I've had my above ground, 24' vinyl liner pool for 4 years now. The first 3 were Baquacil --- only the first one was the EZ maintenance, crystal clear water that Baq "promises". Starting with year 2, I fought algae - losing the battle worse each year. Until last year, I always had clear water - just an algae fur around the walls, that got worse as the summers wore on.
Last year was it -- by July 4th - the algae fur was horrible. Vacuuming to waste every 3 days, using all the algaecide products the pool store recommended ($$$). Shocking every 2 weeks. Even using the $$$$$ ProTeam Borax - that pool store PROMISED would solve the problem for good. All this after switching to the premium Baq algaecide, removing my cake steps (last 2 Baq years)... you name it. And, I followed the Baq regime --- I never skipped the algaecide dose or sanitizer.
We also changed the sand in filter every year. Backwashing every week or so - Baq builds more pressure.
I found this site in my search for the true solution. Last year, before closing the pool, I converted to BBB --- after ordering a good test kit, studying the Pool School over & over, and reading the posts by those who went before.... bleach, bleach & more bleach .... in 2 weeks, I'd gone from green fur to technicolor to crystal clear, no algae.
It's now mid-August, a year later, and I have a pool to be proud of! Not a SPECK of algae this year (in hot, humid Tennessee!) Crystal clear water - and there is a difference between clear and crystal, sparkling water. I do use algaecide for prevention - opened pool with startup dose & keep it up every week, since I was so afraid of the fur returning. Otherwise - straight by the BBB book. We've only backwashed a few times this year - just when rains overfill, not due to pressure rise. Ph was a problem b4 - constantly rising. Stable this year, very little rise.
You guys BEYOND rock! Even my husband (who freaked at ORDINARY bleach in the pool! And who still prefers that I don't talk about it in public - he thinks it's redneck!) loves it. Not much maint time - just routine stuff that is EZ once you get the chemistry down. And I've spent less all summer on pool maint products than I did in one trip to pool store before. That's great, but for me the water quality is priceless. Loving my pool again with both ladder & cake steps!
Spend the time to get the right test kit and learn the chemistry (Pool School makes it EZ).
Last year was it -- by July 4th - the algae fur was horrible. Vacuuming to waste every 3 days, using all the algaecide products the pool store recommended ($$$). Shocking every 2 weeks. Even using the $$$$$ ProTeam Borax - that pool store PROMISED would solve the problem for good. All this after switching to the premium Baq algaecide, removing my cake steps (last 2 Baq years)... you name it. And, I followed the Baq regime --- I never skipped the algaecide dose or sanitizer.
We also changed the sand in filter every year. Backwashing every week or so - Baq builds more pressure.
I found this site in my search for the true solution. Last year, before closing the pool, I converted to BBB --- after ordering a good test kit, studying the Pool School over & over, and reading the posts by those who went before.... bleach, bleach & more bleach .... in 2 weeks, I'd gone from green fur to technicolor to crystal clear, no algae.
It's now mid-August, a year later, and I have a pool to be proud of! Not a SPECK of algae this year (in hot, humid Tennessee!) Crystal clear water - and there is a difference between clear and crystal, sparkling water. I do use algaecide for prevention - opened pool with startup dose & keep it up every week, since I was so afraid of the fur returning. Otherwise - straight by the BBB book. We've only backwashed a few times this year - just when rains overfill, not due to pressure rise. Ph was a problem b4 - constantly rising. Stable this year, very little rise.
You guys BEYOND rock! Even my husband (who freaked at ORDINARY bleach in the pool! And who still prefers that I don't talk about it in public - he thinks it's redneck!) loves it. Not much maint time - just routine stuff that is EZ once you get the chemistry down. And I've spent less all summer on pool maint products than I did in one trip to pool store before. That's great, but for me the water quality is priceless. Loving my pool again with both ladder & cake steps!
Spend the time to get the right test kit and learn the chemistry (Pool School makes it EZ).
and have been enjoying your Trouble Free Pool.