Last year we used pool math for our recommended levels with success. This year we have a new pool and the pool store gives us the chemicals and tests the water as part of the deal. They are a bioguard dealer and they seem to do a fairly good test. Their system recommends TA at 125 to 150. What is the outcome when using that number vs pool maths much lower number of up to 90? I am at about 110 or slightly less as of now. We have an 18x33 above ground with a vinyl liner about 15k gallons. We are using a sand filter. They are also recommending a lower calcium range if 175-225.
Total Alkalinity Level
- Thread starter stygz
- Start date
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,027
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
run, run away.... They do not do a good test I promise... Do you not want to follow TFP now.. You can still take a sample to them you just do not have to follow what they say 
With a TA that high your PH will raise fast and you will need more muriatic acid
With a TA that high your PH will raise fast and you will need more muriatic acid
Rich807
Bronze Supporter
Everyone hates politicians, except theirs seems to be ok.... kinda like folks’ local pool stores & water testing, ‘my pool store seems to be good’. I doubt your pool store water testing is reliable nor their methods beneficial to your wallet in the medium to long run. But at the end of the day it’s your pool, your choice on how to run it.
I intend to use TFP numbers as they worked well for us last year. Like I said, it was part of the deal when we bought the pool….free start up chemicals. We skipped some like the algicide 60. I’ll keep it in case we need it down the road.
I assume my alkalinity will go down naturally as we added more fresh water yesterday.
They also gave us bioguard tablets for the chlorinator. Since we will be away from the pool for 2 weeks this summer, I was planning on using them with a dose of liquid to hopefully make it through the time we are away. I kept our CYA at about 40 or slightly less to help with this.
I assume my alkalinity will go down naturally as we added more fresh water yesterday.
They also gave us bioguard tablets for the chlorinator. Since we will be away from the pool for 2 weeks this summer, I was planning on using them with a dose of liquid to hopefully make it through the time we are away. I kept our CYA at about 40 or slightly less to help with this.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,027
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
That will work for the vacation.. As you drop PH it will also drop TA so no issue there.. Test your TA in your fill water as it may or may not go down...
run, run away.... They do not do a good test I promise... Do you not want to follow TFP now.. You can still take a sample to them you just do not have to follow what they say
With a TA that high your PH will raise fast and you will need more muriatic acid
got you. Thank you for the simplified affects of TA that high.
This is a new store to me. Their methods seemed like it was using separate water samples for each test versus our old store did some type of digital test. It kind of looked like some type of Taylor stir type setup for pool stores. I use a Taylor K2006 kit at home but sometimes get another test done to verify my numbers.
They said the same in regards to the numbers. “Use what works for you”.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 10,021
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
This is what is commonly referred to as a "loss leader". They want you as a customer for life. They'd love for you to have them test and sell you chemicals for your pool. Once my pool is opened, I put nothing in it all season except for muriatic acid for pH control (I have a SWG so technically I also add chlorine). Pool stores would not remain in business if you only used what you needed.
There is the TFP method and there are pool store methods. The 2 methods, for the most part, are not compatible it is one or the other.
So the pool store exists to fleece you of all your money. You will either run out of money, or tire of it going out the window. Either way you’ll eventually want us to show you how to do it the dirt cheap way (which also happens to work for all pools worldwide).
Everybody has a threshold that they need to cross to cut ties with the pool store for good. When you reach yours, we have an army of helpful folks to happily guide you.
Everybody has a threshold that they need to cross to cut ties with the pool store for good. When you reach yours, we have an army of helpful folks to happily guide you.
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That sounds like how last year went for us using TFP. Add about a qt of liquid every day/other day and tweak the ph ever so offen. It was simple and trouble free.. if you stay reasonably on top of it. I think my old store used numbers closer to TFP. Either way, I only really buy liquid exchange containers (5.60 for 2.5 gallons 10%) and PH down from our store as I don’t like handeling the muratic acid (just preference, I know it costs more).
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,027
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Watch out for that PH down if you ever get a salt water generator as it will create scale in it and can kill them...