Opened pool on Sunday, here are my results Friday night

[79TAKid]

Hope I'm posting in the right section. Was pretty gross/black when I pulled the cover off Sunday. 2nd season with a pool (last year was my first time and the house sat for 2 years so it was pretty bad then!). I opened the pool myself this year. Seemed pretty easy, pool is functioning correctly so I guess I did it correctly. Talk about scary and smelly, reaching down into the skimmer to get the plug out while the water was too dirty to see through and tons of dead bugs were floating around was spooky. Last year I found a number of tiny snakes (that eat flys) in the skimmer.

Here is when I pulled the cover off... I brushed/vacuumed/netted and threw 2 gallons of 6% chlorine in

24 or fewer hours later it was a big improvement:

It's rained most of the week so all I really did was brush more and throw 2 more gallons of chlorine in over a few days. I ran my SWG a little but I figured the salt was a little low, it was saying the level was OK but I shot a lot of water out when I vacuumed/got the water level down to normal height.

Pool is looking pretty clear besides a little junk at the bottom I brushed up tonight. Havent though about pools in 6 months and lost most notes so I had to relearn a few things real quick:


pH 8.5
FC 1
TC 1.5
CH 90
CYA 40
Salt 2500

my pH tester only goes to 8.2, but I'm estimating 8.5! I was planning on getting the salt up to around the correct level (3250) as well as the CYA, and SLAMing the pool a little bit for the .5 CC. Should I wait until after that to do anything with the pH? Which should I tackle first?

Thanks

 

[pwrstrk]

First I would lower that PH with acid into the low 7's ASAP !
Then you need to SLAM the pool until you can pass the three criteria to stop the SLAM.
1 Water is crystal clear.
2 You have CC of 0.5 or less.
3 You can pass the OCLT Test

Follow the SLAM Process to the T. Turn your SWG off for the SLAM process. Use Pool Math for all your doseing.
After your done with the SLAM increase your CYA to 70-80 ppm for your SWG. ?

 

[Smykowski]

pH first, turn the SWG off, then SLAM it. Take pictures along the way. As long as you follow the SLAM process correctly you'll have a great green to clean thread. Plan on an extended period of time for the SLAM, that first picture was pretty gross.

 

[79TAKid]

pH first, turn the SWG off, then SLAM it. Take pictures along the way. As long as you follow the SLAM process correctly you'll have a great green to clean thread. Plan on an extended period of time for the SLAM, that first picture was pretty gross.

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

Yeah it was really nasty! I should've taken a picture earlier while it was daylight, I really don't see any green anymore.

I need to go look up how to lower the pH.

 

[79TAKid]

Ah, Muriatic acid. I'm not doing anything now so I may run over to Walmart... They have the "pH Down" stuff (http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-pH-Minus/17043636) but I read another thread where everyone said it isn't the recommended product. Anyone know if Walmart sells a better product?

Related story: I'm not sure how my neighbor keeps his pool looking clear. I guess he has some type of testing kit but i've never seen him use it. He always talks about how he only put in a chlorine puck once a week and whenever the pool isnt clear he pours Muriatic acid in. I'm tempted to take a pool sample and see what his levels are! I've told him about TFP and the great information/testing kit I got but he wasn't very interested.

 

[duraleigh]

He always talks about how he only put in a chlorine puck once a week and whenever the pool isnt clear he pours Muriatic acid in.

If that really is your neighbor's pool management technique, you should close yours ears as he speaks.

I would suggest you begin to read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. That reveals some of the basics of Pool Water Chemistry that you need to go forward. Ask lot's of questions after you digest that article.

 

[79TAKid]

If that really is your neighbor's pool management technique, you should close yours ears as he speaks.

I would suggest you begin to read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. That reveals some of the basics of Pool Water Chemistry that you need to go forward. Ask lot's of questions after you digest that article.

I've learned a lot here!! I actually cringe when I hear him talk about it. I'm going to go back and re-read some of the pool school pages now. Thanks