Hello! New to Southern Florida, Husband is USMC (gone alot), three children, First time pool owner! Just a quick intro...We bought our house here in February...LOVE having a pool, but it's SOOOOOO MUCH work. We had hired a pool guy who was just dumping chlorine in our SWG pool, thechlorine levels were so high we had to drain the pool halfway and add more water, (our youngest is 8 months and was also in the water with us) the new pool guy "fixed" it and said we could care for the pool ourselves by bringing in water weekly and they could tell us what to add. Our pool is now "greenish" again...we have had T-storms with TONS of rain for the past 4 days or so I have drained some water from the pool everyday. It's looking a little better right now, but still "greenish"....I am tempted to hire someone again, but moneywise thought I'd try to learn from this forum but now I feel really lost....any opinions?
new to FL
- Thread starter suzannemomof3
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!! 
First, let be the first to say thank you to your husband for his service to our nation and for allowing us to live free here in the USA!
Second ... fire your pool boy. You dont need him. We will help you here to have a sparkling clear trouble free pool and help you save money.
Could you please post a full set of numbers for us Cl, CYA, TA, CH, PH so we can see where your problem is for the algae you are having right now. Draining water and refilling your pool wont kill the algae .... only chlorine will kill it. All draining your pool will do is cause you to have a low CYA making your chlorine in effective in the hot Florida sun.
What type of pool do you have Vinyl, Gunite, Fiberglass etc, filter type and any other equipment you have would be helpful in assessing your trouble as well.
First, let be the first to say thank you to your husband for his service to our nation and for allowing us to live free here in the USA!
Second ... fire your pool boy. You dont need him. We will help you here to have a sparkling clear trouble free pool and help you save money.
Could you please post a full set of numbers for us Cl, CYA, TA, CH, PH so we can see where your problem is for the algae you are having right now. Draining water and refilling your pool wont kill the algae .... only chlorine will kill it. All draining your pool will do is cause you to have a low CYA making your chlorine in effective in the hot Florida sun.
What type of pool do you have Vinyl, Gunite, Fiberglass etc, filter type and any other equipment you have would be helpful in assessing your trouble as well.
Welcome to TFP. At the top of the page "Pool School" is a good place to start. If you add your pool info, size, kind, equipment in signature it will help people answer your questions. Post your questions and water test numbers in the appropriate thread for specific answers. A good test kit is pretty much a must have and test the water yourself. Like the one "link" in my signature. The people here are a wealth of info and help. Follow their advise and you will be enjoying the pool with allot less work with you in control.
To your husband and you
TizMe beat me to the punch!!
To your husband and you TizMe beat me to the punch!!
"Could you please post a full set of numbers for us Cl, CYA, TA, CH, PH "
I went to the pool store and had the water tested...I have to say that I woke up this morning and put in a "cloudy water clearer" and now it looks good...but here are my numbers (not sure yet how they match with your letters above) going to "pool school" to check it out after I post....
Total Alkalinity 110
pH 8.1
Cyanuric Acid 40
Total Hardness 390
Total Free Chlorine 2.1
I am adding 16 oz of acid this evening and keeping the filter running. I am very impressed with the simple fix of the blue liquid that cleared the pool. I recently invested in a Hayward filter and it's really doing it's job, I hosed it out 3 times already today, each time it was bright green.
I went to the pool store and had the water tested...I have to say that I woke up this morning and put in a "cloudy water clearer" and now it looks good...but here are my numbers (not sure yet how they match with your letters above) going to "pool school" to check it out after I post....
Total Alkalinity 110
pH 8.1
Cyanuric Acid 40
Total Hardness 390
Total Free Chlorine 2.1
I am adding 16 oz of acid this evening and keeping the filter running. I am very impressed with the simple fix of the blue liquid that cleared the pool. I recently invested in a Hayward filter and it's really doing it's job, I hosed it out 3 times already today, each time it was bright green.
- Apr 27, 2008
- 48
Welcome to TFP!
The best thing you can do, and tho it's an initial expense, is to buy a good test kit. It will SAVE you money in the long run. I recommend the TF-100 or the Taylor K2006. There is an article in pool school that compares the two kits.
Your PH is too high, but you are adding acid so that's good, if it's a "PH Down" product or the like. Muratic Acid works very well and is usually cheaper.
If your water is still green or cloudy or you notice you can't hold your FC level, you should shock your pool. Also, I would keep your FC in the 3-4 range for your level of CYA.
Your CH is getting to the high end, so be sure to just use liquid chlorine to shock your pool, so that you are not adding any unwanted chems.
We're here to help, it's the least we can do, to help repay the debt we owe to your husband...
The best thing you can do, and tho it's an initial expense, is to buy a good test kit. It will SAVE you money in the long run. I recommend the TF-100 or the Taylor K2006. There is an article in pool school that compares the two kits.
Your PH is too high, but you are adding acid so that's good, if it's a "PH Down" product or the like. Muratic Acid works very well and is usually cheaper.
If your water is still green or cloudy or you notice you can't hold your FC level, you should shock your pool. Also, I would keep your FC in the 3-4 range for your level of CYA.
Your CH is getting to the high end, so be sure to just use liquid chlorine to shock your pool, so that you are not adding any unwanted chems.
We're here to help, it's the least we can do, to help repay the debt we owe to your husband...
Thank you so much already...the water looks wonderful. I waited until the kids went to bed to add the acid and this morning the water looks like spring water (just need to sweep/vac)....I will take the water in again today to test it to ensure the levels stayed correct. I am so proud of myself and my husband will be amazed when he returns home! :lol: I'll post the new results later today...