Yep, they got me. Long post incoming.
I inherited an aboveground pool, bought a house in the fall of 2021. I live in Northern Ohio if anyone's wondering. Pool sat neglected by previous owners, not sure for how long. One silver lining is I had a friend who had a pool before that was able to help me find a pump that goes with the filter system, and set everything up. I didn't even know where to start in terms of setting up a pump and filter system. But this friend also used the poolstore philosophy when it comes to chemicals, telling me I need a chlorinator and chlorine pucks. The stores also got me for phosphate remover, clarifier, algaecide, cal-hypo shock, test kit that I don't even use anymore, and probably some other things I don't even remember.
The first season two years ago was such a struggle. I shocked the pool with cal-hypo shock probably six times!!
Each time the pool seemed to get a little clearer and clearer, but there was still visible green algae that would come up when I scrubbled the bottom. I was getting frustrated. Then.... my liner all of a sudden got a hole in it that was too large to repair and I lost all my water.
. The fact this happened might be a both a blessing and a curse. I'm not sure how old the liner was but it sure wasn't new. If the liner hadn't gone bad, I don't even want to think of how I would have gotten the water to clear up for that first season (maybe I would have discovered TFP/SLAM then, who knows). My struggles to get the water clear if I had to guess were a combination of so much crud caked onto the bottom of the old liner, combined with not having the correct FC/CYA ratio consistently. Once I got the new liner installed with fresh water I was able to scrape through that season on the chlorine pucks. I think I first discovered TFP at some point during this season but had not taken the time to fully research the TFPC method.
Fast forward to last season, still using cal-hypo shock, shocked it a few times, pool just isn't clearing up. One problem is I didn't have any CYA in the pool, UGH. Another problem is my brand new hayward pump would not start properly!! I actually found a workaround solution here on TFP, although I can't find the thread. It was about this time I started visiting TFP more and reading the articles on pool school. I decided to give it a chance. Ordered a TF-100 test kit, got CYA in the pool, did a slam. The water came clear and it absolutely saved my pool season!! Due to delays with figuring out the pump problem I didn't even get the pool opened until late July, but I enjoyed the time I got.
Image of my pool after the SLAM was complete.
I sold my chlorinator and now only use liquid chlorine. I may upgrade to an SWG at some point. I am currently performing a SLAM to get my pool ready for this summer, and things are going great so far. Yesterday I threw away a bunch of stuff I had bought from the pool stores and will never use. Stuff I named in the first paragraph above. Not only was I "stored", I was also "poolcoursed". Before that first season, I was searching online for info and I came across an online video series that this so-called expert sells. I think it was something like $75 for the whole course. I won't name it because I don't want to advertise for them. While much of the info in thise course was good, it probably didn't tell me a single thing I couldn't have learned from TFP for free. And in terms of chemicals, yep it repeats the same stuff the pool stores do. I so wish I had discovered TFP then and use that as my resource, instead of wasting my money on this video course and all the pool store Crud. But at least now on the dawn of pool season #3 for me I have found a much better way, and I will never waste my money with them again. If there is one silver living, at least I had that friend to help get my going pump and filter wise, and did it free of charge. Without him, I would have needed to hire a professional, and that would have been even more hundreads spent on top of everything else.
I am so thankful for TFP and everyone who helps make this such a great resource. THANK YOU. I seriously need to become a supporter.
turboswim.com