How do you handle it? Local pool store or DIY? If DIY what test kit/product do you use? I have a Jandy SWG system.

I've done both, but only rely/trust testing that I do myself. Plus I avoid the pool store pushing me to buy chlorine neutralizer from them because my chlorine level is 1ppm too high.

More seriously, I would learn to do it yourself, its pretty simple and saves you the trip to the pool store. I've been using a TF-100 kit for the past 5 years. Paired with a SpeedStir, it gives me good fast results for most of the needed tests. I switched to salt 2 years ago, so bought a separate Taylor salt kit, but the TF-100 will cover most of your primary testing needs. When you run out you can order most of the refill Taylor reagents off amazon.

DIY and I'll second the TF-100 kit from tftestkits.net. I will very occasionally bring a sample into Leslie's or another local pool store specifically to doublecheck cyanuric acid but generally ignore whatever advice and or product recommendations given.

I've been DIY based on pool store analysis. Frustrated cuz I have a saltwater pool and the salt reading from the sample is ALWAYS off from the Aquapure reading by a significant amount. (Ex. 2.4 on their side vs 3.2 on Aquarepure equipment reading). I rarely buy chems from pool store.

Have been using a Taylor K-2006C since we put in the pool 4 years ago. Bulletproof when combined with Pool Math app from trouble free pool.

I have the Jandy Aquapure salt cell, and it reads a higher salinity level for me too. I use the Taylor K-1766 salt test kit to supplement my TF-100. I imagine the Jandy sensor and pool store tests are going off something like conductivity or total dissolved solid conversions, which can be influenced by other contaminants. The K-1766 is a silver nitrate test which is a better measure of the chlorides in your pool. The Aquapure usually reads 200-400 ppm higher than my silver nitrate test. There's a way to recalibrate the Jandy sensor, but I just go off the silver nitrate test.

akaggie05 said:

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Have been using a Taylor K-2006C since we put in the pool 4 years ago. Bulletproof when combined with Pool Math app from trouble free pool.

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This has been my strategy since 2021 and works tremendously well. Easy to keep up with once you get a feel for what your pool needs.

If you have a chlorine pool, recommend liquid choline to avoid spiked CYA and fighting never ending algae.

Good luck!

Test yourself. There's a reason why places offer free tests….get ready to pull your pants down

This.

And beyond the unnecessary cost aspect, a lot of the crap that the pool store sells you builds up in your pool over time and can never come out unless you drain and refill. Copper-based algaecide is probably the most prominent example. Metals never belong in your pool, and it's actually copper (not "too much chlorine" as we were always told as kids) that turns blonde hair green.

If you test yourself and stay on top of things, liquid chlorine and muriatic acid should be all you ever really need to add to your pool on a regular basis.

I was always lucky enough to use the higher end shock along the edges with my sweeper w no net. Worked perfect for 15 years.

I'll share a quick story to hopefully keep someone else from making the same mistake. I bought the TF-100 kit a couple of months ago and things had been going fine. Then, over the past several weeks, it seems like my pool was consuming way too much chlorine. Every time I did the simple daily chlorine level test, it would show a faint yellow color, so I would add chlorine. After a couple of weeks of this, I came to find out that if the chlorine level gets too high (<10 ppm or so) the test doesn't provide accurate results. By the time I got around to doing the more accurate test, my chlorine level was over 20 ppm and it took several days and some water exchanges to get the level back down.

akaggie05 said:

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Have been using a Taylor K-2006C since we put in the pool 4 years ago. Bulletproof when combined with Pool Math app from trouble free pool.

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Me too.

Run full test every week or two at this point. Check Chlorine (TFP Method) occasionally with strips in between.

AG1904 said:

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I'll share a quick story to hopefully keep someone else from making the same mistake. I bought the TF-100 kit a couple of months ago and things had been going fine. Then, over the past several weeks, it seems like my pool was consuming way too much chlorine. Every time I did the simple daily chlorine level test, it would show a faint yellow color, so I would add chlorine. After a couple of weeks of this, I came to find out that if the chlorine level gets too high (<10 ppm or so) the test doesn't provide accurate results. By the time I got around to doing the more accurate test, my chlorine level was over 20 ppm and it took several days and some water exchanges to get the level back down.

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This happened to me too last summer, got busy and wasn't checking levels, just adding Chlorine. Wasn't pretty thrown off when I got around to testing and had that happen.

akaggie05 said:

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This.

And beyond the unnecessary cost aspect, a lot of the crap that the pool store sells you builds up in your pool over time and can never come out unless you drain and refill. Copper-based algaecide is probably the most prominent example. Metals never belong in your pool, and it's actually copper (not "too much chlorine" as we were always told as kids) that turns blonde hair green.

If you test yourself and stay on top of things, liquid chlorine and muriatic acid should be all you ever really need to add to your pool on a regular basis.

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Copper can help mitigate algae issues when things get too out of hand, but yes you are correct. But that assumes that people are good about bushing the pool and cleaning out their skimmer baskets and the polaris bag on a regular basis and not letting organics decompose in the pool. This raises your phosphate levels and causes algae to grow. Chlorine and acid alone cannot kill algae without making your water highly corrosive and unsafe to swim in.

Our service company recommends/uses Orenda PR-10,000 phosphate killer if there's a bloom and it knocks the phosphates completely out. We then brush & use Orenda CV-700 to help keep the algae at bay while the chlorine & acid do their jobs.

PoolRx is a good substitute for the algaecides you see on the shelves and once you get it under control you won't need it anymore.

As a builder, i provide all of my clients with a Taylor K-2006C kit at the completion of the project so that they have the ability to test everything right off the bat.

What do you think about the TFP method that never recommends any copper-based algaecide (or any other algaecide or chemicals besides liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, and may the occasional dose of baking soda to raise total alkalinity)? The basic theory is that keeping chlorine at appropriate levels (at all times) is the key. I'm not tracking that chlorine and acid alone can't control algae. I haven't had an algae bloom ever, but I'm religious about testing and keeping things in check.

I use the TFP method and would say it has worked really well.

BUT. I still have to use some phosphate remover at times and did use some copper algaecide at the end of the season last year when I got some algae. I live in an older area and have mature trees around, so there is definitely often organic material in the pool sometimes.

Honestly, didn't read through the TFP stuff or I did and forgot it saying not to use that stuff. The way I see it, you have to do what you have to do. The downside of the method is that it requires constant attention. Sometimes I fail in that area, which is usually when something bad happens.

My pool expert recommended that Oneda stuff as well and that is what I use when needed. It is expensive, but seems to work.

I test my own all the time. Except I find that CYA is hard to get an accurate rating at home. So I take a sample to the store for CYA once or twice a year.

Lamotte colorq is a sub $200 photometer that is very accurate. I have completed my testing with the water guru product and have been very happy with the results. Water guru is $30/mo roughly and gives you daily data across 5 parameters. Definitely more of the enthusiast's choice.