Quote Originally Posted by Poconos
You need to read through a bunch of old posts.....oops...never mind. They are all lost when the forum software changed. Anyhow...you have come to the right place and have started your learning process already. Pick the right forum and ask questions. Bunch of people here to help.
Al
Watch out for Al--he's a comedian! (and a good friend!)

In the meantime, go over to the sister site: PoolSolutions.com and start reading. Read the tips--they are VERY helpful. Also, the section on 100 causes of cloudy pools is VERY informative.

Pool maintenance is neither difficult, nor expensive. It just requires persistence--2-5 minutes a day, but EVERYDAY and you'll be fine.

The approx. $70 you spend on Ben's pool test kit, now the PS-234, or the equivalent from Taylor, will pay for itself in no time.

We also recommend the 3 Bees: Bleach, Borax and Baking Soda as primary chemicals, along with Muriatic Acid. The first 3 are available at the grocery store, the last at hardware stores like Home Depot.

I used to listen to the advice of pool store clerks--BOY! did I learn my lesson the hard way! Then I started reading and applying the methods advocated here and VOILA!, no more problems!

So...it's not yet pool season--head for PoolSolutions.com and start reading! And invest in a good test kit.

Avoid expensive alternatives like Bromine, Baquicil, and Nature2--unless you need some place to spend lots of money...