New Pool Owner - Above Ground

[kid_ego]

Our new pool was installed on Monday, and it finished filling last night via well water (with a little help from mother nature).

This is our first ever pool. We got it for my boys as a special reward for a few years of health issues one of my sons faced.

Initially the water was a murky brown, making me think we had iron. Our neighbor filled his pool a few weeks ago, and the water was crystal clear (he's on a 25ft well, while we're at 70ft).

Before starting to add chemicals, I added metal and stain control that was suggested by a manager at The Great Escape.

I followed the starter kit instructions (Nature's Way 20,000 gallon Z-Pack), first adding pH-Down based on an initial test-strip reading (I know I need better test kit), then 4lbs. of stabilizer (was hard to mix so I added through skimmer and via a sock zip-tied to a pool noodle), then 2lbs super shock.

In first 15hrs of the pump running (getting that running/primed was another adventure given it is temporarily sitting above water line) water has begun to get better. Couldn't see bottom yesterday because of brown murkiness, now I can see the bottom, though things are still really cloudy.

Anyway, that's my story so far. Glad I found this forum...and thanks to all who help out newbies like me. I'm sure this won't be my last post.

 

[Texas Splash]

Well, we're happy to have you with us. Yes, it does sound like iron, but it's good you added some sequestrant. You might want to take a water sample from the hose (not pool) and have it tested for iron to be sure. If it is, then a sequestrant will part of normal pool life unless you are able to replace enough of it with metal-free water. The TFP Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains page may also be good to read. Great to have you with us.

 

[kid_ego]

Thank you for the welcome!

Is there a proven way to get the iron out without replacing water?

I've seen quite a number of homemade videos featuring people making their own filtering system to get it out, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

I guess I should have asked to fill my pool off my neighbor's well, but then I was told I was on a better aquifer (one free of nitrates - unlike his).

A friend of mine put in our well, so I'll have him check my water.

 

[Texas Splash]

There are some ways to manually filter-out iron either as it's going into the pool, or after the fill by adjusting FC and pH so that an absorbent material (i.e. paper towels) can be placed in the skimmer to absorb the iron during circulation. The trick is to get the iron before the chlorine is so high that it "precipitates-out" into the water making it green tea colored, or causing staining. But the sequestrant will also help bind the iron to prevent staining as well. Stick around here long enough and you'll learn some new water management tricks you never thought of.

 

[kid_ego]

Had just put a section of a cut-up, white t-shirt in the skimmer to see what it could 'catch' of the iron (before seeing your latest reply).

But after seeing your message, I checked the water color, and it is kind of a green tea color.

Not trying to get impatient though...seeing as I turned on the filter for the first time at 9pm last night (when the water was cloudy brown and I couldn't see the bottom).

 

[kid_ego]

And after only 30 minutes, the first section of cut-up t-shirt is completely rust colored.

Looks like I better raid the wife's closet next!

 

[Texas Splash]

Bwaaahaaaa! What she doesn't know won't hurt her. It may hurt you later, but it's worth it if you get a lot of metal out over the course of the next few days.

 

[kimkats]

And after only 30 minutes, the first section of cut-up t-shirt is completely rust colored.

Looks like I better raid the wife's closet next!

Ahhhhhhhhh Kid??????? are you SURE you want to say that out loud where other femaes can hear you??? LOL You can also use paper towels or a 5 gal. bucket filled with poly (pillow stuffing).

Kim:cat:

 

[kid_ego]

Ahhhhhhhhh Kid??????? are you SURE you want to say that out loud where other femaes can hear you??? LOL You can also use paper towels or a 5 gal. bucket filled with poly (pillow stuffing).

Kim:cat:

So, you're saying instead of raiding her clothes to soak up iron, I should go for her pillow? Not sure she'll like that either. Lol

How do you use a 5 gallon bucket with poly? Rig up something like I've seen people do in YouTube videos?

Is this iron thing a winnable battle, or should I consider draining and trucking in water (and then topping off as needed with a hose attached filter)?

 

[Texas Splash]

At 18K, it will be a chore, but others with larger pools are able to manage the battle between iron content and efficient FC (along with sequestrant as needed). Trucking it in is certainly an option, but it all boils down to $$$ and availability. I think ideally anyone who has a significant amount of metal content in their water would rather not have to deal with it, but not everyone has that option for one reason or another. Really your call.

 

[kid_ego]

I think I've given up on the iron and this batch of water.

As I drain it in preparation for having water trucked in, what's the best way to both clean the liner and leave enough water that I don't screw up the liner position (assume I don't want to take all water out and have the liner shift)?

 

[pooldv]

Leave a foot of water in the bottom of the pool to hold the liner in place.

 

[kid_ego]

Now my cousin, who has a pool and is the contractor putting in the deck surrounding the pool, suggests we try and vacuum out the iron/rust on the bottom and discharge/siphon it out of the pool...then refill that loss of water with filtered water (via a filter on our hose).

Sound plausible and worth a try before giving up on the water?

Other than the rust and film on the bottom, water is clear.

 

[pooldv]

Yes, that is definitely worth a try. Just be careful to keep that foot of water in the pool. The hose (use 2 if you can) is adding water a lot slower than a pump or vac is taking it out.

 

[kimkats]

Don't you DARE tell your wife *I* told you to use HER pillow! I want to live another day!!! LOL :joker: (you fit right in around here! I hope you stay around!)

Yeah the 5 gal. bucket like you see set up on y-tube. There is an old thread about it. I have not been able to find it but will keep looking.

Kim:cat:

 

[kid_ego]

Can the iron that has oxidized onto the bottom of the pool be vacuumed and trapped in the filter?

If I could skip discharging a ton of water out during the vacuuming process (as my wife's cousin suggested), that would reduce the amount of water I need to replace in the near-term.

And I talked to a friend of mine (who actually put in our well and current softener) about a softener that would run 24/7 and run to one of our two outdoor faucets...for not much more than it would cost to have 18k gallons of water trucked out here.

I need to keep one outdoor faucet hard water for my wife's koi ponds, or tearing up her pillow would be the least of my worries, Kim!

 

[kimkats]

What kind of filter do you have? Sand, DE, cartridge? I bet you could use the filter to catch most of it as well as using the skimmer socks and paper towels as back up. Let me know what kind of filter you have so we can figure out the best set up.

Kim:cat:

 

[kid_ego]

It's a cartridge filter...and you should have seen it when I cleaned it for the first time tonight. Holy rust!

Cleaned the filter, put it back in, and started to use a vacuum setup to clean the rust off the bottom.

Couldnt figure out why, after about half-way through, I kept losing pressure in the pump. Released air, pressure increased temporarily, and I continued cleaning. Then I realized I still had a t-shirt and a little CUlator packet in the skimmer basket. Holy rust slick!

Removed the t-shirt, now completely coated in a thick slime of rust, and pressure shot back up to about 15.

So, on tap for early tomorrow is another cleaning of the filter and the last 1/4 of the pool floor to vacuum.

But things are looking much better than they were two days ago. If they could have gotten the deck built this week, it would be a swim-tastic Memorial Day weekend.

 

[kimkats]

I would find a way to get and out just so I could swim after all of the work.

If your wallet could handle it I would get another cartridge so all you have to do is pop one out and put the other one right in with out missing a beat. BUT do not allow the dirty one dry out with the dirt still in it. It makes it harder to clean.

Kim:cat:

 

[kid_ego]

It's tempting to just dive in with how clear the water is now. But the ground around the pool is dirt and mud from the digging and prep work for the deck. Already have a few sets of mud-caked shoes drying on the patio. Lol

Just ordered an extra cartridge for quick and easy swaps.

So much more enthused about everything now the the water is clear, and the bottom is clean!