New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Questions

[mschmidt33]

Vinyl SWG Pool. Going to start out the gate with BBB. Going to order the TF100 today. Do I need any of the 5 options? We just spent 50K, a few extra bucks is not an issue at this point.

Options

1. The Speedstir - I thought this little device was somewhat frivolous until I got one for my kit and started using it....Wow! It really makes the tests more accurate and precise.

2. Borates Test Strips - If you use borates in your pool, or plan to, these strips will provide you adequate accuracy to keep your borates around the 50ppm recommended mark.

3. Salt Test Strips - If you have a salt pool, testing the salt content of your pool water is very important.

4. Taylor K-1776 Salt Test - For those with salt pools and wanting more precision than the Salt strips can provide.

5. The "XL" option - Last year, we sold a TF-100XL kit who's only difference was double the volume of the two most expensive reagents. It was really a good way for people with green pools (algae) or performing baquacil conversion to get the extra testing materials they needed and save some money doing so. This year, we have simply included those extra ingredients into the XL option rather than describe it as a different kit.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

If you have/are getting a SWG then you want one of the salt options, otherwise no need for them. Likewise, if you intend to use borates you need the borate strips, otherwise not. The speedstir is nice, but hardly required. I doubt that you need the XL option, that is mostly for people cleaning up a total green swamp or converting from baqua.

 

[mschmidt33]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

Thanks... We will have an easytouch 8/IC 40 so will we still need salt strips?

No idea on borates? It was not covered in the BBB for begineers? What do you suggest?

Whatever makes my life easier I'm all for, will speedstir save me time?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

I use the Speedstir for all the tests but the one that really makes it worth the cost is the Calcium Hardness test. It's so much faster and easier to do that test with the stirrer.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

Yes, get the salt strips. They are easier to use than the Taylor salt kit and should be fine.

I recommend using borates, but it is extra work and expense. Most people here who have done it are thrilled, though a few don't notice any difference.

The speedstir certainly saves time, especially for the CH test.

 

[mschmidt33]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

I told our PB that I'm ordering this kit and he said not to worry about it and that he has everything for me... He said it is as easy as keeping up with the PH and salt level. He is going to give me a bottle of something that increases PH and one that lowers PH. I guess I should hear him out. I don't really care about saving money by using bleach, baking soda, etc. I want to use whatever is easiest as my wife and I both work full time.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

There are two different kinds of easy. The method nearly all of the pool builders teach is very easy, until you have a problem, and then it can easily turn into a big expensive problem. The method we teach takes a little bit more time up front, but they you hardly ever have any problems and when you do have a problem you know how to deal with it.

 

[Richard320]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

I told our PB that I'm ordering this kit and he said not to worry about it and that he has everything for me... He said it is as easy as keeping up with the PH and salt level. He is going to give me a bottle of something that increases PH and one that lowers PH. I guess I should hear him out. I don't really care about saving money by using bleach, baking soda, etc. I want to use whatever is easiest as my wife and I both work full time.

All I can say is one of my standard answers: It's like the dentist. You can spend a few minutes a day for pennies a week or spend a small fortune once a year to have a movie-star smile.

There will be a steep learning curve for about two weeks, assuming you contract sparklypoolitis and start testing daily (or more frequently!) but then it will become almost habitual; you'll know before you test how much acid you'll need and so on. And you'll be accurate 90% of the time!

The pH up and pH down are probably soda ash and dry acid. The labels should give the ingredients. If you can't find out, just post it here. Both are acceptable for use, especially if they're included for free! Don't use anything that says copper or cupra- on the label, unless you like turquoise walls and green hair.

You have a salt system, so you'll be free of daily chlorine additions, but pH can climb fast with those, which can cause scaling.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

I told our PB that I'm ordering this kit and he said not to worry about it and that he has everything for me... He said it is as easy as keeping up with the PH and salt level. He is going to give me a bottle of something that increases PH and one that lowers PH. I guess I should hear him out. I don't really care about saving money by using bleach, baking soda, etc. I want to use whatever is easiest as my wife and I both work full time.

Please don't take this the wrong way. If that is the truth (which I doubt) then fill it with dirt and concrete over the top of it. There's nothing easier than that! :lol: :lol:

The swcg is a very easy already and spending a couple minutes a day and a few minutes once a month to make sure it stays easy is a small trade off in my book.

My normal routine is to take my K-1000 kit out to the pool each day or two, and dip up some water, put 5 drops of this and 5 drops of that, look at the colors to make sure everything is ok, then look over at the chlorine tank to make sure it's ok, check the skimmer then swim for a while. Then about once a week I'll run the FAS-DPD test to make sure the FC is right where I want it (takes all of 5 minutes), then once a month (it's that time again) I'll get a sample and run all the tests (Takes about 15 minutes). I can't imagine it getting much easier than that. Keep in mind that since doing it this way I have never needed to shock my pool.

 

[mschmidt33]

Re: New pool will have water tomorrow - Ordering TF100 Quest

I'm sold... so order TF100, Speedstir, Salt Test Strips? What about borates?