Pool Noob trying to lower costs

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ShockTherapy

ShockTherapy

0
Jun 1, 2014
8
Lexington,SC
I just bought a house with a pool about a month ago. All seems well. I had some challenges vacuuming the bottom of the pool. Skimmer adapter plate was missing so I was just pulling the basket and sticking the hose down in the hole. I bought a skimmer adapter plate and the vacuum wouldn't work. After reading a few posts here and brainstorming while staring at the plate I realized that I had cavitation. The hole in the plate was about one inch. is I drilled out the plate to match the hole in the skimmer and it works good now.
That's why I came here.
Now, why I am here now.
I've been taking samples to the pool store and buying whatever they tell me to buy. ????? I'm spending about $50 a week. Sometimes more and sometimes less.
 
Welcome to TFP !
You've come to the right place if you want to save some money. The first step is to get yourself one of these Test Kits. It's a must have if you want to take control of your pool. It will give you very accurate test results which you need to have to manage your water chemistry. I use the TF-100 as do a lot of other members here. The test results from one of those test kits will be the ones we trust to give good solid advice. Pool Store water testing is subjective. They want to sell you chem's.
The next step is to do some reading in pool school. Lots of good info there to get you away from the pool store. Here are a couple of good articles to start out with.
How To Chlorinate Your Pool
ABC'S Of Pool Water Chemistry
Any questions you may have don't hesitate to ask !
 
You have found us and your budget problem will soon be solved. You must invest in the new test kit, but after that, test materials are very cheap and you will save sooooo much money that you will not remember how you ever spent that much!

I predict that you will soon be spending about $50 a month. Then you can invest in a margarita machine!
 
ShockTherapy said:
I've been taking samples to the pool store and buying whatever they tell me to buy. ���������� I'm spending about $50 a week. Sometimes more and sometimes less.
Click to expand...
There is a term for that, it's being "pool stored".

Welcome!

Ignore the pool store and listen to the folks here and you will save money. Resist the thought of second guessing yourself and going back to the pool store for "expert advice". After a short time here you will understand your pool and it's needs much better than most pool store folks.
 
Just an observation from past pool store visits.
Some people don't want to be bothered learning about pool care, they'll go to the pool store or hire a pool care company. They'll do this till one they want to take an interest in maintaining their own pool and will search and hopefully find this site.

People forget that pool store and Merrill Lynch are not looking out for your best interest, but are looking out for their best interest. And that is perfectly acceptable in a capitalistic society.
Here follow up on the Merrill Lynch jab: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a6xcdDORhQwc

When buying from a pool store remember this:Caveat emptor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor

Shock Welcome and glad you found this site.
 

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HI ShockTherapy!
Welcome to TFP!
We've been waiting for you! Where have you been?

I am in agreement with everyone else. If you want to take control of your pool and your wallet, and add only what it needs and not what someone else tells you, then you definitely need your own test kit. If the pool store testing were accurate and the advice they give you were accurate, you would not be spending bags of money. Its just wrong. Thats all that can be said about it.

Contrary to popular belief by the general public, a swimming pool does not have to be a money pit. All it takes is a little knowledge, all of which is available in Pool School *Pool School Button at Top of Page*

I have spent less than 20 dollars in the last 3 months *not including chlorine, because I have a swg*. A little Arm and Hammer and a little Muriatic Acid... and thats it.

Anyways, we are glad you are here and we look forward to your future posts about how much money you have saved and how troublefree and enjoyable your pool really is.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome. You guys have my hopes up. I'm a discussion forum addict so I've read the entire pool school index! I'll be ordering a TF100 and one of those cool speedstirs next week for sure.
For some reason I didn't see how often you normally add liquid bleach. My cya is already up to 80 so I want to get off the silk stiks as soon as possible.
 
If your manually adding bleach you'll be doseing every night after the sun is off the pool. That way your FC levels are ready for the next days onslaught of sun and bathers.
When you get your test kit post up a full set of results for us to take a look at. I'm curious about the CYA level. Ideally you want that level to be 30-50. 40 is a good place for it. How much sun does the pool get during the day ? ?
 
Well man, You add bleach however often is required to keep your FC at the recommended levels. *see recommended levels in Pool School*.
Depending on bather load, direct sun, mowed grass blowing on the poolk, leaves blowing in it, birds messing it up, all of these things and more will eat up FC. So you sort of have to Learn what your pool needs based upon many factors.

You wont know you need it or how much to put in unless you test for it - reliably.. Thats the whole reason you need your own test kit.
Generally speaking, most people add some chlorine every day or two.

My pool uses up about 1 to 1.5ppm of chlorine a day during the week, and usually about 2 on a weekend day. Depending on the weather of course!

I wont comment on the CYA, because thats most likely a pool store test result? They are notoriously wrong. Lets get your own kit and get a reliable CYA test and go from there!

Th
 
The pool is shaded about 50/50. So, it gets about 6 hours of full sun. We have a ton of bushes in the backyard that feed to pool little tiny leaves everyday. Then I have a Chesapeake with an attitude that likes to throw dirt in the pool when I am trying to clean it. (Adding pavers to that area)
 
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