A Perfect Storm: Me Ignorant & Professionals Tricky

[EricaBowie]

My mom died, I inherited her pool, open it for the first time...

1 week later $350 spent, water still cloudy, alge dies and gets vacuumed every day, total chlorine over 6.5 but available chlorine close to 0

Pool Co tested my water today and sent me home w 26lbs of shock and a liter of no copper algeacide... and not much else

What I do for the next few days was not answered. I was handed a printout from a computer.

I think mom's pool is vinyl 12x24 w 12 foot well, sand filter, and pump keeps getting crazy hot and turning off. Pool electrician too busy to schedule me in so I'm turning pump off every day so it can rest. I know mom let it run 24/7.

And last year the pool opened "stained". After reading ur posts, I bet someone used copper and now the white steps aren't.

It really ticked me off when my specific questions were not answered. Like what stained the pool? Can it be cleaned? How is it possible that 24lb of shock hasn't changed my available chlorine at all !?

So I hit up Google and the internet found you ! Hello !! So happy to find you !!!

PS: I have reason to believe mom's sand is old. Can I replace it myself or must I deal w more pool company people ???

And to any and all who send advice: XoXo in advance

 

[tim5055]

My mom died, I inherited her pool, open it for the first time...

1 week later $350 spent, water still cloudy, alge dies and gets vacuumed every day, total chlorine over 6.5 but available chlorine close to 0

Pool Co tested my water today and sent me home w 26lbs of shock and a liter of no copper algeacide... and not much else

What I do for the next few days was not answered. I was handed a printout from a computer.

I think mom's pool is vinyl 12x24 w 12 foot well, sand filter, and pump keeps getting crazy hot and turning off. Pool electrician too busy to schedule me in so I'm turning pump off every day so it can rest. I know mom let it run 24/7.

And last year the pool opened "stained". After reading ur posts, I bet someone used copper and now the white steps aren't.

It really ticked me off when my specific questions were not answered. Like what stained the pool? Can it be cleaned? How is it possible that 24lb of shock hasn't changed my available chlorine at all !?

So I hit up Google and the internet found you ! Hello !! So happy to find you !!!

PS: I have reason to believe mom's sand is old. Can I replace it myself or must I deal w more pool company people ???

And to any and all who send advice: XoXo in advance

Welcome to TFP!!

My first suggestion is to stop going to the pool store. Their only response it to sell you something.

I will tell you, it didn't turn green overnight and it will take time to clear. But, we can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that way for a lot less money than the pool store.

Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. 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. But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

No more "shock" as most solid forms of chlorine may be bad for your pool over the long term (as you go through the reading I'm giving you, look for CYA) Add one bottle of generic plain bleach to the pool each day with the pump running. Pour it in front of a return slowly (stream about the size of a pencil).

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with ABCs of Water Chemistry and Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis


PS:Sand doesn't wear out. The pool stores like you to think it does so they can sell product & services. It only needs to be replaced when it has been "damaged" by chemicals. I seriously doubt yours is. Here is what you need to do: Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

 

[kimkats]

Tim has you well covered what what your next steps are! Test kit asap and adding a jug of plain bleach a day.

I wanted to address your pump issue. Any good handyman can install a new one. It is really easy to do. My husband put ours in. Do you have someone that would be willing? We can help you pick out a new pump if so.

I am sorry about your mom.

Kim

 

[EricaBowie]

Thank you for ur advice ! I've printed out the homework. It's hard to believe one little bottle of chlorox a day can be Mighty Mouse to my pool but I am committed to your program !

Yes, please give me ur recommendation for a new pump.

I found ur article re diatomaceous earth for sand filter help. I added 1/2 cup yesterday and will add 1/2 cup today. It's food grade so no impurities.

Great !! Per ur advice, I will not replace the sand.

I will hunt down the test kit u prefer.

Question, the brown stained steps.. any way to help them? Elbow grease and backing soda helped a little but not much

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend !!! -- Erica

 

[kimkats]

Steps stains-we will work on those last

-pump-you want a 2 hp, 2 speed pump. Look at what brand/kind you have now and let us know. It would be super easy if you could just slip a like one in place without any plumping redos

-test kit-look in my siggy below for the one I think is the best bang for the buck

-DE-please don't use the food grade stuff. It needs to be for pools. They are different. You can get a big box of it from Lowes.

How does your water look now? Please take and share a picture looking down at the steps.

Kim

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! If you could post a picture of the current pool and equipment we could get a better idea of what size pump you have. A close up of the pump label would be helpful too. Most pools do just fine with a 1 hp 2 speed pump, unless you have additional features like fountains, bubblers, waterfalls, or rooftop solar heat panels.

Please edit your signature line to include pool size, material (vinyl, plaster, or fiberglass), pump size and brand, filter type, size, and brand, source water (city, well, trucked in) and any additional features. This way your pool info will show in every post and we won't have to hunt for it to answer your questions as the thread progresses. To edit your signature click on your name in your post, then click on the little cog where it says edit signature and add your information.

 

[EricaBowie]

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday... my water is much clearer ! As good as it ever was last year. I am attaching the 3 fotos requested; pool clarity, steps with stain (actually all of the liner is stained too), close up of my pump.

I ordered the Test Kit that you like and it is supposed to arrive by Tuesday. So I am a bit blind with using 2 different brands of test strips but I think my numbers are around: FC .5 PH 6.5 TA 40 CH 100 CYA 20

I understand now how to clean my sand filter so I will get that done next week. Yesterday when I backwashed I saw tannish, dirty looking, cloudy water but after 2 minutes it improved a lot.

I keep printing out the articles you recommend and have a good sized book living in my kitchen... thank you so much !!! I will be a good student and refer to them regularly.

I did not use algaecide and I have to agree that it was unnecessary Hope the fotos attach... here's to trying -- Erica
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--Signature-- Rectangular 18x36 29,000 gallon Vinyl - 1.5hp Hayward SuperPump for sand filter speed ?? on City Water in Bowie, Maryland

 

[JamesW]

Try some vitamin C on the steps to see if the stain clears.

 

[EricaBowie]

Will try the Vit C and will report back !

 

[kimkats]

Erica, From what I could find that is a 1.5 hp 1 speed pump. That brand is very *proud* of the 2 speeds. I will tell you that a 2 speed pump will save you money in the long run. I run my pump on low most of the time. The only time it is on high is when I run my cleaner.

I will let you do the searching for a new pump. You know what your wallet looks like better than me. Just look for a 1.5 hp, 2 speed in ground pump. Do you have anyone that could hook it up for you?

Kim

 

[EricaBowie]

Thanks for the pump advice. I might be able to finagle a handyman but forthe past 36 hrs it has behaved.

I fiddled w it and sat it better on its cement pad and cleared out winter leaves from under it... maybe I will get lucky !!

--Signature-- Rectangular 18x36 29,000 gallon Vinyl - 1.5hp Hayward SuperPump for sand filter speed ?? on City Water in Bowie, Maryland

 

[kimkats]

Well that is good news!! Keep an eye on it. :sun:

Kim

 

[EricaBowie]

Continued Improvement !! Still using test strips but clarity improved, some parts of pool liner stain have lightened, I am adding one bottle of bleach each evening, I've ordered CYA but won't fiddle with that till the real test kit comes (tomorrow

I've got your formula/recommendations for FC to CYA and will work on that. Should I not worry about the low PH, TA, and CH ??

Happy Monday To All -- Erica

 

[kimkats]

When your test kit gets there we will make sure your FC is not over 10. IF it is we will let it drift down so we can run a full set of test. The PH test does not test correct if the FC is over 10.

Kim

 

[EricaBowie]

My Test Kit Came !! It's says FC 5 & CC .5

Your Advice Please !?! Thanks so much -- Erica

 

[kimkats]

I am VERY happy to see that CC of .5! Sweet!

Now run a full set of tests. Have you watched any videos of them? If not do so as they are very helpful.

With the CYA test GLANCE in at the dot only. If you LOOK for the dot you will see it Pour line to line until you do not see the dot with a GLANCE into the tube.

Kim

 

[EricaBowie]

Lady Kim, here are my total numbers

FC 5 CC .5 PH 6.8 CH 500 TA 90 CYA about 18... it was a little worse than the 20 marked on the tube

The water looks as clear as I've ever seen it (guess we have had a regularly sick pool ;-(

I bought 8 pounds of CYA and I have the bottles of bleach.... What should I do now ??

 

[kimkats]

Ready for me to be a teacher? I am going to share a link with you here:

Pool School - Recommended Levels This one shows you the levels TFP uses. What do you see that needs addressed? Keep in mind that FC, PH, and CYA are the most important followed by CH IF you have a plaster pool then by TA.

Now THIS link show you what we use to adjust each level:

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

One clue I will give you is you have the stuff to work on two that need work AND you can work on the other one by making your water do something with your return eyeball turned up towards the top of the water.

Let me know what YOU think you should do using the links I gave you. I hope you are having fun doing this and just think about this.......you just THINK you water looks good! It will look and feel even better when you get it balanced the TFP way! :sun:

Kim

 

[Bama Rambler]

You're getting very good advice, and I'll just encourage you to keep up the good work.

One thing I'd like to see is you run the CYA test again. For a pool that's lived on pool store advice for a while, having a CYA of less than 20 is surprising. I'm not doubting you, just need some verification before you go to adding CYA to the pool.

Can you tell us what the ingredients of the "shock" used was?

 

[EricaBowie]

I'm still at work so won't get to do my homework until tonight or tomorrow. Regarding the "shock", it say's; "78% CH with guaranteed 75% available chlorine". No idea what the rest of the ingredients were. Brand "PoolLife Turboshock", but now I am using your bottled bleach.

Regarding CYA: my educated guess was that the pool wasn't healthy when it got closed last year. Then when it was "opened" this year by my mom's pool people, all they did was add 1/2 bottle of algaecide. No chlorine, no shock, no CYA, nothing... and I didn't know me arse from a hole in the ground.

I do remember last year my Aunt worried about the pool using so much chlorine... maybe we were low on CYA last year too.

Happy Almost Friday & I will be in touch !! -- Erica