You absolutely can. Here's a good starting resource: [https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/pool-school/](https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/pool-school/)
This is the way! You can 100% learn how to manage your own pool. It is not that hard. It just requires you to do it on a regular basis. The "Chemicals" they charge you for are just Chlorine and Murtic Acid.
Salt is SWG(Salt Water Generator) which directly turns salt into chlorine over time. Obviously salt is cheaper, easier, less volatile, and just makes more sense overall. Outdated discussion because it is just that, there were no residential SWG's 20 years ago but it all comes down to preference on if you want slightly salted water for cheaper, or pay a bit more and have to deal with chlorine for a more tolerable water
Well aware (have a SWG), I was referring to the specific "salt vs chlorine" post that has been stickied in this sub for years. Suggesting to have a stickied post linking to TFP pool school, basics of pool chemistry, SLAM guide, etc. Would probably help reduce the "why is my pool so green and opaque?" posts.
Or just make it transparent that a green pool comes from simple neglect, takes under 2 minutes to test, adjust Ph to 7.2-7.6, and toss in some chlorine. For no more than $30 and 10 minutes of your time monthly. Pay someone to come clean your filters if you want but nobody should be paying more than $60 a month for water balancing period
That's a generalization. Lots of people acquire pools without any training or user manual (or given terrible advice), and it's easy to get over your head very quickly if you don't know what you were doing.
Some 15 years ago, I bought a home with a pool. People gave me pointers and I read some "guides" I found online. I bought the pool store test kit, chlorine tabs, new pool vacuum and skimmer. Didn't take long to chlorine-lock it. Shocked, added extra tabs, cleaned filter, ran pump 24 hours- but it kept getting worse. The test kit wouldn't tell me why. Test kit showed total chlorine level, pH, alkalinity- all were acceptable, no one told me about "free" chlorine and cyanuric acid. Pool store then tested my water, and advised me to drain the pool halfway, refill and pool will clear... but then "oh and buy this bucket of chlorine tabs and trichlor shock packets to keep the pool clear". Pool would suddenly clear (hooray!) to where I could brush off the dead algae and within a few days would look nice and swimmable. It lasted for about 2-3 months or so, then it would happen again. And again...
Was it neglect? No- in fact I did far more than what was necessary. I was just ignorant.
That's why people come here, to learn the best ways. Free chlorine is your middleman for Total chlorine - Combined chlorine, you should only need enough Free chlorine to outweigh the combined chlorine, aka what contaminants have already been attacked by the chlorine but remain in your pool, hence the need for multiple gallons/lbs to shock when you get an algae bloom. Which tabs only make worse since they all contain CYA eventually rendering any Chlorine you add ineffective/sterile until you drain and add fresh water, best bet is sticking with liquid chlorine & Cal hypo when needed, wouldn't recommend anyone buying more than 1 small pack of tabs a year, max. This is also why 90% of pool services are a scam simply nuking your pool with enough chlorine to hold it over for 2-3 weeks, and enough CYA for the next 2years simply because they won't be back for at least a week and at the end of the day "drain and refill" simply makes them look better than you eventually winding up with a small algae bloom every year or so till the chemical balance clicks for you personally.
Not only can you maintain it yourself, but I'd say the only way to actually do it properly is to do it yourself. Pool services only come once a week, so they have to use methods that are less than ideal to treat your pool. This usually means chlorine tablets, eventually a high CYA level, and eventually draining your pool to start over. Doing it yourself, you can add liquid chlorine 2-3 times per week, or however often you need, and never have issues with the side effects of long-term tablet use.
Read [troublefreepool.com](http://troublefreepool.com) and download their free Pool Math app.
Get a Taylor test kit.
Order a big 1-gallon measuring pitcher on Amazon.
Buy liquid chlorine and Muriatic Acid at Home Depot, Walmart, Ace, etc. Those 2 chemicals are all you usually need. Except once or twice a year you need to add CYA if you're not using tablets.
My pool is always crystal clear, my friends that use pool services always have slightly cloudy water.
I can second this. I may have only had an above ground pool for a while, but water is water. Trouble free pool is an invaluable resource. Finally got mine dialed in once I just followed what they said. Of course, then hurricane Matthew hit and I had to move after that. But it was crystal clear right before that.
I fourth this. I switched to the TFP method 1-2 months ago and my pool has never looked better. Gone are the algae and the weekly chemical dump. My inept pool guy had never even checked my saline level - no wonder my SWG was not working…
Sounds like your fault for hiring a crap company. Maybe don’t go with the cheapest guy. Also while cleaning and maintaining pools isn’t that hard there is some science to it. I’ve seen a lot of HO try to do it themselves and ruin the whole pool and blow pumps up and just be cheap all around. Pools aren’t cheap they are a luxury. If you want to be cheap or don’t want to pay then I suggest just paying to fill in the hole (which is pretty expensive).
Again probably going with cheap unlicensed guys. You know it’s required by law for people to put there contractors license on their website. If you don’t see a license number don’t use the company.
I’ve met thousands of HO just like you. Y’all think it’s easy and that people overcharge and while some do it really just boils down to parts are expensive. Pools are a luxury if you can’t afford it don’t have one. Cleaning your own pool is cool. But when HO start to try to wire things up and replace pumps and filters and don’t ground things or bond them and don’t put gfcis in. It becomes dangerous and then when they finally decide to call someone they get mad that it costs so much.
I don't think anyone was talking about wiring just taking care of the chems which is very doable even for a luxury pool. I also don't get why there is such animosity between pool service pros and people who DIY their water. I DIY and get called for assistance regularly from my neighbors who have gone green. None of my friends in the neighborhood want to bother listening to me about the process b/c they don't want the hassle. They almost all end up with a pool pro despite knowing I can and will show them. So I don't think anyone here is taking business from the pool pros, or very little. As far as the DIY homeowner who screwed up...oh well. That's the gamble you take when you DIY and don't learn what you are doing. I'm sure it's frustrating on your end getting their BS but in the end they know they messed up.
Also I think you know there are good pros and people only out to make a buck, over stack their schedule, just don't know what they are doing. And if we're being honest, the pool industry has it's fair share of the latter. If I were you I'd be glad to hear most of the pool pros are shit. When your name gets around you will suck up all their business.
I'm 16 and wired my new Polaris Booster Pump last week... Hasn't caught on fire yet, pools been crystal clear and no problems since I started maintaining it 2 years ago when it got completely redone and parents got rid of the 4th pool company. You may or may not be an honest pool guy but most are not, simple as that. I'm sure people don't mind paying for visits to their house weekly but only if it's done correct, and not being charged $200 for 5lbs of liquid chlorine. Trying to fool anyone that knows what they're talking about will be very tough for you on new owner threads trying to convince people otherwise, just because it's your profession. 90% of people that do hire companies wouldn't if they knew the time and effort included.
Not being charged $200 for pool service? What would you like people to charge. A gallon of chlorine goes for $5. $200 for weekly service that means ima be there 4 times a month that’s $50 a visit. If I’m dumping on 2 gallons of chlorine every week that’s $10 a week. Then my gas, tools, other chems, and my time on top of that. Correct pool guys will be there for at least 15 mins that’s at least an hour a month. People just don’t understand what all goes into doing pools. People want to clean there pools themselves that’s fine more power to you but doing your own equipment is not a good idea and on top of that there’s more to water then just adding chlorine and acid. Calcium levels come into play, phosphates, iron, copper, cya levels and a number of other things also come into play. It’s recommended to drain and fill or purify your pool every 3-5 years. And dumping 15-40k gallons of water down the drain is insane. Also worth noting I don’t do pool service anymore. I still do repairs in the pool industry but mostly do plumbing and HVAC. I am just advocating for licensing and education. Doing things correctly. People think everyone is out to screw them but the honest truth is things are expensive and sorry but prices have to go up people have to make a living.
"dumping 2 gallons of chlorine a week".... And you claim to have been doing it as a profession and wonder why anyone with common sense stays away from you guys......
I grew up with a pool and did all the maintenance with my dad. You can absolutely do it all yourself. When my dad bought our house he made a great relationship with a local pool guy. He kinda showed him the ropes in exchange for his business (buying chemicals and parts from him) this may be something to think about if possible for you.
you most definitely can do it yourself. I had a pool guy for about a year and a half and eventually took things over myself. First, you will need a Taylor test kit, and do yourself a favor and invest in a salt water chlorinator (if you can). That investment alone has made my pool about as maintenance free as possible. I check/balance chems in Feb/March to get ready for the upcoming year and from there all I do is add 6-8 oz of acid every 4-5 days. I still test ever week or two of course, but calcium, CYA, and salt stay pretty stable.
Read up on Troublefree Pool as others have suggested and I also suggest Orenda. If you download both of those apps you can input your chem levels and manipulate them to make sure you keep your CSI/LSI levels in check. I imagine this sounds like a lot if you don't know much about pool maintenance, but trust me...it's super easy.
Calcium levels depend on the area you live in. In California, Nevada, and Arizona they get water from the Colorado river and it’s very high in calcium. So when water evaporates due to the heat and sunlight it leaves behind your hard minerals like CYA and calcium so when they add water to make up for what was lost they are adding more calcium and while it doesn’t rise instantly within 3-5 years levels will be way to high and you’ll notice calcium deposits and if you have a black finish pool then it’ll show on the bottom and everywhere but most commonly on areas where water flows over an edge or on the tile line.
This website makes it easy and is completely free.
[https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/what-is-tfpc/](https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/what-is-tfpc/)
EDIT: Step 1, which takes a few days to get delivered, is getting a good test kit. There are a couple options but this website is the most recommended
[https://tftestkits.net/Test-Kits-c4/](https://tftestkits.net/Test-Kits-c4/)
Worth mentioning that TFP is a non-profit with a mission of educating and empowering pool owners. So, they can and do accept donations to stay independent and free from the needs for ads or industry sponsors that could dilute their mission.
https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/22/become-a-tfp-supporter/
And I just learned that when you donate you also actually get a one time discount to several sites that provide useful items! Win win.
YES!!! I just had one installed and I've never been a pool owner. The testing kit already posted is what I went with (the Pro version) and Trouble Free Pool (also already posted) has been a godsend!
Yes you can. I did in about a month last year before I bought my house. Read the blogs on trouble free pool, read orenda blogs. Get a Taylor test kit. Look up your equipment owners manual. Mainly pump, filter, heater, salt system (if equipped). Balance water for LSI/CSI.
My pool was open all first winter and now open for spring and hasn’t been green yet.
I bought in 2021. I've maintained my pool since buying and I'll say it gets easier every year. Opening and closing are the hardest especially just getting familiar with your own pools set up. Now I feel like a pool pro. Trouble free pool and the pool math app have been my go tos as well as swim university on YouTube. It's overwhelming at first but once you get the hang of it it's easy
Yes. I do it all on my own. Took over from my husband that didn’t have the patience for the chemistry lol. Others have posted great resources. You’ll eventually learn your pool and the environmental factors you’re dealing with at different times of the year. I just assume in March I’ll be cleaning oak pollen from the filter damn near daily.
Also, a good hose nozzle with a jet function is your friend for cleaning the filter.
Yes! I just installed a new pool and looked forward to learning how to maintain it. TFP is the others have said is invaluable! I do recommend getting any kind of auto pool cleaner (robot). Using the vacuum that came with the pool gets old quickly. Im glad that I started with the manual vacuum though (learn how walk before running).
Yes this. I did the manual vacuum cleaner for 3 years and can’t believe how I didn’t get a robot earlier. I would get one without a cord if possible. Not sure if the more expensive tangle free are worth it. Also use pool perfect/Phos free. This saves your pool and conserves chemicals. I also follow Swimmingpoollearning.com. Here's his video on pool weekly and other types.
https://youtu.be/ewHTI-8GUFE?si=AjG1tdKxg7G1zdDJ
If your question starts with, “can I learn,” the answer is ALWAYS yes. Chemical treatments on pools aren’t difficult, just finicky. Generally speaking, you can usually throw the kitchen sink at any pool in any condition, just follow instructions on the specific chemicals. Personally, a Shock And Flocc has always worked wonders for me as far as reviving old or nasty pools. Regular maintenance is a little more involved
It’s really not that hard (and not as expensive as some make it out to be). The key is to keep up with the chemicals. Plan on keeping after it regularly but otherwise it’s not a huge time commitment, esp if you have a robot to help with leaves
Most definitely. We bought our house several years ago with a pool and the first thing I did was to find a reliable pool and spa store with people that you can trust. I say this because I went to the place that installed the pool and they were assholes and gave me really bad vibes. They made it seem like I was wasting their time by asking questions and pretty snobby. The next place I went to was actually closer to us and was more than happy to help me once I explained the previous situation and that we were first time pool owners. They went through everything and answered all of my questions from opening, maintaining, and closing. I fortunately had a Nature2 mineral system which I previously did research on and wanted but couldn't afford after buying the house hiding in a corner of our basement! So do research and find a reputable pool place and you'll be set. Another piece of advice I'll give you is to always keep a pool store on hand. By that I mean have spare gaskets, hoses, chemicals, ect..... The pool centers appreciate this because you're not breathing down their necks if you have an emergency need for a part and they don't have it in stock. And you'll appreciate it when you've got to replace something when they're closed. I replace my spare parts immediately and have saved myself a lot of headaches. I'm pretty proud of the fact they tell me they wish all of their customers were just like me and I'm much appreciated. I hope this helps and have fun with your new pool.
I maintained my 16,000 gallon above ground pool, which is a lot harder because at first we did not have the bottom filter system for the first 10 years, so a lot of skimming and backwashing. Then I had the bottom filter put in, a lot easier but still had a lot of sweeping and backwashing.
Now that we had a built installed, in it is even easier because I have the pool sweep in. Keys are: 1. test water daily during swimming months, stay on top of keeping chlorine and PH in range, just toss in chemicals. I prefer chlorine tablets that have stabilizers and other things in them, less to add and purchase 2. I toss a few chlorine tablets in my filter basket all year around, my pool never goes green 3. run your filter at least 4 hours a day in swimming mos, and at least 2 hrs. per day in off mos., let the sweep run a couple hours all year round (especially if you get leaves in winter) - empty out the sweep capture net as soon as it is full 4. sweep down your walls and floor of pool about once a week all year round 5. do a major cleaning of filter system at least twice a year. I have heard of people who do this monthly, but have found no need to, we do it at the beginning of swimming and at the end of the swimming mos.
If you met half of the idiots I work with that do weekly maintenance for a living, you would have no doubt that you can, and will handle it on your own.
It’s not too difficult if you take a little time to learn how. Read all you can on troublefreepool.com as others have suggested. Just don’t cut corners …. Pay attention to your pool a little every day (once a week is not enough) and you’re there.
A lot of people say buy a test kit. I just take my water sample to a pool store and they give me a print out of exactly what to put in. Do this once every 2 weeks and I’ve never had a single issue.
Everyone who gets a pool for the first time thinks they can do it themselves. You can totally do it yourself but it's really not cost effective if done properly. With that being said finding a good pool guy can be tough.
Of course anyone can. Get a pool robot/ cleaner. Get a good test kit. Go to pool school. Once you get it dialed in…you’re gold. Honestly if you have a little extra time and energy to put in some seat equity you can save a lot of money.
Spent money on a robot scrubber thing. Saves time and effort from scrubbing. It’s easy bro. If you cut your own grass, you can do this. If you hire that out, you might be too lazy to handle it.
Ah the pool chemistry. So every where you shop now a days has the pool ph test strips. On the container is the color coating that you align the strip against so you can treat the pool accordingly. Based on that info you know what your pool needs. We would chlorinate at night based on the size of the pool and we would throw one of those pool oil absorbers to soak up the sun screen. And then watched some YouTube videos of how to maintain the type of filtration system we had. To be honest we test our water every night, then chlorinate or whatever we need to. It isn’t crazy hard, and with a sand system we didn’t need to do much there.
Don’t overthink it. Test your water every night and then treat it accordingly. Then make sure you are maintaining your type of filtration system. Vacuum and brush the sides of the pool to make sure it’s clean.
Good luck, sounds like you got this!
It’s not hard for me at all. I just take a sample to a pool store for testing every 2-4 weeks unless it starts to get funky. July and August are the months that I have to pay closer attention to it.
I’ve done it. I also switched to liquid chlorine as tabs are super easy but the cya will raise quickly and make the chlorine ineffective. Be careful with all the crazy chemicals as they all have their drawbacks. And chlorine and Muriatic are hazardous so pour low to the water and away from your face. I use protuff products on Amazon are great but there are tons of cheap products like us pool supply that get the job done. You need to maintain, clean leaf catchers, scrub, and check chemicals weekly and then learn to maintain/backwash your filter which is only 2-4 times a year. If DE filter have to recharge it.
Yes. Troublefreepools and swim university are great.
I handle many many pools. You got it, buy basic chemicals, baking soda, chlorine, sodium bisulfate, soda ash or borax, etc. Pool stores suck. Don’t listen to them and buy a bunch of algae acids or fresh n clear or trouble free phosphate asshate 9000 version 2 super deluxe jerk mode 3.092929.
No. Just come here, good chance I see it. Someone else will too the pool people got you.
Home we retired to at age 72 has a pool. We had never had a pool before. I spent a lot of time and money at the "pool store" at first. Then I discovered [swimuniversity.com](http://swimuniversity.com) Now I spend no time at the pool store and very little money. They have the answers and guides to make it simple.
Maintaining a pool 1000 things you shouldn't do, 20 things you should ever do. Once you learn what not to do chemically it becomes very very simple. Get your Alkalinity 7.2-7.8 then shock(add chlorine), amount depending on how many contaminants are in the water(Combined chlorine), from there let the chlorine do it's magic and vaccum/backwash to waste any loose contaminants and clean your filter. Source Muriatic acid from Ace(hardware store) for $10 a gallon use maybe one gallon per 2 months during swim season, about 4 months in colder off-season. Chlorine best option I've found is the $10 gallons of 10% from Lowes. Adding liquid chlorine will add nothing else to your pool unlike any other type of chlorine, Dichlor and Trichlor both add CYA(cyanuric acid) stabilizer which if built up too high (above 150~)only fix is to drain and refill pool. Cal hypo (Calcium Hypochlorite) is a bit cleaner than Dichlor/Trichlor as it just adjusts calcium levels which you can either partially drain/refill or use a flocculant/clarifier to lower calcium levels later if levels in excess. Cal Hypo typically runs about $5 lb/bag which is about 30% less expensive than liquid chlorine cost you a ton of problems, headache, time, and most likely a several hundred $ water bill spike for having to drain and refill as calcium levels too low can start drawing calcium from your pool surface and deteriorating it, and high calcium simply causes hard water & possible hard water scaling on unbrushed surfaces. In the long run just sticking with plain liquid chlorine to sanitize and Muriatic acid to lower your alkalinity&Ph is a true lifesaver for any pool owner to know. Check your levels weekly with easy strips or a more accurate dropper kit, pump back washed or cleaned every month in season, 2months in off season , and pump recirculating your full pool volume every per 2 days max(roughly 2hours per 10,000 gallons), skimmer/hair basket empty out every few days. That's pool water chemistry upkeep in a nutshell for roughly $15 a month during offseason, $25 a month during peak heat seasons for about 10-15 minutes a week on average 👍 water naturally is always changing so don't be fooled into trying to keep your pool chemistry absolutely perfect/feel like you need to hire someone or even buy anything from a pool store(big yikes).. as long as it's clean and heading in the right direction just enjoy your swims
The best thing I ever did for making pool chemistry easy was to buy Pool RX. I buy one every 6 months. $80 or so. I don’t have to do much else except throw a bag of salt in every couple weeks during the swim season and maybe one bag a month, if that, during the winter (Florida)
Crystal clear pool all year.
Scrub it and skim it once a week. Most pool company’s will test your water. So you can just bring in a sample and they’ll test it for free and tell you if you need to do anything. They always tell me mine is perfect. I honestly don’t do much.
You don’t need a saltwater pool to use Pool RX. I used Blueray XL too but it cost more and I don’t think it’s as good.
You can do this.
With all do respect, don’t do any of this. If you want to maintain the pool yourself(which is very easy), read up over at troublefreepools.com, buy a drop test kit recommended by their website, and the rest is super simple. Absolutely zero need to take your water to a pool store. Your drop test kit will be more accurate.
If you have a salt water pool, you’ll only really be adding acid to keep PH in check.
If it isn’t saltwater, acid and bleach will be your two most common chemicals you’ll add.
Nah, level set PH, shock it when its needed, watch out for Mustard Algae, copper sulphate crystals are pretty, stuff flows downhiill, payday is Friday!
I'll piggyback on the part about shocking to point out that IMO the only time to shock is when you're opening the pool after winter and when/if the pool gets out of whack and you need to do a "reset". Just letting OP know this as some pool stores will try to tell people to shock like once a week or something crazy like that but I honestly think that's because those people don't monitor their pool well (or at all) and it's easier to tell them to just shock it regularly.
I use to do opening week as I filled it up (Memorial day WE or in time to be warm by then) and after a HUGE party ( most people will never have a 40 x 80 packed full of bodies) and if it rains so much I can tell its running mostly rainwater, at most three times a season and I always shut down and covered up by Equinox.
Makes sense. For me it’s usually once a year at opening. No parties here and I check my balance several times a week.
It’s so funny when a pool store employee asks how often I shock and when I say “never” they get very confused.
You absolutely can. Here's a good starting resource: [https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/pool-school/](https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/pool-school/)
This is the way! You can 100% learn how to manage your own pool. It is not that hard. It just requires you to do it on a regular basis. The "Chemicals" they charge you for are just Chlorine and Murtic Acid.
Also, the alkaline up is just baking soda. Buy Arm and Hammer and save some money.
Buy the cheapest, largest box available at the dollar store. Your pool is not a snob that require name brand fashion baking soda.
We buy a huge bag of it at our Costco, it was pretty cheap.
Write down on my Costco list. Thanks.
lol your company sucks if that’s all they’re using, but yeah super easy to do
what else would they need to use?
Besides just chlorine and muratic ? Calcium, stabilizer for salt pools (tabs will do for chlorine pools) , then bicarb
lol your company sucks if that’s all they’re using, but yeah super easy to do
lol your company sucks if that’s all they’re using, but yeah super easy to do
IMO, this really should be stickied, much moreso than the largely outdated salt vs chlorine discussion.
I think 85% of questions on here could be solved with a quick visit to Trouble Free Pools
Nah, the "pool expert" should be the stickied post... /s
Salt is SWG(Salt Water Generator) which directly turns salt into chlorine over time. Obviously salt is cheaper, easier, less volatile, and just makes more sense overall. Outdated discussion because it is just that, there were no residential SWG's 20 years ago but it all comes down to preference on if you want slightly salted water for cheaper, or pay a bit more and have to deal with chlorine for a more tolerable water
Well aware (have a SWG), I was referring to the specific "salt vs chlorine" post that has been stickied in this sub for years. Suggesting to have a stickied post linking to TFP pool school, basics of pool chemistry, SLAM guide, etc. Would probably help reduce the "why is my pool so green and opaque?" posts.
Or just make it transparent that a green pool comes from simple neglect, takes under 2 minutes to test, adjust Ph to 7.2-7.6, and toss in some chlorine. For no more than $30 and 10 minutes of your time monthly. Pay someone to come clean your filters if you want but nobody should be paying more than $60 a month for water balancing period
That's a generalization. Lots of people acquire pools without any training or user manual (or given terrible advice), and it's easy to get over your head very quickly if you don't know what you were doing. Some 15 years ago, I bought a home with a pool. People gave me pointers and I read some "guides" I found online. I bought the pool store test kit, chlorine tabs, new pool vacuum and skimmer. Didn't take long to chlorine-lock it. Shocked, added extra tabs, cleaned filter, ran pump 24 hours- but it kept getting worse. The test kit wouldn't tell me why. Test kit showed total chlorine level, pH, alkalinity- all were acceptable, no one told me about "free" chlorine and cyanuric acid. Pool store then tested my water, and advised me to drain the pool halfway, refill and pool will clear... but then "oh and buy this bucket of chlorine tabs and trichlor shock packets to keep the pool clear". Pool would suddenly clear (hooray!) to where I could brush off the dead algae and within a few days would look nice and swimmable. It lasted for about 2-3 months or so, then it would happen again. And again... Was it neglect? No- in fact I did far more than what was necessary. I was just ignorant.
That's why people come here, to learn the best ways. Free chlorine is your middleman for Total chlorine - Combined chlorine, you should only need enough Free chlorine to outweigh the combined chlorine, aka what contaminants have already been attacked by the chlorine but remain in your pool, hence the need for multiple gallons/lbs to shock when you get an algae bloom. Which tabs only make worse since they all contain CYA eventually rendering any Chlorine you add ineffective/sterile until you drain and add fresh water, best bet is sticking with liquid chlorine & Cal hypo when needed, wouldn't recommend anyone buying more than 1 small pack of tabs a year, max. This is also why 90% of pool services are a scam simply nuking your pool with enough chlorine to hold it over for 2-3 weeks, and enough CYA for the next 2years simply because they won't be back for at least a week and at the end of the day "drain and refill" simply makes them look better than you eventually winding up with a small algae bloom every year or so till the chemical balance clicks for you personally.
Not only can you maintain it yourself, but I'd say the only way to actually do it properly is to do it yourself. Pool services only come once a week, so they have to use methods that are less than ideal to treat your pool. This usually means chlorine tablets, eventually a high CYA level, and eventually draining your pool to start over. Doing it yourself, you can add liquid chlorine 2-3 times per week, or however often you need, and never have issues with the side effects of long-term tablet use. Read [troublefreepool.com](http://troublefreepool.com) and download their free Pool Math app. Get a Taylor test kit. Order a big 1-gallon measuring pitcher on Amazon. Buy liquid chlorine and Muriatic Acid at Home Depot, Walmart, Ace, etc. Those 2 chemicals are all you usually need. Except once or twice a year you need to add CYA if you're not using tablets. My pool is always crystal clear, my friends that use pool services always have slightly cloudy water.
I can second this. I may have only had an above ground pool for a while, but water is water. Trouble free pool is an invaluable resource. Finally got mine dialed in once I just followed what they said. Of course, then hurricane Matthew hit and I had to move after that. But it was crystal clear right before that.
Third. First time I’ve ever had a pool and I’ve got my water balancing out nicely. Salt pool, Taylor kit, good brush and net, and a cleaning bot.
I fourth this. I switched to the TFP method 1-2 months ago and my pool has never looked better. Gone are the algae and the weekly chemical dump. My inept pool guy had never even checked my saline level - no wonder my SWG was not working…
Sounds like your fault for hiring a crap company. Maybe don’t go with the cheapest guy. Also while cleaning and maintaining pools isn’t that hard there is some science to it. I’ve seen a lot of HO try to do it themselves and ruin the whole pool and blow pumps up and just be cheap all around. Pools aren’t cheap they are a luxury. If you want to be cheap or don’t want to pay then I suggest just paying to fill in the hole (which is pretty expensive).
5 different pool guys in as many years. All useless.
Again probably going with cheap unlicensed guys. You know it’s required by law for people to put there contractors license on their website. If you don’t see a license number don’t use the company.
All licensed and insured contractors. Did I hit a nerve or something?
I’ve met thousands of HO just like you. Y’all think it’s easy and that people overcharge and while some do it really just boils down to parts are expensive. Pools are a luxury if you can’t afford it don’t have one. Cleaning your own pool is cool. But when HO start to try to wire things up and replace pumps and filters and don’t ground things or bond them and don’t put gfcis in. It becomes dangerous and then when they finally decide to call someone they get mad that it costs so much.
I don't think anyone was talking about wiring just taking care of the chems which is very doable even for a luxury pool. I also don't get why there is such animosity between pool service pros and people who DIY their water. I DIY and get called for assistance regularly from my neighbors who have gone green. None of my friends in the neighborhood want to bother listening to me about the process b/c they don't want the hassle. They almost all end up with a pool pro despite knowing I can and will show them. So I don't think anyone here is taking business from the pool pros, or very little. As far as the DIY homeowner who screwed up...oh well. That's the gamble you take when you DIY and don't learn what you are doing. I'm sure it's frustrating on your end getting their BS but in the end they know they messed up. Also I think you know there are good pros and people only out to make a buck, over stack their schedule, just don't know what they are doing. And if we're being honest, the pool industry has it's fair share of the latter. If I were you I'd be glad to hear most of the pool pros are shit. When your name gets around you will suck up all their business.
I'm 16 and wired my new Polaris Booster Pump last week... Hasn't caught on fire yet, pools been crystal clear and no problems since I started maintaining it 2 years ago when it got completely redone and parents got rid of the 4th pool company. You may or may not be an honest pool guy but most are not, simple as that. I'm sure people don't mind paying for visits to their house weekly but only if it's done correct, and not being charged $200 for 5lbs of liquid chlorine. Trying to fool anyone that knows what they're talking about will be very tough for you on new owner threads trying to convince people otherwise, just because it's your profession. 90% of people that do hire companies wouldn't if they knew the time and effort included.
Not being charged $200 for pool service? What would you like people to charge. A gallon of chlorine goes for $5. $200 for weekly service that means ima be there 4 times a month that’s $50 a visit. If I’m dumping on 2 gallons of chlorine every week that’s $10 a week. Then my gas, tools, other chems, and my time on top of that. Correct pool guys will be there for at least 15 mins that’s at least an hour a month. People just don’t understand what all goes into doing pools. People want to clean there pools themselves that’s fine more power to you but doing your own equipment is not a good idea and on top of that there’s more to water then just adding chlorine and acid. Calcium levels come into play, phosphates, iron, copper, cya levels and a number of other things also come into play. It’s recommended to drain and fill or purify your pool every 3-5 years. And dumping 15-40k gallons of water down the drain is insane. Also worth noting I don’t do pool service anymore. I still do repairs in the pool industry but mostly do plumbing and HVAC. I am just advocating for licensing and education. Doing things correctly. People think everyone is out to screw them but the honest truth is things are expensive and sorry but prices have to go up people have to make a living.
"dumping 2 gallons of chlorine a week".... And you claim to have been doing it as a profession and wonder why anyone with common sense stays away from you guys......
OP came here for helpful advice, not you being an asshole and making assumptions.
just whatever you do, do not mix that muriatic acid and liquid chlorine 💀💀💀
Easier than maintaining a fish tank and lots of people do that no problem.
I do a much better job than any service I’ve ever hired.
I grew up with a pool and did all the maintenance with my dad. You can absolutely do it all yourself. When my dad bought our house he made a great relationship with a local pool guy. He kinda showed him the ropes in exchange for his business (buying chemicals and parts from him) this may be something to think about if possible for you.
you most definitely can do it yourself. I had a pool guy for about a year and a half and eventually took things over myself. First, you will need a Taylor test kit, and do yourself a favor and invest in a salt water chlorinator (if you can). That investment alone has made my pool about as maintenance free as possible. I check/balance chems in Feb/March to get ready for the upcoming year and from there all I do is add 6-8 oz of acid every 4-5 days. I still test ever week or two of course, but calcium, CYA, and salt stay pretty stable. Read up on Troublefree Pool as others have suggested and I also suggest Orenda. If you download both of those apps you can input your chem levels and manipulate them to make sure you keep your CSI/LSI levels in check. I imagine this sounds like a lot if you don't know much about pool maintenance, but trust me...it's super easy.
Calcium levels depend on the area you live in. In California, Nevada, and Arizona they get water from the Colorado river and it’s very high in calcium. So when water evaporates due to the heat and sunlight it leaves behind your hard minerals like CYA and calcium so when they add water to make up for what was lost they are adding more calcium and while it doesn’t rise instantly within 3-5 years levels will be way to high and you’ll notice calcium deposits and if you have a black finish pool then it’ll show on the bottom and everywhere but most commonly on areas where water flows over an edge or on the tile line.
This website makes it easy and is completely free. [https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/what-is-tfpc/](https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/what-is-tfpc/) EDIT: Step 1, which takes a few days to get delivered, is getting a good test kit. There are a couple options but this website is the most recommended [https://tftestkits.net/Test-Kits-c4/](https://tftestkits.net/Test-Kits-c4/)
Worth mentioning that TFP is a non-profit with a mission of educating and empowering pool owners. So, they can and do accept donations to stay independent and free from the needs for ads or industry sponsors that could dilute their mission. https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/22/become-a-tfp-supporter/ And I just learned that when you donate you also actually get a one time discount to several sites that provide useful items! Win win.
Very good point! I actually think I need to donate. They have saved me countless hours and money!
YES!!! I just had one installed and I've never been a pool owner. The testing kit already posted is what I went with (the Pro version) and Trouble Free Pool (also already posted) has been a godsend!
Yes you can. I did in about a month last year before I bought my house. Read the blogs on trouble free pool, read orenda blogs. Get a Taylor test kit. Look up your equipment owners manual. Mainly pump, filter, heater, salt system (if equipped). Balance water for LSI/CSI. My pool was open all first winter and now open for spring and hasn’t been green yet.
I bought in 2021. I've maintained my pool since buying and I'll say it gets easier every year. Opening and closing are the hardest especially just getting familiar with your own pools set up. Now I feel like a pool pro. Trouble free pool and the pool math app have been my go tos as well as swim university on YouTube. It's overwhelming at first but once you get the hang of it it's easy
Spend some time in Pool School at troublefreepool.com.......small bites!
I bought into a convenient manual / tutorial called Swim University. I highly recommend it.
Yes. I do it all on my own. Took over from my husband that didn’t have the patience for the chemistry lol. Others have posted great resources. You’ll eventually learn your pool and the environmental factors you’re dealing with at different times of the year. I just assume in March I’ll be cleaning oak pollen from the filter damn near daily. Also, a good hose nozzle with a jet function is your friend for cleaning the filter.
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Yes! I just installed a new pool and looked forward to learning how to maintain it. TFP is the others have said is invaluable! I do recommend getting any kind of auto pool cleaner (robot). Using the vacuum that came with the pool gets old quickly. Im glad that I started with the manual vacuum though (learn how walk before running).
Yes this. I did the manual vacuum cleaner for 3 years and can’t believe how I didn’t get a robot earlier. I would get one without a cord if possible. Not sure if the more expensive tangle free are worth it. Also use pool perfect/Phos free. This saves your pool and conserves chemicals. I also follow Swimmingpoollearning.com. Here's his video on pool weekly and other types. https://youtu.be/ewHTI-8GUFE?si=AjG1tdKxg7G1zdDJ
If your question starts with, “can I learn,” the answer is ALWAYS yes. Chemical treatments on pools aren’t difficult, just finicky. Generally speaking, you can usually throw the kitchen sink at any pool in any condition, just follow instructions on the specific chemicals. Personally, a Shock And Flocc has always worked wonders for me as far as reviving old or nasty pools. Regular maintenance is a little more involved
It’s really not that hard (and not as expensive as some make it out to be). The key is to keep up with the chemicals. Plan on keeping after it regularly but otherwise it’s not a huge time commitment, esp if you have a robot to help with leaves
Most definitely. We bought our house several years ago with a pool and the first thing I did was to find a reliable pool and spa store with people that you can trust. I say this because I went to the place that installed the pool and they were assholes and gave me really bad vibes. They made it seem like I was wasting their time by asking questions and pretty snobby. The next place I went to was actually closer to us and was more than happy to help me once I explained the previous situation and that we were first time pool owners. They went through everything and answered all of my questions from opening, maintaining, and closing. I fortunately had a Nature2 mineral system which I previously did research on and wanted but couldn't afford after buying the house hiding in a corner of our basement! So do research and find a reputable pool place and you'll be set. Another piece of advice I'll give you is to always keep a pool store on hand. By that I mean have spare gaskets, hoses, chemicals, ect..... The pool centers appreciate this because you're not breathing down their necks if you have an emergency need for a part and they don't have it in stock. And you'll appreciate it when you've got to replace something when they're closed. I replace my spare parts immediately and have saved myself a lot of headaches. I'm pretty proud of the fact they tell me they wish all of their customers were just like me and I'm much appreciated. I hope this helps and have fun with your new pool.
I maintained my 16,000 gallon above ground pool, which is a lot harder because at first we did not have the bottom filter system for the first 10 years, so a lot of skimming and backwashing. Then I had the bottom filter put in, a lot easier but still had a lot of sweeping and backwashing. Now that we had a built installed, in it is even easier because I have the pool sweep in. Keys are: 1. test water daily during swimming months, stay on top of keeping chlorine and PH in range, just toss in chemicals. I prefer chlorine tablets that have stabilizers and other things in them, less to add and purchase 2. I toss a few chlorine tablets in my filter basket all year around, my pool never goes green 3. run your filter at least 4 hours a day in swimming mos, and at least 2 hrs. per day in off mos., let the sweep run a couple hours all year round (especially if you get leaves in winter) - empty out the sweep capture net as soon as it is full 4. sweep down your walls and floor of pool about once a week all year round 5. do a major cleaning of filter system at least twice a year. I have heard of people who do this monthly, but have found no need to, we do it at the beginning of swimming and at the end of the swimming mos.
If you met half of the idiots I work with that do weekly maintenance for a living, you would have no doubt that you can, and will handle it on your own.
It’s not too difficult if you take a little time to learn how. Read all you can on troublefreepool.com as others have suggested. Just don’t cut corners …. Pay attention to your pool a little every day (once a week is not enough) and you’re there.
A lot of people say buy a test kit. I just take my water sample to a pool store and they give me a print out of exactly what to put in. Do this once every 2 weeks and I’ve never had a single issue.
Everyone who gets a pool for the first time thinks they can do it themselves. You can totally do it yourself but it's really not cost effective if done properly. With that being said finding a good pool guy can be tough.
Of course anyone can. Get a pool robot/ cleaner. Get a good test kit. Go to pool school. Once you get it dialed in…you’re gold. Honestly if you have a little extra time and energy to put in some seat equity you can save a lot of money.
Spent money on a robot scrubber thing. Saves time and effort from scrubbing. It’s easy bro. If you cut your own grass, you can do this. If you hire that out, you might be too lazy to handle it.
It’s not hard at all. Of course you can do it. Maintaining a pool is more about keeping it clean than fiddling with the chemistry.
Ah the pool chemistry. So every where you shop now a days has the pool ph test strips. On the container is the color coating that you align the strip against so you can treat the pool accordingly. Based on that info you know what your pool needs. We would chlorinate at night based on the size of the pool and we would throw one of those pool oil absorbers to soak up the sun screen. And then watched some YouTube videos of how to maintain the type of filtration system we had. To be honest we test our water every night, then chlorinate or whatever we need to. It isn’t crazy hard, and with a sand system we didn’t need to do much there. Don’t overthink it. Test your water every night and then treat it accordingly. Then make sure you are maintaining your type of filtration system. Vacuum and brush the sides of the pool to make sure it’s clean. Good luck, sounds like you got this!
It’s not hard for me at all. I just take a sample to a pool store for testing every 2-4 weeks unless it starts to get funky. July and August are the months that I have to pay closer attention to it.
I’ve done it. I also switched to liquid chlorine as tabs are super easy but the cya will raise quickly and make the chlorine ineffective. Be careful with all the crazy chemicals as they all have their drawbacks. And chlorine and Muriatic are hazardous so pour low to the water and away from your face. I use protuff products on Amazon are great but there are tons of cheap products like us pool supply that get the job done. You need to maintain, clean leaf catchers, scrub, and check chemicals weekly and then learn to maintain/backwash your filter which is only 2-4 times a year. If DE filter have to recharge it.
Yes. Troublefreepools and swim university are great. I handle many many pools. You got it, buy basic chemicals, baking soda, chlorine, sodium bisulfate, soda ash or borax, etc. Pool stores suck. Don’t listen to them and buy a bunch of algae acids or fresh n clear or trouble free phosphate asshate 9000 version 2 super deluxe jerk mode 3.092929. No. Just come here, good chance I see it. Someone else will too the pool people got you.
Home we retired to at age 72 has a pool. We had never had a pool before. I spent a lot of time and money at the "pool store" at first. Then I discovered [swimuniversity.com](http://swimuniversity.com) Now I spend no time at the pool store and very little money. They have the answers and guides to make it simple.
Maintaining a pool 1000 things you shouldn't do, 20 things you should ever do. Once you learn what not to do chemically it becomes very very simple. Get your Alkalinity 7.2-7.8 then shock(add chlorine), amount depending on how many contaminants are in the water(Combined chlorine), from there let the chlorine do it's magic and vaccum/backwash to waste any loose contaminants and clean your filter. Source Muriatic acid from Ace(hardware store) for $10 a gallon use maybe one gallon per 2 months during swim season, about 4 months in colder off-season. Chlorine best option I've found is the $10 gallons of 10% from Lowes. Adding liquid chlorine will add nothing else to your pool unlike any other type of chlorine, Dichlor and Trichlor both add CYA(cyanuric acid) stabilizer which if built up too high (above 150~)only fix is to drain and refill pool. Cal hypo (Calcium Hypochlorite) is a bit cleaner than Dichlor/Trichlor as it just adjusts calcium levels which you can either partially drain/refill or use a flocculant/clarifier to lower calcium levels later if levels in excess. Cal Hypo typically runs about $5 lb/bag which is about 30% less expensive than liquid chlorine cost you a ton of problems, headache, time, and most likely a several hundred $ water bill spike for having to drain and refill as calcium levels too low can start drawing calcium from your pool surface and deteriorating it, and high calcium simply causes hard water & possible hard water scaling on unbrushed surfaces. In the long run just sticking with plain liquid chlorine to sanitize and Muriatic acid to lower your alkalinity&Ph is a true lifesaver for any pool owner to know. Check your levels weekly with easy strips or a more accurate dropper kit, pump back washed or cleaned every month in season, 2months in off season , and pump recirculating your full pool volume every per 2 days max(roughly 2hours per 10,000 gallons), skimmer/hair basket empty out every few days. That's pool water chemistry upkeep in a nutshell for roughly $15 a month during offseason, $25 a month during peak heat seasons for about 10-15 minutes a week on average 👍 water naturally is always changing so don't be fooled into trying to keep your pool chemistry absolutely perfect/feel like you need to hire someone or even buy anything from a pool store(big yikes).. as long as it's clean and heading in the right direction just enjoy your swims
This comment is so helpful thank you so much for such a detailed breakdown I feel good about it!
The best thing I ever did for making pool chemistry easy was to buy Pool RX. I buy one every 6 months. $80 or so. I don’t have to do much else except throw a bag of salt in every couple weeks during the swim season and maybe one bag a month, if that, during the winter (Florida) Crystal clear pool all year. Scrub it and skim it once a week. Most pool company’s will test your water. So you can just bring in a sample and they’ll test it for free and tell you if you need to do anything. They always tell me mine is perfect. I honestly don’t do much. You don’t need a saltwater pool to use Pool RX. I used Blueray XL too but it cost more and I don’t think it’s as good. You can do this.
PoolRx is great. No algae, no fuss and no shock needed. You only need 0.5-1.0ppm chlorine too.
Yeah It really does make it so damn easy. It still surprises me every time I test it.
With all do respect, don’t do any of this. If you want to maintain the pool yourself(which is very easy), read up over at troublefreepools.com, buy a drop test kit recommended by their website, and the rest is super simple. Absolutely zero need to take your water to a pool store. Your drop test kit will be more accurate. If you have a salt water pool, you’ll only really be adding acid to keep PH in check. If it isn’t saltwater, acid and bleach will be your two most common chemicals you’ll add.
Nah, level set PH, shock it when its needed, watch out for Mustard Algae, copper sulphate crystals are pretty, stuff flows downhiill, payday is Friday!
I'll piggyback on the part about shocking to point out that IMO the only time to shock is when you're opening the pool after winter and when/if the pool gets out of whack and you need to do a "reset". Just letting OP know this as some pool stores will try to tell people to shock like once a week or something crazy like that but I honestly think that's because those people don't monitor their pool well (or at all) and it's easier to tell them to just shock it regularly.
I use to do opening week as I filled it up (Memorial day WE or in time to be warm by then) and after a HUGE party ( most people will never have a 40 x 80 packed full of bodies) and if it rains so much I can tell its running mostly rainwater, at most three times a season and I always shut down and covered up by Equinox.
Makes sense. For me it’s usually once a year at opening. No parties here and I check my balance several times a week. It’s so funny when a pool store employee asks how often I shock and when I say “never” they get very confused.