Hello Swimmers...
This is my first post on the forum and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Chester and I live in Casa Grande, Arizona which is within the Sun-Belt so I expect to have some particular difficulties trying to maintain a healthy Pool for my family & friends to swim in. Average daily temperature now is 106 with constant sunlight (except for Monsoon storms), along with dirt devils & dust storms regularly, as my home is also within dust-bowl alley.
Our new pool (Gunite with Stonescape Mini-Pebble finish) was completed this past Wednesday. This is the 1st Pool we've ever owned and I look forward to learning how to care for it properly. The Pool itself is 12' wide X 26' Long with small built-out corners. Its depth ranges from approximately 3-1/2' - 6-1/2', and I was told that it's capacity is approximately 10,600 GAL. I didn't have any expectations of the Pool Contractor with regard to chemical maintenance, but in hindsight would have been more relieved to have been given a reference guide or something similar as a starting point. I admit that I'm more than a little intimidated by the thought of trying to maintain a healthy chemical balance in it, as I have no prior experience working with chemicals whatsoever or clue as to where to begin to find the information that I need.
The Pool Contractor left me a 100 test-strip canister of Aquachek "Pro". I purchased a test kit online hoping that it would offer more accuracy, and tested the water today for the first-time using this "ColorQ Pro 7 Plus" kit and an "Etekcity" PH Meter.
The readings from today's water-test were; PH 7.7 (8.68 on the meter), ALY 82, CYA 29, and CH 15. For whatever reason the reading for FCL & TCL weren't numeric, and showed "Lo" for each. Regardless, I have no-idea at this point as to what to do with these results.
Would it be wise for me to hire a Pool Maintenance outfit before the elements jeopardize the Pool or equipment, until I can learn how to maintain it myself? I do feel less anxious now that I've located the "TFP" website though, and am grateful that it's available for newbie's such as myself.
I'll be completing my profile shortly, but any suggestions would be much appreciated...
Chester
This is my first post on the forum and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Chester and I live in Casa Grande, Arizona which is within the Sun-Belt so I expect to have some particular difficulties trying to maintain a healthy Pool for my family & friends to swim in. Average daily temperature now is 106 with constant sunlight (except for Monsoon storms), along with dirt devils & dust storms regularly, as my home is also within dust-bowl alley.
Our new pool (Gunite with Stonescape Mini-Pebble finish) was completed this past Wednesday. This is the 1st Pool we've ever owned and I look forward to learning how to care for it properly. The Pool itself is 12' wide X 26' Long with small built-out corners. Its depth ranges from approximately 3-1/2' - 6-1/2', and I was told that it's capacity is approximately 10,600 GAL. I didn't have any expectations of the Pool Contractor with regard to chemical maintenance, but in hindsight would have been more relieved to have been given a reference guide or something similar as a starting point. I admit that I'm more than a little intimidated by the thought of trying to maintain a healthy chemical balance in it, as I have no prior experience working with chemicals whatsoever or clue as to where to begin to find the information that I need.
The Pool Contractor left me a 100 test-strip canister of Aquachek "Pro". I purchased a test kit online hoping that it would offer more accuracy, and tested the water today for the first-time using this "ColorQ Pro 7 Plus" kit and an "Etekcity" PH Meter.
The readings from today's water-test were; PH 7.7 (8.68 on the meter), ALY 82, CYA 29, and CH 15. For whatever reason the reading for FCL & TCL weren't numeric, and showed "Lo" for each. Regardless, I have no-idea at this point as to what to do with these results.
Would it be wise for me to hire a Pool Maintenance outfit before the elements jeopardize the Pool or equipment, until I can learn how to maintain it myself? I do feel less anxious now that I've located the "TFP" website though, and am grateful that it's available for newbie's such as myself.
I'll be completing my profile shortly, but any suggestions would be much appreciated...
Chester