Swimming pool chemicals prices

[apearso]

I have a 26,000 gallon IGP. I see on here recommendations for borax 20 mule team instead of expensive ph up which I use a lot of. i have been using bioguard silk tabs...very expensive. anything i can use instead of that? So much information on here i am enjoying all the new ideas. thanks
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[kelemvor]

According to the MSDS, Bioguard silk tabs are 95% trichlor pucks and 5% magic. Okay, it actually says secret ingredients.

You could easily switch to any brand trichlor pucks if you so desired. However, personally I'd switch to ordinary household bleach. The bioguard (trichlor) tabs are acidic which drives down your pH. That's probably the reason you're having to add pH up regularly. It's great business for the pool store selling you all that stuff. Tabs to decrease pH and pH UP to counteract the tabs. Not so good for the person paying for it, though.

This document will help get you started with getting a handle on things: http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/the-BBB-method-of-swimming-pool-care.html

[apearso]

thank you for the advice and the link...I have learned so much already. Maybe next year will be a better year.

[PoolDoc]

membership upgraded . . .

Keep in mind, BioGuard products are the SAME products, off the same production lines, as KMart and Walmart brands, like AquaChem and PoolTime. The difference is fancier labeling, and differing brand names. BioGuard dealers do have more training that most dealers -- BUT, much of that training focuses, not on how to solve your pool water problems, but on how to solve their pool chemical MARKETING problems.

Right now, if you are using a Bioguard dealer, they are beginning their big fall "Winterizing Chemical" push. But all their "winterizing chemicals" are made of EXACTLY the same chemicals as their "summerizing chemicals"!

Do yourself a favor, and buy a Taylor K2006 testkit from Amazon (link in my blue signature block), and learn to use it, now! Then, maintain your pool over the winter, yourself, without use of seriously over-priced "winterizing kits".

Post your test results, and we'll help you set up your chemistry for winter -- or if you have a mesh cover, maintain it over the winter.

[apearso]

Thank you. I have a Taylor test kit...I think it is a k2006. I just got my pool up and running from having broken grids in my earth filter and blowing all the yuck back in. So all is good and chemicals levels are all good. The calcium was a little low but I read on here that vinyl pools don't need calcium. I would love to know how to help maintain my pool in the winter...I do have a mesh cover. Here in PA the pool is frozen pretty early in winter. Somehow I had bought into the thinking that more expensive bio guard had to be better at keeping my pool clean...shame on me. I have never had trouble keeping it clean in the summer but springtime is a nightmare.

[Watermom]

We have a section on the forum about closing a pool. Take some time to read through some of the posts and if you have questions about that, you can post them in that section.