Very new to pool thing, need help!!

[chimchim66]

Hi! I am new to pools, bought a house in the winter with a pool that I know has not been opened for at least 2 years. We opened it 2 weeks ago and have been shocking it. It started out with a lot of gunk in the bottom that we fished out and very dark green. Now it is light green, can see about 4 inches down into the water, can definitely see the bottom of the pool steps, running our filter 24/7 but it is not getting any better from the light green. I have brushed the sides and bottom as best I can. The pool is about 8 foot to 10 foot (not sure) at the deepest and I can't get that real well. Just tested and these are the results:

Total hardness is 250
total chlorine is 5
free chlorine is 10
pH is 6.2
total alkalinity is 40
cyanuric acid is 0

1. don't know how many gallons water - pool is 40 x 20 and from 3 feet to 8-10 feet deep
2. sand filter, don't know size - it looks big to me!
3. IG
4. Vinyl
5. Don't know.

Can someone tell me where to go from here? I have ONLY put in liquid chlorine at this point and nothing else. Thanks!

Chimchim66
West Michigan

 

[mpacheco72]

Your total chlorine can't be right. Total chlorine minus free chlorine= combined chlorine. 5-10=-5 and I don't believe you can have a -5CC. Also your cyanuric acid is 0 which mean your chlorine is disappearing rapidly.

 

[duraleigh]

Are those tests your own or did someone do them for you. Confirm that first and then, spend a lot of time up in Pool School....start reading ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

Your testing eventually will have to be more accurate and complete before we can help much but let us know how you are testing and we'll get started.

 

[PSW]

Hey Chimchim66, welcome to TFP!

As the post above states, some of those results look suspicious. Did you do the testing yourself? If so, what kit are you using? If you got your results from a pool store..you should look into getting your own test kit. I highly recommend the TF-100 from tftestkits.net

As for 'shocking,' you cannot really effectively shock your pool without knowing the size of pool (and without accurate test results)

Based on your dimensions, I came up with about 30K gallons (I used 5' as average depth).

You should start by reading Pool School, and let us know about how you tested your water!

EDIT: Dave beat me to it, but I second what he said

 

[chimchim66]

Thanks everyone - I did buy the TF-100 - but am not sure I am checking right. I also used an AquaTek testing strip and the results were about the same, if I am reading them right, which is also of question! I had the pool water tested by the pool store when I opened the pool and the pool store said everything was within appropriate levels. I believe I was told it was 35k gallons, so I believe you are right on Blake. I did read Pool School many times over the past 2 weeks, but again, so new to this that I am having trouble comprehending it all! I finally got the guts to ask on forum since I feel I am spinning my wheels.

Given 35k gallons, what would be appropriate shock? I have put in 8 gallons at a time, 4 times, and the water did turn to a lighter green but now seems "stuck" there.

I will try testing again and see what I get from the test kit - if I can understand the testing for chlorine.

Thanks!

 

[PSW]

The TF-100 is a great kit! It might take some time to get used to, but you will be in complete control of your water chemistry in no time!

A pool store saying your levels are 'okay' is not very comforting. The pool store results tend to be inaccurate, and many pool store employees do not understand water chemistry.

Dave will have the best advice..but in MY opinion you should get your cyanuric acid (CYA) up to around 20-30ppm. Then after you shock, bring it up to 30-40. The liquid CYA (sometimes called stabilizer) mixes much faster..and will show up on your test sooner.

IF you get your CYA up to 20-30, then shock level will be FC of 10-12. It is tough to tell you exact amounts to add until we see what your current *accurate* levels are.

Here are directions for shocking your pool: pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[arvil]

Keep at it, I do the same thing, just keep the FC up, filter 24/7, it'll get better. Backwash or clean the filter frequently, and keep re-reading the pool school you'll get it eventually. Took me many times. Persevere you'll get there.

 

[car guy]

Welcome, and X2 on the sticking with it. My swamp stayed light green for a while, too. I am a newbie, but after getting advice here, I know I had my chlorine levels up and down and not in the shock range long enough to have results. The water is much, much clearer now. I went from not being able to see 4" down on the first step to clearly seeing the debris I have in the deep end, 9 feet down.

Plug your results in the Pool Calculator when you have them accurately tested and it will show you how much of what to add... But it does take time. I've been working on mine for two weeks. That is a lot of water to treat.

 

[chimchim66]

Thanks for the responses everyone - I needed to hear it will get better Brandon - so thanks!! I will post when I get what I think are accurate results and go from there - hopefully this afternoon!

 

[chimchim66]

Just wanted to update - FINALLY learned how to test and shocked the pool correctly!! Also, I did have the sand in the filter changed, which helped a lot and I have a clear and beautiful pool!! Thanks everyone - this site is a lifesaver!