Taking care of tiny Intex Easy Set Pool - Filter & SWG?

learn2pool · Jun 16, 2015

Hi Everyone.

Thanks for all the information on this site, it's been great to get started.

I wanted to get a small pool for my toddler age kid, and picked up the smallest Intex easy set pool, 6' and ~250gal. A larger one would be great but we are in a condo, and this will work perfectly on our patio.

By chance, a friend use to have an intex and has given me a combination cartridge filter/SWG (28673EG), with a Unicel filter.

Since it is primarily for very young children, I want to try and keep the water safe, and minimize chemicals as much as possible. At the same time, although the pool is (relatively) very small, we are in a serious drought, so I really want to minimize the number of times I drain and refill the pool.

I've read suggestions to simply use the BBB method for small pools and monitor ph and chlorine regularly. Since the setup was free, I figured I would see what would happen.

I was able to set up the pool and connect the pump and hoses (they fit the available connections). Added the correct amount of salt for the size and have run it for the last two days (1h of SWG per day, the minimum the timer will give).

My chlorine has been between 2.0 and 3.0, but my pH has been higher - generally 7.8-8.2

So, i'm wondering:

1) am I causing problems for my water quality by using a pump and SWG designed for much larger pools? Or just completely off base with trying it?
2)Should I keep using the pump/SWG or just use straight chemicals? I figure the cartridge filter would help keep debris out, which we seem to get a lot of.
3) If I stay with the pump/SWG, am I missing something I should be doing that is causing high pH, or do i just need to get some muriatic acid and add accordingly?

Is the taylor kit overkill for this size pool? I have seen suggestions to just use cheap kits, and others that consider small pool principles to be the same as large...although i'm probably at the extreme.

Thank you!

Scuba_Steve · Jun 16, 2015

If you truly do not want to have to drian and refill often (or ever), then I say treat it as a larger pool. Go ahead and get the k-2006, or even the TF-100.

Use the SWG and pump you have. You may find it harder to dial in. If in one hour it makes too much chlorine, then get an external timer and set it to come on every other day for an hour. Just spitballing here. You certainly will not cause water quality issues by filtering too much!

JVTrain · Jun 16, 2015

You can manage a small pool if you stay on top of it and document everything you add from the initial fill. Read Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools carefully. A larger SWG should not be an issue as long as you can set the output and run time low enough and not have the FC too high, but rarely is that a problem. If this is your first foray in to pool management, it would be easier to start up the pool with just stabilizer, bleach and acid for maintaining pH. Then once you get the hang of it, you could turn on the SWG and dial it in. High pH is usually caused by higher than recommended TA levels. Higher the TA, the faster the pH rise with aeration. Aeration is from splashing, rain drops and even an SWG increases aeration. If you keep the pH in the 7.2 - 7.8 using acid when it gets too high, the TA will come down and pH rise will slow.

Scuba_Steve · Jun 16, 2015

A SWG will cause your pH to rise. Just having a large filter will as well because of the amount it is able to aerate such a small pool. MA is the solution though, just as in a larger pool.

JVTrain · Jun 16, 2015

Also on the test kit... getting a K-2006 or TF-100 is never over kill. A good test kit is the single most important tool for maintaining a pool. You can manage small, seasonal pools with just a basic K-1000 kit but that requires documenting everything you add so you know what the CYA is at based only on calculating your additions and the willingness to dump and start over if you don't stay on top of the chemistry.

Richard320 · Jun 16, 2015

All you need is a small amount of acid to fix that pH.
Some stabilizer - also miniscule amounts - would buffer the FC level some to protect swimsuits and shield the chlorine from the sun. The SWG is so oversized that it seems to have no problem keeping up.

Don't rush out and buy a bunch of stuff. Ask a pool owning friend if they have any leftovers. Seriously - we're talking a couple teaspoons of acid. A jug would last for years. And 1/4 cup of stabilizer would do it.

Quite possibly if you posted your neighborhood (since LA is so big) some forum member nearby could also help you out.

learn2pool · Jun 17, 2015

Thank you so much everyone, the support is greatly appreciated.

I will see how cutting the run time down affects things. It ran for the usual hour tonight, and I tested about an hour after to see where things stood right after. chlorine was close (but not quite) 3.0 again, the acid demand test on my current kit was 3 drops, pH was 7.8-8.0, and the total alkalinity was very high at 210ppm. I've found some muriatic acid to give a go, this sounds like the place to start to get things under control. Hopefully running the pump less will reduce the aeration and might keep things in check!