Dumping the Pool Store & Taking the TFP Plunge!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
FergieWheeler

FergieWheeler

Member
Jul 22, 2019
10
Paris, Ky
Hi Everybody! I'm not new to pools, but I am so tired of maintenance costs. My parents installed a 27,500 gallon in-ground pool in 1985. I was twelve, and I thought it was the best thing ever. My Dad, who loves to swim, did most of the maintenance, and I really don't know what his methodology was, but it didn't seem accurate at all. We spent most of our summers trying to clear the pool. My parents always complained about the expense, and after two or three liners and various equipment replacements over two decades, they decided to keep the pool closed for several summers. They wanted to get rid of it altogether.

In 2011, my husband and I purchased the house next door to my parents. Our yards are joined, and we liked the idea of being able to use the pool again. In the spring of 2012, we opened the pool for the first time in years, installed a new liner, pump, and filter, and took over the maintenance responsibilities. My parents pay for the electricity to run the pump. We pay for everything else. They let us use the pool however much we want, and my Mom's flower beds look better with an open pool.

At first we loved being a vacation destination for friends, but over time, we realized that the cost of operating the pool versus the actual use of the pool didn't make sense. I started calculating the cost per swim. Between professional opening and closing costs, brand-name chemicals recommended by the pool store, and equipment fixes, we've been spending around $2,400 per season for basically 3.5 months of swimming. It's a terrible price to pay for summer recreation in a pool we don't even own.

My husband and I first visited this website last year, but we weren't ready to take the TFP plunge. After leaving the pool store Friday with $250 in chemicals due to copper issues (still don't know the source - never had an issue in the past) and a recommendation for more testing this week with more chemicals likely, I finally hit my limit. I'm tired of surprise big pool chemical bills, and I'm tired of feeling like I'm throwing money in a hole. Finally, it's time to dump the pool store and take the TFP plunge! I have ordered my Taylor K-2006 test kit (and some copper test strips), and I have decided that I will not return to the pool store for additional testing this week. The kit will arrive in a few days, I have added the TFP Pool Math app on my phone, and I am ready to start this new adventure and save some money!
 
full


Yep! That's correct. :goodjob: Welcome to TFP! :wave: Yes, you were paying waaaaayyyyyy too much for pool care before. Copper? - it should never be in there. That's from pool store products unless you have a heater with a copper core.

Just make sure to post a full set of results from your K-2006. Now if you ordered the regular 2006 versus the K-2006"C", you will run out of reagent fairly soon, so be aware of that. See Test Kits Compared. But we'll help you get started. Also see our ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry if you haven't been there already, and save/read all those Vital Links in my signature. Make sure to update your signature as well.

Let us know if you have more questions. :swim:
 
Thank you so much! I'm very excited. I have updated my signature, and I'm diving into the links in your signature. I don't have a pool heater, so that eliminates a potential copper source. The guy at the pool store asked if I had added any copper, and I told him I had not, but now I'm wondering about the Bioguard Algae Complete that he has had me using as part of my weekly maintenance routine (I capful per week). He suggested it could be from all the rain we've had, but I really do wonder about the algaecide. He said Algae Complete shouldn't cause such an issue, but I doubt he'd admit it if it could. Regardless, I am happy to be breaking free!
 
FergieWheeler said:
but now I'm wondering about the Bioguard Algae Complete that he has had me using as part of my weekly maintenance routine
Click to expand...
Yep. Take a look at the MSDS. Just another example of poor pool store advice. It happens all the time. We'll get you through it with your own proper testing. :)
 
To date this year, 2 HCl (1 unopened), 3 bags of salt, 3 boxes of borax, 4 bottles of 10% (2 unopened), 2 cya.

The last bag of salt got me in the neighborhood of a hundred bucks. Don’t anticipate buying much more if any. I did buy replacements for the test kit this year which is not included and frankly I don’t remember what they cost.

And my floaties are showing their age...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rissa8898

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Hello Fellow Kentuckian! Yes, I've been using the Bioguard Silk Tabs and Smart Shock. I discovered their copper content this afternoon as I started digging deeper. I feel like such a fool. My pool was a copper cocktail, and I can guarantee the pool store guy knows why. I used the Bioguard Pool Magnet Plus and Sparkle Up to remove the copper. I'll find out soon if it's gone (I ordered some copper test strips to check it - I don't want to go back to the pool store). I'm also disturbed that my pool analysis from Friday had CYA at 150 with a green checkmark next to it as though it's a good thing. I'm predicting a partial drain and refill after I test with my new pool test kit. The pool store has never recommended doing anything about high CYA, and I always have struggled with free chlorine (always too low). I really thought it was normal to spend over $2,000 per season on pool opening and closing along with all the associated chemicals and the weekly maintenance chemicals. The pool store is going to miss me!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tpopz
Here's the thing, copper doesn't just disappear. You can lift the stains and put copper back into suspension, and as long as you use sequestrant regularly and are careful with the pH and chlorine levels you can be ok, however if the pH or chlorine gets too high or sequestrant gets too low the copper can come back out of suspension and stain the pool, light colored fabrics, and light colored hair with a green tint. Best way to get rid of copper is to treat the pool to get rid of the stain, then drain and replace with fresh water.
You mentioned closing the pool for winter, so I assume you drop the water level below the skimmer. What I suggest is maintaining the pool water with sequestrant, watching pH and chlorine levels for the rest of swim season, then close the pool as usual. When you open for the spring, drain the rest of the water and refill with fresh. Since you have a liner you may want to drain down to about a foot deep in the shallow level then refill and test the copper level before adding anything else to the pool.
 
The experts here will give you great advice on draining etc. to get your cya under control.

Meanwhile, stock up on liquid chlorine. Walmart in Paris had the Pool Essentials 10% that was fairly fresh (get to know the Julian calendar).

Does Paris pool supply stock liquid chlorine? Or just the bio guard line?

I was at Aurora in Lex today, they had fresh 12.5% but don’t know the price.

You’ll be able to relax and enjoy your pool soon. Taking control of chemistry is extremely satisfying. I spend about $20/month on bleach and acid. Granted, my pool is very small so I don’t use much. But you could eventually convert to a salt chlorine generator and spend less than I do!
 
Last edited:
I noticed the Pool Essentials liquid chlorine at Wal-Mart when I checked their app, and I plan to buy some. I haven't been to Paris Pool Supply in ages. I've been going to Suntime in Lexington. Suntime only has the Bioguard line, and I think Paris Pool Supply is the same, but I will check to be sure. The folks at Suntime always have been very nice to me, but this copper situation really disturbed me. I feel like I have awakened from a bad dream.
 
I'm not looking forward to draining and refilling with the copper and CYA issues, but I know it will be necessary either partially or completely, and I am grateful for the guidance and advice here. I'm hoping for some partial draining and refilling this season with more extreme measures next season.

And now I'm wondering about the advice the pool store gave me when we got this pool back up and running in 2012. At the time, we asked about converting to a salt water generator, and the pool people told us it would corrode all the metal parts in our pool. Is that true, or were they just wanting to make more money over the long haul?
 
FergieWheeler said:
At the time, we asked about converting to a salt water generator, and the pool people told us it would corrode all the metal parts in our pool. Is that true, or were they just wanting to make more money over the long haul?
Click to expand...
SWCG are a very good method to add chlorine to a pool. Many of us have them. We get no reports of corrosion that are not due to out of control water chemistry.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FergieWheeler
I would love to convert to SWCG in time. I'm so glad to know that it can be done, but I also am relieved to know I can use the TFP method and not go broke while still using regular chlorine.

For the first time in a long time, I have the real hope of enjoying the pool without it being a nightmarish financial drain.
 
FergieWheeler said:
I would love to convert to SWCG in time. I'm so glad to know that it can be done, but I also am relieved to know I can use the TFP method and not go broke while still using regular chlorine.

For the first time in a long time, I have the real hope of enjoying the pool without it being a nightmarish financial drain.
Click to expand...
You will love a SWG.. it makes things too easy sometimes. And you be able to pay for it from what you will be saving in the first year away from the Pool Store ;):):p

Then what are you going to do with the extra $2K a year? Buy some floaties?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply