Introducing myself

[Jimwoodmansee]

Hi,
Just joined TFP yesterday. My wife and I retired and moved from Maryland to our house on a canal here in Cape Coral on April 14, 2017, so we have been here just one month. This is our first swimming pool. It looks like a small modified kidney pool with more curves. In calculating the gallons I treated it as though it is a rectangle (length times width) and measured triangles at each curve to subtract. The total rectangle would have been 26x19 with average depth of 4 1/2 ft so that would have been 16,628 gallons. Then I subtracted the six triangles and arrived at 10,926 gallons so I'm using 11,000 on the chemical charts. As a pool newbie I'm looking for all the help I can get to have clear blue water instead of slightly hazy blue/green water!
Jim

 

[woodyp]

Welcome to the forum. Step 1 is ordering one of our recommended test kits in Pool School so we can speak the same language.

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

If you want water so clear that someday you'll glance out the window and panic because it looks like it all leaked out, do what we do. Start with a proper test kit. Invest in a good one right now. It will save you its cost in one season easily. Skip the article in pool school and head for tftestkits.net for a TF100. It ships from NC, so you'll have it before the weekend. I'd spring for the XL option now, because that refill is virtually impossible to find in stores if you run out. Ordering now saves extra shipping. And nobody who has a speedstir regrets buying it. And, no, I don't get a kickback. Sadly.

Once you have a full set of test results, we can advise you on what to do next.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Welcome,!

You should also start by adding all your pool info on your signature so we know better how to help you. Dont panic, you will be a Pro, chemist in no time.
+2 on the XL TF-100 and speed stir.

Felipe

 

[Rollercoastr]

Welcome Jim! Have you been to Rum Runners yet? I haven't been there in a few years. I hope it's still good. (they used to have awesome oysters) Even if the food has slipped, it's at least a good place for a beer and atmosphere.

Richard, if you start getting a kickback on Speedstirs, then I want a cut too! I beg people to buy them. That could be Oyster Rockefeller money.

 

[Jimwoodmansee]

Thanks; I ordered the k-2006 for delivery tomorrow from amazon.

 

[Jimwoodmansee]

Thanks Rollercoastr. We haven't been to Rum Runners yet but we have made it to Fins and two italian restaurants. This city is FULL of restaurants! All good so far.
Jim

 

[Rollercoastr]

Hmm, I googled Fins and it looks just like Salty Sam's in FMB.

We should probably start talking about your up-coming, SLAM, eh?

 

[Teald024]

Hello and welcome to TFP! The best way to get the clear sparkly blue water.
Now that you have the test kit on it's way, you will probably want to know what we test for and why. Head over to PoolSchool and read the Getting Started, ABC's of Pool Chemistry and other pages. Take some time to let it sink in and ask any questions you have. Don't worry, they are fairly short reads and will give you an idea of the basics. If you do this, you will easily come up to speed on the methods.