chemicals to have on hand?

[ag0207]

Hi Guys,

I am new to the forum but have been lurking for months...very impressed with the website. Anyway I am a new pool owner and was wondering what chemicals do you guys keep on hand? I am just taking over care and am getting ready to pick up some chemicals. What all do I need & how much? I know I will have to test regularly & that will tell me how much to add but I don't want to make daily or weekly trips to the store. Also where does everyone buy chemicals & what are chemicals/brands you guys like and dislike? Lots of questions I know.

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

You need a baseline set of tests first. Some pools have low pH and TA and some have high pH and TA. Most likely you will need pool salt, CYA, muriatic acid and bleach.

I buy pool salt, CYA and muriatic acid at Lowes and I buy bleach at Kroger, 8.25% store brand. I generally keep 4 gallons of bleach, 1 jug of CYA, 1 bag of salt and 1-2 gallons of muriatic acid.

 

[ag0207]

Thanks for the response.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to TFP ag0207

You'll need a good test kit like the tF100 and keeping liquid bleach stocked up for daily additions. The other items as mentioned by pooldv you'll likely have around once your tests indicate you need them as you likely won't use them up when you make an adjustment so you end up having them on hand. All the stuff we use is pretty easy to pickup at a grocery store, walmart or a big box store. Some people have a little trouble finding stabilizer (CYA) but at worst it's a couple days away with Amazon or Ebay. Well that and DE. Remember to use only DE that's specifically recommended for pools and not the stuff they use for gardening.

 

[Jezza]

I'd also like to add that the Poolmath feature is worth it's weight in gold to accurately calculate your chemical additions and check that your working within the recommended parameters.