Nervous about switching to TFP

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jillp913

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Jan 11, 2018
49
Philly Pa
Hi, My pool remodel will finally (2 months since chip out!) be finished this week with luna quartz. (The glass tile is in and looks amazing!)

I want to switch to TFP because I had such high CYA I never rarely added chlorine last year...but didn't know that was the issue. And used phos free every week. I never had algae, my pool looked clear and beautiful, but now i know it wasn't healthy. Yikes.

I need help switching though, I guess mainly with switching from tablets to liquid chlorine. Where do I get it? How much should I have on hand? What do I look for? Where do I add it... to the pool or skimmer. How long after wards is is safe to swim? Will it stain towels or bathing suits? I never have an issue with staining with tablets. My dogs lay wet on our carpet and it never gets stained, I worry switching to actual bleach will cause staining.

The PB will start the process for me, and just suggested i have ph down on hand for the first year. I didn't mention to him yet I want to switch to liquid chlorine. He wanted me to get SWG but I upgraded a lot on this remodel and didn't want to spend yet another 3k.

I read and printed your instructions, but I feel over whelmed. I've stared at an empty pool for 2 months and now feel like I forget how to take care of it, so starting a new method is really making me nervous....plus i go on vacation as soon as the pool is finished. Yeah, I know, bad timing, this is life in the northeast, nothing ever goes as planned due to weather! The PB swears he'll come and brush it every day for me...I did get a whale brush.

Thanks!
 
Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

You can get liquid chlorine/bleach at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Farm stores, Menards, etc.

LC is liquid chlorine. Clorox no longer markets 'plain' bleach. They have additives called Cloromax. Most other plain bleaches are now 6%. So look for Liquid Chlorine at Walmart (Pool Essentials), Home Depot, etc. Check the dates. There is a number 18XXX on the bottle. The XXX represents the number of days in 2018 the bottle was filled. Look for stuff less than a couple months old.

You should have at least a weeks worth on hand. If you have a basement or other cool place to store it, you can get a months worth. Just be aware of the dates above.

You mentioned having pH down; We strongly recommend using muriatic acid. The dry acid is sodium bisulfate. Sulfates can build in your water and destroy metal, concrete, plaster, etc.

I would suggest you consider getting a proper test kit. We recommend the TF100 from TFTestkits.net. A SpeedStir makes testing easy.

Download the eBook, Trouble Free Pool School

We are here to answer your questions.

Take care.
 
Thanks, I got the Taylor 2006 in the mail yesterday!
I read the download, but I don't understand how I will know how much bleach to add? I have no idea how much to buy initially...1 bottle, or 10? haha I'm missing something....

Thanks
 
jillp913 said:
Hi, My pool remodel will finally (2 months since chip out!) be finished this week....... My PB wanted me to get SWG but I upgraded a lot on this remodel and didn't want to spend yet another 3k.

I read and printed your instructions, but I feel over whelmed.
Click to expand...


Another "overwhelmed" post? Wow

Jill, a good, high quality salt system from one of top manufacturers can be had for a lot less than $3000. If you're overwhelmed, the peace of mind is definately worth it.
 
I am trying to keep about 4-6 gallons of 10% bleach on hand but my pool is slightly less than 14,000 gallons so it really depends on how big your pool is, how high your CYA level is, how many times it's used, how much sun it gets everyday, etc. Look in my signature for the Pool Math page. It'll help figure out the amounts you need to reach your target.
 
jillp913 said:
Thanks, I got the Taylor 2006 in the mail yesterday!
I read the download, but I don't understand how I will know how much bleach to add? I have no idea how much to buy initially...1 bottle, or 10? haha I'm missing something....

Thanks
Click to expand...

Good job on the test kit! I assume it was the regular version, not the C model? If so, you should get FAS-DPD and CYA reagent refills now. That kit comes with very few tests of those items, and you do them the most.

You use PoolMath, or the app, Pool Math to determine what items the pool needs. You test your water, enter the data into the Now column, be sure your pool volume and type of pool surface, etc are entered, and the calculator guides you on what you need. Now, do not just blindly add all the items. Until you get an understanding of the process, post your test results here. We will provide you guidance on what your pool needs.

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

When you can, please fill out a signature. See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post
 
I feel over whelmed when I read about SWG too, haha. Plus I went 9k over my remodel estimate already (3k for full chip out, 3K for lights and new automation, 3k for upgraded tile and spa coping, yikes), soooo, I really don't want to spend another 3k :(

But my pool is 30k gallons, hmm liquid bleach sounds like it might be hard for me to manage.
 
You can consider a stenner pump/tank setup with it's own timer to inject chlorine into your pool. This is cheaper than a SWG in up front costs. Mine cost about $500 and there are lots of installation examples if you search this site for stenner pumps. I fill my 15 gal tank about once per month.
 
First and foremost, welcome to the forum!!!!!!

I completely get how TFPC can be overwhelming. If I may make a suggestion to start, only focus on the first section of the book, “Pool Care Basics.” The rest will come in handy as you gonbut for now just worry about those first few articles.

So how much of what to add?? That’s a commonly asked question. Once you get your kit come back and post a complete set of numbers and we’ll give you the advice you need. For the most part the Free Chlorine is going to be the most important part to keep an eye on. Your main goal is to ALWAYS keep it above a minimum set by your CYA level. By keeping your chlorine level higher than this minimum it will kill any algae faster than it can grow, thus you end up with an algae free pool. Again, once you start post test results and we’ll walk you step by step. Promise, you’ll quickly catch on!
 
3k is a chunk of change and that certainly buys a lot of bleach! Even with SWG you will have to use bleach in the winter and periodically in the summer. I have a SWG and I certainly like it and would do it all over again. For folks to really help you should edit/create a signature line with all your pool/equipment info. As for how much of this or that to add look at the pool math tab at the top of the page. Chlorine and CYA are two of the absolute most important things to get right and it all depends on your pool. There are links at the top of the page to help and here is a good one:

Pool Care Basics
 

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Look for a pool store that has the blue containers of "POOL SHOCK" its just chlorine. That's what I use. It's 12.5% and you just trade them in for a new one.

I felt the same way as you did in the beginning. "Just DO It" you won't look back. GO BIRDS!
 
One piece of advice I can offer is be weary of liquid chlorine from Lowe’s, Home Depot, or any other store has their pool supplies outdoors. Outdoors means there is zero temperature control. With their turn over rate being slow and you could get some that is over 6 months old. That chlorine will have deteriorated to the point of being worthless. For grins, I bought one of those with a manufacturer’s date late in November 2017. When I opened it, there was very little chlorine smell. The smell of a fresh 10% bottle will be extremely strong. My guess is there may have been 1% chlorine left. Try to buy your chlorine from a store that keeps it inside and has a high turn over rate. I find Walmart to be good for this. Grocery stores are another source, if they have any in stock. My local groceries have not had any in at least 3 weeks.
 
This is the first I have heard of this... Is it in a liquid form? What is the price point vs "BLEACH"? Asking for a friend :)
 
BLEACH and Liquid Chlorine are the same. They are both sodium hypochlorite. One may be 10% or 12.5% vs 6% or 8.25%.

Pool Essentials brand in Walmart is 10%.

The Pool Math app has a Bleach Price Calculator in it.

Take care.
 
“Pool Shock” is a term being applied to just about everything these days. On TFP we refer to Shock generally as a noun describing Dichlor or CalHypo. What JoeSelf was describing is Liquid Chlorine that has a higher percent of chlorine. While “bleach” has 6% chlorine chlorine sold at the pool store frequently has 12.5% chlorine in it. Depending on the store some offer a refill option but that depends on the store.
 
ctrav said:
This is the first I have heard of this... Is it in a liquid form? What is the price point vs "BLEACH"? Asking for a friend :)
Click to expand...
I am referring to liquid chlorine. Price at non-pool stores is between 3.60 and 3.95 per gallon for 10%. A gallon of 6.0% bleach is about 3.00. The 12% stuff at my local pool store is about 6.00 per gallon. By the way, that 6.00 stuff may actually be cheaper if you take into account the cost of gas to drive 40 miles round trip to the closest Walmart.
 
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