Clueless in VT

[JayVT]

Hello everyone, I'm so glad that we found this community!

We bought a house and it includes a 25' above ground pool; I measured the volume to be about 12850 gallons. We've never taken care of a pool before! It's getting really green and I think the people next-door are starting to worry about their new neighbors.

I've read the site pretty thoroughly and to be honest it's all still a bit daunting, but we're excited to try the methods from Pool School! My neighbors said the previous owner didn't really take care of it last year so we may be fighting an uphill battle.

We would appreciate any help or recommendations that anyone has for us. I received my TFTestkit last week and am ready to roll!

Pool color, my great phone assumed I wanted a picture of the window screen:


Should I try to get test results or are we assuming that there's no chlorine present here? Time to SLAM?

Again, forgive our ignorance. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !
Your already heading in the right direction by having the test kit in hand ! Yes your going to have to SLAM the pool.
If you could post a full set of test results that would be great and we can get you started on fixing this.
The CYA level is important as it will determine your SLAM level.
In the meantime preview the SLAM Process and follow it to the T. Also if there any debris, leaves stuff like that start getting them out of the water as best you can.
Your doing a great job as most newbies don't even have the test kit at your point ! ?

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

I see a pool, and a filter, but I don't see a pump or any hoses. First things first. You need a pool full of water and at least an hour's worth of circulation to get any meaningful test results.

There's a good chance that the CYA will be waaaaay high. Most trashed pools suffer from that. It's caused by a steady diet of pucks and the frantic dumping of bags and buckets of various "shock" powders into it in a futile attempt to clear the hazy or green water. If the tester clouds up before the CYS test sample gets to 90, don't toss that sample! Stop and go check out the Extended Test Kit Directions. If you have hard water - and you'll know by the white crust on the showerheads and the coffeemaker - use the alternate instructions for the CH test, also in Extended Test Kit Directions.

Post any questions you have about getting that pump and filter going, and post the test results once you have them, if you're unsure of what to do next. It's a pretty shade of green, so a SLAM is in your future. But don't jump the gun and start pouring bleach in until you've run all the tests.

 

[pwrstrk]

Sorry I didn't see any pic's they weren't showing up for me for some reason.
Just what Richard said, get the pool topped off and pump and filter going. ?

 

[JayVT]

I thought I had signatures enabled but it looks like it didn't post it on my first post. We have a AG 12850 gallon pool (25'x3.5'), with a sand filter, and what is labeled as a Hayward 1 HP Power-Flo Matrix pump. Pics below.

The filter

This gauge seems out of spec! What am I looking for in a replacement?

Top of the filter

Pump:

Thanks again, I have no idea how to hook this stuff up but I'll give it my best shot and post back with results. Thanks for giving me a direction--I'll work on getting the water to level and getting it circulating.

 

[MermaidMama]

Just wanted to say good luck! Can't wait to see it sparkling and clear!


MermaidMama

18' Round x 52" Doughboy AGP
Powerline XP Pump 1 HP
Aquaview 17" Sand Filter
TF-100 Test Kit

JUST WAITING ON INSTALL!

 

[JesseWV]

What's that coming out of the deck in the upper right of the first pic? It looks like fence post with a copper tube coming out of it.

 

[zea3]

It looks like a utility hook holding a telescoping pole.

 

[rlefig]

Good luck, do you live in Jay or just ski there or both?

 

[Mr Bruce]

This gauge seems out of spec! What am I looking for in a replacement?

That's the first thing I would get, a new gauge. They are like $10 and take 2 minutes to change. If you back wash and rinse it will give you a new baseline pressure.

 

[JayVT]

I picked up a new pressure valve today, as well as a pool brush.

Turns out the original owner left me a gigantic container of chlorine "hockey pucks"...I want to stick with the TFP method though. Maybe I can trade with my neighbors for something

I brought the water level up, and connected the hoses. Tonight is the smoke test to see if I can get everything circulating.

It looks like a utility hook holding a telescoping pole.

Yes, exactly.

Good luck, do you live in Jay or just ski there or both?

Thanks, my name is Jay but I'm only about 50 miles from the mountain.

Question: Should I let the water circulate for a couple hours before testing CYA so I can get my SLAM dosage, or will it not make a difference?

Same for measuring FC...obviously that has to be circulating but how long should I wait after adding chlorine before testing?

Thanks as always everyone...

 

[JesseWV]

Let the water circulate for an hour, then run a full set of tests and get back to us before adding anything.

 

[JayVT]

Let the water circulate for an hour, then run a full set of tests and get back to us before adding anything.

We might be up the creek...

Brought the pool to level, got everything hooked up. Made sure the pump was full of water. Flipped the switch, and circulation looked great!

But there was a pretty massive leak where the pump hose goes to the filter input. So I shut everything down and discovered there was an o-ring missing. No problem, had a spare.

I hooked the hose back up, flipped the switch, and the pump just buzzes. It buzzes for about 5 seconds and shuts down. It sounds like it's not turning over, if that makes sense.

Also our sand filter seems to be leaking from the bottom. There's not even any seals in the bottom is there?

 

[Smykowski]

Some sand filters have the drain plug underneath. Can't see it, can only feel it.

As for the pump, is this the first time this has happened? Did the pump run dry at all?

 

[JayVT]

Some sand filters have the drain plug underneath. Can't see it, can only feel it.

As for the pump, is this the first time this has happened? Did the pump run dry at all?

Hi, thanks for your time...

I can't speak for the previous owners, but I made sure when it started that it was full of water, and the valve to the pool was open. It was circulating water the first time, and the setup was the same both times I started it.

I'll wait a little while and try it again.

 

[Smykowski]

The reason I ask is I've got the exact same pump, and I wasn't paying attention and ran the pump dry last week. Needless to say the buzzing sound with nothing happening did not end well.

 

[JayVT]

Welcome!

I see a pool, and a filter, but I don't see a pump or any hoses. First things first. You need a pool full of water and at least an hour's worth of circulation to get any meaningful test results.

I fixed the pump finally. The housing was loose and causing the shaft to not spin freely.

Test results!

FC = 0
pH = less than 6.8 (off bottom of meter)
TA = 0 (pink)
CH = 300 had to do fading endpoint. 30 drops R-0012
CYA = 20

 

[Richard320]

I fixed the pump finally. The housing was loose and causing the shaft to not spin freely.

Test results!

FC = 0
pH = less than 6.8 (off bottom of meter)
TA = 0 (pink)
CH = 300 had to do fading endpoint. 30 drops R-0012
CYA = 20

Now we're getting somewhere!

With that pretty green color, you need to SLAM. The CYA is actually a little low, but good for the SLAM. But first things first: pH and TA need to come up dramatically. This is after an hour of mixing, right? Before you rush out and buy anything, did the previous owners leave any pool chemicals behind? Some of it might be useful. Tell us what you have.

 

[JayVT]

Now we're getting somewhere!

With that pretty green color, you need to SLAM. The CYA is actually a little low, but good for the SLAM. But first things first: pH and TA need to come up dramatically. This is after an hour of mixing, right? Before you rush out and buy anything, did the previous owners leave any pool chemicals behind? Some of it might be useful. Tell us what you have.

Hi Richard, I let it mix for an hour.

They left:

• clearview poly power 60 algecide and water clarifier (1 qt)
• bio guard cleaner off the wall scale/hard water remover (1qt)
• aquachem 3" chlorine tabs (40lbs!)

 

[Richard320]

Hi Richard,

They left:

• clearview poly power 60 algecide and water clarifier (1 qt)
• bio guard cleaner off the wall scale/hard water remover (1qt)
• aquachem 3" chlorine tabs (40lbs!)

Sadly, none of that is useful at this point.

Okay... so... first step, make a shopping list.

You know you'll need Chlorine. Either Chlorox or store brand 8.25% or Liquid shock or pool chlorine that is the same but stronger. It doesn't matter which, as long as you know the concentration. If they're ashamed to list it on the jug, you don't want it. 9 or 10 jugs of chlorox; 8 should be plenty to start with if it's stronger stuff. Expect to need more later.

You'll need some baking soda. Walmart and Costco sell big bags. Grocery stores sell smaller packages. It doesn't have to be brand name stuff, as long as it's pure baking soda, sodium bicarbonate. You'll need about 13 lbs of it.

You'll need some Borax. Buy one box.

You'll also need a brush and a pole and maybe a leaf rake, and a vacuum setup. You might have some of that left behind. use the Visual Encyclopedia to identify any mystery items.

When you return from the store (and you know you'll have spent less than if you went to the pool store) scatter the baking soda in the pool and brush it around with the pump on. After half an hour, retest pH and TA. If TA is above, say 50, you're ready to adjust pH.

Use pool math to get the dose for the Borax. You will need the TA to get this right. Add that just the way they say in the Pool School article. After another half an hour of brushing, circulation, and pulling debris out of the bottom. recheck pH. You might need more Borax, if you were below the bottom of the pH tester.

Once you have TA above 50 and the pH is anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8, have at it. Jugs away! Your target is 10 FC for your 20 CYA. Use poolmath to tell you how much to dose each time. Take pictures.

Reread the SLAM article a few times once you get started. It will make more sense once you start doing.

I'd recheck the FC level after the first hour. Expect it to have dropped considerably. If the CC is way high, you might have ammonia in the water. Post back and let us know. Although the solution is the same -- more bleach! Keep aiming for 10 FC.