Test kit or no test kit?

[MrBfromNC]

There isn't much maintenance for a pool.

Tell that to the dozens of people I've seen creating threads just in the past month I've been visiting here.


Tell you though.... I trust my $70 test kit over someone who claims they have "been around the pool industry for almost my entire life" any day.

 

[domct203]

Re:  Test kit or no test kit?

No professional calls it bleach.

I never claimed to be a professional.

Chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) diluted in water is commonly referred to as bleach, regardless of %.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Pool places, and so called pool professionals started calling Sodium Hypo (Bleach), Liquid Chlorine. People who know what Liquid Chlorine is would never call bleach liquid Chlorine.

 

[Donldson]

Funnily enough, I have heard pool store owners and even pool chemical manufacturer reps call sodium hypochlorite bleach for short. It was at industry events so you know, behind closed doors and not to the public, but it was more than one person on more than one occasion.

 

[ctrav]

"E" you may very well be good at how you choose to maintain and test pools. Im a novice still in my first year of pool ownership and self maintenance thus I would not attempt to care for others pools. You say there is no need for an expensive test kit ($50-$100 depending on needs or wants) but I would think for folks like myself who self-maintain our pools this investment is critical. The end result is I invest in a quality test kit, educate myself, follow established practices, seek advice from more than one person (TFP forum) results in a sanitary and clear pool along with self-satisfaction. Then there is the overall cost of doing it the TFP way or a pool store way or hiring a service. Even as a novice it is clear that TFPC is a "clear" winner!

Don't get me wrong there are obviously many who need your services as they are constricted by time, lack of knowledge, fear or belief thats how it should be done. Thats fine but even as a novice I will put my pool up against any pool you or others maintain as far as cost, sanitation, clarity of water and self satisfaction is concerned!

BTW - time spent to maintain my pool is approximately 15-30 min per week

 

[Pv2]

Hi Laurie,

I've been around the pool industry for almost my entire life. These are just a few things I've picked up along the way:

-Salt cells tend to last anywhere from 4-5 years (From what you mentioned, it seems like it might be time to replace that one unfortunately)
-Never trust the reading given by the salt system
-No need for an overly expensive test kit like the k-2006 (Most pool professionals don't use these kits and I don't either)

As far as your chemicals,
-Cyanuric acid is low (should be around the 60-80 range)
-Chlorine level is also low (manually add a gallon or two of chlorine to prevent it from algae blooms and turning green or cloudy)
-pH isn't bad, but your pool is vinyl so no need for acid to be used

Regardless, the cell should be tested.

MOD note: This set of posts were removed from another thread.

No acid because pool is vinyl???? How do you lower pH without acid?

Testing with a good test kit is the FOUNDATION of a safe and beautiful pool, are you seriously trying to say "pros" don't use good test kits? Well I guess that is the perfect argument to NOT use "pros."

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

The definition doesn't say expertise or experience is required:

professional

[pruh-fesh-uh-nl]

adjective

• following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain

 

[YippeeSkippy]

No acid because pool is vinyl???? How do you lower pH without acid?

Voodoo, maybe??

seriously, if its thru the use of dry acid instead of MA, there are reasons (sulphates) to specifically *not* use the dry acid. Hard on salt cells too. Perhaps the pool pros, not being so largely attached to those pools financially allows them to do something quick and dirty but without a care to the long term effects on the pool itself?

Muriatic Acid is a must for pool pH control...I would love to hear how one can manage it otherwise?

Maddie

 

[kellyfair]

So glad this set of posts was removed from original thread. I hope Laurie is still with us and succeeding with clearing her pool.

Now, it’s time to back to destroying my liner with MA! LOL

 

[ctrav]

ha ha ha ha...

 

[kimkats]

Thank you all who chimed in. It is so nice to see so many that have been helped by TFP and their test kits point out why it works so well in real life.

This thread is being closed now as everything that needs to be said has been said.

Kim TFP MOD