Hi, I would like to swim but ...

[killerwhale]

The weather is still kind of chilly (highest 50F today) not to mention my pool is far from being ready. So, this is my situation:

I have no experience at all. I did watch a lot of Youtube in last few days until I found this place, a gold mine. I read Pool School a little but I have to say I am a bit overwhelmed now.

Today I went to a pool store to get water tested: FC 0.01 ppm, Total Chlorine 0.01 ppm, Combined Chlorine 0 ppm, pH 7.7, Hardness 27 ppm, Alkalinity 40 ppm, Cyanuric Acid 1 ppm, Copper 0 ppm, Iron 0.2 ppm. I was told the Alkalinity level and Hardness level are low, so I poured approx 4 kg Alkajuster and 7 kg Hy Cal into the pool according to the store advice after I got home. I will have water tested again in a few days. I am also using Aquachek strips but I prefer to go to the pool store at this point, mainly because I can also seek advice there.

In the mean time, I keep scooping out leaves and debris from the bottom especially the deep part of the pool (9ft), for a little while every day, and I have been doing this for a few days already. Also the water level is half a foot below the lower end of the only skimmer, so I am letting tap water running to fill the pool to the mid line of the skimmer.

The pump has not been started yet as I assume I should not start it until the water is filled up to the mid line of the skimmer. I also have a pool opening kit including three bottles: Oxidizer, Stain & Scale, Algaecide 40%. I know I am not supposed to use them at the present time but when? I am not quite clear about it.

Some say that do not vacuum the bottom of pool until you can see it. What I need to do now to let water become a little clear? The water is like dark green to black now, each time when I scoop out some leaves and bring it to surface then that part of water becomes cloudy and muddy.

So my question is what I need to do right now?

Thanks a million!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!

Throw the test strips away and stop letting the pool store test your water. Invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits and you will certainly have better water for less money.

You can not test the water until after it has circulated for at least 30 minutes. Does not sound like your pump is even running.

You do not need to use any of those 3 bottles in your opening kit.

While waiting for your test kit to arrive, just keep scooping things out, fill with water and see if the equipment runs.

Then post a full set of test results and prepare to follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process

These give you a getting idea of why:
Defeating Algae
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! The best investment you can make in your pool is a high quality FAS/DPD test kit such as a Taylor K2006. Normally I recommend the TF 100 , but it is not available in Canada. This kit will allow you to test chlorine values above 5ppm. If you have read about our SLAM process process you have read how important it is to do frequent testing to maintain the chlorine at shock level. That will be difficult to do running back and forth to the pool store, and test strips are not precise enough to give you the test information you need.

To get started, read ABCs of pool water chemistry to give you a little basic pool chemistry info.

Once your pool is filled and you can turn on the pump you will need to let it run continuously until the slam is completed. When the pump has been running a minute and everything is working ok, go ahead and backwash the sand filter. Then you will know what your clean pressure is on the filter after the backwash is completed. Once you know the clean pressure reading you can keep an eye on how the pressure rises as the filter gets dirty. When there has been about a 20% rise in pressure it is time to backwash the filter again. You can vacuum even though you cannot see bottom. We recommend you scoop out as much debris as you can, then switch to the pool vacuum.

I would hold off on using the pool opening kit, unless you have metals in your water you don't need the stain and scale, algaecide will not kill existing algae it just slows down new growth, and if you could tell us the active ingredient in the oxidizer we can tell you if it would be beneficial to use.

You mentioned reading info here and getting advice from the pool store. The pool store may tell you not to listen to us and that using bleach is bad for your pool, however they would probably sell you liquid chlorine all day long! Is there a difference between liquid chlorine and bleach? Kind of, the bleach is 8.25% compared to 10-12% for liquid chlorine, otherwise it is the same stuff in different concentrations. We will tell you to be very careful at the pool store and not to let them sell you a bunch of expensive pool chemicals when there is a grocery store equivalent at much more reasonable prices.

Your pool is a blank (green) slate right now. You will need some CYA and may need to make further adjustments to the pH and TA. You also need plenty of chlorine. If you go with the pool store method you may end up with far to much CYA or calcium, depending on whether they push dichlor or calicum hypochlorite, or they will sell you on using an algaecide with copper or worse a mineral system that has the potential to stain your liner and give anyone with light colored hair a fashionable green tint!

Read a few of our threads on defeating algae, then decide if you want to follow TFPC or pool store advice. You have to pick one or the other because the two methods are not compatible and it will be frustrating for you to try and follow both.

Of course I'm going to recommend you stick with us! There is pretty much always someone here ready to help and answer questions if needed. The majority of us have been in your shoes at one point and we stayed because we like helping people. Good luck with your pool!

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP!