Conversation with a friend who installed the exact same pool

[Katygreys]

Second season as a pool owner here, after moving to Katy TX and buying a house with a pool. I knew NOTHING about pools. I knew I wanted to take care of it myself, but I hired a buddy’s PB who serviced my pool with pucks and powder 7 months. I fired him 1-Mar of this year, and dropped $250 on pucks. In my internet search for which powder to buy, I stumbled upon TFP.

Funny thing…when we first got here I had a friend that manages his own pool come over and run thru my pool equipment to explain the valves and pvc maze. I asked him tons of questions; he was my local pool expert. He came over yesterday to borrow my truck. He mentioned, sadly, that he needed to drain his pool AGAIN because his CYA was 140 according to PS.

I told him about what I was doing. Told him about TFP. Said you should check it out and look, it’s gonna seem like a cult, I get it. It’s almost the opposite of everything the PS has taught you about pool chemistry. But, it’s the simplest thing.

I then told him how it really is amazing that this pool stuff, to most people is some weird mystery. The PS is the Mecca of secret knowledge, there is trepidation to run your own tests, etc. …when basically it’s pretty dang simple.

In any case, I told him to bring me a water sample when he was done with the truck. Should have seen his face when beams of light and unicorns emanated from the 2006K blue box with Speed Stir and Sample Sizer gleeming in the Houston sun!!!

FC 0.8
CYA >100
Need I say more.

He’s draining now. I sent him info from here. I hope to ride with him to the finish and hopefully he’ll see the light!! I’m the expert amongst the two of us now!!

Oh yea, my bucket of 100 pucks still has 99 left. I put 1 in the skimmer the day I fired PB, the same day I found TFP.

 

[Katygreys]

The limiting factor is the test kit. If you can convince them to order a test kit, you have them. It is surprising how heavy a lift that is. You really have to battle “the pool store tests for free” or “here are what my strips are saying”

You have to convince a person with no skills or experience that the specialty store, with specialized equipment is basically providing them no useful (or worse harmful) information. You almost have to be a conspiracy theorist to believe that.

@Katodude 100% agree on test kit comment. 100%.

Check out my comment above on “cult”

You’re totally right. It’s like if someone said to me: don’t believe the blood panel results showing you have high cholesterol etc. but go buy this kit from the internet and test yourself. Then, only eat skittles and bacon and never ever EVER listen to the doctor!!! LOL

Your post was right on!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Comparing my personal experience and doing a lot of reading of threads here, this is my conclusion.

The limiting factor is the test kit. If you can convince them to order a test kit, you have them. It is surprising how heavy a lift that is. You really have to battle “the pool store tests for free” or “here are what my strips are saying”

You have to convince a person with no skills or experience that the specialty store, with specialized equipment is basically providing them no useful (or worse harmful) information. You almost have to be a conspiracy theorist to believe that.

The other battle (which is more regionally a south Florida thing) is the pool service. They are relatively cheap down here averaging about $125 per month. Like the landscaper, they have outsourced the problem. We have about 80 house in my neighborhood and over 70 of them have pools. I am pretty sure, I am the only one that takes care of their own pool. For the most part these pool companies manage to keep the pools right at the edge or cleanliness, most people are happy with them. Most of my friends in the neighborhood have at least upgraded to a SWG on my advice but still supplement that with a pool service.

I have a friend, that spend many hours a week detailing his cars, but will not buy a test kit. He just pays a pool guy to do it. He had to hire a new one recently since he had algae issues. Surprising he has no SWG and his pool guy comes once a week and he seems to be happy.

If someone wants my advice, they can ask for it. Otherwise I mind my own business, and only swim in my own pool.

Agreed.

However, I would go one step deeper and say that most people that own homes with pools really don’t want pools and/or the responsibility of maintaining the pool, ie, your “hire someone else to deal with it” point. They bought the home with the pool because someone in the family wanted it or they thought it would be easier to swim at home than go to the beach or the public pool. They have no interest in the pool, they look at the bizarre equipment at the pool pad and have no idea what any of it is, they’re afraid to touch anything because they think it’s dangerous to do so, etc, etc. All of that ends up becoming an “Oh Eff this!” Moment and they just decide to make it someone else’s problem … “HONEY!?! Hire a pool guy! I am NOT dealing with this !” They’d much rather spend hundreds of dollars detailing their car in the driveway than $10/week taking care of the concrete bucket of water in the yard.

That’s why it takes the crash and financial exhaustion to turn people around. Until they finally get so frustrated with the pool not working and the bank account getting drained weekly at the pool store, they won’t do anything about it. It’s really like addiction - you have to hit rock-bottom before you’re willing to change. I guess that makes TFP the AA of the pool world ….

Hi my name is Matt and I own a pool …

 

[Decoy205]

Trust me. You don't. They would have filled your head with all kimds of garbage. I have had many friends with pools and before getting my own I could 'talk shop' with them about shocking and super shocking and going cloudy everytime it rained. One friend spent all summer with no chlorine and the pool store eventually deduced that they brought back a rare form of FC killing bacteria on their bathing suits from their vacation.

It made me fight getting my own pool for years because I hardcore didn't want that headache. It turns out not a one of them had a clue. They all seemed so smart at the time tho.

I hear you and I kinda knew that was coming haha. I’m the type that would still do my own research before buying into “this is how it’s done”. My neighbor at my last house had a nice ABG round pool that was older and he opened to clear water each year so I’m assuming he was doing something right. Never spoke to him about it though so I’m not sure. He was also very “frugal” and didn’t waste money so I’m also assuming he didn’t go nuts with chemicals either.

Either way I’m here now! I can’t wait for my test kit. I enjoy taking care of the pool too . Skimming and making sure it’s clean. I find it relaxing. Seems like I will need more towels though.

 

[Newdude]

Seems like I will need more towels though.

I swear. You walk back from hanging 11 towels. There are 17 strewn around in the 3 minutes you were gone. You only own 8 towels.

 

[drsipe]

This all hits close to home. My neighbor had green water at opening and has been struggling to get his water right for a few weeks. Finally convinced him to let me test his water for him, walk him through this site and help him out. I think what convinced him was the grand total of $5.34 (1 gallon of LC) I spent on pool chemicals since I opened my pool (3 weeks ago.

I added 2lbs of CYA and maybe a few handfuls (it’s a scientific measurement) of calcium chloride. In all fairness this was leftover from last year (as is the 8 bags of salt in our shed that I’ll likely NEVER need).

That’s it. Water has been immaculate since Day 1.

I know what you mean, my friend came over and helped me with the winter cover and my water was crystal clear, with minimal dirt on the bottom and no algea (I put 1 -2 gallons of LC in each month when the water has thawed just to keep chlorine in the water, total of maybe 6 gallons). When I returned the favor and we removed his cover, it was a swamp, that's how this all started. I told him he needed to put in 4-6 gallons of LC, but he opted for 4 lb of dichlor. We were swimming in our pool within a few days of opening (just needed a little heat in the water). Two weeks later is when we had the discussion about stabilizer and using LC,,,, he's still not cleaned up, and he's been open for about 3-4 weeks now, and you still can't see the bottom drain.

 

[Katygreys]

I think there’s a hesitation to put BLEACH in a pool. You want me to put bleach in my pool. No way! It’ll smell like bleach. Someone please pass the trichlor and dichlor.

 

[dfwnoob]

My fiance's dad stayed over with us this weekend. I really like the guy, I respect him immensely and he's wickedly intelligent. Does a lot of industrial automation and SCADA. We share a lot of the same interests, and for some of them, he's forgotten more than I'll ever know about them.

He tells me he's installing a new ~20k gallon above ground in a couple of weeks. My finance lights up because, hey, I finally get to teach her dad about something. I start telling him about the TFP method and how there are only three chemicals I have put in that pool since we moved in back in February - liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, and CYA. I even told him about how the last owner here was majorly Pool Store'd and how all the indelible stains in my pool are from metal-based BS that should have never been in there and that I'm happy to help him get the new pool up, running, and balanced once it's installed.

Of course, he starts telling me about the great copper algicide he used in his last pool and how it requires no chlorine and he didn't have algae all the time or anything. And how the water felt so nice. I thought about going down the path of explaining that no, copper is not a disinfectant for most bacterias, and even when it is, it's too slow. I decided against it and figured it wasn't worth arguing with him over. I pick and choose my battles now

Shame how many issues I know he's going to have with that pool.

 

[Oly]

I'm happy to help him get the new pool up, running, and balanced once it's installed.

I decided against it and figured it wasn't worth arguing with him over. I pick and choose my battles now

Shame how many issues I know he's going to have with that pool.

You are doing the exact right thing. Show him by example, he will be comparing your pool to his every time he visits. The issue will be visiting him and deciding if you will get in his pool. Don't let him catch you sampling his pool water because you will take your test kit. Watching a loved one walk straight into a hole you warned them about is never easy but consider it practice if you decide to raise children.

 

[Newdude]

Show him by example, he will be comparing your pool to his every time he visits.

Heck yeah. Use it to your advantage and host a Sunday cookout each week. You'll shake him to his core until he gives up and asks for help on week 9.

Toss a dime in the deep end and 'spot it' mid dinner from the patio table.

 

[Candurin]

I’ll admit it. TFP “methodology” came easy to me. I’m a scientist and my minor was in quantitative analysis (chemistry).

I love my little chemistry set. Even got my kids into it.

 

[RickRude]

I've been a pool owner for six weeks now and a TFP follower for three weeks. I became a TFPer because TFPers are the Bogleheads of pool care: DIYers who follow a simple, steady, low-cost approach and whole-heartedly reject the advice of "experts" who portray things as much more complicated than they are in reality in order to sell overpriced and unnecessary products. After reading around and coming to understand the basic approach here, I knew I was all in. Fired my pool guy last week (he was nice but walking us off a cliff with Cal Hypo and trichlor tablets). Got my TF-100. Got my reliable sources of Pool Essentials 10% chlorine. All set!

 

[Stump]

I have a simple one liner..... You can`t make anyone do anything they don`t want to do period....

 

[Oly]

The IRS somehow finds a way.

 

[MITBeta]

I have a simple one liner..... You can`t make anyone do anything they don`t want to do period....

Similar to our homeschool philosophy: you can't teach someone something that they don't want to learn.

 

[rweiler994]

I've been a pool owner for six weeks now and a TFP follower for three weeks. I became a TFPer because TFPers are the Bogleheads of pool care: DIYers who follow a simple, steady, low-cost approach and whole-heartedly reject the advice of "experts" who portray things as much more complicated than they are in reality in order to sell overpriced and unnecessary products. After reading around and coming to understand the basic approach here, I knew I was all in. Fired my pool guy last week (he was nice but walking us off a cliff with Cal Hypo and trichlor tablets). Got my TF-100. Got my reliable sources of Pool Essentials 10% chlorine. All set!

Great to hear as usual, I guess I will have to throw in a recommendation to install a SWCG here. I had a small intex pool (14' round 30" deep) when I replaced it I got a 18x52 Intex with a SWCG and have not looked back since. When our 18' pool died of COVID (bottom seam gave out 6th year I set it up (my fault for powerwashing it?) We didn't hesitate at all when ordering our (just beat COVID price increase they actually upgraded from 18 to 21' for same price) AGP and adding the SWCG and the Dolphin S20 vacuum.

 

[RickRude]

Great to hear as usual, I guess I will have to throw in a recommendation to install a SWCG here.

It's on the wish list. But we're recovering from the financial trauma of a new AC and have a pool-replaster in our near future (though I haven't sought TFPs advice yet - topic for another post). So the capital investment on a SWCG is just gonna have to wait.

 

[Tcadwall0]

you have to hit rock-bottom before you’re willing to change. I guess that makes TFP the AA of the pool world ….

Unfortunately, google maps can show me a lot of pools near me where people said, "I'm done" and let the elements take over..... It is sad for me to see trees growing out of swimming pools. They don't even have any cash left from the pool stores to fill that thing in.... so sad.

 

[Mdragger88]

I won one. There was a family we were intertwined with in all the various circles and I thought very highly of them. When they got a pool and I was over picking up a kid, I made the Mom bring me inside and write TFP down on paper. No no no. Dont remember it for later. Pen. And paper. She gave me the usual look the whole time of course, but I didnt say anything other than making her promise to come see.

She came. Y'alls did your thing to blow her away and she's around from time to time.
Whenever she posts, I giggle.

The cards! Where were your cards?? The business cards are legit where it’s at. I have gotten a few people to buy their own tf100 - now, if they would just use it
That reminds me - I really need a new coffee mug … add to cart.
I love it when folks continue to ask your advice but don’t ever take it
Drives me batty.

 

[rweiler994]

Unfortunately, google maps can show me a lot of pools near me where people said, "I'm done" and let the elements take over..... It is sad for me to see trees growing out of swimming pools. They don't even have any cash left from the pool stores to fill that thing in.... so sad.

I agree, and even the few folks that I work with that have or have had pools don't seem to believe me with how cheap and easy it is to take care of our pool. I am just glad that I found this site to help with the testing, or I may have fallen into the pool store pit...

I do wish I could afford an in ground pool but with the regular steps I purchased for entry and exit from our pool, I am really happy with what we have.