Overwhelmed by all the pool chemistry

[darylrue]

Holy criminey. We have had a pool for 5 years proceeded by those Intex pools from the smallest to largest the previous 10 and 3 hot tubs. With the hot tubs we just put 3-4 small chlorine tabs in from time to time (few days to a week) and has always been fine. We had to drain the pool the year before last (prior to that we just put in the tablets all the time and shock it here and there but had too much stabilizer (did not know that could happen)... now that we are doing some more testing and I read this thread (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?6361) about startup issues, I wonder how the heck we are going to get this stuff down.

I think I am in need for a pool chemistry for dummies water management flowchart.

[aylad]

I think I am in need for a pool chemistry for dummies water management flowchart.

I know that it seems to be a tremendous amount of information to digest at one time, but it really isn't as complicated as it seems. Start by reading the "stickies" at the top of each forum, then read as much of the forum as you can, and also do some reading at our sister site, Poolsolutions.com. It will all eventually begin to make sense, I promise--and we're always here to answer questions to help you make sense of it!

[PoolDoc]

Daryl,

Just tell us where you are with your pool RIGHT NOW, and we'll work you forward, step-by-step.

It is overwhelming at first, especially if you try to make sense of every thing right away. I still remember how I felt when I first really got involved with pool chemistry, about this time of year, 26 years ago. Don't do that . . . because you don't have to do so!

Just tell us where you are, let us help you work from there, and a year from now, you'll be thinking what Aylad said, "this isn't as complicated as it seems".

[chem geek]

Holy criminey. ... I read this thread (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?6361) about startup issues, I wonder how the heck we are going to get this stuff down.

I think I am in need for a pool chemistry for dummies water management flowchart.
You picked the wrong thread to start out with -- avoid those that have "chem geek" posts :-) As Ben noted, start with the stickies.

[waterbear]

You picked the wrong thread to start out with -- avoid those that have "chem geek" posts :-) As Ben noted, start with the stickies.
Be equally cautious about "waterbear" posts until you get your feet wet! (pun intend). Really, it will all fall into plaice pretty quick and we do a lot of hand holding around here! ;)