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[7sanders]

Received my Unicel cartridges yesterday. After running the pump with the new cartridge for 4 hours it had caught more of the fine tan colored dust than the Intex filter would catch in 48 hours! Unfortunately we could not run the pump through the night last night due to a power outage, but this morning the water looks so much better. there are only 2 or 3 small pockets of the dust on the floor as opposed to pockets everywhere.

I removed the skimmer basket as I found some algae dots on the arm that hangs it over the side of the pool... soaked in a bleach bath and then scrubbed with soap and water. I think it might have been beneficial having the pump run without the skimmer basket so that the intake was farther down in the pool rather than on the surface.

I also purchased skimmer socks to see if that would help catch the fine debris... it certainly helps at catching all that hair! The water is definitely still cloudy, but it is more of a white cloudy hue rather than a green/tan hue! Hopefully we'll be back to sparkling soon. Sure miss that sparkle!

And yes, next on my list is the Talor test kit (Still working on the DH with that one... maybe I can sneak it into the deck building budget, lol... after all, it includes power tools for him! ;-P )

[PoolDoc]

Received my Unicel cartridges yesterday. After running the pump with the new cartridge for 4 hours it had caught more of the fine tan colored dust than the Intex filter would catch in 48 hours!

Glad to hear it.

I would definitely encourage you to get the K2006. Now that I have the pool chart working, I'm seeing a VERY strong correlation between recurrent pool problems and the lack of a HTH 6-way or K2006. They aren't cheap -- but they are much cheaper than fixing the problems people have without them!

[7sanders]

I have the HTH 5-way (appears to be the same as the 6-way) with new reagents minus the CYA since I couldn't find it locally. What would the benefits be of upgrading to the K2006 aside from being able to accurately test higher chlorine numbers (so I can "sell" it to him)? Part of the reason DH is reluctant to spend so much on *another* test kit is that it costs twice as much as refilling our pool in the first place (When I fill the pool, the water bill only goes up about $28 for the month).

Thanks again!

[PoolDoc]

You can use the HTH kit to 'spare' the K2006 . . . and I would recommend doing just that. But, without accurate FC, CH (which you don't appear to have) or CYA . . . you are flying blind, now, and next year. You do NOT have to replace the kit annually!

The fact is . . . you can get lucky, and be OK without the kit. Lot's of time, lucky is better than smart or skilled. "So, you ya feel lucky? Do ya?" (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

It's your choice of course.

But the correlation between no K2006 and solution-resistant problems is so high, I'm beginning to think that I may set a policy next spring that, during peak periods, we simply won't try to help people unwilling to get a HTH 6-way or better. I think it's likely we can help more people that way.

It's past peak, now, so if you feel like being a guinea pig test subject, so we can see if we can help without good info, I'll go along . . . for awhile.

[7sanders]

See, now I did not realize that I did not have to replace the reagents and such in the Taylor kit each year! That would definitely make it a much easier selling point.

I did find the CYA reagent on Amazon through Amato and had planned to purchase it for next season to avoid the pool store running the test for me. I do have a Hardness test in my kit, but I hadn't been doing that test since the kit recommends only testing it monthly (last month it was at 400ppm)

I will purchase the K2006 before next season (since we are down to just a few more weeks of "pool weather") instead of refills of all of my reagents.

Thank you for all of your help!