Just saying hi!

[Charlize]

Hi guys,

We are a couple in Thailand that are getting a pool built these days. Its an in-ground pool 12x6 meter, and we are very excited about getting it. We have been reading the pool school and learning a lot. One thing that is a little confusing is that it says pool surfaces are 3 kinds, plaster, vinyl or fiberglass. We have selected tile from a big tile collection. These look like ceramic tiles. What category would this fit under, is it plaster?

cheers, Charlize

 

[duraleigh]

Hey,

Welcome to the forum. Tile pools are a rarity here in the states. Not so much in other parts of the world.

Tiles make a wonderful pool and should be considered as "plaster" pools for chemistry discussions.

 

[Charlize]

Ok, that makes things more clear.

Also, i am in the process of finding a good test kit. Is this one useful at all, or do i need to get another kit sent from overseas?

"Competition Water Testing Strips. 5 in 1 professional grade water testing strips (50pcs per bottle); tests for chlorine, pH, alkaline, cyuranic acid, hardness."

thanks!

 

[polyvue]

Also, i am in the process of finding a good test kit. Is this one useful at all, or do i need to get another kit sent from overseas?

Welcome to TFP... nice to see faces attached to the name (alas, my pool is better looking than I am, so I went with a snapshot of it!)

I've been a pool owner for two years and moved rather quickly from the simple test kit provided by the pool builder (OTO Chlorine, pH and Alkaline only) to Taylor's K-2006 (FAS-DPD Chloire, pH, Alk, Calcium Hardness and CYA) -- US$65-80 but available most everywhere (on the net) for sale. For comparison with the test kit spoken of often on this board (TF100), see discussion at http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10360.

How you plan to disinfect the pool water has some bearing on choice of test kits. With the additional cyanuric acid (CYA) recommended for pools with a SWG (salt -> chlorine generator), I found that I wanted to test the CYA quite often, so purchased 16 oz. reagent (very economical) to refill a 2 oz. R-0013 drop container. If your pool will use an alternative system to disinfect and/or oxidize (ozone, UV, ionization, bromine, biguanides etc.) spend an afternoon reading up on what's required - from the manufacturer and this forum.

BTW - After marveling at a beautifully tiled pool at a renovated hotel in San Francisco, I asked my builder about doing the same. He said that in Sacramento and the SF Bay Area, only NBA basketball players and dot-com millionaires are willing to consider 100% tile. The cost of tile (and the labor involved to install) varies by region; which may explain why my modest $50,000 pool is being built all over Arizona for $25-30K.

 

[Charlize]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I was recently recommended a test kit from Lamotte, a company that has a distributor in thailand. I am currently trying to find out if this kit includes the FAS/DPD test for free chlorine. If not, i will order the tf100 kit from the US.

We will use chlorine for everything, not planning to use other disinfectants.

Its very interesting to read about the chemistry of poolwater, i didnt know it was so intricate.

My pool builder said that the swg comes with an automatic ph adjuster. dont know how good it is though.

yes, tiled pools are awesome. here u can see a pic of a pool with the tile and color we have selected for our pool!

http://www.plataniresort.com/rayong_pool.htm