Just FYI

[masong]

Having my pool just over 8 years now, and using many different pool companies, their water testing computers, etc..That was all very costly, both in time and the chemicals they say i needed...

Flash forward 6 years....

I have had nothing but Algae problems using all these fancy testing and chemical therioes...

I have for over two seasons used nothing but WalMart Shock, with Super Blu ...4 lbs a week, in my 38,000gal pool...I keep my inline chlorinator full, and running at 50%.. That's all i use

My pool is the cleanest, best smelling, trouble free it has ever been

I fired all the local pool companies and all their brilliant and expensive solutions... One suggested 40 lbs of super shock to clear up a Green algae problem...NOT

 

[ping]

I highly suggest for you to read the pool chemistry articles in Pool School.

 

[jblizzle]

I agree. Start reading. You need to understand exactly what chemicals you are adding to your pool or you will likely be in for a rude awakening.

All solid forms of chlorine add things to the water that are not desirable and cause problems eventually. For example, the tablets are adding stabilizer (cya) and chlorine. The chlorine is consumed, the stabilizer builds up. The amount of chlorine required in the pool is proportionate to the cya level. Eventually the cya will get too high for the pucks to maintain a high enough chlorine level and you will get algae. Btw, we never have to shock the pool on a schedule off you maintain the correct chlorine level.

By learning through reading pool school and obtaining one of the recommended test kits, you can probably save yourself even more money and have more of a trouble free pool.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[masong]

got ya...i did all that for 6 years, had the water tested weekly, bought every chemical recomemded, still had problems, algae, etc...It was a endless cycly for me ..

So...i switched to just super shock from Walmart, and after the third season of doing so I have had not one bad pool day, and its easy as pie.... I do check PH about 5-6 times a season..

 

[duraleigh]

masong,

From your posts, it seems like you hardly ever test. YOu will not find many advocates of that on this forum. In fact, just the opposite because what we teach is a complete understanding of pool water chemistry and then VERY accurate testing to know exactly what to do, if anything, to your water.

I am happy for you that what you have been doing is working but you are flying blind......quite the reverse of what this whole forum is about.

 

[masong]

masong,

From your posts, it seems like you hardly ever test. YOu will not find many advocates of that on this forum. In fact, just the opposite because what we teach is a complete understanding of pool water chemistry and then VERY accurate testing to know exactly what to do, if anything, to your water.

I am happy for you that what you have been doing is working but you are flying blind......quite the reverse of what this whole forum is about.

You are correct... No one seems to think much of my methods...but...I will repeat, i did the whole Pool water Chemestry for 6 years, and had problem after problem... i got tired of green pools and the expense and countless adding and broadcasting of this chemical and that...

Perhaps its not correct...But its working for me.... It feels better, does not itch or burn, and it smells great and looks beautiful always...Aside from my lack of spending mass amounts of money having it tested weekly, and just enjoying it for once, I hope I am not causing any physical problems to my pool. as in plaster , coping and tiles... Pumps and such are not so expensive, and have run flawless 8 years now...Even my Polaris has had not one problem, and it never leaves the pool..

 

[jblizzle]

You are missing the point. We test on a nearly daily basis with our own test kit ... pool stores are notoriously bad at testing water ... but they sure are good at recommending a lot of chemicals that you just do not need ... as you discovered.

With an understanding of the water chemistry and testing yourself, maintaining the the pool IS cheaper than what you are doing. It is proven that the cost of liquid chlorine is cheaper than the solid forms that you are using for the amount of FC added to the pool.

A true BBB'er likely tests for FC and pH every 1-2 days. And tests the TA weekly, and CH and CYA monthly ... give or take. We NEVER have to "shock" {our definition is different than what you think it is} our pool. All we add is a little bleach every 1-2 days and adjust the pH as required. The other parameters just do not change very much if you are not using the powders.

For a very detailed cost analysis check this post out:
bbb-saved-me-over-1-400-in-the-first-full-year-t54033.html?hilit=1400

If you are not paying attention to your pH and CH levels, you very well could be damaging the plaster and equipment. Too high and you can get scaling ... too low and the plaster could deteriorate.

I am happy you are finding your pool easier, but we teach a method that works for 99.9% of the pools out there. Actually, many people that come here looking for help were formerly doing exactly what you are currently doing.

One factor that you have not revealed is where you are located and how long your season is. What you are doing can work in limited cases IF the season is short and a lot of water is drained for winter. It absolutely can not work indefinitely for those of us that never close our pools.

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! one thing I would like to point out is that when we talk about testing the water, we are talking about using a high quality test kit and performing and interpreting the results ourselves. We do not rely on pool store advice or pool store chemicals to maintain our pools. Pool owners can use pool store chemicals or the less expensive grocery store equivalents that most TFP members use to maintain their pools. The key to a trouble free pool year after year is regular testing of the water and knowing what is needed based on the test results. Regular tests that you perform will tell you if the water has the potential to damage the plaster long before extensive repairs are needed.

If you are using the HtH pool products, they contain calcium hypochlorite and will cause a build up of calcium over time. If you live in an area where you get a lot of rain, displacement and dilution may be enough to keep calcium levels in check. Frequent back washing, vacuuming to waste, and replacing water lost to these activities can also be enough to balance calcium levels. This is just a little FYI, you may not have any issues with calcium levels at this time.

I'm curious which is the more current picture of your pool, this one or the one you posted this morning when you asked about the materials used on your tile and coping that have failed.

 

[masong]

...I will look all the supplies links over to water chemsetry...

I live in Statesville, NC... Our season runs mostly labor day - memorial day... I used to heat the pool, but as the kids are grown and gone i stopped wasting money on propane.

I never drain my pool...its auto fill and freeze controlled...winter I just let all chemicals run out...Spring I test, adjust, and shock...Mind you, with a 325,000 BTU heater, water chemestry was important before shocking...

The pic posted in this thread, was two years ago after having a lot of sunken decking replaced, and Cool decking added, shortly after is when i did the expansion joint between coping and deck....

I do have a few small coping seams that show calcium , but not much... I also had scale(perhaps Calcium too) build up on my grout lines at times...easily scrapped off with a stone, yet a pain reguardless

I really only tested myself for hardness, cloring levels and PH...all others were a mystery to me, hence going to Pool stores for their nonsense..

I also owned a very expensive "Test".... I think it did it all..Well, all but gas up my Harley for free... I never quite got it at all, so it hit the trash for test strips...

I get a fair amount of rain indeed...

The , pics of my pool showing tiles removed and coping removed are current...The tiles have come off non stop for several years, and now the coping is failing, so its gone, and new tiles( 6 X 6) one piece , as opposed to a 5 piece 6 X 6 are here now, and I am going with a stone coping, hand cut and done, to include a full warrenty on both I am told...

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

If the tiles fell off I suspect your water was aggressive and damaged the grout. Testing properly with a kit with caveman proof instructions would ensure your new work is not damaged and that if something did happen you could show your water chemistry was not to blame.

 

[masong]

If the tiles fell off I suspect your water was aggressive and damaged the grout. Testing properly with a kit with caveman proof instructions would ensure your new work is not damaged and that if something did happen you could show your water chemistry was not to blame.

That is always a possibality...BUT...The tiles all popped from the top...The grout seemed intact for the most part... I'm not even sure it was grout..If I recall right, and I will review my video, the plaster people did all the grouting with plaster when the pool was shot.. Gonna have to look into that too...

My water has not been that bad .. It was/is tsted with test strips, and I did what was needed to keep it as balanced as i could...But..The first two years it was all over the place... It was a pain to keep balanced then....But...I'm learning , and not 100% sure the water was not to blamb...