Totally Clueless about Pool Care

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brooksfda3

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Jul 20, 2013
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I recently purchased an Intex above ground pool that measures 12ftx 30in. Which measures approximately 1700 gallons. I purchased an hth starter kit for above ground pools because my water began to give off a very stagnant displeasing scent. I shocked the pool and then a day later added chlorinating granules (according to manufacturers dosage chart). However after I shocked it my pool water turned green. I keep testing with a 3 way test strip but my readings are consistant at
Free Chlorine (FC) /Bromine ppm 0/0
PH 6.8
Total Alkalinity (TA) ppm 80
I would like to continue to use the kit I just purchased which includes stabilizer, shock n swim and chlorinating granules.
I just want to be able to swim in my pool trouble free. Please help!!!!
 
Welcome to TFP!

Since your pool is fairly small, the simplest thing might be to empty it out and start over. If you want to continue from where you are now you are going to need a better test kit and do some reading in Pool School.

As a general rule, you never want to let the PH go below 7.2. If you are using chlorinating granules made of dichlor, they will constantly be lowering the PH. You need to be adding borax or soda ash/PH Up to keep the PH from getting way too low.
 
As Jason said, first thing is to get a good test kit. I bought the TF100 from links on this website. It will quickly pay for itself in avoiding trips to the pool store to buy expensive chemicals you don't need.

All you really need on a daily basis is bleach. It is commonly available and cheap.
 
From where I am, how do I fix my pool so that I can swim in it soon?
Click to expand...
You will have to keep chlorine in the pool at about 5-10 ppm until the water clears. Not a one time dose but constant doses and some rather significant vacuuming and brushing. It will probably take a few days to do that.
 
I would like to add one more thing about the test kit. My father would always tell me "the right tool for the job". One of the test kits we recommend is the right tool for maintaing your pool.


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Chlorine is a consumable additive. Sunlight and organics in your pool are the two things that consume it. As long as you have organics in your pool, you are going to consume a lot of chlorine.

Read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School
 

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Is your water still green? How much sun does your pool get?

If you have no CYA (cyanuric acid aka stabilizer) in your water or a very low level it will be difficult to keep any chlorine in your pool and you will constantly be chasing your levels to keep up. As a new pool owner I went through this last year before I found this website, bought a test kit, and really figured out what was going on with my water. This season I have gone totally BBB method, no other "pool store" chemicals in my water with the exception of an initial dose of stabilizer to get me up to a level of 30.

BTW TF Test Kits ship very fast and I think they are located near you, so if you order your test kit you should have it in a couple of days. Then you can use the Pool Calculator also linked on this website to determine exactly what amount of chemicals to add. Basically, it's 20 Mule Team Borax to get pH up to the appropriate level (your 6.8 is low), and then bleach every day to maintain chlorine level and keep the water clear.

I know it sounds difficult now, but it's really not. If you survived high school chemistry, you can maintain your pool easily. Read, read, read Pool School and understand the basic water chemistry and you will be well on your way to clear water.
 
Are you adding the chlorinating granules that you got with the hth starter kit? Check the active ingredient on it. It looks like it might be Calcium Hypochlorite, and not dichlor or trichlor. If this is the case and those granules have been your only chlorine source, you likely have no CYA in your water. You should add the stabilizer to get your CYA from 0 up to about 30ppm. Use poolcalculator.com and put in the volume of pool water you have to see how much of that stabilizer to add to get from 0 (now) to 30 ppm (target).

(Note: if the active ingredient it not Calcium Hypochlorite, those granules likely added some CYA already, and you won't know your current starting point.)

As others have said, get a test kit. You need visibility to free chlorine and CYA. There are 2 recommended here: TF-100 or Taylor K-2006.
 
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