Should I empty and start over? A million white strands of ?

[ggrrl]

I got an Intex Easy Set 18' pool and two weeks ago I filled it up and got the pump running. I bought the saltwater system but it was missing an adapter so I couldn't get it running. I added about 2 cups of household bleach and a lb of stabilizer hoping that would tide me over until I got the adapter (it's in the mail). I swam in it yesterday and noticed it had about a million strands of white sort of pulpy stuff floating in the water. I'm not sure what it is - they are thin and translucent and different sizes - like long pulp. The water is slightly cloudy but not green or anything.

Should I empty the pool and start over with new water once I get the saltwater system going? Or is the standard filter going to get rid of all this pulpy stuff? I know I should probably upgrade the filter - how bad do I need to do that?

There were also little brown worms on the bottom - I got most out with the strainer. And a million winged ants. And some bees. I guess I should start using the cover.

 

[Vette]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

Sounds like cottonwood. I have a ton of that getting into my water. It gets filtered out.

 

[ggrrl]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

Hmmm... I don't have any cottonwood trees around and there isn't white stuff anywhere else but in the pool. I'll run the filter some more to see if it helps.

 

[Sasha]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

I had this same problem, along with a very fine brown powdery (on the bottom of my pool)substance last year, and a little cloudy water, too. Read the "pool school", how and when to shock your pool. My guess is that it's some type of algae. Last year, I have followed the shocking process on "pool school" to a T. And also bought the testing kit, best thing I have ever done!! I have only been using Liquid Chlorine bleach in my pool since last year and have never needed another product!! And I have not even needed to "shock" this year. The "pool calculator" gives me the right amount to add!! I literally just spend minutes a day testing the pool water.....Good Luck ....and I just want to add I absolutely LOVE this site. I used to spend hundreds of dollars a year on pool chemicals

 

[ob1quixote]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

Gotta love the pool calculator! I run my tests, come in and plug in the numbers, and add the chemicals needed!
If you do have an algae problem, be prepared to change your filters often as the greenery is killed off.

 

[ggrrl]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

Well all the water turned very green overnight and it's 95 degrees so I'm going to start over with cooler, clean water. I'll do it the right way from the beginning this time!

Thanks - this is a great resource.

 

[Casey]

Re: Should I empty and start over? A million white strands o

Have you been testing your water? Are you using a reliable test kit? Have you been adding chlorine and reading pool school?

Why drain it? Start shocking as outlined in Pool School. If you want to cool the pool, run your pump at night.