Just want to introduce myself and ask what I need to do first

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BBBwannabe

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Aug 17, 2016
33
Southlake, TX
Hello All,

About to take possession of a house with a pool. I have never owned a pool, so I'm a little scared. I have read the "Pool School" and other parts of forum. Based on what I have read, I ordered the TF-100 Test Kit.The kit will not arrive until August 24th, I take possession of house August 19th. What do I need to do first? What chemicals should I have on hand? Should I have pool company maintain until I receive test kit? I am going to pay a company for a "Pool School". This will make my wife feel better

The pool is IG, Gunite with Quartz plaster. Doesn't appear very big 8-10,000 Gallons, if I remember correctly. I will measure and post results later. The system is Chlorine. Had the entire system inspected, but don't have pump information in front of me. Hope you have enough information. I will post system hardware at a later time.

Thanks for your help and look forward to becoming a active member
 
Welcome. When are you going to take over the house. Homeschool from a local company sounds like a good idea but if you're going to follow the TFC message you will likely end up confused. If you post pictures of your pool and pool pump area the forum can probably help you understand it well enough to figure it out.
 
Welcome to TFP, you will love it here... :lovetfp:

The only chemicals that you will use on a regular basis are bleach/Chlorine and Muriatic Acid (MA). Having them on hand will not hurt anything.

The only thing I would add to the pool would be about a half a jug of bleach each day until your kit arrives. Please make sure any bleach is non-scented and not splash-less, just regular old bleach. You can use chlorine, but don't buy it at Home Depot or Lowes. Around here, their chlorine all appears to be from about 350 years ago.. :(

Once you receive your TF-100 and post your results back here, we can follow up with some instructions based upon your test data.

It helps us if you post the results in this order..

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

If you are like the rest of us, you new pool will soon be your "baby"..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Sounds like you are on the right path - a good test kit and some knowledge puts you miles ahead of where you would have been.

Definitely leave the pool service in place for now. Once you have a test kit - that will tell you how well they are handling the pool. Managing a pool is also a fair bit of work - best to keep some options open in the sort term.

Third Party "Pool School" - oof. If the goal is to make your wife feel better part of me thinks that is a bad idea. There is a huge disconnect in the "professional" pool industry about the affects of CYA on active chlorine levels. The typical mantra is "Chlorine is bad, never have it over 3ppm and CYA levels don't matter" This is complete and utter stupidity. Unfortunately it is also virtually ubiquitous (at least in my experience).

Definitely have someone come over - show you how the pumps and valves work, etc. A brief tutorial on chemistry is great - but I wouldn't get too specific. It's just asking for trouble.

If you and your wife would like to learn about chemistry from - well... chemists - you've come to the right place.
 
There's good advice in the posts above. The "Pool School" you attend will most always be at odds with what we teach. I know it makes you wonder about us but just keep reading the thousands of voluntary testimonials on here.........you just can't make that up.

While you are waiting on your kit, please read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. It's the beginning of everything we teach.
 
The pool school will probably help you on how all the equipment/valves and programing will work. After that take on all the testing and chemistry using these methods.
 

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Just so everyone is on the same page, I have a few questions.
Who is currently maintaining the pool?
You mention that it's is chlorine. Do you mean pucks, powder or liquid?
What does the water look like?
Can you post some pics?
 
BBBwannabe said:
Southlake is overpriced! I'm sure I paid too much for this house, but backyard is beautiful. In your first response, you said add half jug of liquid chlorine each day? So add two quarts of Chlorine?
Click to expand...

BBB,

That was just a ballpark guess to keep some chlorine in your pool while you wait for your TF-100 to come in on the 24th. Worst case, if not needed, it will raise your FC a little above normal. The key is to not add something that is not needed and might cause some harm. We will be able to provide you with some specific instructions after your report back with your first test data.

Jim R.
 
wjr75 said:
The pool school will probably help you on how all the equipment/valves and programing will work. After that take on all the testing and chemistry using these methods.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to snap pictures of how valves are positioned during certain functions. That way you know how to get them set back to normal operation.


--------------

Don't ever hesitate to try something new. Remember amateurs built the ARK and professionals built the TITANIC.
 
pabeader said:
Just so everyone is on the same page, I have a few questions.
Who is currently maintaining the pool?
You mention that it's is chlorine. Do you mean pucks, powder or liquid?
What does the water look like?
Can you post some pics?
Click to expand...
Not sure who has been maintaining pool. Water is clear. Looks well maintained. Also, not sure how the previous homeowner was chlorinating.

- - - Updated - - -

I will snap some photos of Pool and Equipment. Pool kit arrived early. Take possession of house and pool today. I will post results as soon as I conduct test. Thanks for a the help!
Surf_ox said:
It wouldn't hurt to snap pictures of how valves are positioned during certain functions. That way you know how to get them set back to normal operation.


--------------

Don't ever hesitate to try something new. Remember amateurs built the ARK and professionals built the TITANIC.
Click to expand...
 
wjr75 said:
The pool school will probably help you on how all the equipment/valves and programing will work. After that take on all the testing and chemistry using these methods.
Click to expand...

This, 100%. The pool company will be able to tell you all about how your plumbing, filter, programming, lights, etc all work. When they talk about chemials, just smile nicely, nod a lot, and then don't buy anything from them (or let them add anthing to the pool).

As others have said, read the section here on water chemestry (paying close attention to the interaction between CYA and Free Cholrine). All you really need to maintain a pool, most of the time, is a souce of CYA free chlorine (bleach, liquid chlorine, gas if you are insane, etc) and a method of pH controll (muriatic acid, borax, or whatever else floats your boat - I use dry acide in the rare instances I need to lower pH, and Borax when I have to raise it - lately the rain must be more acidic, because I have to raise my pH after a good storm).

The main point to understand is to be a simple a possible. Need to add Cl? Then add Cl, and nothing else, by using bleach. When you start adding all these crazy chemicals that have other chemicals built into them, that is when you get into trouble.


-dave
 
In my opinion, do your pool school right here. Otherwise you're going to get confused and conflicting advice. I took possession of a home with my first pool ever little over six months ago, this site has been a lifesaver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for all the responses. Went to closing. Funds have not been released so, I don't have keys. I going to have to go to work, so test results and pictures will be posted tomorrow. Went to Kroger and bought two gallons of 8.25% regular bleach and Home Depot for a gallon of Muriatic Acid. Ill be all prepared tomorrow. Looking forward to comments based on test results and photos. I will also measure pool to get a more accurate water capacity. Not sure if its 8k or 10k gallons.
 

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