Local Pool Store Water Analysis vs TFP Pool Math App

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IUsedToSail

IUsedToSail

Bronze Supporter
Jul 22, 2020
147
Maryland
Folks, I could use some advice on balancing my water. I noticed two small scale spots forming on the water line so I took a water sample over to our local pool store to analyze. I believe they use some sort of spectral analysis by BioGuard (See pics below)

I've plugged the numbers into the Pool Math app and go figure... the recommendations don't match up. I've noticed the recommended ranges also don't match.

For example:

  • The App wants me to add 3lbs of baking soda, the pool company is pushing 18.5lbs of "Balance PAK 100". Recommended range 60-80 vs 80-125
  • The App wants 26lbs of Calcium Chloride, the pool company is calling for 5lbs of "Balance PAK 300". Recommended range 350-550 vs 200-275
I could use some advice on how to move forward.

thanks!
 

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WWells said:
Looks like for alkalinity you are the the low end but acceptable, you can increase it with baking soda from store. PH is ideal, need to increase CH as do I right now, other than that....how does the pool look?
Click to expand...
The pool looks excellent, super clear. I'm working on dialing in my new CORE55 SWG, it's doing okay so far.

My 6yo has been blinking a lot the last two weeks and I thought maybe the chemistry is off. I have the TFP test kit, however I have not had a lot of free time this past week to run through the entire suite of test which is why I dropped a sample at the pool store.

I think I'm going to add the amount of baking soda the TFP app recommends and then something to raise up the CH....
 
You could run the whole gamut of test with your TF-100 in the time it takes you to run to the pool store and wait for them to give you "their numbers", and we will trust your numbers over the pool store's any day.

If your CH is anywhere near where they say it is, you definitely need to add some calcium to your water. However, our advice would be a lot more complete and thorough if we had all the tests from your kit.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CYA
CH
Salt
 
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IUsedToSail said:
I have not had a lot of free time this past week to run through the entire suite of test which is why I dropped a sample at the pool store.
Click to expand...

How long does it take you to test your water? For me, it takes me FAR less time to test my water than it would to drive to the pool store, wait for help, wait for them to do the test and then share the results.

I can do the entire suite of tests in less than 15 minutes.

Do you have a speed stir? If not I highly recommend it - it makes the testing SO easy.
 
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Donldson said:
Do not make adjustments based on pool store numbers. The app is meant to be used with accurate data, just because it is making a recommendation doesn't mean it is a good one. GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Click to expand...
Thanks guys! I'll run the tests my myself tonight and post them here.

As far as the pool store running the tests, I just sent a water sample with my wife when she went to the grocery store and she dropped in the bin in front of the pool store. They emailed the results about 45 minutes later. I have them do it once in a while since they offer it as a free service. What I find strange is that the recommended range numbers on the BioGuard chart don't align with the TFP recommended range numbers. I wouldn't expect them to align perfectly but the spread seems to be significant. Their charts definitely seemed to favor moving product.
 

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IUsedToSail said:
Thanks guys! I'll run the tests my myself tonight and post them here.

As far as the pool store running the tests, I just sent a water sample with my wife when she went to the grocery store and she dropped in the bin in front of the pool store. They emailed the results about 45 minutes later. I have them do it once in a while since they offer it as a free service. What I find strange is that the recommended range numbers on the BioGuard chart don't align with the TFP recommended range numbers. I wouldn't expect them to align perfectly but the spread seems to be significant. Their charts definitely seemed to favor moving product.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure "Bio Guard" wants to sell you stuff. Funny how that works?
 
Some of the range differences between TFP and the pool store are based on the chemicals we use. Pool stores usually recommend higher TA (80-120) than TFP (60-80). Much of that has to do with the fact that most people that use the pool store use tablets and hard chlorine (shock) for their day to day chlorination. All of that stuff is acidic and it can crash your pH in a hurry. It can also crash your TA, so a higher TA recommendation is warranted.

Since TFP members use either liquid chlorine or SWG's to chlorinate, they don't get the same effect on their pH and TA. Those products are not acidic at all so the pH and TA will tend to climb over time, especially if their fill water has high TA like mine (330ppm) :mad:. So the lower TA recommendation is based on keeping the TA on the lower end so it doesn't end up pushing up their pH as fast. It's really as simple as that.

Other variations on recommendations are also based on the type of pool you have. A plaster pool requires a higher level of CH than a vinyl pool. The water can leach calcium out of the plaster if there isn't enough CH in the pool.
 
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Didn’t get a chance to do the tests this evening. The wife had me installing 1000ft of underground fence for her... err I meant THE KIDS new puppy. I voted for a Porsche and some how ended up with a puppy. (See my next thread on installing the fencing around a pool)

Anyway, I picked up some Clorox Calcium Hardness Increaser while at Walmart earlier today but was wondering if there is someplace I can just grab a big bag of Calcium Chloride instead... I’m not sure exactly what is in the Clorox product as there isnt a list of ingredients.
 
Okay... ran the full suite of tests this morning w/ my 6yo "assisting". See below.

The calcium hardness was a little better than the pool store's analysis. Over the course of the day I added 12lbs of the Clorox brand increaser, haven't run another test since the third bag was added. I also picked up some muriatic acid at Lowes for future fun with the alkalinity.

My SWG was cranking out a little too much chlorine last week so I reduced my pump run time, but now that it is sunny out I may need add two additional hours.

thanks,


==========================================
Home
------------------------------------------
Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 19000 gallons
------------------------------------------
Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 1.5 (10 hours ago)
CC: 0.3 (10 hours ago)
pH: 7.5 (10 hours ago)
TA: 100 (10 hours ago)
CH: 225 (27 minutes ago)
CYA: 90 (10 hours ago)
SALT: 3300 (10 hours ago)
==========================================
------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 06-06-2021 @ 08:57 PM
------------------------------------------
+ 64 Ounces of CalciumChloride

------------------------------------------
Test Results 06-06-2021 @ 08:30 PM
------------------------------------------
Calcium Hardness: 225

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 06-06-2021 @ 10:35 AM
------------------------------------------
+ 64 Ounces of CalciumChloride

------------------------------------------
Chemical Addition 06-06-2021 @ 10:34 AM
------------------------------------------
+ 64 Ounces of CalciumChloride

------------------------------------------
Test Results 06-06-2021 @ 10:32 AM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 1.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.3
pH: 7.5
Total Alkalinity: 100
Calcium Hardness: 150
CYA: 90
Salt: 3300
 
IUsedToSail said:
Thanks guys! I'll run the tests my myself tonight and post them here.

As far as the pool store running the tests, I just sent a water sample with my wife when she went to the grocery store and she dropped in the bin in front of the pool store. They emailed the results about 45 minutes later. I have them do it once in a while since they offer it as a free service. What I find strange is that the recommended range numbers on the BioGuard chart don't align with the TFP recommended range numbers. I wouldn't expect them to align perfectly but the spread seems to be significant. Their charts definitely seemed to favor moving product.
Click to expand...
yeah they want to sell a lot of product, as mentioned the other day I thought my CH was low and went to a local pool store (not chain) with a water sample, think my CH test from the TF100 are bad and I struggle with CYA, anyway after talking with the guy there for at least 20 mins he ran the test, computerized, all my numbers are in the range I like, "If it was my pool I wouldnt add anything" was the response to the test results, these guys arent selling junk like the big chain stores, they seem more into selling equipment....enjoy
 
So I just went to the pool store today (got my pool installed last summer) and got my water tested and $48 later I'm looking up what the balance PAK 100 consists of and I get ****** to see that I paid $23 for a 12 pound bag of baking soda when Costco sells a 12 pound bag for $7, then I stumble across this forum and realize that I too have fallen victim to the "you have to get the pool store to test your water and tell you all the products you need" when 5 minutes on this forum tells me I'll save so much money in the long run by buying a Taylor test kit.

First post, thanks for the knowledge pool people, and I can't wait to start asking all of the questions when I get my test kit
 
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