Pool Chem, whadda I know???

[CarlD]

I'm learning a lot from this board. I don't feel naive or alone any more. I still have an awful lot to learn ; ) My pool is a 24 ft round. Uses approx 13600 gallons of water. I didn't find this board until I had the water tested and put some chems in a week ago. The pool looks a lot better than it did when I firsted started the chems. However, it is still cloudy. Enough not to see bottom, but clear if you put some in a glass gallon container. No greenish tint at all. Not even milky really, just cloudy. I took another test down today and this is the results:

Free Chlorine: 3.5 ppm
Total Chlorine 3.8 ppm
Combined Chlorine 0.3 ppm
pH 7.5
Hardness 150 ppm
Alkalinity with stabilizer 88ppm
Cyanuric Acid 75 ppm
Copper 0.2 ppm
Iron 0.0


I'm being advised to add Alkalinity up (sodium bicarbonate) 4 pounds

This is poor advice. Your T/A of 88 (probably 90) is JUST FINE!!!! Save the money AND if you need to raise T/A, Arm&Hammer or generic baking soda is MUCH cheaper. But now you don't need it.


Calcium Chloride to protect the liner (approx. 4 pounds)

This advice is worse--you might as well consult a voo-doo witch-doctor! Calcium protects concrete and plaster liners because they are rich in calcium. It does NOTHING for a vinyl liner and let anyone who tells you it does explain the chemical mechanism (he can't because there is none). Save your money. In fact, if you have cloudy water one of the WORST things you can do is increase your calcium level.

1 pound on Potassium Monopersulfate (non chlorine shock)

You'll find that ordinary laundry bleach is FAR cheaper and more effective, with fewer side effects. What is WITH these pool store guys???? How do they sleep at night ripping their customers off so much?!?!?

Before I spend any more money, what would be the best subs???
Thanks, Bekka

I gotta say, this doesn't apply to Waterbear and Waste, two crackerjack pool store guys. I guess it's like being a used car salesman: even if you are honest you'll get tarred with the brush of all the crooks.

Bleach, bleach and more bleach! Really, that's what you need.