Hi from Long-Time AZ Pool Owner, New to TFP

[DanF]

Hi,

I stumbled across TFP after a google search. I see that TFP is a great resource for pool owners such as myself who are mainly DIY owners!

However I'm now in a quandry over whether to adopt a new maintenance regime. I currently use 3" tabs in a floating device in order to sanitize my pool water. I switched to tabs from a salt water chlorinating system about 5 years ago, mainly because the salt system was requiring more maintenance that chlorinating the pool by other means such as tabs. Nonetheless, I am asking the experts on this forum what the advantages and disadvantages to the "tabs" method are, over liquid chlorine/bleach.

As I see it the downside to tabs is the CYA that the tabs contain and, as such, introduce to the pool water. This could cause an excessive amount of CYA in the pool which then causes the tabs to be less effective in preventing algae. However given that I live in the Phoenix area, I need to drain my pool every 2 years because of the excessively hard water here (or so I am told). Wouldn't draining the pool every two years prevent the CYA from exceeding a normal range?

Based on TFP threads which discuss liquid chlorine/bleach, tabs *seem* to be a little more trouble-free. I make this claim based on
1) the need to constantly check manufacturing dates prior to purchasing liquid chlorine/bleach
2) the varying percentages of chlorine contained in the product
3) the need to monitor the shelf life of the product once I get it home
4) potentially higher cost of liquid chlorine/bleach over tabs - although I haven't looked at that rigorously yet
5) the need to transport bottles from the store to home to pool
6) the need for a $60-70 test kit and daily monitoring of chlorine levels.

If I were to switch from tabs to liquid chlorine/bleach I would most likely store it in my garage. In the Phoenix area, garages can easily reach over 100 degrees in the summer. Does this level of heat accelerate the decline in the effectiveness of the product?

I currently do my own pH and chlorine testing with a simpler test kit that the TF-100. For other readings I take a sample to my local Leslie's for a free water test. Yeah it's probably not perfect but I'm wondering if it's good enough...

Don't get me wrong...I think the pool care methodology that is used on this forum definitely has merit, I 'm just wondering if it's right for me.

Thanks,
DanF

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dan,

Welcome to TFP... A great place to learn all about pool maintenance.

If what you have been doing is working, why change? Most people that come here do so because what they have been doing, was not working.

I have three pools and have never changed water... I have never added a single bag of "shock"... My pools do not smell like a public pool. My water is so clear it does not even look like it is there. I have never had an algae bloom...

All my pools are saltwater pools, the absolute easiest way to maintain a pool. If I built another 100 pools they would all be saltwater pools.

We are not here to force you to not use pucks... That is entirely up to you.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP Dan! I'd agree with Jim in that if what you are doing works, there's no need to rack your brain to change something. You already know tabs increase CYA, but you drain periodically due to the hard water in your area. Some others do that as well. Or, some will supplement the hard water with a water softener and/or utilize a pool cover to reduce evaporation - hence reducing the amount of hard water resupply. As for the numbers items above, most of them are not a huge player for me personally. I buy 2-4 bottles of bleach each week. In the blazing summer I use them in a week or so. They aren't sitting too long to go bad either. I'll keep them in my laundry room like bleach I use for clothes. Last I checked, a bucket of tabs is about $100. Not sure how long that lasts you, but you'd have to compare local bleach supplies if you really wanted to do a good cost comparison. Interesting about your SWG comment as I'd expect most here who do use SWGs love them for the lack of effort required. Maybe later you can expand on that. The last thing I would say is about item 6. A good test kit is still a must - no question. We recommend either a TF-100 (my favorite) or the Taylor K-2006C. There's just no substitute or accurate at-home testing. No one will be as accurate as you.

Overall, it sounds as if you're in good shape. If you do have questions about anything you see here, please post back and we'll go over it.

 

[Arizonarob]

Hi Dan/neighbor, welcome to TFP!

I too had a salt system on my pool when I purchased the house, but ripped it all out due to it corroding all the equipment. I replaced all the equipment, drained the pool, refilled, and now I just use liquid chlorine and muratic acid to maintain my pool.

My pool is topped off via an autofill that is plumbed to the soft water system in my house. I’ll never have to drain my pool because of hard water, or high levels of CYA (the real reason people here in the valley drain their pools) again.

The problem with tabs, is point blank raising CYA levels, vs the proper amount of FC to keep your pool properly sanitized.
Do you have a proper test kit? There are only 2 that will give you a complete view of what is really going on in your pool. Either the TF-100 or the Taylor K2006C. The only difference in the two, is the TF-100 is a better deal.

Pick one up (if you don’t have one already) and post up your results. And with some simple guidance, you’ll quickly see the difference in the quality of your pool water.

~Rob

 

[DanF]

Dan,

Welcome to TFP... A great place to learn all about pool maintenance.

If what you have been doing is working, why change? Most people that come here do so because what they have been doing, was not working.

All my pools are saltwater pools, the absolute easiest way to maintain a pool. If I built another 100 pools they would all be saltwater pools.

We are not here to force you to not use pucks... That is entirely up to you.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim R.! Glad I won't be forced to use liquid chlorine LOL! Just kidding - I'm sure it will come in handy if my CYA gets high prior to draining.
I wish my experience with salt water matched yours...I just found that I was constantly de-scaling the salt cell with muriatic acid, and then every once in a while the system would inexplicably stop working. Also I had to add a pricey de-scaling chemical to the pool to prevent the cell from scale build-up.

Welcome to TFP Dan! I'd agree with Jim in that if what you are doing works, there's no need to rack your brain to change something. You already know tabs increase CYA, but you drain periodically due to the hard water in your area. Some others do that as well. Or, some will supplement the hard water with a water softener and/or utilize a pool cover to reduce evaporation - hence reducing the amount of hard water resupply. As for the numbers items above, most of them are not a huge player for me personally. I buy 2-4 bottles of bleach each week. In the blazing summer I use them in a week or so. They aren't sitting too long to go bad either. I'll keep them in my laundry room like bleach I use for clothes. Last I checked, a bucket of tabs is about $100. Not sure how long that lasts you, but you'd have to compare local bleach supplies if you really wanted to do a good cost comparison. Interesting about your SWG comment as I'd expect most here who do use SWGs love them for the lack of effort required. Maybe later you can expand on that. The last thing I would say is about item 6. A good test kit is still a must - no question. We recommend either a TF-100 (my favorite) or the Taylor K-2006C. There's just no substitute or accurate at-home testing. No one will be as accurate as you.

Overall, it sounds as if you're in good shape. If you do have questions about anything you see here, please post back and we'll go over it.

Thanks Texas Splash! I'll probably pick up a good test kit regardless - totally agree with your accuracy comment. See my response to Jim R regarding salt water. Maybe I just bought a bad system, but I did not have a good experience.

 

[DanF]

Hi Dan/neighbor, welcome to TFP!

I too had a salt system on my pool when I purchased the house, but ripped it all out due to it corroding all the equipment. I replaced all the equipment, drained the pool, refilled, and now I just use liquid chlorine and muratic acid to maintain my pool.

My pool is topped off via an autofill that is plumbed to the soft water system in my house. I’ll never have to drain my pool because of hard water, or high levels of CYA (the real reason people here in the valley drain their pools) again.

The problem with tabs, is point blank raising CYA levels, vs the proper amount of FC to keep your pool properly sanitized.
Do you have a proper test kit? There are only 2 that will give you a complete view of what is really going on in your pool. Either the TF-100 or the Taylor K2006C. The only difference in the two, is the TF-100 is a better deal.

Pick one up (if you don’t have one already) and post up your results. And with some simple guidance, you’ll quickly see the difference in the quality of your pool water.

~Rob

Thanks Rob! Great idea to plumb your leveler to the soft water system. Once I pick up the TF-100 I'll post my results. Where do you buy your liquid chlorine/bleach in the Valley?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I was constantly de-scaling the salt cell with muriatic acid,

Dan,

Right there is a reason to read how we do things.. If you operate your pool within our standards your cell will just not scale. Our pool care approach is not all about the pucks..

If you look at our PoolMath App it shows your pool's CSI.. Maintaining a CSI of 0 to -.3 keeps things from scaling even in AZ. In fact by managing your CSI, you can even get away with high CH for a longer period of time.

Almost all "reported" saltwater problems are really just because saltwater systems were sold by the pool builders as "set and forget" systems. Nothing could be farther from the truth.. You still have to routinely test the water and adjust the chemicals to keep things in balance.. Saltwater may make maintenance easier, but it does not make it maintenance free.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[setsailsoon]

Dan,

My brother lives in Dallas area and does similar to you but he has to dump a LOT of water annually because his CYA goes so high he can't hold the FC level needed. See the FC/CYA chart in my signature if you need to. He's still happy with this approach but he didn't realize until a couple of years ago that the CYA was getting so high. One thing he likes is the pH control is easier with the CYA in the tables. Prior to a couple of years ago his Leslie's was doing the test wrong. Verified with two other stores and my Pool Math calculations. Now that he's dumping a lot more water he's keeping the pool disinfected properly with tablets. It just works better for his preferences.

So my point is you may want to check the CYA level your pool store tests yield vs the calculated amount. If there's a big difference you may want to consider alternative plans. If not, I wouldn't change a thing!

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Chris

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Another advantage of TFP pool care and having a good test is the ability to fine tune your Calcium Saturation Index, or CSI. Your CSI is calculated by combining several factors including pH, TA, CH, CYA, salt, temp etc. By maintaining a slightly negative CSI, you won't have to worry about scale messing up your waterline and SWG electrodes. If you find your CH rising, you can reduce pH and TA to maintain a negative CSI. Many folks here are able to maintain properly balanced water with CH levels up to 1000 ppm. Bottom line, whatever you decide, get one of the recommended test kits. A "Speedstir" will make testing quicker, consistent and more accurate.

Read up on CSI here: Trouble Free Pool

Calculate CSI here: PoolMath

 

[Arizonarob]

Thanks Rob! Great idea to plumb your leveler to the soft water system. Once I pick up the TF-100 I'll post my results. Where do you buy your liquid chlorine/bleach in the Valley?

Dan, I buy my chlorine from Walmart. They carry the Pool Essentials 10% in a 2 gallon pack. You can also get it from Home Depot, but I usually avoid buying it there in the summer because they store it outside in the garden Dept.

 

[DanF]

Dan, I buy my chlorine from Walmart. They carry the Pool Essentials 10% in a 2 gallon pack. You can also get it from Home Depot, but I usually avoid buying it there in the summer because they store it outside in the garden Dept.

Thanks Rob. Do you have an idea of how many gallons you use per week in the height of the season (i.e. summer heck)?

 

[Arizonarob]

For my 11k gallon pool, I burn a quart a day during July & Aug. Keep in mind, I run my CYA levels starting in April at 80ppm. Through oxidation, by September, I’m down to 40ppm Cya, then by December I’m holding at 30ppm. So for the winter I usually use 4-6oz per day. (What I usually do, is dump 2 cups of chlorine in on any given day, then let it slowly decrease over the course of 3-4 days.)