Hello all....new to the TFP site in July 2015 but have had a pool since 1990.
I'm an electrical engineer, born in FL under the sign of water. Love pools and boats. Hated chemistry! Really appreciate the TFP site so far (less than a month here).
First pool in St Pete FL...18K gal plaster with pop up floor "keepers", the floor system was called "Turbo Clean" and it was awesome. Screen enclosure and I never needed to vac. Just brush. Heat was Teledyne Laars propane in 2002 and replaced with Rheem Digital 266 BTU in 2012, Fafco solar (12 panels on roof at 4x12 each), Jandy Aqualink RS4 with JVA 2440 actuators for everything, spa, DE Hayward 36" grid with a 1.5 hp single speed pump. Used to use pretty much pool store bleach in the yellow 2 1/2 gal re-fill jugs and muriatic acid. That was all I needed. The turbo clean keepers in the floor were awesome.....did most of my own maintenance and repair on everything but the propane heaters.
We relocated to Huntingtown MD 2 yr ago ...Great house with pool built in 2003 but no Turbo clean
Man I miss that. Prior owner hated the pool and didn't take good care of it. Rumor with neighbors was he wanted to bulldoze it...25K gallon, Replaced pump and filter with Hayward Gold 2.0 HP Super Pump and Hayward High Rate Sand Filter (don't recall how big). No auto controls, I'll add them later. Triton heater works pretty good in the spa, I don't heat the pool ever with propane gas. Tiles falling off like 2-3 per month. Coping is "hollow" underneath. Concrete in pretty good shape...thankfully. We will re-tile next month and I have no doubt when that is done it'll be almost as good as new..... While the water is removed I'll do an acid wash "touch up" here and there as I have a few minor stains. That's all it needs.
I will say that in 2 years here I have not found the liquid CL2 in pool stores, so I drank the trichlor Kool Aid, 1 lb bags and 3" tabs. I can say I had a lot more trouble with this pool in 2 years than any 10 in FL....2 years running I didn't measure my CYA accurately and it messed me up BOTH years. I didn't make the connection that with high CYA you have higher FC requirements...I guarantee that high CYA WON'T happen after we re-tile or ever again. Bought the TF-100 kit. I recommend it.
Great site. Thanks so much. I'm a believer and a supporter.
mark
I'm an electrical engineer, born in FL under the sign of water. Love pools and boats. Hated chemistry! Really appreciate the TFP site so far (less than a month here).
First pool in St Pete FL...18K gal plaster with pop up floor "keepers", the floor system was called "Turbo Clean" and it was awesome. Screen enclosure and I never needed to vac. Just brush. Heat was Teledyne Laars propane in 2002 and replaced with Rheem Digital 266 BTU in 2012, Fafco solar (12 panels on roof at 4x12 each), Jandy Aqualink RS4 with JVA 2440 actuators for everything, spa, DE Hayward 36" grid with a 1.5 hp single speed pump. Used to use pretty much pool store bleach in the yellow 2 1/2 gal re-fill jugs and muriatic acid. That was all I needed. The turbo clean keepers in the floor were awesome.....did most of my own maintenance and repair on everything but the propane heaters.
We relocated to Huntingtown MD 2 yr ago ...Great house with pool built in 2003 but no Turbo clean
Man I miss that. Prior owner hated the pool and didn't take good care of it. Rumor with neighbors was he wanted to bulldoze it...25K gallon, Replaced pump and filter with Hayward Gold 2.0 HP Super Pump and Hayward High Rate Sand Filter (don't recall how big). No auto controls, I'll add them later. Triton heater works pretty good in the spa, I don't heat the pool ever with propane gas. Tiles falling off like 2-3 per month. Coping is "hollow" underneath. Concrete in pretty good shape...thankfully. We will re-tile next month and I have no doubt when that is done it'll be almost as good as new..... While the water is removed I'll do an acid wash "touch up" here and there as I have a few minor stains. That's all it needs. I will say that in 2 years here I have not found the liquid CL2 in pool stores, so I drank the trichlor Kool Aid, 1 lb bags and 3" tabs. I can say I had a lot more trouble with this pool in 2 years than any 10 in FL....2 years running I didn't measure my CYA accurately and it messed me up BOTH years. I didn't make the connection that with high CYA you have higher FC requirements...I guarantee that high CYA WON'T happen after we re-tile or ever again. Bought the TF-100 kit. I recommend it.
Great site. Thanks so much. I'm a believer and a supporter.
mark
Bo already gave you the initial links, and they are usually in all of our signatures as well, so I'll simply say hello and echo the recommendation to get the right test kit. You can't manage a pool in the dark. I have the TF-100 (w/ speed stir) and absolutely love it. Great tool. Have a great day.