Wife Ready To Turn Above Ground Pool Into A Frog Sanctuary

[dsbrueckner]

We bought an Intex 16 x 48 (6000 gallon) above ground pool last summer. For the most part it was a trouble free summer. We had a few hiccups but overall we were happy with our swimming experience.

This year however is a whole other ball game. We have had the pool up since mid June and literally swam maybe 7 days. No matter what combination of chemicals we try we just cannot get the water crystal blue and sparkling. First the water is cloudy, than green. Almost clear than cloudy again. Back to green and once again almost clear. Now we are at cloudy again.

We have visited all the usual suspects in the chain store nation. We have been told more stories than I care to count. We need acid. We don't need acid. We need more chlorine. We have to much chlorine. We need conditioner. We need some yellow removal ****. Some algae cleaner. We need a new pump.

We did buy a new pump and the water is circulating like there is no tomorrow. So we are good on that front. Now if we can just make the water happy we might be able to swim before the end of the August.

Here are the current measurements.

FAC .5

TAC .5

CH 200

CA 99

TA 220

PH 8.0

Acid 1

TDS 400

PHO 0

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. If I cannot find a working solution I am sure the wife will have the pool on Craig's List before long.

 

[Kristap178]

Ready to be amazed? You need the recommended test kit. I'm sure someone will be along to give you a link soon. Then your gonna need some bleach. Stop buying the chemicals from the stores as they are prob making your pool worse.

 

[tim5055]

The tools we use around here are not limited to the brushes, vacuum hoses and other stuff you use around the pool, but include the most important item - one of the recommended test kits. You can buy a kit at a pool store, but again the pool store kits generally won't cut it. To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. All these kits contain that test while very few other kits do. Think of it this way, do you see a doctor blindly prescribing drugs without seeing the patient or having tests run?

With the test kit and the knowledge you can learn in the Pool School you can have that sparkly blue pool soon.

As Kristap178 said, stop paying for the pool store owners boat. What you need you can find at WalMart, Lowes, Home Depot or any number of big box stores. But, to point you in the right direction you need the test kit and to test your water.

From the test results you posted I can tell they were done at a pool store. If you have read around here much you have probably seen that not much credence is given to pool store testing. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing.


Here at TFP we are going to ask for photos so we can see the condition of the water and are going to ask for a full set of test results.

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! We can help you get your pool under control so you can enjoy it again. Your test results tell the story. Currently you have far too little chlorine for your CYA level. You also have far too much CYA. That tells me you have been using dichlor/trichlor products such as chlorine granules and tablets. Both of these contain CYA and will build up in your pool over time. CYA does not evaporate out of the water and degrades far too slowly to disappear on its own. The only way to lower the CYA level is to drain water out of the pool. Your CYA level may actually be far higher than reported since the test maxes out at 100 ppm. If you are not under water restrictions, I would drain the water and start over. If a complete drain is not an option, then we can teach you how to manage the pool with the high CYA level and some partial drain/refill cycles.

Whichever path you choose you will need to buy an FAS/DPD test kit such as a Taylor K2006 or a TF 100 . The kit will allow you to test chlorine levels much higher than 5 ppm. If you cannot drain you will need to be able to perform this test as part of the SLAM process to clear your pool. Accurate testing is also key to maintaining a trouble free pool once it is clear. Your test results determine every drop of chemical that goes into your pool. You don't put anything into the pool without knowing what it is and what it is supposed to do, and how much of it you should use.

Please read through ABCs of pool water chemistry . This will give you some basic information about pool water chemistry and will help you better understand the advice from TFP members. If you decide to do the slam process we will be here to help you get started and answer your questions.

Please edit your signature to include information about the pool such as pool type (above ground or in ground), surface (vinyl, plaster, or fiberglass), size in gallons, pump brand and horsepower, filter type (sand, DE, or cartridge), filter brand and size, and any water features, cleaning systems, and if there is a spa (attached or detached). It will show up at the bottom of everything you post and it is easier for us to help you if we don't have to search the thread for this information.

 

[dsbrueckner]

Thanks for the responses I have received. I have a quick question. I can see a common thread here is self testing your water. Unfortunately I will not have a kit of my own until tomorrow at the soonest longer if I have to order online. My question is, what can I do to get started while waiting to acquire a kit. I feel helpless watching the pool fade to green.

 

[tim5055]

Thanks for the responses I have received. I have a quick question. I can see a common thread here is self testing your water. Unfortunately I will not have a kit of my own until tomorrow at the soonest longer if I have to order online. My question is, what can I do to get started while waiting to acquire a kit. I feel helpless watching the pool fade to green.

Sorry to say you will not be able to get a kit locally. A very few Leslie's Pool Store locations sell the FAS/DPD kits. Do not believe anyone who says a DPD kit is the same. If you order a TF100 kit tonight they will ship tomorrow.

Many people fell like you that they have to do something. Bleach. Grab a gallon of bleach if you have one and pour it in the pool with the pump running. If you have a 24 hour WalMart you could pick up several, but don't over do it. One or two a day until you get a kit and see what you really need.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to the forum

Try to talk her into giving it a chance to be a blue, cool and inviting place to lounge before she decides to turn it over to the frogs. As much as I'd like another sanctuary

There are two kits that work best and in the long run will save you money not running to a pool store burning gas ($$) and also not being given the magic bottle of "Try This" at 25-50 bucks per bottle and then the other "Try This" the next day when the first one didn't work.
TF-100 http://tftestkits.net/splash-page.html
K-2006 http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Complete-FAS-DPD-Water-K-2006/dp/B0002IXIIG
Show and tell (youtube) for the tests. https://www.youtube.com/user/tf100testkit?feature=results_main

Once you have a kit and are doing your own testing the good part is that we'll be guiding you through using basic easily available products to adjust your water to make it clear and sparkly blue and sanitary.
Here are some of the recommended chemicals and they replace the expensive pool store stuff: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/139-recommended-pool-chemicals
You'll be amazed how clean your pool will be with a little bleach, baking soda, muriatic acid ... just basic stuff instead of the premium priced sanitizer or pH up or pH down you buy at the pool store.
No more chlorinating tablets or algaecide !!

Reading the articles in "Pool School" will be of great help and also reading a couple threads of people needing to SLAM their pools will give you a feel for what we would suggest you do to clean up yours.
It may seem like a lot at first but after a couple weeks you start to understand what adding this or that does to your water and from there on out there is no "Try This" as you will know what needs to be done and how to do it yourself. If you have doubts on anything we're always here for backup