Bought an older AB pool off CL two summers ago. Started off last summer with a new liner and fresh water. Messed around and never got a cover for the pool at the end of the season, so it just collected leaves and yuk all winter. I am getting a really late start to opening the pool this summer, and I have a dark green mess!! I have done my best to get all the leaves out of the pool, but am still catching some as I try to vacuum. Here is what I have done so far:
1) Did not use Wal-mart chemicals with the pool in the past, but was told the "hth Green to Blue" was good for getting pool clean initially. One box is treatment for 10,000 gal of water, so I followed the instructions for putting in the box of chemicals, filtered for an hour and then left sitting overnite. Active ingredients: Calcium hypochlorite ... 52%, inert ingredients...48%, Minimum available chlorine ... 49%. The next morning the water was much clearer, but still a lighter green and cloudy - can't see the bottom. I tried to vacuum to Waste, but vacuum kept getting clogged with leaves.
2) Used leaf rake and tried to get the remaining leaves out, but working blind here. Second evening added another box of "hth Green to Blue" as recommended if first treatment didn't work. Left sitting overnite, but it looked about the same the next morning. Tried to vacuum, but still getting leaves clogging things up. Went back to leaf rake until I thought I had them all, but still working blind. Tried vacuuming again, but vacuum still getting clogged easily.
3) Headed to internet for help and found this site!! I only have one of those cheap test kits ( with phenol red and OTO drops), but I did a test with it anyway. It showed: pH --- 7.4, and Cl / Br --- 0 ( it is clear). I have no idea about FC or CYA and apparently can't test for them. In the meantime, I have been filtering for several hours and have backwashed a few times.
Supplies on hand: I have approx 10lbs of powder shock ( Calcium hypochlorite ...73%, minimum available chlorine ... 70%) and approx 25 - "stabilizing chlorinating concentrate in large 3" tablets ( Trichloro-s-Triazinetrione...99%, other 1%, Available Chlorine ... 90%). Both are in airtight plastic containers and still have a pretty strong "fume" when opened.
I will order one of the test kits that you are recommending tonight, but what should I do until that comes in? Should I assume the CYA is really low if my Chlorine is zero after two doses in as many days of the "hth Green to Blue?" If so, should I use some of these tablets? If I understand your site correctly, they will raise my CYA? Or should I add a jug ( gallon?) of bleach each evening and filter 24/7, brushing a few times a day until test kit arrives? I want to use the BBB method, but can I use up the chemicals that I have or should I just get rid of them?
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!
1) Did not use Wal-mart chemicals with the pool in the past, but was told the "hth Green to Blue" was good for getting pool clean initially. One box is treatment for 10,000 gal of water, so I followed the instructions for putting in the box of chemicals, filtered for an hour and then left sitting overnite. Active ingredients: Calcium hypochlorite ... 52%, inert ingredients...48%, Minimum available chlorine ... 49%. The next morning the water was much clearer, but still a lighter green and cloudy - can't see the bottom. I tried to vacuum to Waste, but vacuum kept getting clogged with leaves.
2) Used leaf rake and tried to get the remaining leaves out, but working blind here. Second evening added another box of "hth Green to Blue" as recommended if first treatment didn't work. Left sitting overnite, but it looked about the same the next morning. Tried to vacuum, but still getting leaves clogging things up. Went back to leaf rake until I thought I had them all, but still working blind. Tried vacuuming again, but vacuum still getting clogged easily.
3) Headed to internet for help and found this site!! I only have one of those cheap test kits ( with phenol red and OTO drops), but I did a test with it anyway. It showed: pH --- 7.4, and Cl / Br --- 0 ( it is clear). I have no idea about FC or CYA and apparently can't test for them. In the meantime, I have been filtering for several hours and have backwashed a few times.
Supplies on hand: I have approx 10lbs of powder shock ( Calcium hypochlorite ...73%, minimum available chlorine ... 70%) and approx 25 - "stabilizing chlorinating concentrate in large 3" tablets ( Trichloro-s-Triazinetrione...99%, other 1%, Available Chlorine ... 90%). Both are in airtight plastic containers and still have a pretty strong "fume" when opened.
I will order one of the test kits that you are recommending tonight, but what should I do until that comes in? Should I assume the CYA is really low if my Chlorine is zero after two doses in as many days of the "hth Green to Blue?" If so, should I use some of these tablets? If I understand your site correctly, they will raise my CYA? Or should I add a jug ( gallon?) of bleach each evening and filter 24/7, brushing a few times a day until test kit arrives? I want to use the BBB method, but can I use up the chemicals that I have or should I just get rid of them?
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!
