New Pool New Water idiot in charge???

Guys/gals I have read this site for weeks now anticipating the arrival of an IG Vinyl 20X40 pool w/sand filter. Now I need to make sure I'm on the right track with opening the pool. I will be filling the pool with city water that I am getting test results from Monday. I desperately need a test kit but with all the problems going on with Ben's test kit I am afraid it will arrive too late. No pool store nearby either. Local Walmart only has test strips. Testing is going to be a problem for a while.
Anyway once I can get a good quality test kit I hope to have a little more confidence and information. What I plan to do is take the test results from the local water authority and use the Best Guess Calc to try and get things where they need to be using the B/B/B method and advice from you guys. Anybody have any other advice/suggestions. :eek:

Sounds like you're on the right track given your circumstances. If you're able to obtain chlorine, pH, alkalinity and hardness levels for your city water, you'll have enough to get by for a while. You can use the calculator to bring things in line initially. I think the one thing you'll have to deal with is getting a proper amount of CYA dissolved in the pool water fairly quickly to begin holding your chlorine level where you want it. For the first week or so, I think I would add bleach every day to make up for what is getting used up but how much you might need to add is open to question. Test strips would be better than nothing until you can obtain a better test kit. Couple of things, though. Is your pool builder really not responsible for the initial treatment and balancing of your water? Also, I guess I've not run across a builder who didn't include or have available a simple test kit.

One other thought: Suppose you could talk a friendly technician at the water utility to test your water for you a couple of times until you get a test kit? Worth a try.

I've ordered a few kits of Taylor's web site. Had very fast delivery. I would recomend buying a refill or two while you're on the site, especially for CYA and CL reagents.

I do plan on buying one of Ben's once my current stock runs out, but I'll be sure to pre-order way ahead of time....;)

http://www.taylortechnologies.com/home.asp

I'm not so sure I want the builder to be responsible for initial chemicals and start-up after reading thru this site. After all he is a pool builder and has no experience in maintaining a pool. What do you think?

nater,
Ben is having trouble now, but I have ordered off his site for a couple of years, and have never had to wait - he usually ships his orders quickly. This is just a glitch, I hope you understand and give him the courtesy of accepting the apologies that he has put forth on this board.

Sometimes the written word is misleading. I intend to order from him but I was thinking I needed to wait and let him get all this straightened out. Stuff happens as they say and sometimes it falls on the shoulders of someone who is not ultimately responsible. Besides where else can you order a kit and get someone to help out like you guys and him. I have already gleaned enough information from his site to pay the bill for the water testing kit. Or I feel like I have. You know what they say about a little information being a dangerous thing.

mbar,
I appologize, sometimes sarcasm doesn't come across well in type...I wasn't trying to suggest that people shouldn't use Ben's kit. I understand his issues of late and am supremely grateful he's spent so much of his personal time to get the site back up and running.

I had used Taylor's website prior to finding this site and was trying to provide a possible alternative to Chemistrydropout for a decent kit until one of Ben's arrives. I hate to see people use strips (as I did) and then turn to the Pool Store for help (as I did) and waste hundreds of dollars on a green pool (as I did).

Without a doubt Ben's kit and the advice on this site are invaluable to us all.

nater,
No need to appologize - I was just trying to let anyone else reading the post know that this is not usual for Ben or the forum, I have always received items in a short period of time. All of this is new, and I know many people are getting frustrated. I just wanted to make it clear that once all of this is settled with the new kits, no one should be afraid to order from Ben. I have been coming to this forum for about 4 years, and I know that there are a lot of new people since he expanded, so they are not familiar with all of the help that others of us have had from Ben, and his dedication to this forum. I hope you continue to enjoy all the encouragement and help that we all get from everyone here.