Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenswing
After several different pool companies I just decided to do it myself. Download the Clorox pool app and go from there. Remove as many variables as you can. Run your pump the same amount of time everyday. Keep your salt level at 3,200. You will need to adjust your salt cell upwards in the summer due to the longer days that chew up more chlorine. Once I finally got my alkalinity under control the only thing I had to really concern myself with is ph. After a heavy rain I do need to add a bit more acid. I shock it once a month just to be on the safe side and my pool is always sparkling clean.
I did splurge on an electronic pool vac which does a great job removing any fine particles from the bottom of the pool.
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Stay away from Clorox pool salt. It contains impurities that will cause staining in a pool over a period of time.
Troublefreepool (TFP)voffers an app. It costs $8 per year. You enter your pool info once (salt, chlorine, vinyl, plaster, fiberglass, gallons), then every time you test you enter your data and it tells you exactly how much to add.
When you test DO NOT use strips. They are extremely inaccurate, and get worse with age. Drop tests are the only way to accurately measure levels.
Pool stores are in business for one reason only - to sell chemicals. All of the chemicals offered used a base of common chemicals and then add things to make the product unique. In most cases the additives do nothing or are even harmful over time. TFP only recommends the mininum base chemicals needed.
Using TFP, my cost per year in chemicals is less than $200, and my pool is crystal clear.