Setup - Intex Ultraframe 14' x 48", 4600 gallons

Jump to latest Follow Reply
munky

munky

0
Jul 5, 2013
12
Naylor, Arkansas
Okay, so I'm a bit late getting the pool set up for this season, but I started filling it yesterday, after fixing a leak I found when I tried to start filling it the day before. When I get home from work in the morning, I'll install the pump and finish filling, provided I don't find any other leaks. I don't have one of the good test kits, yet, and unfortunately ordering it will have to wait until next payday. I do have the drop test kit from Walmart--I got that last year because the strips that came with the pool never seemed to show colors that looked anything like the little card thing.

On the way home, I'll be stopping for supplies, including bleach, borax and muriatic acid. I have baking soda at home already, but I still need to get the rest of this stuff. I've been reading through the Pool School articles, but there's so very much that I know I'm not retaining it all, so I have a few questions:

  • 1. Calcium Chloride: I don't live in an area where snow and ice are often a problem--at least, so I was told when we got 13 inches of snow last winter. According to the Home Depot website, I can't get any de-icer at my local store. So I thought about getting refill bags of DampRid, having heard that's also calcium chloride. However, turns out that's not all it is. According to the MSDS, it's 60-100% CaCl, 1-5% KCl and 1-5% NaCl. So, assuming I don't want the extra stuff in there, where else should I look for CaCl?
    [list:9qut8xg6]a. Lowe's sells something called 'Aqua Chem Calcium Hardness Increaser'. Anybody ever used it? Is this the right stuff, or should I find something else?

2. Cyanuric Acid: Walmart sells an HTH stabilizer/conditioner; Lowe's carries an Aqua Chem stabilizer ... Anyone have any preference for one or the other? And why?

3. I do not have a salt water generator, though I'm considering one. Do I still need to add salt to my pool?

4. My pump is the dinky thing that came with the pool when I bought it last year. I'm not sure what the model # or flow rate is--I'll have to check when I get home--but I know it sucks. I'd very much like to upgrade to a sand filter/pump, but the 2650 seems rather like overkill for my dinky little pool, and I don't, at the moment, have any plans to expand. Even if we end up needing to replace this one, we won't get one much bigger. It's just me and my mother, and we don't need a whole lot of pool. Would a 1600 gph pump/filter be sufficient?

5. Speaking of pumps, I see people saying they run their pump for X hours every day. Last season, before I found this lovely place, I just left the pump running 24x7. Is that a bad thing?[/list:u:9qut8xg6]

I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but these are it for now. I'll post my first water readings once I get home and finish filling the pool.
 
Re: Setup - Intex Ultraframe 14' x 48", 4600 gallons

Hi there and welcome! I just found this site myself this year. I can offer you some guidance on a few things.

I have the same pool.. That filter is Crud (trust me) and I do have the 2650 hooked up to mine now. It works wonderfully once it is set up and going.

On a fresh fill, you should be able to maintain (do order the test kit when you are able as it saves me so much headache). Once you fill it add the HTH stabilizer (I use that as well) to a tube sock or knee high and tie it off in front of the return. You can squeeze it to help it dissolve.

In the pool calculator I have found the 4000 gallon mark to work the best for this pool in determining what I need. So for you (on fresh fill) you will need to add:

33oz of 6% bleach
22oz of stabilizer

On my fill my PH was just right at 7.5 and hasn't really veered from that.

The leveling of the ground is the most important with this pool as mine sank over 2 inches on one side last year (was a mess).

Good luck and keep us posted! We love pics :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Welcome to TFP!

You came to the right place for your pool info needs!

Replies will be in red, within the quoted text.

munky said:
Okay, so I'm a bit late getting the pool set up for this season, but I started filling it yesterday, after fixing a leak I found when I tried to start filling it the day before. When I get home from work in the morning, I'll install the pump and finish filling, provided I don't find any other leaks. I don't have one of the good test kits, yet, and unfortunately ordering it will have to wait until next payday. I do have the drop test kit from Walmart--I got that last year because the strips that came with the pool never seemed to show colors that looked anything like the little card thing.

On the way home, I'll be stopping for supplies, including bleach, borax and muriatic acid. I have baking soda at home already, but I still need to get the rest of this stuff. I've been reading through the Pool School articles, but there's so very much that I know I'm not retaining it all, so I have a few questions:

  • 1. Calcium Chloride: I don't live in an area where snow and ice are often a problem--at least, so I was told when we got 13 inches of snow last winter. According to the Home Depot website, I can't get any de-icer at my local store. So I thought about getting refill bags of DampRid, having heard that's also calcium chloride. However, turns out that's not all it is. According to the MSDS, it's 60-100% CaCl, 1-5% KCl and 1-5% NaCl. So, assuming I don't want the extra stuff in there, where else should I look for CaCl?
    [list:1xhvp5pa]a. Lowe's sells something called 'Aqua Chem Calcium Hardness Increaser'. Anybody ever used it? Is this the right stuff, or should I find something else?

You don't need calcium harness in your vinyl lined pool. Whatever your fill water has in it is sufficient. CH is needed in concrete/gunite pools, to balance between the plaster and water, preventing constant leeching from the plaster coating. For sanitizing, plain household bleach without additives (no easy pour, outdoor, fragrances etc).

2. Cyanuric Acid: Walmart sells an HTH stabilizer/conditioner; Lowe's carries an Aqua Chem stabilizer ... Anyone have any preference for one or the other? And why?

Either one is fine, as long as the ingredients listed are Isocyanuric acid 99% Other (or inert) ingredients 1%

3. I do not have a salt water generator, though I'm considering one. Do I still need to add salt to my pool?

You can if you want to, but it's not required until you add the SWCG. There are some people who do add about half the salt needed for an SWCG without having one. Reports are that it changes the feel of the water.

4. My pump is the dinky thing that came with the pool when I bought it last year. I'm not sure what the model # or flow rate is--I'll have to check when I get home--but I know it sucks. I'd very much like to upgrade to a sand filter/pump, but the 2650 seems rather like overkill for my dinky little pool, and I don't, at the moment, have any plans to expand. Even if we end up needing to replace this one, we won't get one much bigger. It's just me and my mother, and we don't need a whole lot of pool. Would a 1600 gph pump/filter be sufficient?

The 1600 gph would be would be better than the unit that came with the pool, but it is worth the expense of the 2650. Better circulation, and less run time required.

5. Speaking of pumps, I see people saying they run their pump for X hours every day. Last season, before I found this lovely place, I just left the pump running 24x7. Is that a bad thing?[/list:u:1xhvp5pa]

Each pool is unique in it's requirements. You can check Pool School (link in upper right of page) for some hints about baseline time, and adjust to your pool's needs.

I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but these are it for now. I'll post my first water readings once I get home and finish filling the pool.
Click to expand...

It is good that you are planning to order the good test kit. As others here have noted, a smaller pool needs the good kits as much as if not more than a large (>10,000 gal) pool. The reason this is so, is changes in chemistry go a lot faster in the smaller volume of water. You need the accuracy of the FAS-DPD kit to keep a handle on these rapid changes.

About Pool School. Many people aren't able to grasp all the concepts presented there at first go. That is why we strongly suggest reading it several times. I'd bet that even the experts here read through it often, to keep their knowledge fresh.

Enjoy your pool!
 
Thanks for the replies! I'm leaving work and headed for the store shortly, and very much appreciate the advice!

Alas, the 2650 sand pump would most definitely have to wait for another paycheck--or two. But I'll make do until we decide which one we want.

Pics will have to wait until I can steal Mom's phone. The camera on mine stopped working when it tried to commit suicide-by-puddle!
 
Re: Setup - Intex Ultraframe 14' x 48", 4600 gallons

I got my sand filter on Amazon for $158 :) was a bargain so I took it lol

Make sure you stock bleach as you will need to add a little every day (unless your pool is shaded like mine and I can add every other day).

I found liquid chlorine at Ace Hardware was the best deal in my area.. $3 /gallon for 10%. Isn't the greatest price but all I had here.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Setup - Intex Ultraframe 14' x 48", 4600 gallons

Doesn't look like I can get it that cheaply anymore, but much better than the Intex price, still.

In the meantime, no readings yet. Pool is still filling. When I tried to I stall the pump, I discovered one of the hoses is missing the inner sleeve thing, and it wasn't attached to the valve sticking out of the side of the pool, either. After a fruitless search where I discovered that neither Lowe's nor Walmart has the right size hose, and the pool store was closed despite a sign that said they should be open, I hit on an idea.

I came home, found my Teflon tape, and wrapped what felt like miles of it around the valve until the hose fit snugly, then tightened the hose clamp. All good, now, and the water is once again running into the pool. So, looks like I'll test the water tomorrow, because after working last night, and not having slept yet today, I'm pretty sure I won't wake up again until then. Thankfully, Mom is keeping a eye on the water level.
 
Re: Setup - Intex Ultraframe 14' x 48", 4600 gallons

Okay, on first fill, with the test kit I to at Walmart last year, my results were:

FC 0
CC 0
pH 6.8 (possibly actually lower)
TA 30

Pool calculator tells me to add:
36 oz. 6% bleach
23 oz. CYA
20 oz. Borax
72 oz. baking soda

So, question: if adding baking soda will also increase my pH, should I do that before the borax, then retest and recalculate the amount of borax I need to add?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply