Just got an intex pool and set it up 2 days ago. Filled the pool with water straight from well. This left us with very brown water. Took the water to the pool store yesterday (before finding TFP). They tested the water and said Good PH, No Chlor, AlK-28, NO ST. They sold me 2 bottles of liquid chlorine to shock it and some metal magic. I was told to add 10 oz metal magic yesterday, 1 gal chlorine today, 10 oz metal magic tomorrow, and on Monday 1 more gal of chlorine. After reading some posts and searching this forum I am guessing that is wrong. I tested Chlorine and it is @ or above 5 (test only goes to 5) and PH didn't really match any on the page just stayed red. Please help me get this pool to where the kids can swim! Thanks in advance
Dad, can we swim yet?
- Thread starter hankering2swim
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,366
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You need some CYA. It is called Cyanuric Acid or stabilizer, or conditioner. You can get it at Walmart, Home Depot,etc.
Use PoolMath and add enough CYA to add 30 ppm to your pool.
Then maintain FC of 3 ppm (minimum) in the pool.
You need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 Test Kit ™
What does the Baleco test kit test for?
Use PoolMath and add enough CYA to add 30 ppm to your pool.
Then maintain FC of 3 ppm (minimum) in the pool.
You need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 Test Kit ™
What does the Baleco test kit test for?
Hi, welcome to TFP! So water straight from the well was brown before adding any chlorine, correct? If so, then you have a lot of sediment in the water that is going to need to filter out. If it turned brown after adding chlorine, then you have a high iron content and you will need to filter out the rust.
If you added a gallon of chlorine today, then your pH will read very high. It will come down as the chlorine level drops. Do you know the concentration of chlorine you added? It is usually 10 or 12%. That would have raised the FC to 16-19 ppm.
If you added a gallon of chlorine today, then your pH will read very high. It will come down as the chlorine level drops. Do you know the concentration of chlorine you added? It is usually 10 or 12%. That would have raised the FC to 16-19 ppm.
Yes it was brown even before I added the chlorine which is vertex concentrate pool shock. Sodium hypochlorite 10%.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,366
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
That will get by until you get a full test kit. Just keep 3 ppm TC and the pH in the 7's. But order a proper test kit today.
I am going to purchase a better kit than the Baleco. It was given to us with the pool. Should I follow the recommendation of the pool store and still add more metal magic and a gallon of shock along with the CYA? What should I use for Chlorine? I have read several post where people are using bleach.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,366
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Liquid chlorine / plain bleach. Same thing. No scents, splashless, cloromax, etc.
I have no idea on the metal magic. Your answer to Zea sounds like it was dirt, not metal.
I have no idea on the metal magic. Your answer to Zea sounds like it was dirt, not metal.
I started using the bucket with poly-fill method that I have seen on this site which I forgot to mention. Maybe tomorrow we will notice a difference. I have been changing the filter several times throughout the day and each time they have a lot of what looks to be iron or rust.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,366
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I would hold off on metal magic for now. You have enough chlorine in there to kill any algae that may have been present. What you need is to filter out the dirt. The filter that came with the pool will be slow clearing it all up. A larger filter and pump would clear things up much quicker. You can try taking the cartridge out and loosely filling the filter with polyester pillow stuffing to see if it will capture more of the dirt. Adding a slime bag to the end of the return hose will also capture more dirt.
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The only way to filter iron from a well is with an iron filter that uses a reactive agent such as manganese dioxide or Birm. These are catalysts that interact with iron and trap it in the filter. You cannot mechanically "filter" it out. The reason I know this is because of problems I had at a second home on a well with an iron problem.
You cannot filter out iron that is in solution but you can filter out rust that has dropped out of solution.
where did you find such filter? Does it replace my current cartridge? Thanks
To OP ? - absolutely no swimming in depicted condition. Drowning is swift & silent, despite sanitation 100% visibility of bathers is a requisite for use.
Would a test kit like the HTH 6-way test kit be ok? I know its not the one you suggested but it is less expensive $17 shipped vs $82. Or do I really need the more expensive test Kit? Thanks
- May 3, 2014
- 58,366
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Your issue is number of tests you get and the ability to accurately test FC. The HtH does not get it. I think it tests CYA like 4 times?
Or, you treat the pool as Seasonal - if it gets cloudy or other water issues, you dump it and start over. I would not suggest that looking at what it is taking to get to swim ready water.
Or, you treat the pool as Seasonal - if it gets cloudy or other water issues, you dump it and start over. I would not suggest that looking at what it is taking to get to swim ready water.