lines or shorter. Everything above can be stated quite compactly. For example:
19K gal, IG vinyl, 1/2 HP WhisperFlo pump, 200 sqft cartridge filter, AutoPilot Digital SWG, Dolphin Dynamic cleaning robot
Information in your signature will show up each time you post. This helps the people answering your questions by providing the basic information that affects nearly all of our recommendations.
To change your profile and/or signature, select “Settings” (top right under Pool School button). Scroll down (left side) to “My Settings” & select Edit Profile or Edit Signature.
Asking for Help
When starting a thread asking for help with a specific issue please include the following in your initial post:
Test Results! Test Results! Test Results!
There is nothing more important than current valid test results. Here’s what we need.
FC – Free Chlorine
CC – Combined Chlorine
pH
TA – Total Alkalinity
CH – Calcium Hardness
CYA – Cyanuric Acid (stabilizer)
Borates – (if you are using borates)
Only the better kits have all of these tests, please read this article to understand why we need this information, and this one to see some test kit options. If you don’t have a test kit with all of those tests, many pool stores offer water testing.
If you cannot post these results – do not ignore that fact. Tell us you cannot post test numbers. If you can post only some, tell us you cannot post the others or we’ll ask if you forgot.
Nothing will help us solve your water chemistry issues quicker than current test results.
Note: Test results can sometimes change fairly quickly, so post new results if a few days, or more, have passed. Also, test results should go in the message, not in your signature (where they quickly become out of date).
Please tell us how your water looks. Is it crystal clear, cloudy, green? Just give us a description. Also, tell us how long it has looked like that – has it been green for 2 days or nine years?……it makes a difference in the advice we give on getting it cleaned up.
To review, add your information to your signature so it always shows up. Post your current water condition and those ever important test results! Failure to do so will only delay a response and hamper our ability to give effective, accurate advice.