Got the Google Photos "1 year ago today" photo yesterday...opened it up and it was a picture of my wife and daughter in our new pool.
How time flies!
Just wanted to give a shout out to this website and all the great advice I've received since joining.
Had a pool built last year and one year later I can say I've had zero algae issues.
The best part of this site is how much you can learn which makes pool upkeep so much easier.
I decided this year to take what I learned and experiment a bit to save a time. Since I did some small drain/fill over the winter months, I started the year off with a CYA of 30. So for the sake of not having to go search every week or two for liquid chlorine that is not old, I decided to start the year off with trichlor pucks and just monitor my CYA and adapt as it increases. I did buy 12 bottles of liq chlorine to supplement if I needed to. As most members here can suspect, my CYA has increased...its up to 60 now. I've used 6 of my 12 bottles of 12.5% liq chlorine at times to raise my FC which let me reduce the dial on my chlorinator to slow down the rise in CYA. This hybrid approach is working nicely so far. Last year I got burned out on having to go to all the local stores in town trying to find enough liq chlorine...I was using almost a whole bottle per day in the hottest part of summer...days of 96 to 100 degrees here in Texas. With coronavirus, having a newborn, and work, I just don't have the time/desire to run around town like last summer. Haven't had a whole lot of rain lately and it's been hot so I've been having to add water every 5 to 7 days. I do try to keep my FC in the target range on the CYA/FC chart. (In a perfect world, all I would use is 12.5% liq chlorine at cya of 60 for where I live...if I had time and endless supply of liq chlorine at the snap of a finger)
Few weeks ago, I ordered a 16 or 20oz bottle of reagent for CYA knowing I would have to test my CYA more frequently this year. Been testing about every 6 to 7 days. Plan on doing some drail/fill when it gets to 70-80. I work shift work so plan on doing that when I get home off night shift since it's still dark outside and no direct sun will hit my plaster.
Been trying to spread the TFP pool school knowledge to some guys I work with...I hear them talking about their pools, algae problems, and stuff they are buying at the pool store...just shocking the lack of real water chemistry facts that are out there...people spend a lot of money having pools built but don't want to spend the time to learn basic water chemistry. I've been trying to explain the basics to help them out but some just don't want to learn I guess...sent them hyperlinks for TFP for them to read the basics at least. I did get one guy to buy the pool math app and he really likes it...he's starting to come around. He asked me if the app was free... I said, dude, pay the $7 or whatever it is...that is peanuts compared to what money you'd waste in pointless chemicals all pool season. Another worker showed me his Leslie's water test results....FC was 0 and CYA was 0....this was 2 days ago...and it's been hot and he's had a lot of swimmers...big family...I explained to him he'd better get some CYA in that water or he's going to have algae real quick...he's only been a pool owner about 3 weeks...he told me they tried to sell him conditioner but he told them no..I told him most of the chemicals in there are not needed but that one is...explained to him why and he understood...went and bought it...showed him the pool math app and how it calculates how much is needed...he texted me today asking what the name of that app was...so hopefully he's going to download it and learn a bit more.
Again, thanks to all who run this site...been a great learning experience and I've enjoyed learning about the water chemistry...it has sure made my pool experience much more relaxing and stress free...learn the cause and effects and it really is quite simple to keep a pool algae free and looking great.
How time flies!
Just wanted to give a shout out to this website and all the great advice I've received since joining.
Had a pool built last year and one year later I can say I've had zero algae issues.
The best part of this site is how much you can learn which makes pool upkeep so much easier.
I decided this year to take what I learned and experiment a bit to save a time. Since I did some small drain/fill over the winter months, I started the year off with a CYA of 30. So for the sake of not having to go search every week or two for liquid chlorine that is not old, I decided to start the year off with trichlor pucks and just monitor my CYA and adapt as it increases. I did buy 12 bottles of liq chlorine to supplement if I needed to. As most members here can suspect, my CYA has increased...its up to 60 now. I've used 6 of my 12 bottles of 12.5% liq chlorine at times to raise my FC which let me reduce the dial on my chlorinator to slow down the rise in CYA. This hybrid approach is working nicely so far. Last year I got burned out on having to go to all the local stores in town trying to find enough liq chlorine...I was using almost a whole bottle per day in the hottest part of summer...days of 96 to 100 degrees here in Texas. With coronavirus, having a newborn, and work, I just don't have the time/desire to run around town like last summer. Haven't had a whole lot of rain lately and it's been hot so I've been having to add water every 5 to 7 days. I do try to keep my FC in the target range on the CYA/FC chart. (In a perfect world, all I would use is 12.5% liq chlorine at cya of 60 for where I live...if I had time and endless supply of liq chlorine at the snap of a finger)
Few weeks ago, I ordered a 16 or 20oz bottle of reagent for CYA knowing I would have to test my CYA more frequently this year. Been testing about every 6 to 7 days. Plan on doing some drail/fill when it gets to 70-80. I work shift work so plan on doing that when I get home off night shift since it's still dark outside and no direct sun will hit my plaster.
Been trying to spread the TFP pool school knowledge to some guys I work with...I hear them talking about their pools, algae problems, and stuff they are buying at the pool store...just shocking the lack of real water chemistry facts that are out there...people spend a lot of money having pools built but don't want to spend the time to learn basic water chemistry. I've been trying to explain the basics to help them out but some just don't want to learn I guess...sent them hyperlinks for TFP for them to read the basics at least. I did get one guy to buy the pool math app and he really likes it...he's starting to come around. He asked me if the app was free... I said, dude, pay the $7 or whatever it is...that is peanuts compared to what money you'd waste in pointless chemicals all pool season. Another worker showed me his Leslie's water test results....FC was 0 and CYA was 0....this was 2 days ago...and it's been hot and he's had a lot of swimmers...big family...I explained to him he'd better get some CYA in that water or he's going to have algae real quick...he's only been a pool owner about 3 weeks...he told me they tried to sell him conditioner but he told them no..I told him most of the chemicals in there are not needed but that one is...explained to him why and he understood...went and bought it...showed him the pool math app and how it calculates how much is needed...he texted me today asking what the name of that app was...so hopefully he's going to download it and learn a bit more.
Again, thanks to all who run this site...been a great learning experience and I've enjoyed learning about the water chemistry...it has sure made my pool experience much more relaxing and stress free...learn the cause and effects and it really is quite simple to keep a pool algae free and looking great.
