pH Pure - Anyone using one?

[Bperry]

If every variable keeps changing isn't that what the game is then? You add x or y or z etc. That's what I've been doing but being told I should never be adding baking soda or x or y.

You have to know your own goals, there isn’t one goal that works for everyone. That’s the issue. It’s not that you shouldn’t ever add baking soda, it’s that you’ll probably never need it following TFP’s guidelines.

If the goal isn't optimal CSI then what is the goal? I am shooting for optimal everything but it takes all these chemicals to get it there so not sure what I'm doing wrong. This thread was just to see how to get some help from automation to cut down on chasing x, y or z and eliminate the purchasing of two of them.

You just need chlorine, CYA, and muriatic acid, nothing more. You can automate the chlorine and acid additions if you want, but you still have to test and adjust the equipment to compensate for variables over time, many of those variables no one can predict.

 

[Newdude]

With all the AI advancements of recent, looks like PM would benefit from a LLM of sorts to make it intelligent.

With a large enough donation, we are *1* person away from that. THANKS.

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[tradewinds]

You have to know your own goals,

I honestly thought 99.9℅ of the time I would hope everyone's goal is the same to have well-balanced water at all times. Those striving for "perfectly"-balanced and one off situations would account for the remaining.

BTW - as much as I've read here, what exactly is the tfp method? When I started here every advice was to get PoolMath and that it would be the guide to maintaining a well-balanced pool via tfp method doing all the heavy-lifting. Perhaps that was my mistake.

 

[Newdude]

what exactly is the tfp method?

1) test frequently with reliable method
2) know what you need
3) know what it will do
4) watch it do
5) prove it did

We are guided through the above by the FC/CYA relationship, the PH/TA relationship and the CSI/CH/scaling relationship and use poolmath to cheat on how to adjust any of the levels. But that's it. *We* use poolmath to do what we want. Poolmath doesn't use us to do what it wants. Poolmath doesn't know enough to understand. (Until you make that donation. Thanks again )

I honestly thought 99.9℅ of the time I would hope everyone's goal is the same to have well-balanced water at all times.

Well balanced water looks entirely different across the country, sometimes its even different house to house. If my neighbor puts in a plaster pool, his CH will be 350 to my 50 and his iiquid chlorone PH will be a low 7 compared to my SWG ph high 7.

CSI will matter for him but not for me.

 

[tradewinds]

1) test frequently with reliable method
I use the Taylor kits


2) know what you need
The kits tell me the number. PoolMath takes the number and tells me what is needed to meet industry recommended and ideal ranges.

3) know what it will do
I know what adding liquid chlorine, muriatic acid and baking soda will do. Also what calcium chloride and stabilizer would do.

4) watch it do
Per #3, it does what it is supposed to

5) prove it did
New measurements prove the movements towards the ranges where PM states a congratulations on each item.

Unless I'm missing something, I should be following the method. But as expected, things change so I keep adding what is needed and for the ones I have to add frequently I'm looking for other automation like SWG does to keep free chlorine in check.

 

[Newdude]

Unless I'm missing something, I should be following the method.

You're doing great. Ask away at any time.

I'm looking for other automation like SWG does to keep free chlorine in check

They are the bees knees. They are far cheaper long term than bleach too. Most are about half the cost for the first one, because of pro install costs, but then 3X to 5X cheaper for future cells. If you DIY the first cell, it's crazy cheap from the start.

But yeah. A Pentair IC60 will make 5833 lifetime FC in 17k gallons, the equivalent of 989 jugs of 10%. They'd cost $5972.12 after tax at Walmart. It doesn't matter how much inflated PB profit you pay for the first one, it'll be far cheaper. Lol.

 

[Mdragger88]

I honestly thought 99.9℅ of the time I would hope everyone's goal is the same to have well-balanced water at all times. Those striving for "perfectly"-balanced and one off situations would account for the remaining.

BTW - as much as I've read here, what exactly is the tfp method? When I started here every advice was to get PoolMath and that it would be the guide to maintaining a well-balanced pool via tfp method doing all the heavy-lifting. Perhaps that was my mistake.

Pool math is recommended because it is most certainly the most well rounded calculator & has many features but it is still just a calculator.
You will notice it has recommended range & ideal range for each parameter. Being in recommended range is perfectly fine.
Always follow

What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?

Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.

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&
FC/CYA Levels

 

[Bperry]

1) test frequently with reliable method
I use the Taylor kits


2) know what you need
The kits tell me the number. PoolMath takes the number and tells me what is needed to meet industry recommended and ideal ranges.

3) know what it will do
I know what adding liquid chlorine, muriatic acid and baking soda will do. Also what calcium chloride and stabilizer would do.

4) watch it do
Per #3, it does what it is supposed to

5) prove it did
New measurements prove the movements towards the ranges where PM states a congratulations on each item.

Unless I'm missing something, I should be following the method. But as expected, things change so I keep adding what is needed and for the ones I have to add frequently I'm looking for other automation like SWG does to keep free chlorine in check.

I don’t think you’re missing anything other than expecting there to be reliable automation for pool chemistry, there just isn’t.

I suspect the baking soda recommendation just knocked things sideways for a bit. Just know that a TA of 50 is just fine and is no less fine than a TA of 70.

 

[Bperry]

I honestly thought 99.9℅ of the time I would hope everyone's goal is the same to have well-balanced water at all times.

Just to clarify, I meant specific goals. Of course everyone wants clean safe water. But clean safe water can be achieved through a variety of parameters which vary from location to location. A specific set of numbers might be great for your pool but would not be for mine. So you have to figure out what your pool needs and those needs may change over the season(s). That’s all I meant.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

BTW - as much as I've read here, what exactly is the tfp method? When I started here every advice was to get PoolMath and that it would be the guide to maintaining a well-balanced pool via tfp method doing all the heavy-lifting. Perhaps that was my mistake.

What is TFPC?

We believe any pool owner can achieve and maintain safe, crystal clear pool water, by using the science-based, Trouble Free Pool Care (TFPC) methodology.

www.troublefreepool.com

The TFPC Method is simply the idea that YOU, the pool owner, are the person best equipped to care for YOUR pool and that only YOU will do the job of pool care that satisfies YOU (notice the theme ...).

TFP is a forum that offers advice and tools to help YOU achieve the pool care regimen that YOU desire.

The TFPC Method is based on actual scientific reasoning as opposed to the industry standard, boiler-plate pseudoscience that is out there. So much of the industry is untrained, or mis-informed (yes, looking at you CPO Training people), and relies on old-wives tales and "rules of thumb" that TFP looks like it deviates from what is considered "safe" when, in fact, the methods posted here yield safe, clean and sanitary water. Every industry and their businesses have to make profit to survive and no one faults GOOD and HONEST people for doing that. But the industry, at least in the residential space, is very much unregulated and therefore filled with lots of charlatans and businesses that put profit over people. Perhaps they are just uninformed and don't care as long as no one gets hurt and they can make a buck. But TFP cares for everyone of the members and supporters here because we don't care about profit, we care about pools and people having fun in them without going bankrupt in the process.

Sadly, because the industry won't police itself, pool owners are often left frustrated and angry which is why so many homeowners with pools get disgusted with them over time and they are universally perceived to be nothing more than money-pits. That is not true. So TFP works hard for it's people to enable them to have the best experience possible. No one here is paid, no one makes money off this site. It is totally donation-driven and the people that donate their time here as mods, guides, and experts do so out of a sense of altruism that they want everyone to have fun with their pools. That's the payoff.