Am I on the right track?

[Sam_I_am]

Thank you everyone again for your assistance.

I just vacuumed the pool and backwashed. It actually looks more cloudy now... and am thinking that the filter is struggling a bit with clearing up the dead algae.

I may take your suggestion Doggie (thank you) and add a floc - I have used them periodically in the past with mixed results... but it may in fact help the process (perhaps I'll buy a skimmer basket sock as well?). Does anyone recommend a specific Floc. I have seen the granular type you pour into your skimmer, the puck type that sit in your skimmer, and also the blue liquid (polysheen or something).

Any recommendations?

As for a good test kit... this has been somewhat difficult for me, because I live in Canada, most online companies will not ship to Canada. So getting a quality test kit in a timely fashion has proven to be difficult.

I am currently looking at purchasing one through Waterwarehouse (but I'll have to have it delivered to my mailbox south of the border) then bring it accross the line. I'm considering duraleigh's Troublefreepool.com site as it looks like they have a good kit for sale.

Any comments about kits and where I could purchase one (I'm particularly interested in one that shows free and complete chlorine and up to 50 ppm.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.


Dave

[doggie]

The floc we use is this: http://outdoor-living.hardwarestore....nt-656270.aspx

Being in Canada, I have no idea if you can get it there. But it's most def a liquid treatment. It's worked very well for us when we used it in the past.

Sorry to hear it's such a pain to get stuff delivered to you there! I hope you find the things you are looking for.

edit: I'm sure you know this already, but be sure to vac to waste if you use the floc treatment

[jhm]

Here's who Taylor says to contact for Canada:

For all Canadian orders, contact Lowry & Associates in Newmarket, Ontario:
905-836-0505 (voice)
905-895-4539 (fax)
mlowry@lowryassociates.ca

I'm not sure the right Taylor test kit (I still have Ben's), but they'll have what you need.

What others have said is right though. You need to sustain the high levels to effectively kill off the algae and you can't judge 15ppm by the seat of your pants.

Jim

[aylad]

Here's who Taylor says to contact for Canada:

For all Canadian orders, contact Lowry & Associates in Newmarket, Ontario:
905-836-0505 (voice)
905-895-4539 (fax)
mlowry@lowryassociates.ca

I'm not sure the right Taylor test kit (I still have Ben's), but they'll have what you need.

I believe the Taylor K-2006 is the rough equivalent to Ben's kit. The kit they're selling at Troublefreepools is designed almost exactly like Ben's kit.

Janet

[CarlD]

I may take your suggestion Doggie (thank you) and add a floc - I have used them periodically in the past with mixed results... but it may in fact help the process (perhaps I'll buy a skimmer basket sock as well?). Does anyone recommend a specific Floc. I have seen the granular type you pour into your skimmer, the puck type that sit in your skimmer, and also the blue liquid (polysheen or something).

Any recommendations?


Dave

Yes. The ONLY flocculant you should use or need is the same as the only algaecide you should use: Polyquat 60%. It's an excellant floc--and it comes in the same bottle as your algaecide.

Otherwise you should NOT be adding chemicals like flocs, clarifiers, algaecides, phosphate removers and all the other GARBAGE pool stores sell you. It's mostly like using an air freshener on a garbage can--it doesn't make it cleaner.

I do NOT recommend adding ANYTHING as a preventative other than chlorine and polyquat.

When you start adding stuff "just in case" you are asking for trouble.

Remember: only TWO things in pool chemistry really matter--pH and chlorine sanitation. Everything else is to help pH and chlorine do their jobs.

[SeanB.]

I'm considering duraleigh's Troublefreepool.com site as it looks like they have a good kit for sale.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.


Dave

Dave, the kit you are referring to, which is sold by Duraleigh, can be found at www.tftestkits.com .

His kit is often mentioned in conjuction with my site, troublefreepool.com, but the two sites are in fact seperate. I have the tf-100 myself and it is a great kit.

HTH.


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