Anyone use Lowes for their pool supplies?

[CaveDiver86]

I have 3 choices in my area to get me started. I'm a new pool owner and the liner has not been installed yet so I'm just looking to get a jump start. My choices are 1) Lowes pool supply section that seems very well supplied with many ootions. 2) A local pool store with ridiculous prices and the guy that runs it is rude and lacks customer service skills but is the only store in town so he's busy. 3) Ordering online.

What do you think?

 

[Richard320]

My pole, vacuum, vacuum hose, and backwash hose all came from Lowe's.

I've never had to buy CYA since I started with an abundance and what gets lost gets replenished with trichlor pucks when I leave town. My acid and bleach come from a local mom-n-pop pool store that sells HASA stuff in returnable jugs. Before that, Lowes.

 

[Patrick_B]

We think Lowes or other similar stores are fine for supplies. Online...you have to compare shipping and transport as some of the common stuff is HAZMAT so it can be more. Watch for out of date or old liquid Chlorine (Bleach) at the big box stores. They will keep and put back last years supply if it doesn't sell. You can get all the pool chems you need from hardware, or grocery stores, almost without exception. Plenty of reading on that all round the forum.

If you don't have one, get a good test kit on the way. One with FAS DPD, and you won't find it in the stores. The TF100 or the Taylor K2006C are the ones we suggest, but only the C version of the 2006. Tfteskits is a great place online to buy the 100, and it really is the best value. Both kits have the same reagent.

 

[pooldv]

I buy CYA, salt and muriatic acid at Lowe's and bleach at the grocery store. That is all that goes into my pool and hot tub.

 

[tim5055]

My first reaction is to skip going to the pool store. Their only response it to sell you something, generally that you don't need.

We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. As Patrick said, to do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 test kit.

Many new pool owners run back to the pool store to verify their water quality, but not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. Trust your test kit.

When you say Lowes is "well stocked", 90% of the stuff you should never use. To get a good handle on how we recommend you care for your pool a little reading in Pool School will help. Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

So, welcome to TFP!!

 

[billy0952]

We think Lowes or other similar stores are fine for supplies. Online...you have to compare shipping and transport as some of the common stuff is HAZMAT so it can be more. Watch for out of date or old liquid Chlorine (Bleach) at the big box stores. They will keep and put back last years supply if it doesn't sell. You can get all the pool chems you need from hardware, or grocery stores, almost without exception. Plenty of reading on that all round the forum.

If you don't have one, get a good test kit on the way. One with FAS DPD, and you won't find it in the stores. The TF100 or the Taylor K2006C are the ones we suggest, but only the C version of the 2006. Tfteskits is a great place online to buy the 100, and it really is the best value. Both kits have the same reagent.

Why only the "C" version of the 2006? As far as I can tell the only difference between the "C" version and the standard K-2006 is the size of the bottles of chemicals supplied, with the "C" having 2 oz bottles and the standard having 0.75 oz bottles. Am I missing something?

 

[Richard320]

Why only the "C" version of the 2006? As far as I can tell the only difference between the "C" version and the standard K-2006 is the size of the bottles of chemicals supplied, with the "C" having 2 oz bottles and the standard having 0.75 oz bottles. Am I missing something?

You also get more of the FAS-DPD powder. Check out the side-by-side Pool School - Test Kits Compared

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Truth be told, the TF-100 is a better priced kit and provides more of the reagents you're going to use the most. They all use Taylor reagents so no diff there. Its the build of the kit that makes the difference.

My vote is TF-100 always, Speed Stir device if you can swing it. NO one regrets this. I promise.

Maddie

 

[OTPirate]

You will not have enough reagents in the K-2006 to SLAM your pool. Every week people call me to overnight the FAS-DPD test in order to finish their SLAM. They wind up spending a lot more money than they would have if they had just bought the C or TF-100.

 

[billy0952]

You also get more of the FAS-DPD powder. Check out the side-by-side Pool School - Test Kits Compared

Thanks. I already have the K-2006 and was wondering if my kit is missing something important. Looks like I am able to do all the necessary tests with this kit. I've had the kit about five years now and have had to purchase more FAS-DPD powder as well as some of the other chemicals. I go with the 2 oz sizes when ordering replacements as it's much more chemical for the money and I guess that's the advantage of getting the "C" version to start with.

 

[billy0952]

You will not have enough reagents in the K-2006 to SLAM your pool. Every week people call me to overnight the FAS-DPD test in order to finish their SLAM. They wind up spending a lot more money than they would have if they had just bought the C or TF-100.

Good point but my K-2006 kit has been used to SLAM my pool several times. One great tip I've learned on this forum that has saved me a lot of reagent is to use the 1 drop = 0.5 ppm, 10 ml sample when testing for chlorine level. Also, I've learned on this forum it's not necessary to use two dippers of the powder if the sample turns deep pink with one dipper.

- - - Updated - - -

Truth be told, the TF-100 is a better priced kit and provides more of the reagents you're going to use the most. They all use Taylor reagents so no diff there. Its the build of the kit that makes the difference.

My vote is TF-100 always, Speed Stir device if you can swing it. NO one regrets this. I promise.

Maddie

TF-100 = more bang for your buck. No doubt about it.

 

[CaveDiver86]

Ok well I already ordered the TF-100 and should be here today. Good to know Lowes is appropriate for my needs.

 

[sccm_sysadmin]

Ok well I already ordered the TF-100 and should be here today. Good to know Lowes is appropriate for my needs.

There's a WalMart in Live Oak and a WalMart in Lake City. Wellborn appears to be equidistant between the two. They are also pretty good for pool supplies, and they store their chlorine inside on the shelves instead of outside like Lowes (important in somewhere as hot as Florida in the summer).

Not sure why you own a pool when Ginnie/Peacock/Madison are a lot more fun.

 

[planoattorney]

Truth be told, the TF-100 is a better priced kit and provides more of the reagents you're going to use the most. They all use Taylor reagents so no diff there. Its the build of the kit that makes the difference.

My vote is TF-100 always, Speed Stir device if you can swing it. NO one regrets this. I promise.

Maddie

+ 1

i switched to the TFPC (BBB) method this year, and on advise here bought the TF100 with speed stir - you want the speed stir. Swirling the tube while counting drops is like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time; possible but takes all your concentration. Let the little magnet do the hard part.