We just bought a house with a pool that sat uncovered for 2 years. After scooping 3 bags of leaves, 1000+ worms and tadpoles, 20+ frogs, 2 turtles, and 1 "God only knows what", I got the pump running and....ok, don't freak out.....took a sample to the pool store and asked them what to do.
$200 and one week later, my pool looked worse so I got on the interwebs and found Trouble Free Pool. : )
Armed with a TF100 and 60 gallons of bleach, I declared war Friday night. The first thing I found out was that my stinkin pool store had really screwed me by having me add 4 lbs of stabilizer. Thank goodness I couldn't get it to dissolve and stopped after 1 lb. Turns out my CYA was already at 60- not the 11 their "fancy machine" had spit out.
So now I'm having to shock at a FC of 34 and it been going well for the last day and 1/2. I've been testing and adding bleach every 3-4 hours during the day and FC is starting to stay up while CC has been slowly dropping from 4 to now 2.5. Here is where I am right now:
FC= 34 (nailed it!)
CC=2.5
CYA= 60
PH= 7.2
TA= 110
So here are my questions:
1. We are supposed to have heavy rains this evening. Do I need to shock any differently? Will this have any effect on my FC or CC?
2. What's the best timing for backwashing? Just before adding bleach, just after, or in between?
3. How will I know if I should change my sand? My water is getting less green, but now is just turning grey and no less cloudy (in fact maybe worse) I'm concerned that the sand may have never been changed since pool was 5 yrs old when we got it.
4. Should I add a little DE to the skimmer or Sink and Sweep?
5. When is a good time to vacuum to waste? I would need to add well water to keep level above skimmer if I did.
Thanks so much to all of you who have posted previously, shared your knowledge, and saved me from the pool store!!
~awindram
$200 and one week later, my pool looked worse so I got on the interwebs and found Trouble Free Pool. : )
Armed with a TF100 and 60 gallons of bleach, I declared war Friday night. The first thing I found out was that my stinkin pool store had really screwed me by having me add 4 lbs of stabilizer. Thank goodness I couldn't get it to dissolve and stopped after 1 lb. Turns out my CYA was already at 60- not the 11 their "fancy machine" had spit out.
So now I'm having to shock at a FC of 34 and it been going well for the last day and 1/2. I've been testing and adding bleach every 3-4 hours during the day and FC is starting to stay up while CC has been slowly dropping from 4 to now 2.5. Here is where I am right now:
FC= 34 (nailed it!)
CC=2.5
CYA= 60
PH= 7.2
TA= 110
So here are my questions:
1. We are supposed to have heavy rains this evening. Do I need to shock any differently? Will this have any effect on my FC or CC?
2. What's the best timing for backwashing? Just before adding bleach, just after, or in between?
3. How will I know if I should change my sand? My water is getting less green, but now is just turning grey and no less cloudy (in fact maybe worse) I'm concerned that the sand may have never been changed since pool was 5 yrs old when we got it.
4. Should I add a little DE to the skimmer or Sink and Sweep?
5. When is a good time to vacuum to waste? I would need to add well water to keep level above skimmer if I did.
Thanks so much to all of you who have posted previously, shared your knowledge, and saved me from the pool store!!
~awindram