Wasn't expecting a pool?!

[Cm_ls1]

So we bought this house we liked , and I wasn't expecting or looking for a pool per se.

But now that its here I might as well use it

I stopped past a pool shop to see what they say to maintain the pool , and he started loading me up with pool product, I said woah woah , and got the impression that I was in Harvey Normans with the electronics sales man trying to maximise profit.

Anyway here's the pool , it's cosy , only 26000l

All I know is that it's salt water , and that there is a maze of plumbing back there and there was just a test kit in the shed.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

I like thet way it looks.

Spend a little time reading here and you won't get taken by the pool store.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum!

We are all about taking care of our own pools with common products as opposed to pool store products and advice. The most important part of that is learning and understanding what goes in and why. The other component of that is testing your own water and relying on those results. After you get the hang of it, it really is quite simple.

Please begin reading in Pool School and start with the ABC's of pool chemistry. You can find those links in my signature. When you have questions, please ask and we will help. Your pool won't require a lot in terms of volume and will be easy to maintain overall at it's size. Looks like a very nicely done pool from what I can see here. Enjoy the forums.

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

+1 to Pool School and ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry. Also, look into one of the Recommended Test Kits. Would advise you to look at the latter as an investment, not an expense. A good test kit will pay for itself many times by guiding you to purchase only those chemicals that are needed while avoiding all the unnecessary stuff. Plus, proper water chemistry will increase the life of the pool surface.

 

[Cm_ls1]

Yeah well it looks like ok condition , ive had the pool for about a week now , and it seems like the owner abandoned it 3-4 weeks ago , so I've taken the reins.

I gave that old looking test kit a whirl according to the quick instruction leaflet.

Do those drops go out of date?

This is after my dad in all his wisdom(used to have a pool) threw in a few cups of chlorine ( the prev owner had some supplies) , also I thought I would sus out what the previous owner had, instead of what the pool shop wanted to sell me

Next day

 

[Cm_ls1]

It looks like its got a low ph , I found a tub of "ph buffer" they had, it makes sense to add some yeah?

 

[duraleigh]

No, it doesn't make sense to add the buffer. It only makes sense to add things that you need.

The first thing you need is valid test results. Using old reagents is penny wise and pound foolish in that you get results that are meaningless and can cause you even more problems when you adjust something that never needed it in the first place.

You may be able to use some of that old chemistry later but only valid test results will tell you that.

 

[Cm_ls1]

Ok ok ok , I'm sensing new and thorough test kit is a must , I've found that Taylor k2006 on eBay for a bit over $50 so I might get that.

In the mean time I took a sample of water (elbow deep) to another pool store , this guy was a lot friendlier , injected some of the water in some black dome shaped analyser and spat out these results-

So what do you think ?


Hey check out these cool green night lights it has

 

[Cm_ls1]

This the equipment room , wow lots of plumping :s

Panel -

This thing -

 

[jblizzle]

The TF-100 is the better value, the K2006 does not have as much of the reagents that you actually need: Recommended Test Kits

If there is one thing we trust less than pool store drop based testing ... it is pool store magic black box testing

Where are you located?
Please add your pool details to your signature and location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[AdelaidePooler]

I notice you mentioned Harvey Norman... are you in Australia?

 

[AdelaidePooler]

Ah just got onto a device that shows pictures... HyClor products and a Davey filter... I'm definitely guessing Australia!

In which case the TF100 is tough to get, and a 2006 is most likely the best (only!) option.

Love that the test print out shows CYA of "4"... Must be the same sort of black box that a pool store used on me once!
Liquid Chlorine from Bunnings, and they are cheapest for other chemicals as well I have found. Closely followed by Cole's bakery and laundry aisles for Bicarb and washing soda!

 

[Cm_ls1]

Yes , I'm in Sydney Australia

So what are you saying ? That test the pool shop did could be incorrect ? So they can sell you stuff!

 

[AdelaidePooler]

Essentially, yes.
Although while they don't do the testing incorrectly, it's just inaccurate.

The Cyanuric Acid (CYA / stabiliser / sunscreen) being a case in point. It's very hard to measure at levels below 20 ppm.

Not only will they try to sell you more stuff than you need (Clarifier, phosphate remover stuff which you actually don't need) the pool store prices will be with no exaggeration, DOUBLE or more what the same thing is elsewhere. I asked why once, and they told me that "you have to pay for the expertise, you don't get that from Bunnings". True, but more and better information can be had here, for free!

BioGuard Stabiliser (CYA) in a pool store in SA is $24 per kg, whereas HyClor is $9.95 in Bunning's. Both are 100% CYA, and so are identical.

Sodium Bicarbonate (pH Buffer) is $6.50 per kg in a pool store, $3.78 in Bunnings and $3.10 in Cole's home baking aisle!

So if you can educate yourself as to what the pool needs, use a test kit and the PoolMath calculator, just go to Bunnings and buy it all advice free!

 

[Cm_ls1]

Ok so first up I need to get a test kit Taylor k2006c or tf100(if I can get it) are the best ?

This forum is epic!

 

[jblizzle]

Yup. The TF-100 is still a hard get down there ... Dave is working on finding a distributor, but no time frame. So the K-2006C would be a good choice.

 

[AdelaidePooler]

It's unfortunately unlikely you will get a TF100.

I have found the 2006C to be a great kit, the 'C' being the extra large bottles (60ml vs. the 2006 which has 22ml).
The problem though, is getting one for a sensible price, and how long it takes. Even in Australia, (A friend has ordered a 2006 from Melbourne) I have noticed that Auspost is godawful slow and things can take a week. I bought from the USA (cheaper) but the wait was 2 weeks, also you can get extra reagents for the things you use most (CYA reagent, R0013E ('E' being an 16oz bottle), and FAS DPD reagent R0871C) at the same time as the kit and the shipping is the same (using saltwaterpoolparts.com).

Edited to correct CYA bottle size... 'E' is 16oz, not 8oz

 

[Cm_ls1]

Ok that k2006 kit on eBay was a trick . It was $65 but then I noticed the freight was also , that makes it $130 is that a rip? It's not the "c"

Can I walk in any store here in Sydney and buy this kit and what's the going price?

 

[Isaac-1]

Welcome, Those of us up here in the U.S. hate this time of year when the AU crowd takes over the forum with all your warm weather photos. Even here in the southern U.S. we were having freezing temperatures as recently as last night.

One thing to add to this, once you get a good test kit, you should store it in a climate controlled location, not in a garden shed. If I could give you one bit of advice in starting off it would be stay out of the pool stores as much as possible, personally I only go into them once every year or two, sometimes not that often, and only when I need a part of some type that is either cheap (yeah right), or need it right now and can't wait for FedEx to deliver.

Ike

p.s. here in the US few pool stores stock the K-2006, many will try to sell you the K-2005 in its place and tell you they are the same, they are NOT. Best chance to find one in stock is at a commercial pool supply business that mostly sells to places that are required to do testing for health code reasons, etc.

 

[AdelaidePooler]

Well, I have seen a K-2006C in Sydney advertised for $270!!!!

You could have a standard K-2006 delivered from the USA for USD105 / AUD117... so the AUD130 one from ebay isn't far off. I suspect the seller is trying to put more on postage to circumvent ebay charges, (although I thought ebay had cottoned on to that, and now charge fees on the total anyway).
A K-2006C from the USA would be USD150 / AUD168

The standard K-2006 has 22ml bottles of everything, (it has 2x 22ml bottles of the CYA reagent... but that's still only 6 tests!)
The "C" kit does have larger 60ml bottles, but you won't use 60ml of acid or base demand (I haven't used any), and will probably not need 60ml of the CH test components either.

I have a "C" kit and got a good deal and used alternative shipping arrangements, HOWEVER if I were to do it again I would get:
a K-2006 standard + extra R0871C (FAS DPD reagent) + R0013E (16oz CYA reagent) + International Shipping from www.saltwaterpoolparts.com

60 + 12 + 9 + 45 = USD126 / 141AUD

Adding extra of a couple of the reagents (FAS DPD reagent (this goes quickly, especially if SLAMing!) , CYA reagent (if starting out) and perhaps even the Phenol (not included in the calc above) instead of paying for the full "C" kit, the overall cost will be a bit less and you'll get more of what you will actually use.

A Speedstir would be a nice addition, however they are tough to get shipped to Australia (the site with the kits doesn't sell the stirrers unfortunately), and the ones that have been imported already and are on sale here are $57.