Please Be Easy On Me :)

[Sherihicks92]

We have owned a above ground pool and kept it perfect. We sold our house and bought a house with an inground pool in the country. I take care of the pool as I do Enjoy it, but I also take water samples to the pool place (until I get use to to taking care of it myself) My problems is (along with a lot of peoples), the last 2 times I have put shock in my water clouds up. I took my water to the pool place Friday and it was great just low in chlorine (like always cause it is full sun with well water). She told me to put shock in it to raise the level, and I did (Friday) but yet it is still cloudy as of tonight. I shocked it again today and put liquid Chlorine in it. I do not have the kits y'all talk about, I have test strips. I have kept it great since this spring but yet like I said the last 2 times I have shocked it, it went cloudy on me. Haven't seen algae or anything in the pool. Run the Polaris everyday, keep chlorine tabs filled, and brush/sweep the pool a few times a week.

 

[PoolStored]

Sheri!!!! Welcome to TFP!!! Great place with lots of folks to help. Congrats on the new pool!

First, I would absolutely recommend that you get a test kit and test yourself. Pool stores are notoriously inaccurate with their testing. As a result, we don't make recommendations based on pool store testing. Why? We could "help" you based on pool store testing, but make the situation worse because the testing was wrong. I'd recommend the TFTestkits.net kits as it is the same reagents for a better value. This link will help you with the comparison --> Test Kits Compared

From a personal perspective, the pool store took me for over $1500 in "stuff" before I got wise. I spend less than $200 a year to maintain my pool now. ooooooh, I got stories.

Assuming by shock you mean a large, 1-time addition of chlorine (did you use a powder or liquid?) then you probably still have some stuff lurking that is constantly dying and keeping the water cloudy. Long story short, SHOCKING your pool is a pool store gimmick to sell you product. We maintain a consistent level of chlorine that is sufficient to keep the pool sanitized. This is a great place to start to understand this -->Pool Care Basics

One thing to note is that you CAN have algae, even if you don't see it. Likely you do have algae and the shocking is killing it and is the source of your cloudiness. We don't shock, we do a one time SLAM. We raise the Free Chlorine level and maintain it there until everything is dead, then we just maintain enough chlorine to keep the pool sanitized. The process is explained here --> SLAM Process

After I was "Pool Stored" and had to SLAM, I just add chlorine and maintain my FC (Free Chlorine) and my pool is clear.

For some inspiration for the TFP way ---> How Clear is TFP Clear?

Order your test kit today, do it now.

until I get use to to taking care of it myself

We will get you used to taking care of it quickly.

Can you add how many gallons are in your pool to your signature? Until you get your test kit do NOTHING, but add liquid chlorine to put 5ppm into your pool. If you post the depth of your pool or best guess on the number of gallons, we can tell you how much to add.

Again, welcome to TFP!!!

 

[HermanTX]

Welcome to TFP.
There are 2 foundation blocks of TFP. One is having your own test kit as that is more reliable. Test strips only provide a range of data and pool stores can provide inaccurate data due in a number of ways they test. So, first review and purchase Test Kits Compared
The second is there is a relationship of free chlorine ((FC) that sanitizes your pool and CYA. Refer to FC/CYA Levels
You mention that you use tabs and addition to shock. Neither is helpful as trichlor tabs adds CYA to you pool which can lead to very high levels and makes your FC not able to sanitize properly. Only liquid chlorine is the acceptable method to raise FC level quickly. And it does not add CYA or Calcium or other bad stuff to your pool.

The TFP methodology can guide you to only use some very basic chemicals which you can purchase at WalMart or Home Depot or similar stores and stay out of pool stores where they try to sell you chemicals that are often not needed and lead you to create other issues that they then want to sell more stuff to fix what was created by the first set of bad advice.

Your cloudy water is a concern. Suggest once you get a proper test kit, post the results and ask for advice as to the next step.
There is no need to post your test results done by a pool store or a test strip because it is unreliable, and we do not want to make recommendations based on bad data.

In the meantime, suggest you stop using trichlor tabs and only add liquid chlorine. I estimate that you have about a 25,000 gal pool but we need to firm that up to verify how much liquid chlorine needs to be added daily.

It is best to read Pool School

 

[Sherihicks92]

Sheri!!!! Welcome to TFP!!! Great place with lots of folks to help. Congrats on the new pool!

First, I would absolutely recommend that you get a test kit and test yourself. Pool stores are notoriously inaccurate with their testing. As a result, we don't make recommendations based on pool store testing. Why? We could "help" you based on pool store testing, but make the situation worse because the testing was wrong. I'd recommend the TFTestkits.net kits as it is the same reagents for a better value. This link will help you with the comparison --> Test Kits Compared

From a personal perspective, the pool store took me for over $1500 in "stuff" before I got wise. I spend less than $200 a year to maintain my pool now. ooooooh, I got stories.

Assuming by shock you mean a large, 1-time addition of chlorine (did you use a powder or liquid?) then you probably still have some stuff lurking that is constantly dying and keeping the water cloudy. Long story short, SHOCKING your pool is a pool store gimmick to sell you product. We maintain a consistent level of chlorine that is sufficient to keep the pool sanitized. This is a great place to start to understand this -->Pool Care Basics

One thing to note is that you CAN have algae, even if you don't see it. Likely you do have algae and the shocking is killing it and is the source of your cloudiness. We don't shock, we do a one time SLAM. We raise the Free Chlorine level and maintain it there until everything is dead, then we just maintain enough chlorine to keep the pool sanitized. The process is explained here --> SLAM Process

After I was "Pool Stored" and had to SLAM, I just add chlorine and maintain my FC (Free Chlorine) and my pool is clear.

For some inspiration for the TFP way ---> How Clear is TFP Clear?

Order your test kit today, do it now.

We will get you used to taking care of it quickly.

Can you add how many gallons are in your pool to your signature? Until you get your test kit do NOTHING, but add liquid chlorine to put 5ppm into your pool. If you post the depth of your pool or best guess on the number of gallons, we can tell you how much to add.

Again, welcome to TFP!!!

It is 36,000 gallons. I will get it added to signature. One end is 3 ft and the deep end is 8 ft. Yes powder shock subs liquid chlorine.

 

[wireform]

have kept it great since this spring but yet like I said the last 2 times I have shocked it, it went cloudy on me.

Now that the heat is kicking into high gear you won't get away with how it was managed until now. It has been explained above so why repeat but all I can say is heed the free advice, don't mix pool store here because it simply can't work. Make up your mind and when you're sold on TFP let us know as we will only steer you in the right direction. In the pool store you lose your wallet and the pool and here you get to keep both.

 

[PoolStored]

It is 36,000 gallons. I will get it added to signature. One end is 3 ft and the deep end is 8 ft. Yes powder shock subs liquid chlorine.

That is a big pool, bet it is beautiful in Ga!

I would add 1 1/2 gallons of Liquid Chlorine until you get your test kit. This will stave off the growth of whatever you have until you get your test kit. We can help you get your pool in order Post Haste!

 

[Sherihicks92]

It is 36,000 gallons. I will get it added to signature. One end is 3 ft and the deep end is 8 ft. Yes powder shock subs liquid chlorine.

33,000. Sorry

Now that the heat is kicking into high gear you won't get away with how it was managed until now. It has been explained above so why repeat but all I can say is heed the free advice, don't mix pool store here because it simply can't work. Make up your mind and when you're sold on TFP let us know as we will only steer you in the right direction. In the pool store you lose your wallet and the pool and here you get to keep both.

That is why I am here, is to learn how to take care of it myself. Just need to get the test kit ordered today an read what y’all suggest but also advice and help until I learn it all.

 

[Sherihicks92]

That is a big pool, bet it is beautiful in Ga!

I would add 1 1/2 gallons of Liquid Chlorine until you get your test kit. This will stave off the growth of whatever you have until you get your test kit. We can help you get your pool in order Post Haste!

Thank you. I recalculated it and it says 33,000 gallons. I am getting the test kit ordered today.

 

[PoolStored]

I would recommend the smart stir too, it makes testing super easy.

 

[Sherihicks92]

I have 1 question before ordering the test kit. I am just trying to make sure what I order is everything I need
1. It shows that the Taylor K2006C doesn't come with Chlorine OTO. Do/Don't I need that?

 

[PoolStored]

I have 1 question before ordering the test kit. I am just trying to make sure what I order is everything I need
1. It shows that the Taylor K2006C doesn't come with Chlorine OTO. Do/Don't I need that?

Nope, OTO has a limit of 5ppm for measuring chlorine. You want the FAS-DPD test!

I think this kit is the best value you don't need any of the options that are presented...we also find, that if you order a K-2006C from Amazon, many times people are getting older reagents. Tf are always fresh.

TF-Pro

tftestkits.net

 

[Sherihicks92]

I would recommend the smart stir too, it makes testing super easy.

Don't know why I didn't see this.

Nope, OTO has a limit of 5ppm for measuring chlorine. You want the FAS-DPD test!

I think this kit is the best value you don't need any of the options that are presented...we also find, that if you order a K-2006C from Amazon, many times people are getting older reagents. Tf are always fresh.

TF-Pro

tftestkits.net

Thank you. This is why I like to ask questions. Just ordered it.

 

[Sherihicks92]

Ok, I got my test kit in today and it shows (as long as I did this right which I am pretty sure I did.

CH-5 (10 drops)
CC-.5 (1 drop)
TAT-130 (13 drops)
CYA-40
Calcium-275 (11 drops)
PH 7.8

 

[wireform]

Ok, I got my test kit in today and it shows (as long as I did this right which I am pretty sure I did.

CH-5 (10 drops)
CC-.5 (1 drop)
TAT-130 (13 drops)
CYA-40
Calcium-275 (11 drops)
PH 7.8

Numbers look great except the FC is on the low side of target so there you can up it just 1-2 ppm.

 

[Sherihicks92]

Numbers look great except the FC is on the low side of target so there you can up it just 1-2 ppm.

An that is by raising the chlorine?

 

[Kellyp]

Correct, pool math will tell you how much to add

 

[Sherihicks92]

Correct, pool math will tell you how much to add

Which says to add 137 oz of 6% bleach. Thats pretty simple.

 

[Kellyp]

Yes, love pool math!

 

[Sherihicks92]

Yes, love pool math!

Now that I fully understand how to use it, I will love it too. lol

 

[Tcadwall0]

If you can find it right now (home depot / lowes etc) get liquid chlorine at a higher level than 6%. Not sure how much you have been able to read, but the dates on the chlorine are important as it does not have great shelf life. Also - if you are using laundry / household bleach at whatever strength, that is ok. Just make sure you don't use splashless, or otherwise 'modified' bleach.