My wife and I moved into a new home last fall just in time to close the pool.
Aren't we lucky previous owners left us what we need to finish the season.
We are both new pool owners and with the chaos of moving in really paid little attention to the 2 water tests we had done except to say thank you to the nice "professionals" selling us the perfect ingredient for our pool.
It's now spring, "most" of the boxes are put away, spring is here, and I have a little more time to think about what I am doing.
So 2 weeks ago I take the cover off, water looks pretty good, refill to seasonal level, hook up pump / filter, let it circulate a few days and vac the little debris that's present and I say to myself.... you've got this, no problem.
Then I went to the pool store........... to see how to go about getting things going right the first time out...............
Must have caught him when he was busy, although no-one else was in the store...
Well you need to bring in a water test, but we know you will need this opening closing kit so you may as well start with that. Come back in a week..... OK
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.64 High
Total Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.64 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 0 OK
ph Level 7.2 - 7.6 7.3 OK
Total Alkalinity (Input) 87
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 48 Low
CH 200 - 500 ppm 150 Low
Copper 0 ppm 0 OK
Iron 0 ppm 0 OK
Phosphates 0 - 125 ppm 0 OK
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.4 Unbalanced
Advice: CYA is High dump 7" water, refill and retest. (24' round above ground vinyl) 13500 gallon.
Can't really start balancing anything else yet, but I can sell you Phos free to get rid of high phosphate levels.
"You can use it before or after dumping, doesn't really matter."
Ok, so I'm a little grumpy because I'm dumping water you just had me start treating but you're the "expert".
Re-read the report at home while stewing a few minutes and noticed the test line for the phosphates he just sold me product to combat......yep, getting grumpier. I hate being stupid.
After a few hours of on-line data searching, had to agree dumping the 7" of water seems the only solution. (Don't get ahead of me, I know, I didn't do the math)
So I am just getting the pool topped off again and get my brother and his wife on the phone to vent to.
"Yep you figured out how pool stores work, that's why we don't go that route. Try TFP and get your own test kit."
Ok, but maybe it was a isolated incident, let me try again, but this time I used 2 different, un-affiliated stores both close by.
Store 1: (Same as last test)
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.35 High
Total Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.35 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 0 OK
ph Level 7.2 - 7.6 7.6 OK
Total Alkalinity (Input) 92
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 58 Low
CH 200 - 500 ppm 149 Low
Phosphates 0 - 125 ppm 0 OK
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.1 Balanced
Store 2:
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine .5 - 1 ppm 2.95 High
Total Chlorine .5 - 1 ppm 4.37 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 1.42 High
ph Level 7.2 - 7.8 7.9 High
Total Alkalinity (Input) 94
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 60 Low
CH 125 - 325 ppm 165 OK
Phosphates 0 - 500 ppm 4571 High
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.0 Balanced
Tests were taken at the same time and processed 10 minutes apart.
I read and compared the results, and the acceptable ranges.
I got mad, decided to listen to brotherly advice, read more on TFP.
Now dumping 50% water (boy am I happy), ordered TF-100 test kit, will refill in a little while and start all over again on my own... (with your help, thanks in advance).
It's a shame, I really want to work with local businesses and was even planning on picking up a nice smoker grill from them that although it was expensive for a grill they had the best deal around me.
I don't like being played, so I settled on a nice standard grill at 25% the cost elsewhere. Maybe another day....
Aren't we lucky previous owners left us what we need to finish the season.
We are both new pool owners and with the chaos of moving in really paid little attention to the 2 water tests we had done except to say thank you to the nice "professionals" selling us the perfect ingredient for our pool.
It's now spring, "most" of the boxes are put away, spring is here, and I have a little more time to think about what I am doing.
So 2 weeks ago I take the cover off, water looks pretty good, refill to seasonal level, hook up pump / filter, let it circulate a few days and vac the little debris that's present and I say to myself.... you've got this, no problem.
Then I went to the pool store........... to see how to go about getting things going right the first time out...............
Must have caught him when he was busy, although no-one else was in the store...
Well you need to bring in a water test, but we know you will need this opening closing kit so you may as well start with that. Come back in a week..... OK
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.64 High
Total Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.64 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 0 OK
ph Level 7.2 - 7.6 7.3 OK
Total Alkalinity (Input) 87
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 48 Low
CH 200 - 500 ppm 150 Low
Copper 0 ppm 0 OK
Iron 0 ppm 0 OK
Phosphates 0 - 125 ppm 0 OK
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.4 Unbalanced
Advice: CYA is High dump 7" water, refill and retest. (24' round above ground vinyl) 13500 gallon.
Can't really start balancing anything else yet, but I can sell you Phos free to get rid of high phosphate levels.
"You can use it before or after dumping, doesn't really matter."
Ok, so I'm a little grumpy because I'm dumping water you just had me start treating but you're the "expert".
Re-read the report at home while stewing a few minutes and noticed the test line for the phosphates he just sold me product to combat......yep, getting grumpier. I hate being stupid.
After a few hours of on-line data searching, had to agree dumping the 7" of water seems the only solution. (Don't get ahead of me, I know, I didn't do the math)
So I am just getting the pool topped off again and get my brother and his wife on the phone to vent to.
"Yep you figured out how pool stores work, that's why we don't go that route. Try TFP and get your own test kit."
Ok, but maybe it was a isolated incident, let me try again, but this time I used 2 different, un-affiliated stores both close by.
Store 1: (Same as last test)
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.35 High
Total Chlorine 1-4 ppm 4.35 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 0 OK
ph Level 7.2 - 7.6 7.6 OK
Total Alkalinity (Input) 92
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 58 Low
CH 200 - 500 ppm 149 Low
Phosphates 0 - 125 ppm 0 OK
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.1 Balanced
Store 2:
Water test: Acceptable Value Analysis
Free Available Chlorine .5 - 1 ppm 2.95 High
Total Chlorine .5 - 1 ppm 4.37 High
Combined Chlorine <0.2 ppm 1.42 High
ph Level 7.2 - 7.8 7.9 High
Total Alkalinity (Input) 94
Total Alkalinity (Adjusted) 80 - 120 ppm 60 Low
CH 125 - 325 ppm 165 OK
Phosphates 0 - 500 ppm 4571 High
Saturation Index -0.3 - 0.3 -0.0 Balanced
Tests were taken at the same time and processed 10 minutes apart.
I read and compared the results, and the acceptable ranges.
I got mad, decided to listen to brotherly advice, read more on TFP.
Now dumping 50% water (boy am I happy), ordered TF-100 test kit, will refill in a little while and start all over again on my own... (with your help, thanks in advance).
It's a shame, I really want to work with local businesses and was even planning on picking up a nice smoker grill from them that although it was expensive for a grill they had the best deal around me.
I don't like being played, so I settled on a nice standard grill at 25% the cost elsewhere. Maybe another day....
Welcome to TFP!!!
