Remember! Improperly balanced pool can COST you!

Hello, All ~
Hopefully this is the right spot for this post! I guess it could possibly go under "Chemicals", too. We are having our pool surface replastered, and this is just a post about the importance of maintaining a proper balance of your pool water! I know everyone knows this, but here is our story:

We have an inground, 15,000 gal, screened pool in Florida. Regular chlorine pool. We purchased our house in November and noticed that the pool had some yellowing, brownish stains on the surface. The owner initially told us it was just cosmetic and would be taken care of with acid washing.

Long story short: the owner had NOT properly maintained her chemicals! The water needed calcium and leached it from the pool surface, leading to the discoloration and eventual degredation of the surface, the plaster being eaten away. When I took my water to be tested last weekend, the calcium was 500 (we don't have the test kit to test for that yet hence the reason I took it to the store - which didn't try to sell me anything, by the way!) Before we purchased the house, we learned that it was the previous owners negligence that caused the problem and we were able to get a credit at closing to take care of the problem. BUT!! It is still costing about $4000. She also used chlorine tabs with CYA in them in a floater. The floater would get stuck around the steps and it would sit there, disolving. Where it did that, the plaster is like dry paint chipping off.

SO!! This is a fabulous place to learn EVERYTHING about caring for your pool correctly. Thank you to ALL of you who have answered questions of new pool owners like myself. We will be happily, correctly and diligently maintaining our pool water that this problem doesn't happen again.
Best regards ~
Kelly