New 12ft x 30 in pool owner, Please Help! Want to go TFPC (BBB) way.

[Mommawolf17]

Hello!
New to forum and pool ownership! It's not a big pool, 12ft x30 in round but does have a filtration system and I know needs to be treated so please help? I read the entire article about the TFPC method and am very interested. I went to pool calculator and it was too overwhelming for me.

To start, what first? It's approx 2500 gallons so how much 6% bleach do I put in to begin. Current chlorine reading is below 0.6 (not registering on test kit). PH is approx 7.7 ? (It's hard to tell the exact color match)

I did gave a 10 ft x 30 in for one week (long story why I switched) and I was using the 1 inch chlorine tabs and I just don't know if I like using such potent stuff AND the filter kept getting blocked up and water was really cloudy, boo.

So I'm asking a few questions:
(1) how much bleach to start
(2) do I need to start with clarifier/stabilizer/conditioner. And how much?
(3) what's the key, best thing that keeps the pool clear and NOT cloudy?

Thanks in advance!!

Mommawolf

 

[Casey]

Hi Mommawolf! Welcome.

Lets start off with the Temporary Pool Guide and the ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry. We then have the Chlorine CYA Chart which will tell you how much FC you should run with your stabilizer/CYA level. Then you can learn How to Chlorinate Your Pool.

Any questions after reading those and we are all ears! You should get a better kit than those strips. You can get a nice little TF50 at TFtestkits.net.

P.S. The 1 chemical that will keep your pool clear is chlorine a.k.a. liquid bleach.

 

[Mommawolf17]

p.s. Thanks Casey for the links and suggestions. Read them all. Ive actually read a lot on your site. I've spent my whole weekend reading .....so one question:

What kind of CYA should I buy? Liquid? Powder? I looked it up online and the liquid bottles are way cheaper than the powder.....but obviously the powder one probably comes with a lot more.

Thanks!

 

[Casey]

Liquid CYA is a lot more expensive than powdered CYA. Are you sure you meant CYA and not chlorine?

You can get everything you need at WalMart. Buy the HTH Stabilizer/Conditioner in the pool aisle and run over to the laundry aisle and pick up 4 jugs of bleach. That ought to get you started. Read the instructions on the Conditioner and add accordingly. Then follow the FC/CYA chart.

 

[Isaac-1]

I am fairly sure the typical 12x30 is about 1,500-1,700 gallons depending on water depth, style, etc not 2,500

 

[Mommawolf17]

Yes I meant CYA (Cyanuric acid - stabilizer/conditioner). Online (Amazon) bottles were cheaper than powder but the powder was probably more concentrated and had more usage.

Looks like I can get everything at Walmart, including a 6-way test kit (which your link I read for smaller pools suggested). You emailed me to get the TH-50 but if I can avoid online delivery wait time that would be most helpful.

Thanks for everything!