We just purchased a new Intex 14 x 48 Ultra frame pool. We are new pools owners so we are clueless. There is SOOOOO much information online, I can't even keep it straight. We've dug and leveled, the pool is up and fairly level about 3/4 of an inch off which seems pretty good for newbies. Not too worried about that, or should I be? Anyway, we have no idea what to do with the chemicals. We followed recommendations by a local pool store and put ultra shock in for first time pools. Now what? We've tested the water and the chlorine is way high. We put some stabilizer in and my husband walked around the stir it up. Obviously we have no clue. Also, the frame around the pools moves when someone is splashing around (my husband) is that normal? I'm assuming it is, but kinda freaks me out. Any help would be so appreciated!
New Intex pool owner with metal frame and chemical questions...
- Thread starter slbeecher
- Start date
Hi there, first thing you want to do, is read Pool School here on this site.... This will explain everything you need to know.... You also will benefit from a decent test kit, as pool store testing can be very inaccurate... Its going to feel like you're on a steep learning curve, but keep reading... It will explain what your water needs, and what it doesn't need....
Here's a link to the website for the best test kit available....http://tftestkits.net/cart.html?m=splash
And remember pool school will give you the knowledge to take care of your water, and to have it beautifully balanced.... Its a little crash course in water chemistry...
Here's a link to the website for the best test kit available....http://tftestkits.net/cart.html?m=splash
And remember pool school will give you the knowledge to take care of your water, and to have it beautifully balanced.... Its a little crash course in water chemistry...
If you've added "ultra shock" (probably dichlor) AND stabilizer, you might already be at your CYA threshold. 3/4" isn't bad. Frame will move around some.
And yes the frames do move on these pools.... Mines rectangle and it moves quite a bit...
Mines rectangle and it moves quite a bit...Thank you everyone. I have to admit the whole thing freaked me out. I was sure I'd wake up and have my basement flooded with pool water. So far so good. I did test the water today and according to the chart on the bottle all the levels are where they should be. I bought a floating chlorine dispenser for the tablets, hoping this will suffice. Anyone have any suggestions on the pump and how long I should run it? I'm thinking about turning it off at night.
Don't rely on tablets for chlorination... They contain CYA... CYA builds up in a pool and the only way to get rid of it, is to drain the water... Bleach added everyday by using pool math will keep your pool sparkling clean.... You need to know what you CYA level is, to work out the correct parts per million of chlorine... It might seem daunting but keep reading the pool school articles... It will click with you, it took me a while to work it out.... Hang in there....
You might want to add your pool size, type and pump and filter type in your signature... You can access it by clicking on your profile..
Hang in there....You might want to add your pool size, type and pump and filter type in your signature... You can access it by clicking on your profile..
Welcome to TFP! You might want to look into a Salt Water Chlorine Generator in the future. I've got a similar pool as yours and it really helps lower the amount of maintenance (adding chlorine) that I have to do. Now I only add liquid chlorine before/after a lot of swimmers use the pool! Also what are you using to "test" the water with? The pool store method and the TFPC method are very different and you should choose one or the other.
Read Pool School and you'll know more than any pool store employee in a short amount of time!
Also: Determine Pump Run Time
Your intex pump manual should have info on this as well.
Read Pool School and you'll know more than any pool store employee in a short amount of time!
Also: Determine Pump Run Time
Your intex pump manual should have info on this as well.
We have our first Ultraframe as well. 3/4" is great, they recommend being within an inch. I wouldn't worry at all.
As for chemicals... we haven't tried the Trouble Free Pool Method... yet. Once we deplete some more of the chemicals we have bought we will likely move towards it.
We started using Aquachem last year with an easyset pool because that is what a local ranch store sold. They have a nice website you can sign up on and enter your test strip results and they tell you what to put in your pool. It takes about a week to get everything balanced, but after adding pH up on Friday afternoon before leaving town for the weekend, we came home Monday to a balanced pool with crystal clear water and didn't have to add anything. We do use a floater and the website takes that into consideration when calculating your test results.
That said, the test kit recommended here is much more accurate than the test strip method and these good people on the forum know how to use those test results to advise you how to fix any problems you run into.
As for the pump... I prefer mine to run when we aren't using the pool. I usually turn it on to filter over night right after we have used the pool. Ours does have a timer built into the pump so I don't have to worry about turning it back off. I ran the one in our little easyset pool 24/7 last summer and changed the $3 element once a week.
Wow, everyone is so helpful! Thank you! So far the levels have been steady, but it hasn't gotten too hot yet.
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I have considered buying the saltwater system, but we're going to see how this summer goes with chemicals. I've researched and it seems that the saltwater maintenance, after the intial cost is much more cost friendly.
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I have considered buying the saltwater system, but we're going to see how this summer goes with chemicals. I've researched and it seems that the saltwater maintenance, after the intial cost is much more cost friendly.