Newbie Needs Some Help with Bogus Pool Store Test Results

[Hstead]

We just had a 16x32 inground Salt pool with a 3 foot shallow end sloping to 8 foot deep end installed the first week of June. I have tried to learn as much as I could about salt pools as I can on here and other sites. The installer really didn't give me a lot of info on how to maintain the pool so I turned to this forum. I started testing my water with AquaChek strips that came with the pool. The Free Chlorine has continually been low as well as the Stabilizer. I have never put anything in the pool with the exception of 10 bags of salt when the pool was opened. My Salt generator has read anywhere between 2900 on the low side to 3200 on the high side and currently reads 3000. The inside door panel recommends a range from 2600 to 3400 with suggestions on how much salt or water to add depending.

I went to a pool company to buy some Cyanuric acid after reading quite a bit on here and they talked me into bringing them a test bottle of water because they said the strips do not work and are not accurate. My first question to the guy was, "you mean these strips here like I am using (pointing to the same strips they had sitting on their shelf), then why do you sell them if they do not work?" He didn't like that question and told me often the chlorine is too high and it bleaches the strips. My gut told me he was full of it and I asked "even in salt pools you often find the chlorine is too high?" and he answered "Yes". I ended up bringing them a sample and they want me to do the following:

Add 90 lbs of salt. Add 4 lbs of Stabilizer, and then work on the Alkalinity. They said the current water is destroying my pump and equipment because it is too high. Again, my gut called BS. They said they were surprised my water was clear. Well, it is crystal clear. They said the only reason it is clear is because it is pure acid. They said the need for more salt will fix the free chlorine. I thought I read on here that just adding Salt is not going to increase the Free Chlorine but like I said I am new.

I just did not like their attitude or recommendations and I told them I wanted to get a second opinion from an internet forum. They then told me they had been in the business for 30 years and know much more about pools than people on an internet forum. Needless to say, even if they are correct according to the knowledgeable folks here, I will take my business somewhere else because they were so condescending.

Here are pictures of the test strips.

Alkalinity (looks good to me - they said it is way low at 60)


Free Chlorine - (looks low to me - they said it was 0.24)


pH (looks good to me - they said it was high at 7.5)


Stabilizer (looks a little low to me - they said it was way low at 8)


Here are their numbers - My generator says the Salt is 3000




Thanks for the recommendations.

[PoolDoc]

Wow!

Over the years, PoolForum members have often reported bogus recommendations from pool stores, but your case is exceptional. Usually, ignorance is part of the problem, but your pool guys sound like they are deliberately dishonest. I think you should stay well away.

OK. Do this:

1. Go get a cheapo OTO / phenol red kit from Walmart. (If they have the HTH 6-way, get that kit instead.)

2. Test your pool, and report results here: http://pool9.net/pf-hist-form/

3. Assuming that your pool is NOT green, begin dosing with 1 gallon of PLAIN 8% household bleach EACH evening. (Walmart store-brand is fine; avoid Clorox brand since they are not selling so many 'flavors' and it's easy to mistakenly buy something other than PLAIN bleach.)

4. Test your pool each AM -- chlorine levels should be dark yellow (> 3 ppm). PH should be between 7 and 8. (Your current pH is FINE!)

5. Order a K2006 kit and a bottle of Aqua-Check SALT strips (not the test strips you have) => http://pool9.net/tk/

6. Fill out the EQUIPMENT form: http://pool9.net/pf-equip-form/

7. When you post your first test results, ALSO post a list of all the chemicals used in the last 2 weeks.

Good luck!

[Watermom]

(If they have the HTH 6-way, get that kit instead.)

Only buy the 6-Way drops-based kit. If they have the 6-Way test strips, don't buy those.

[Hstead]

Thank you much for the advice. I have a couple of very long work days ahead of me but will get a chance on Friday to make it to Walmart and will start getting everything in order. The water is crystal clear at this time, I just felt like I needed to be more on top of it though from reading this site. My gut told me the pool store was not on the up and up.

[FormerBromineUser]

...begin dosing with 1 gallon of PLAIN 8% household bleach EACH evening.

PoolDoc is the expert here and I strong advise you to take his advice. Don't let a busy schedule keep you from addressing your pool issues. By Friday, algae may play while you are away...