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Sometimes we manage to drop leaves and goo off the cover and into the pool. But not this year!

We're on our 4th Intex... never thought we'd keep buying a "starter" pool. But we started the same way - damage to our original (very affordable) 18-foot inflatable ring (with the ring, it functioned more like a 16'). The first upgrade was only slightly bigger (18-foot metal supports). That...

What a transformation in less than a week! You've caught on fast, and it really is awesome to see the pretty blue come out. The folks here are more than happy to help, but it's up to the pool owner to do the hard work. It's been a lot of fun to see your pool start to shine again! I see you...

We made some U-shaped PVC pieces and zip-tied them to the metal supports on one end of the pool. That's where we put the cover when it's not on the pool. I didn't want a rolling type because we get a lot of crud and debris on the cover and I don't want the clean bubble side touching the...

That was incredible work today! Looking forward to seeing your progress. Be sure to take a picture every day. Folks here LOVE that! You should also check and adjust your pH sometime when your FC test is less than 10. If FC is over 10, the pH test isn't valid.

You're doing great so far! Once the ammonia is kicked, the testing will be far less and you'll start to see some progress on the green. I'll warn you, the amount of chlorine you may need to get rid of the ammonia could be a lot! Some people find it makes more sense to do a large drain (or...

You're doing all the right things, starting with picking up that test kit. We do need to see the test results to understand your full situation. It will also be helpful if you fill out your profile with all your pool details. My concern with your pool has to do with ammonia, which I have...

Your pool looks like it’s a lovely oasis when it’s behaving. Don’t worry - the folks here will help you get back there and stay there! Could you please post the rest of your test results? FC CC pH TA CH CYA Water temp Given the green color, and your near-zero CYA reading, there may be some...

I leave my solar cover on continuously unless we're swimming. During pollen season, as part of my weekly maintenance, I do manually clean the cover as I take it off - maybe 2-3 times total in May/June, and maybe once more in July (swim season is essentially over for us by mid-August - no...

One more factor to consider: clear vs color. A clear cover allows more light/heat to pass through. A colored cover blocks a bit more. Where I am, a clear cover works better than no cover and better than a colored cover. With no cover, evaporation and a breeze make my temperature drop even on a...

Fill it all the way. Releases the pressure and the corners will move freely.

Another option is a salt water chlorine generator. Once it’s dialed in, you can often check levels only 1-2 times a week. And you only need liquid chlorine to start up.

I also have to raise my pH monthly due to acid rain. I’ve contemplated bringing up the TA, but it usually levels off at 60 and so I leave it alone. I do have a few weeks of indecision at opening when TA is 50 and the CYA starts dropping the pH. But once I get some Borax in and pH is back up to...

I love PoolMath for the calculators and the easy access to the data, but I do miss my old log book. It was a freebie from work, with a beautiful blue cover and filled with graph paper. I used it diligently, recording my tests, my chemical additions, and also a lot of text about my observations...

You don't need an expensive "proper" winter cover. If you get leaves and ice, you really should get A cover. Years ago, i bought a mammoth tarp from Amazon or Walmart - big enough to cover our pool water surface, plus 2 feet to go UP the wall from the inside and 4 feet to go DOWN the wall on...

Nothing fancy! 1. We could easily see the overall level never changed. The waterline was, on average, the same height on the pool wall all the way around the sides. This was key to our decision to key it ride. 2. The worst paver cracks allowed sinking of those support legs. It was easy to see...

You're definitely not the first! We had 18 pavers like yours... and 7 cracked in our first year that pool was up. We hedged our bets and measured the sinking parts, and found they didn't shift any further (over 3 years). Our pavers were "well wedged" between the heavy foam pool foundation and...

I’m another one who has down-trending pH. We’ve had a pool for many years, and every summer is the same. - We do a partial drain for winter, and fill with tap water in spring. I think TA of the tap water is atound 50. - TA starts the season around 50ish, but as I bring up FC and Salt, it rises...

You piqued my curiosity. Last spring, with chlorine near impossible to find, I was very grateful for my SWG. But the poor thing was 5 years old and decided to retire. My first Intex SWG was around $100, but I wanted to go a bit bigger. Actually, I wanted to go commercial grade (in advance of...

Hi Mike, I've been following along as I also struggle to maintain control ast the season starts up. We have pollen in drifts, and farm fields all around, so I'm always a bit sensitive to high pollen load or even airborne fertilizer contamination (ammonia). But it's always fine - my Cl levels...

Nice looking installation! I wouldn’t worry too much about the air bubble as long as it doesn’t get bigger. Sometimes I have a bubble, sometimes I don’t. You’ll know if you’re cavitating - the pump makes a racket. I highly recommend you order a Hayward through-the-wall skimmer. The Intex...

I live in MA and I’ve owned an an above ground pool for 5 years. I have always opened to pristine water, never needed to slam on opening. 1. About 2 weeks before closing, start letting the chlorine drift up. I have a SWG and running 3-4 hrs per day in late September when no one’s in the pool...

Ok - that’s easy! Thank you ?

The advice I’ve gone by for the 4 years I’ve owned a pool is that CH doesn’t matter for vinyl pools. So is CSI at all important?? My tap water has a CH of 75, and that’s where the pool stays all summer. All other criteria are within recommended targets. So my CSI is often -1 or lower. Some...

I use a different comparitor block: Amazon.com : Taylor 9056 Chlorine and Bromine DPD Comparator Replacement for 2000 Series : Swimming Pool Liquid Test Kits : Garden Outdoor It's just a rough estimate, but fine for the FC 8-9 level I maintain. I have a SWG and keep my CYA around 70. The...

You need to keep going. The end point is crazy intense Barbie pink. And you should also know that the grey will "flash" and return to green. Keep adding drops, it will "flash" pink and settle at grey. At some point it will stay Barbie pink. Then you're done. For example, my TA is 70. The test...

I second the skimmer. It's a fantastic upgrade and it makes vacuuming easier too. Our most-used DIY feature is cupholders. 3" PVC with a cap glued to one end. We use double-sided Velcro straps to hold them to the uprights. Drill a couple holes in the caps for drainage. They worked great on...

I read this thread a few days ago, and ordered a Watermelon Ball for my daughter's last day of school yesterday. What a blast! I also picked up a basketball set - cool but not as much fun. The Watermelon Ball definitely invites creativity. Multiples would also be cool. You really can...

We bought some 1" PVC and some elbows & caps. Made some "U" shapes and used long rubber coated twist ties to attach to our Intex uprights. If you have a hard wall pool, you'd probably have to attach differently. Some folks make an "S" shape and hang them right over the edge. Very affordable...