Hmmmm, interesting about the Nature2. Last year was my first year with a pool and must say with the way I treated it, the water was always very clear and pleasant to swim in, with little to no chlorine smell. I always was unsure about the chlorine levels I kept due to the Nature2. PH and Alkalinity where always in recommended levels.
I really didn't have problems (other than green haired children and dog) until year three using my ionizer. My chlorine levels were all over the place and I had zero understanding of pool water chemistry....in all my trips to the pool store questions in hand I never received correct information but managed to spend thousands in the process....
So, Mom, you say not to put the tabs in the skimmer. How do you chlorinate? Feeder or liquid? Also, my pump is single speed and will the 2005 test kit I have not do the Job?
If the pump had been a 2 speed you could run it on low (as I do) and then the tabs/skimmer isn't an issue. If you want to use tabs, you would be better off installing an inexpensive inline chlorinator for occasional use or vacations. At the very least a floater is better than in the skimmer.
I chlorinate by testing my pool water (my schedule varies: in the heat of the summer I test each evening, other times I can go every other day, sometimes I can go every three days-depends on a few factors like temperature, sunlight, usage, etc.) then I add the necessary amount of bleach that will keep my FC above the "min" at all times. Since switching to BBB in May 2007 my water has been sparkly and I've not had any chemistry issues requiring me to shock....ne'er a CC.... My monthly chlorine usage is about $12-15 dollars, YMMV especially if you don't use a solar cover or have a higher bather load.
The K2005 will work fine, except for one thing, it has a "DPD" chlorine test. The FAS-DPD test I mentioned, is a drop count test, where you count the number of drops looking for the color to change from pink to clear. This is how to determine within .2 precision the exact FC reading. You aren't comparing shades of color, simply counting drops. Super easy and all guess work is gone. It can test FC up to 50ppm, which is extremely useful when someone might need to shock. The DPD test can only test up to 10FC with any accuracy. This simply won't do for someone who has CYA higher than 30 (most everyone does.) The good news is you can supplement your kit by purchasing the FAS-DPD test ala carte from either Taylor or TFTestkits.net.
Another trick I heard was to put stabilizer in a pair of pantyhose in the skimmer to make it more effective. Any truth to that?
It doesn't make it "more effective" it's just a way to dose the pool. But if you use tabs routinely, they already have CYA/stabilizer. Are you inquiring in the event you need to add some? Yes, the "sock trick" we call it is the preferred method, either in the skimmer or tied off in front of the routine. We recommend a CYA level of 30-50 for non-swg pools.
Still have a few weeks to go before opening (waiting for that final snow fall) but I will try this year without the nature2 and bring all the levels withing the recommendations.
Thanks for all your help, without this board I'd be dreading this season and holding my pockets open for the local pool store to reach in and grab my hard earned dollars.