Real Savings vs. BBB Method

[PMellin]

Hi all,

I wanted to get your input on the cost analysis of the BBB method vs. What I have been using. For the past two year I've been using BioGuard Chemicals in my 27,500 gal. plaster pool with attached spa. The annual cost is in the neighborhood of $500 (May-September) (see below). So how much basking soda, borax and bleach will I need to buy to maintain this pool with the BBB method?

Thanks for your help as always!!!
Pool Water From Summer 2013 Ind. Price
Qty. Chemicial Ext. Price
3 BioGuard Balance Pak 300 - 12 Lb 21.99 65.97
6 BioGuard Algae All 60 - Quart 23.99 143.94
1 BioGuard Optimizer Plus - 40 lbs 79.99 79.99
1 BioGuard Optimizer Plus - 20 lbs 49.99 49.99
2 BioGuard Polysheen Blue Clarifier - Quart 11.99 23.98
2 BioGuard Sparkle Up - 1.5 Lb 26.99 53.98
3 BioGuard EcoKlean - 3 lb 17.99 53.97


Total: 471.82

 

[bobodaclown]

WOW! What a loaded question.
Do you have a good test kit? That will run about $60.
Do you have access to Liquid Chlorine (Pinch-a-Penny or Leslies Pool) It about $5 for 2.5 gallons. Depending on pool usage/load and stabilizer amount it could be about $5.00-$10 a week for liquid chlorine.

Borax isn't required.
Baking Soda if needed you can get for about $5 from Sam Club big package.
Muriatic Acid (31%) from Lowes or Home depot for lowering PH if needed is bout $6.00 a Gallon. You might need a gallon a month during usage.

CYA-stablizer from Home Depot - 5lbs/$20 you'll need 9.5lbs for 27,500 Gallons (if your at 0) $40.

Those are the basics you'll need to get started.

Also on there are post on conversions from Bioguard products. You'll use a lot of liquid bleach/chlorine, and you'll get some very interesting colors from what I understand.
Here's some interesting links:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/23808-Just-starting-my-conversion-from-Baqucrap-to-Chlorine
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/23348-Going-to-start-the-conversion-this-Sunday

Please study up on pool school!

Order Technical Borax 25lbs, for about $60 on eBay. It's the easiest way to do it I believe.

Pride in your pristine pool. Priceless!

 

[JasonLion]

I spent about $20 in total last year on chemicals, but then I have a SWG that is still working from several years ago and had half a box/bottle of all the basics left over from last year.

Typically you will need about 2 ppm of chlorine each day, but then you don't mention chlorine, or any other sanitizer, on your list. Other than chlorine you might need a box or two of baking soda ($5), a gallon of acid ($6), some borates ($30), and some CYA ($19), so about $60 for chemicals for the season, and then a good test kit ($60) so $120 for the year. You might need a few other things depending on your situation, or you might not need some of what I mentioned, so everything is approximate.

From another point of view:
Balance Pak 300 is CH increaser, you will probably still need that.
Algae All 60 you don't generally need, but it can be handy at closing, so you may or may not need that.
Optimizer Plus is borates, bought generically you can save at least 30% off what you paid, though you shouldn't need nearly as much as you listed.
Polysheen Blue Clarifier and Sparkle Up we don't recommend using at all.
EcoKlean is still the same, though optional.

 

[dfahrion]

I know I'm a newbe here, but I've been lurking for a while. But two things struck me as odd and no one has addressed them yet.

Either I'm missing it or the OP didn't list any sanitizer in the costs. Signature shows Automatic 3" Tab Chlorinating Stack, but did you really not put anything in it all year, or any other chlorine source? It seems like from that you could calculate approximately how much bleach you would need instead (assuming your sanitizer levels were at least close to correct last year) I've found for me, bleach is a bit more expensive than tablets for a given ppm sanitizer level but with tablets I would end up replacing a lot of water to keep the numbers in range, and when the water cost is added in, bleach (or liquid chlorine) ends up being much cheaper.

3 BioGuard Balance Pak 300 - 12 Lb 21.99 65.97 That seems like is a lot of CH increase, pool math says that would raise CH by 139 on 28,000 gals. That suggests to me a lot of water was replaced for whatever reason, but water cost wasn't listed.

 

[Smykowski]

I was on Bioguard for 2 years before I found his forum, and my pool is 23,000 gal. Take a look at my signature for my cost comparison.

 

[BoDarville]

Here's my before & after savings: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/52092-TFPC-Saved-Me-Over-1-400-in-the-First-Full-Year
Since I originally made that post back in October 2012, I have reduced the pump run time even further which adds to the savings. In addition, I have become more efficient in using chlorine, so those costs have also come down a bit from what is shown in my before & after post.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

Wow, that is a lot of money. I just hit 18 months on my new pool. So far I have used 5 cases of acid, most likely due to new plaster and waterfall aeration, and I am on my second bag of baking soda. Under $150.00 for 18 months. Of course I spent the rest on patio furniture and pool toys.

Oh, and my pool is open year round.

 

[Smykowski]

Of course I spent the rest on patio furniture and pool toys.

This my favorite part of TFPC. All the cash that's freed up to buy toys, entertainment systems for the pool, or upgrade equipment. For me personally, it's the ability to make necessary repairs immediately instead of having to put it off until I can afford it. It doesn't hurt so much if I have to write the check.

 

[PMellin]

Sorry, I did forget to add the 50 LBS. of 3" Chlorine Tablets which we normally go through one of per season from Leslie's Pool Supply for about $90.00.

 

[Patrick_B]

Savings over "traditional" (store and service) prices are almost always a part of TFPC.