Adding ph plus after shocking

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Beach42

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Apr 3, 2015
11
Galveston, Texas
Hello,
I am a newby on this forum and in need of some help. I have a Intex 18' x 48" above ground pool. We kept a solor cover on it for the winter. All of the sudden the water is green. I shocked it last night without adjusting the ph level. I know, it was stupid. My question is, can I add some ph plus to it now? The ph level is very low and it does not look like the pool shock is working.
 
Intex pools can be challenging at times. The amount of water they have (relatively small in the pool world) It makes every addition to the pool more critical. Anytime you add anything to the pool it has a very large impact on the pool.

This is why an accurate test kit is a requirement. Without accurate information, we cannot make accurate suggestions. Read to Pool School for our recommendations and please understand, what we recommend here is typically 100% different than any pool store will tell you. I think it's because what recommend you buy is not what they want to sell you...phosphate remover, bags of powder and stabilizer.

As to your question about shock, stop using it. Use bleach instead to clean your pool. I suggest you start with the ABCs
 
Do you know your PH is now?

If not, don't add anything to change it.

If it is green, I would add a bottle of bleach... without even knowing test results. GREEN= Needs bleach. Visually I can see that. How much is best done with test result but I know adding a bottle will kill the algae, the filter will collect the debris and the sun will consume the rest. I also know it will need more bleach tomorrow... and the day after that...

This is why testing is so critical. One GOOD test kit can be expensive but it's less than many pool store trips (even with "free" testing) and overall will save you time and effort... and money.
 
I only have the test strips and it's well below 6.8, can I put a bottle of bleach in it now with the pool shock I've already put in last night? I have been running my POS filter and changing out the cartridges every hour, am I wasting my time and electricity? Also, I am wondering about sand filtration systems and how they work. I am SERIOUSLY thinking about getting one. What do I need? I probably would go with an Intex brand to be sure it would fit on my pool. Do you have to drain the pool to switch over? I will get a higher quality testing system. Thanks for your reply!
 
If you added a bag last night, its likely used up. you could safely add more chlorine. A test kit would let you know how much, more accurately but when adding liquid chlorine, i feel comfortable in the 0.5 to 1.0 gallon range assuming your pool is cloudy or green.

As to the Intex type A or type C filters. The Intex brand filers don't work well. Uni-cell makes a better one that fits in the Intex filter. BUT... the small Intex pump/filter is terrible.

So, if you can afford to upgrade, do it.

Intex make some larger filters that seem to work well. Many here also choose to add a standard thru the wall skimmer. One issue is that Intex is not interchangeable with anything you find at the store, not sold by Intex. You can buy/make adapters.

You can use a craigslist find for a used Hayward or Pentair pump and filter (sand/DE/cartridge) but this means you need to change both the skimmer and return fitting to "standard" above ground pool (AGP) fittings from your local pool store. The benefit is you now have standard AGP fittings and then use the vacuum head and hoses sold at Walmart or other box stores.

Search the threads here for ideas on how to do these things. Many of them are not too scary, with proper care and planning.
 
try the pool calculator. http://poolcalculator.com/index.html it will help calculate the number of gallons your pool is.
and if you do not get a high enough chlorine number on your test strip, you might need to add several
gallons of bleach. if your test strip shows stabilizer too high (from tablet usage) it might even require much more as it.
when you read the ABCs the "BBB method" is flawless. you might put BBB method into the search this site.
just use the test strips only as a guide, until you get your test kit.
green does mean bleach, note the calculator lets you adjust the
percent of chlorine you bought. do not buy the scented one.
 
I put in 2 lbs. of shock last night. I have gallons of Clorox downstairs and will put 3/4 of a gallon in now.

Yeah, Intex has no interchangeable parts, as I have found out. I wish I knew that before I bought the pool. Live and Learn!

I do have a skimmer on the pool already and use it to skim off the top and also to vacuum the pool.

I have a larger pump on this pool and it takes type B filter and the cartridge is a lot larger than the A and C types.

My husband stated that the chlorine smell is outrageous.

Do you know if I would have to drain the pool to switch over to a sand filtration system?
 
Beach42 said:
Hello,
I am a newby on this forum and in need of some help. I have a Intex 18' x 48" above ground pool. We kept a solor cover on it for the winter. All of the sudden the water is green.
Click to expand...
wanted to comment on your quote. there is a section about pool closing on here.
you might not need to leave your solar cover on it during the winter.
as your water cools down to 55 degrees green stuff usually does not grow. knowing that it is when I shut down my filter
and stop using chlorine. but before that it gets shocked and you add algeacide. it should keep until the water gets near
that 55 degrees again. I use a hand gun temp reader from amazon for about $15 to know when. once I start the filter
then the pool cover goes on.
also during the winter I do use a leaf rake/ large basket catcher and sweep out the leaves.
hope that helps.
 
Hello,

I tried the pool calculator and I put in 18' x 18' round pool and it came 34300 gallons. I know that is not right, but I might be doing something wrong. My pool is 6423 gallons.

My test strip says "very high in chlorine, over 10ppm, very low PH, alkalinity, and stabilizer." Thanks for your reply.
 

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If the pool is round, it can only have two dimensions, diameter and depth. The drop down menu has the tab for round. Just insert 18 in the first box and your depth, which is 4, in the third box. That will give your gallons. That equates to 7600 gallons. As for your high chlorine reading, if your CYA is 40, your shock level should be at 16. Hard to tell what active chlorine level is without knowing what your CYA(stabilizer) level is. You also shouldn't "smell" the chlorine. The smell of chlorine is from combined chlorine, which means it is working. You will most likely need to add more bleach/chlorine.
 
I would order a Unicel C-5315, which according to several sites is the replacement. If you order two you can swp and them. When you take one out, wash it and dry it and swap if out when the other is full.

Intex's site says the 18x48 metal frame is 6423 gallons.

Chlorine Strips are WRONG. Having a FC of 10 is fine if your CYA is higher... or you are killing off a green pool. Actually, you may actually need 10FC to clean your pool. the algae and sun will consume it in a day or so. You need to use drop tests for chlorine in the 0-5 FC range or the FAS/DPD test for FC in the 0-50 range.

The chlorine SMELL, it the dead algae and "used" chlorine, called chloramines, and when the pool is clean and balanced, you will not smell ANY chlorine smell in the pool. IMHO, A chlorine smelling pool is actually a "dirty" pool.
 
Sorry, I replied to the wrong post, but I'm still learning.

I bought the solar cover last spring, so I have not had to much experience with it. I had kept it on the pool because I have electrical wires over the pool, plus the neighbors have 3 native palm trees that over hang the pool. Needless to say, the birds drop in the pool when they sit on the wires. It has been easy to remove the pool cover and just spray it down and put it back on.

I will look into getting the gun temp reader for the future. Thanks again.
 
if you study the BBB method, it is bleach, borax (washing type) and baking soda.
baking soda to add alkalinity.
borax to level PH if low.
bleach you know, but adding cyanuric acid (CYA) if your stabilizer is low.
cya in crystal for may take a few days to dilute.
do not over add the BBB, small steps and recheck the next day.
 
now that you know the pool gallons, when you use the pool calculator and put in your gallons.
then mouse over what is needed or low. it will recommend how much you need to put in.
just do it in small steps. it does sound like you are going in the right direction.
 
Beach42 said:
Yes, telephone wires. I think the birds love to sit on them and try to **** on you when your in the pool! lol. We have a water gun on the pool deck to shoot them away!
Click to expand...

Whew, I thought you said "electrical" wires. Get a dummy/plastic owl and place it somewhere where it it is very visible. Its supposed to scare away other birds. You'll need to move it around occasionally so the birds don't figure out its not real. Place it on a fence in different areas. I have neighbors who use them on the dock pilings to get rid of the seagulls around their boats.
 
Hey thanks, I'm a slow learner. I am ALWAYS looking to the more natural stuff. Thank you for your BBB instructions.

I hate adding anything to my pool if I don't have to. I just need to get a better testing kit and monitor it better.

I am going to buy a sand filtration system so I don't have to add chemicals to the pool.
 

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