I have owned a pool for 10 years. During this time I have blindly allowed the pool store to test the water and sell me product. The new "problem" with my pool is phosphate levels "off the chart" (>2500). Long story short, after three rounds of treatment my level is still greater than the scale. This has caused me to grow in frustration which lead me to this site and the realization that I have been allowing myself to be manipulated by the store for their own gain. I am now in the process of cutting the pool store umbilical cord. In the coming weeks I am planing on removing the chlorine tab feeder from my system and adding a SWG. The pool store stated that I will have huge problem because the SWG will not produce stable chlorine and with my phosphate levels being so high the results will be a poorly maintained pool. Assuming my CYA is maintained at the appropriate level it seems to me that his advice is flawed. Being a total newbie I seeking affirmation that my assumptions are correct.
Pool store information.
- Thread starter jamshell
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
A lot of what pool stores tell people is wrong. My phosphate level is several thousand, has been over 4,000 occasionally. I have a SWG and never have any problems. For that matter, a SWG is just about the most stable source of chlorine you can have.
The key to making pool care easy is to get a top quality test kit. If you don't know what is going on with the water you can't can't take care of it correctly.
A lot of what pool stores tell people is wrong. My phosphate level is several thousand, has been over 4,000 occasionally. I have a SWG and never have any problems. For that matter, a SWG is just about the most stable source of chlorine you can have.
The key to making pool care easy is to get a top quality test kit. If you don't know what is going on with the water you can't can't take care of it correctly.
Welcome to TFP!!!Congratulations on cutting the cord!!! They have no idea what they are talking about. If you maintain adequate FC which is a function of your CYA (a relationship the stores either do not understand or ignore to line their pockets), then you WILL have sparkling water ... no need for algaecides/clarifiers/floc/shock/etc and no need to worry about phosphates/nitrate/or the next thing they come up with to use as a scare tactic.
As Jason said, the best investment you can make is ordering one of the Recommended Test Kits. And keep reading Pool School while you are waiting for it.
Thank you for such a quick reply! I have ordered the TF-100 kit and can't wait to start testing.
I've never had my phosphate levels tested, and my pool is crystal clear, so I seriously doubt high phosphate levels will cloud your pool.
I will warn you up front that when you do get your test kit, you'll almost certainly find astronomical CYA levels. There is an alternate test procedure for super high CYA in Extended Test Kit Directions. You might get advised to drain a bunch of water to lower CYA levels. It's painful, but breaking up is hard to do. It was only a matter of time before the pool store told you you have high TDS and needed to drain anyway.
And welcome!
I will warn you up front that when you do get your test kit, you'll almost certainly find astronomical CYA levels. There is an alternate test procedure for super high CYA in Extended Test Kit Directions. You might get advised to drain a bunch of water to lower CYA levels. It's painful, but breaking up is hard to do. It was only a matter of time before the pool store told you you have high TDS and needed to drain anyway.
And welcome!
Like the others have said we feel that phosphate levels are completely irrelevant to maintaining a balanced pool, in fact if you look back 15-20 years ago even the pool stores did not test for them or sell phosphate remover, it has only been since there has been so much negative enviro-senstive anti phosphate PR in the world that pool stores have jumped on the anti phosphate bandwagon and used it as a tool to sell expensive phosphate remover.