k8conant said:
Thanks, exceltoexcel. It looks as if you turned your pool around fast. I had calculated my pool volume at 8600 gallons (18' x 4') and that's in my signature.
I already have borax and stabilizer on hand. I believe if I turn the inLine chlorinator back on that'll also add CYA. I can't backwash but I can keep cleaning and changing the cartridges.
257WbyMap -- I'm checking for test kits.
I'm running short on POP. So I should I just keep the pump going 24/7 until it's clear? That's what I've been doing for the past week.
YOU HAVE TO READ THE POOL SCHOOL. It'll help incredibly!
If the filter gets too clogged you're going to risk damaging your pump. If your pump has a PSI meter on it, change your filter and then write down the psi. From there remember to change the filter if it goes above 20% at night and no more than 25% during the day.Honestly I'm not the guy to do anything more than tell you that if you read the stuff here and follow it, that it works and works quickly if youre dedicated. I work from home so I can take 10 minutes every hour and test the water and make some adjustments with a quick brushing too, it means I have to work later today but so what. I have no idea about cartridges. I'll assume unless someone jumps in here it works on the same principal. Let say your psi reads 10psi. IF you see it hit 12.5 psi during a day when you can watch it change it. If your going to bed and the cartridge has needed to be changed over and over through the day you need to put the filter on recirculate so you don't damage it. I doubt you'll have to do that much, if at all, because your volume in your pool is low.
again read the pool school It's the button up to the right.
images/icons/PoolSchool-MouseOver.png
You must leave that filter running 24/7 and have FC in the pool at levels indicated here.
http://www.poolcalculator.com/
1. Make sure you enter your pool size because if you don't you'll be adding too much of everything! (Top most Orange area directly under now)
2. enter all of your data in the left column (under "NOW"). Scroll down and select in the yellow "suggested goals level" area "Use suggested goal levels from: " TroubleFreePool.com
3. press calculate
4. hover over the indented text boxes to get a tip on how many boxes,gallons, bottles of the chemical you'll need to add.
Adjust your TA first with Baking soda, wait 2 to 3 hours test ph and TA
Adjust your Ph second with borax, wait 2 to 3 hours test ph and TA again, make adjustments as needed but just get within the range don't worry about making it absolutely perfect, that will drive you insane.
Once all of that reads in the range, replug in the numbers in the pool calculator
Increase your CYA (since this will take a long time to come up just do what the calc says and move to the nest step), if it is trully zero you'll need about 3lbs but
AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN MAKE SURE YOUR CYA IS INFACT 0!! Heck, grab a very clean water bottle and take a sample to your pool store to be double sure of the reading if you have a junky test kit. It's a complete pain to lower it, you have to basically empty your pool, there is no other realistic way to remove it. I suggest getting the CYA to 40 not 50 because going to far up is a big huge pain though your pool is so small you'd have a better time of it.
Adjust your FC . you'll find that in this section of the pool calculator, its blue near the bottom of the table. Should be 10 if your cya is 0 15 if your cya is 40.
Suggested FC Levels SWG: Normal: to Shock: Mustard Algae Shock:
Suggested target FC levels based on the current CYA level for outdoor pools.
Note: Be careful if your CYA is really and truly zero!
Keep that FC at that point testing every single hour until it stops fluctuating every hour. Then go to two hours testing then 4. Of course you'll sleep in there somewhere but test as soon as you get up.
I'd buy about 20 bottles of bleach for your setup. You probably won't go through nearly that much but it's better to have it on hand than not have it if the FC drops. The key is to get the FC at shock levels and keep it there for at least a day without having any FC loss at all overnight. Once that happens you're winning the fight. If you can get up in the middle of the night pfft 3am and adjust the FC if needed the first couple of days, I think that's why my pool cleared up so quickly, I only had one night of major loss.
Read below and ask questions if you don't understand it.
pool-school/shocking_your_pool