Unsure of pool pump operation and pool size

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BeccaFL

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Oct 21, 2016
14
Hernando, FL
So I just bought a house. I realized yesterday that I need to care for the pool and spend a lot of time reading pool school.

I have a few dilemmas.

The only sorta good thing that came out of visiting my local pinch a penny was the information I received. They pulled my address because of the face I made when they asked me how many gallons. The previous owner listed at 8500 gallons but the previous owner to that (which I investigated and was the builders wife so they should really know, right?) listed it as 15000. The pool and spa that its attached are heart shaped.

I have no idea how to figure out the gallons.... I stuck a tape measure in there today and for the most part it's 3.5 feet deep and seems like it goes to 4ft in the middle. I pulled where they filed for a permit back in 2004 and the pool is listed as INGROUND POOL 41'x32'4"x14'x12'

SO then there is equipment. I realized today that when you add the equipment its doesn't seem like its a kit where you can download a manual and just read it - a company puts a bunch of pieces together custom for your system.... So I downloaded all the brochures for the components. Should I find a pool company and hire them to come out for a training session? I know I read about backwashing, I don't know with my system what I am and am not supposed to do.

If anyone has worked through these issues and can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it!
 
Hi Becca! This is awesome! Another FL person! SWEET!!!

We got ya covered! We will take this one thing at a time. The most important right now is...........how are you adding chlorine?

Is there anything in the Chlorine/bromine inline tube?

While we are teaching you all about your pool and equipment please go buy 6 gallons of plain bleach (Walmart store brand is fine). Make sure it is not splashless or pretty smells. Just plain, ole bleach. Add a gallon by pouring it slowly in front of the return (eyeball looking thing that returns water to the pool from the filter).

Please use your tape measure again and take notes. Come back here and tell use your measurements. We will be able to give you a ball park number and can go from there.

It is VERY important you get your own test kit. As you have already started to find the Pool $tore does not really know or care about your pool. They are all about your wallet.

There are two test kits we recommend-Taylor 2006 (NOT 2005 as it does not have one of the major tests you need) or the TF-100 (this one is the best bang for the buck as it has more of the regents we use the most). The tests are very easy and even fun to do! NO one cares about your pool like you do and we are here to help you learn how to care for it.

I would also like to share a link to THE hows and whys of TFP:

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

It is a lot of info so take it a bite at a time.

You cannot back wash a cartridge filter. Here is a link to how to clean it:

Pool School - Maintenance and Cleaning of Pool Filters

Re: How to clean a cartridge filter

I will check in on you tomorrow to see how you are doing!

Kim:kim:
 
I didn't spend money st the pool $store because it was lover 150$ of crazy stuff they wanted to sell me - I came home to look for a pool care company because they scared be then I found this site and I then thought, yeah I can do this!

I just downloaded a manual to the inline tube - I didn't know that it opened or that I could open it, I will check tomorrow when I go to the house (we haven't moved in there yet)

I have the bleach being delivered tomorrow. I dropped a packet of shock in the water because thats all I had. When PAP tested the water it came up as 0 chlorine.

I will find a larger tape measure and come up with my own measurements tomorrow.

I ordered a test kit, the 2006 and it will be here on Tuesday.

I am going to read those links now, thank you.

To be continued :)
 
You are 100% right, you can do it! And you can do it great! Congratulations on the new home too! I'd personally take the advice of the very helpful people here and combine that with youtube videos (no need for on-site teaching). So if someone here says to clean the filter, just watch a video on how it's done, etc. You'd be surprised on how easy the care really is. I'd imagine it might seem overwhelming given that I"m sure you have plenty to do with a new house but it will be worth learning and after your first few months it will be second hand and your family will have years and years of fun. I love the pool and spa. I wish I could have built that for my wife :)
 
I'm so confused with this test kit k2006 by Taylor

Free and combined chlorine test
FC 5ppm? I used the 10ml sample and only put one drop of r0871 for it to turn clear

I only added one drop as well for combined chlorine as well

Ph 7.6

Alkalinity 50ppm

Calcium hardness it turned purple not red I added 20 drops r0012 and it never turned to blue

Cyuranic acid

I combined and mixed for 30 seconds I don't understand about filling and measuring - should this be cloudy or should some of the water disappear it says read tube at liquid level ? I filled it to 30 t that point I could still barley see the dot

I feel so in the dark :( back in the 90s I took care of a pool in MD and only remember testing for chlorine and ph.
 
One drop on the 10 ml sample means 0.5 ppm for FC. If your K-2006 is like mine, there are instructions in the lid of the box... with the 10 ml sample you multiply by 0.5, with the 25 ml sample you multiply by 0.2

For the CYA test, the more CYA your water sample has, the cloudier the water/reagent mix will get. That means, when you drip/squirt it into the tube with the black dot, the dot will disappear relatively quickly if your mixed sample is very cloudy (lots of CYA), whereas the dot will not disappear at all if your water sample is pretty much clear (very little CYA). From what you describe, your CYA is probably under 30. It is also important to do this particular test with fairly bright, and repeatable, lighting conditions. The standard recommendation is to do the test outdoors, on a sunny day, with your back to the sun. Hold the measuring tube approximately at waist level while you squirt the water/reagent mix in. There are some other nuances... I'll add a link to extended test instructions (on this site).

As for the CH test, I'd suggest trying the test on your tap water, to see how the test behaves more normally (I would assume your tap water is not super high in calcium). That would give you some familiarity with the test colors. To me, the starting color is a fairly cool red (not a bright red at all) -- it is hard to know if that is the color you describe as 'purple' or not. It definitely turns blue at the transition point -- perhaps you just didn't add enough drops (20 drops, with the 25 ml sample used in the K-2006, is only 200 ppm -- many pools have CH levels that are quite a bit higher than that). If you truly have a purple color, read the notes about 'fading endpoint'

Pool School - Extended Test Kit Directions
 
No need to be confused. It is just like singing pond told you.

The CYA test is a bear.............here is my tip for it.........GLANCE at the dot only. If you stare at it you WILL see it in the end. The dot should be gone at a GLANCE.

You can pour the test water back out and do the test over and over until you have an average for your results.

Let us know how it goes on your next test.

Kim:kim:
 

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