How do you bring down the hardness in your pool water? I use the strips that test like 6 different things, everything else is in range except the hardness and I'm not sure what to do and was tired of waiting on hold at the pool store. Any ideas?

By Conni on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 09:37 am:

Do you have well water or city water?

By Vicki on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 09:41 am:

I would think they would sell something at the pool store. What I would do is take a sample of your water there and have them test it. They do a very accurate measurment and tell you exactly what to put in and how much to put in. The test strips are good for day to day testing, but taking your water in is your best bet. Dh takes a sample of ours about every two weeks.

By Vicki on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 09:43 am:

By a sample of your water, I mean a sample directly from the pool. LOL After I read that, I realized I wasn't clear and if you are a new pool owner, you might not know you can take your water in to be tested!

By Bemerry84 on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 10:39 am:

We have city water Connie. We've had pools for the past 15 years and have never had the water test hard like that. We had to fill it up about a foot after taking the cover off. I know I can take the sample in Vicki I was just hoping someone would know off hand so I can stop on my way home from work and get what I need and not have to go back out. I didn't think to fill a jar this morning when I tested it. Here in MI it's been very hot the last few days, into the 90's, and the pool store I usually go to has had a line out the door. They have already sold out of a lot of stuff. What a pain.

By Yjja123 on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 02:20 pm:

We take a water sample into the pool store and they tell us exactly what we need. Much easier than trying to figure it out ourselves.

By Bemerry84 on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 02:56 pm:

I was just being lazy. You ladies know so much I was sure someone had the answer. I'll just drag by behind uptown tonight and wait in line. Thanks!!!!

By Bemerry84 on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 08:13 am:

You aren't going to believe this but my test strips were bad. The water was fine. I had no idea the strips could go bad, I just bought them last August but who knows how long they sat on the stores shelf. Pool guy said to replace them every year.

By Luvn29 on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 10:15 am:

Bet you're glad you went in instead of buying expensive chemicals for your problem you didn't have! Nothing would have fixed it, and then you would have had to spend money fixing the problem you created by "fixing" your first problem! What a mess it would have been!

Glad you got if figured out easily, but they should put warnings on the strips because I had no idea either!

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 10:53 am:

Wow. That was easy! It was a good idea to get a second opinion. Enjoy your pool, now!