We are in our 4th year with an above ground pool. But this year we cannot keep chemicals in our pool. We are using htm test strips, and regularly take water samples to our pool store. But nothing we do will balance or maintain any free chlorine??? We are lost?
Frustrated!!
- Thread starter Johntrena99
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!!!We do not trust pool store testing or test strips ... hard to say which one is less reliable.
If you truly are ready to take control, you need to invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits and post up a full set of test results.
We can certainly get your pool squared away and make the maintenance easier and the water better than you have imagined is possible.
While waiting for the test kit to arrive, take a look at Pool School. Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool
Welcome to TFP!
+1 to a great test kit. I use the TF-100 and I buy it at TFTestkits.net. it is the best value.
+1 to a great test kit. I use the TF-100 and I buy it at TFTestkits.net. it is the best value.
You are in the pol store loop.
Here's how it works...you buy a pool and the pool store experts tell you to buy lots of "shock" and algaecide and sequestrates and other potions and pour them in your water. All is well for a couple of years, except for the huge loss of money. You keep going back because your water looks fine and aside from a few green days, everything is fine. After a few years, in your case 4, the junk that the pool store pushers have sold you have polluted your water so much that you can't seem to "balance" your water anymore, but they sell you some more potions to get you by for a while. Eventually, they will tell you that your water is "old" and must be changed, oh and by the way, here is a $200 package of chemicals that you need to put into the water. again, for a few years everything is fine...repeat again. All this time, the pool store has paid their mortgage on their fancy vacation home on your dime!
Here on this site, the emphasis is on quality testing and adding ONLY and EXACTLY what is needed to maintain your pool water. No more "dump this in and see if it works".
Listen and learn and you will be A)Much smarter B)Self sufficient and C)Paying your OWN mortgage instead of the pool store owners.
Here's how it works...you buy a pool and the pool store experts tell you to buy lots of "shock" and algaecide and sequestrates and other potions and pour them in your water. All is well for a couple of years, except for the huge loss of money. You keep going back because your water looks fine and aside from a few green days, everything is fine. After a few years, in your case 4, the junk that the pool store pushers have sold you have polluted your water so much that you can't seem to "balance" your water anymore, but they sell you some more potions to get you by for a while. Eventually, they will tell you that your water is "old" and must be changed, oh and by the way, here is a $200 package of chemicals that you need to put into the water. again, for a few years everything is fine...repeat again. All this time, the pool store has paid their mortgage on their fancy vacation home on your dime!
Here on this site, the emphasis is on quality testing and adding ONLY and EXACTLY what is needed to maintain your pool water. No more "dump this in and see if it works".
Listen and learn and you will be A)Much smarter B)Self sufficient and C)Paying your OWN mortgage instead of the pool store owners.
Avoid pool stores!!! The more troublesome your pool is, the more money they make; They have no incentive to clear your pool.
If you've been chlorinating with solids (puck or powder), test your CYA yourself (with recommended test kit); it may be so high the chlorine you add no longer works (how CYA level affects chlorine demand).
Our Trouble Free Pool (deck still under construction):
If you've been chlorinating with solids (puck or powder), test your CYA yourself (with recommended test kit); it may be so high the chlorine you add no longer works (how CYA level affects chlorine demand).
Our Trouble Free Pool (deck still under construction):