PH Low, no borax, no cash

[aarcane]

I have read that page, but we're hoping, in a year or two, to get the above ground vinyl pool reinstalled. 8ft across, 5ft deep. we all miss it, but we don't know how to install a fresh liner for it ourselves, and the aluminum outside ring has some seams in it, so we need a professional out to reinstall it.

For now, this is at least in part practice for maintaining that big pool when it comes, and also part "I want the pride of having properly maintained it all".

Also, we did end up having to drain and refill it once because the water turned to quacamole. I'm hoping to adhere fully to the BBB method come the first, and be able to maintain a perfect pool the rest of the swimming season for the kids and family

 

[frogabog]

To shock, you'll raise it to 15ppm (or higher) and keep it there full time, until you pass the three criteria. Once you pass all three, then you let the chlorine fall back down to high target. Once you are done, dose the pool each night after swimming and the sun is off the pool to your high target (7ppm for 40ppm CYA). It should not fall below minimum before the end of the next day. Rinse and repeat.

You can swim at or below shock level.

Shocking cessation criteria:

1- .5ppm or less CC
2- 1ppm or less FC loss overnight (OCLT)
3- water is clear

Unfortunately, you can't test for CC with the test strips, nor can you test for chlorine at all at shock levels. Without a test kit, you're flying in the dark for shocking and there's no way for you to actually maintain shock level. I realize money is tight, but as soon as you possibly can, do invest in a proper test kit. I've used strips, and adjusted with them only to have to re-adjust again because they weren't showing accurate results. Was a vicious circle we ran for about 4 years with bag pools. Even with comparing strips, it doesn't mean the results are accurate, but rather that both strips show the same result. Which is usually inaccurate.

(submitting this anyway, even though a bunch beat me to it)

 

[aarcane]

Scary thought for all you forum goers emphasizing testing: The pool itself cost $60, the tf100 costs $68. I'd be paying more for the test kit than we did for the pool. It's definitely on the list to get next year when we set this up again though.

 

[Vette]

Yes, a TF-100 becomes important when you get the bigger pool! But IMO it doesn't matter for such a small pool.

 

[aa62579]

Yes, a TF-100 becomes important when you get the bigger pool! But IMO it doesn't matter for such a small pool.

I would have to disagree here. The levels are going to be the same, no matter how many gallons of water you are working with. However, with a small pool, a few ounces one way or another can really have a big effect. Accuracy in testing and dosing is key. Those with large pools can get by with more estimating and therefore being slightly off on a test doesn't have as big of impact.

 

[Vette]

Those of us with big pools also don't have the luxury of drain and refill at will. Spending more on a test kit than the whole pool doesn't make sense to me. It takes me 2+ days to fill 11,000 gallons with 2 hoses (and thus no pressure on any indoor plumbing lol) so I don't have the luxury of just getting new water. 620 Gallons isn't a big deal.

 

[aarcane]

I think you both make very valid points. Accuracy is more important on a smaller scale, however, the oh-s*itutation remedy on a smaller scale is a lot more viable if everything goes sideways, and therefore accuracy isn't as important. I'm definitely going to say that since this is a re-starter pool (see previously), the test kit is definitely important so I can learn and practice on the smaller scale before having to manage it on the bigger scale, but if I weren't going for the bigger pool, I'd totally be like "I'm not spending that much on a test kit!"

 

[Vette]

It really comes down to you, the owners, preference. With such a small pool, if you prefer to just drain when something goes awry, then that's your choice. That's a choice we all technically have, but those with 40,000 gallon pools don't make it for obvious reasons.

Above 1,000 gallons, TF-100 is the only way to go

 

[frogabog]

IMO, the smaller pools are no different than larger pools. Except for the fact that the smaller pools usually serve small children. And when people have small children, they tend to want them to be safe. I have spent hundreds of dollars on safety seats in the past, so I once was an overprotective parent (ahhh the good old days...)

Which leads me to pointing out that many people who spend extra time and money making their child's life as safe and healthy as possible are the same ones who need to know how to properly maintain a pool but think it's too small for details such as a kit that can actually tell you when your pool isn't safe. These same people might freak out if you fed their kid an ice cream cone, but are willing to guess and throw stuff in that they found in the pool aisle at walmart when it comes to the small pool in the back yard.

In all honesty, dumping a small pool when it's green is easier than clearing it because the pump/filter that comes with them is difficult to do this with (but doable). When time is a factor, two weeks to clear a pool that could be refilled in a few hours... not such a big deal to just do over. It's the kit however, that's going to prevent having to do this in the first place, or second place, third place...