hi! new pool owner

[lisaellen]

hi!

just bought first pool ever! above ground, vinyl 15x 42...and have had water in it for about ten days..rather than just throwing walmart bought stuff into it, I would rather really understand this whole thing..and I think liquid bleach may be a better route? Anyway, I'm here to learn.

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP! Congrats on the new pool!

We think liquid bleach is better too!

Get one of the Recommended Test Kits, I use the TF100 from TFTestkits.net.

Here are some of my fave Pool School articles to get you started.
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Here are the Recommended Levels for your pool.
Here are the Recommended Pool Chemicals and how to add them.
Use PoolMath to figure out how much to add.

 

[kimkats]

HI! You sure did come to the right place! You will NEVER get pool stored (where the pool store tests your water and sells you all kinds of stuff that you do not need and costs $$$).

The first thing you need to buy is a good test kit. In my siggy you will find a link to the test kits.

HUGS!

Kim

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! All the good links with advise already noted above and in our signatures. But to drive home a few points to get started in case you missed it in the reading:
1 - You need stabilizer in new water to protect your free chlorine (FC). Ironically, you can get it al Wal-Mart. 4 lb bottle with purple cap. Not sure of your location, but have a target goal or 30 ppm to start. The Poolmath calculator (link below) can assist you in amounts.
2 - You need bleach in their right away to keep the water from growing algae. If your water is lucky enough to still be clear, make 2 ppm your goal for the first few days, then increase to about 5 ppm. You can use the generic Wal-Mart Great Value bleach.
3 - PH needs to be between 7.2-7.8
4 - TA is quite flexible, somewhere around 70-120, give or take a few.
Make no mistake though, you can't accurately maintain those levels without the right test kit as noted above and in our signatures. Anything else is just guessing.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[lisaellen]

Thank you for the replies!..I'll admit, my head tends to spin a little when I read and try to take all this in..but I'm gaining in understanding. I need to make my signature, and I will soon. But here's my situation right now, and my questions!!

I have added a chlorine stablizer, and to date with 13 days of water in it (4000 gal)..I have used 2 lbs of hth super shock, just put the second trichor tab in the floater...I have altogether put in 2 quarts of 8.25 house bleach, hydorchlorite?..anyway, i didn't do this all at once..over the last two evenings is when i added the stablizer and liquid bleach.

this morings reading with two inferior tests are

test strip:****************3-way test with drops

FC 5/10 ****************CL 5 Br 10
pH 7.8 ****************pH 7.5
TA 80
TH 200
cya 30-50


aren't these good numbers? the water looks clear to a novice like me...but i have patches of powdery stuff on the bottom, when i kick at them, they just turn to powder and float away..I am in Oklahoma, very hot, humid and has been very windy, the pool is downwind from a blacktop road, but dust has to be blowing over the pool all day. My pump is only 1000 gal., Type A or C cartidge filter. i had not been running it all the time but I am now..I haven't done the vacuum sock thing yet...and I've changed the filter 3 times already!! they looked dirty to me. The pool does have a skimmer.

I don't think I'm courting disaster yet, walmart and online are pretty much the only means for me to get supplies, and so far it's gonna be a bit before i can get the good test kit..will the t-50 be good, since I already have to other ways to test the pH?

Um..that's all I can think of right now. I have to go work in the shop right next to the pool, and pretend it's not there...at least till after 3.

Thanks for your help!!

lisa

 

[pooldv]

Yes, the T50 will be fine. Those numbers are good numbers. The problem and question is are they accurate. Probably not. Get that T50 and remove all doubt!