Newbie here!

[JSBoulder]

Four summers after having moved into a house with a pool, I've just decided that my husband and I will start taking ownership of the pool water care. Until now, we have used test strips and the "free" testing by the pool store. I know, I know, terrible practices! But we've been so busy with other things in life and have just decided it's time to tackle the pool water on our own. Except not on our own - because I found this awesome group! Both of us grew up with pools and had parents who tested their own water, so I'm not sure how we ended up using test strips and the pool store. Oh wait, I do know: convenience! Last week, I decided we need to step up our game and my online searches brought me here, thankfully. We have a 16' by 34' inground, DE filter, plaster pool that holds approx 21,000 gallons. We live in a wooded area and our family joke is that we notice a new "season" every week or two while our pool is open , and that season is whatever is falling from the trees on our property! I'm really looking forward to learning here. I ordered my TF-100 test kit, downloaded the Pool Math app, and have read a whole lot of articles. Thanks for making the site and making it so welcoming and easy to access!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Great job on getting a quality test kit. When you get the kit, start a thread in Just Getting Started and tell us the test results are in your Poolmath logs. Be sure to share your Poolmath logs.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[kimkats]

Hi and welcome! What a wonderful oasis you have there!

You have done a good job so far with our water from the looks of it. I will tell you it will look even better once it is dialed to TFP's levels.

How do you add FC to your pool?

More pics of those pretty doggies will get you even more help LOL just kidding but it would be a bonus for those of us who love dogs!

Kim

 

[JSBoulder]

Welcome to the forum!
Great job on getting a quality test kit. When you get the kit, start a thread in Just Getting Started and tell us the test results are in your Poolmath logs. Be sure to share your Poolmath logs.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

Thanks so much! Looking forward to receiving the test kit so we can get started!

 

[JSBoulder]

Hi and welcome! What a wonderful oasis you have there!

You have done a good job so far with our water from the looks of it. I will tell you it will look even better once it is dialed to TFP's levels.

How do you add FC to your pool?

More pics of those pretty doggies will get you even more help LOL just kidding but it would be a bonus for those of us who love dogs!

Kim

Yes, we are dog lovers! That's a pair we had in the past (a Husky mix and a Husky), and here is a photo of the pair we have now (Lab mix and Husky). Our backyard oasis is great. We've worked on it a lot since moving in -- it was practically a jungle when we moved here 4 years ago.

Uhm, I now know that chlorine pucks in our skimmer basket is the wrong answer but it's the truth. I promise to change this!

 

[kimkats]

MORE cuties right there!! Guessing you "know" huskies! SO pretty but man can they be a handful!

You are so far ahead of the learning curve it is wonderful!!!! While you are waiting for the test kit to get there start looking for a convenient place to get liquid chlorine from. Some pool stores carry it and you can get it at Walmart (liquid shock in a white jug) as well. You can also start learning about a SWG (salt water generator). This will turn salt in the pool into chlorine. SO easy to use!

 

[JSBoulder]

MORE cuties right there!! Guessing you "know" huskies! SO pretty but man can they be a handful!

You are so far ahead of the learning curve it is wonderful!!!! While you are waiting for the test kit to get there start looking for a convenient place to get liquid chlorine from. Some pool stores carry it and you can get it at Walmart (liquid shock in a white jug) as well. You can also start learning about a SWG (salt water generator). This will turn salt in the pool into chlorine. SO easy to use!

Oh yes, Huskies are a handful. Sometimes two handfuls!!! They have personality for daaaays. Is that your kitty? I grew up with cats (but had to transfer my pet love to dogs because my husband's cat allergy) and had a black long-haired cat for a long time. He was silky smooth and had this tiny little head inside his pouf of fur!

Are you saying we could convert our pool to a salt pool by adding a SWG to our existing setup? Our pool (including pump and filter) is 43 years old and still ticking so I don't know if we should mess with it... But my husband grew up with a salt water pool and loved it.

 

[kimkats]

Two handfuls LOL That is a great way of saying it! That is not my kitty but I do have kitties. I take in "hospices" cats from our local shelter. They will say "Oh they are so bad off it will only be a month or so"........................yeah right years later they are still going strong! They may be older but with the right love and care they find their second life when they get here!

Yes you CAN switch your pool over to a salt pool. Here is a link to explain the what and hows. We also have a forum just for SWG:

Salt Water Chlorine Generators (SWG)

Salt Water Chlorine Generators and water chemistry for a Salt Water pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Here is a link to help explain them a bit deeper:

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

One thing TFP says is Get a SWG rated for twice your pool size. The reason is this-you will have to run your pump less time (savings on the power bill) and it extends the life of the cell in the SWG.

If you don't get a SWG then you will need to find a source for liquid chlorine. That can be hard in some areas so it is best you look in your area and see if it is easy to get your hands on. You can use bleach BUT it has to be "plain" bleach with out any added stuff like chlormax, pretty smells, non splash ones, etc. Just plain bleach.

I am sure this will make yo u have more questions. Write them down as you think of them and ask each and everyone! We LOVE to teach!

Kim

 

[JSBoulder]

Two handfuls LOL That is a great way of saying it! That is not my kitty but I do have kitties. I take in "hospices" cats from our local shelter. They will say "Oh they are so bad off it will only be a month or so"........................yeah right years later they are still going strong! They may be older but with the right love and care they find their second life when they get here!

Yes you CAN switch your pool over to a salt pool. Here is a link to explain the what and hows. We also have a forum just for SWG:

Salt Water Chlorine Generators (SWG)

Salt Water Chlorine Generators and water chemistry for a Salt Water pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Here is a link to help explain them a bit deeper:

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

One thing TFP says is Get a SWG rated for twice your pool size. The reason is this-you will have to run your pump less time (savings on the power bill) and it extends the life of the cell in the SWG.

If you don't get a SWG then you will need to find a source for liquid chlorine. That can be hard in some areas so it is best you look in your area and see if it is easy to get your hands on. You can use bleach BUT it has to be "plain" bleach with out any added stuff like chlormax, pretty smells, non splash ones, etc. Just plain bleach.

I am sure this will make yo u have more questions. Write them down as you think of them and ask each and everyone! We LOVE to teach!

Kim

I love that you take the so-called hospice cats from the shelter! All our pups have come from shelters or "rescue" nonprofits. All four were supposedly "hard to place" but they've all been amazing and perfect for us! I have a deep suspicion that many folks

Our TF-100 test kit should arrive in a couple of days, and then we can get to work. Liquid bleach looks like it's available at our local Walmart, but I think we'll want to (at least) explore the idea of SWG at some point.

I'm really excited to have found this group! Y'all are so welcoming - it's great!
-Suzanne

 

[BowserB]

Two handfuls LOL That is a great way of saying it! That is not my kitty but I do have kitties. I take in "hospices" cats from our local shelter. They will say "Oh they are so bad off it will only be a month or so"........................yeah right years later they are still going strong! They may be older but with the right love and care they find their second life when they get here!

Kim

Good for you, Kim. We've had two rescue cats who lived 20 and 22 years. Our current rescue we found eating birdseed in our backyard. After no reply from our neighborhood inquiries, we took her to our vet and learned she was about 13 weeks old and had almost everything wrong that could be. So weak, her meows were inaudible. That vet gives a discount to people with rescue animals. Thank goodness. Now Sophie is 7 years old, a bit overweight (we're working on it), and terrified to be outdoors unless there is a open door she can see. Our concern for Sophie is that she might outlive us, and our kids are typical cold blooded Gen X'ers and dog people.