Hello. 1st off, thank you all so much for allowing me to join all you awesome folks at TFP, and thank you for all the wonderful information you offer on this site. I am disabled, and within the next month will be having surgery #35. Yes, you read that right, #35. Sadly, I've had my pool for 5 years, and it has sat unattended, and uncovered for the past 3 years, if that gives you any indication of what it looked like. The pool is some better now, but started out about 2 weeks ago as a nasty, gross, green, slimy, bug and larva infested, swamp. (It's amazing what adding chemicals, and days, and days, of leaf raking/vacuuming out about a truckload of thick green goop off the bottom of the pool can do).
Up until 2 days ago, I didn't even have a decent test kit to even check the levels.( that's how little I knew about pools). Not that the things done would have been close to correct anyway. Yelp, after reading a lot of posts on here I realized we had basically been doing about Everything incorrectly in the past anyway, so hopefully, things are now heading somewhat in the right direction. 2 weeks ago, after the sludge pit was scooped out, I started shocking the pool like crazy, (I didn't have any baseline levels because I didn't have a test kit at the time so I bought strips to check it with lol which was not such a good idea. Everything was just a guess. I threw tons of shock, algaecides, clarifiers, etc. in not even aware of what I needed to be putting in, what levels were high, what levels were low, etc. Then I found this site Whooo Hooo !!!
The entire time I have owned a pool, I've been under the impression that Shock was Shock, until I began reading the posts here on TFP, and I now know that couldn't be further from the truth. (Yes, I feel very stupid not knowing there were different chemicals in, different shocks. But I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one who has ever thought that, so thank you TFP for setting me straight on that which IMO is the 1st step in the right direction). Seriously, to tell you what I thought, when I'd go to Wal-mart to buy shock, and I saw 3 or 4 different types of shock there, I assumed they were all the same chemicals, but just different companies that made them. So naturally, being broke, LOL I just bought the cheapest one they had.
Even without any knowledge, or a tester kit I was somehow able to get the pool from a dark green to a white, cloudy, milky color and it was clearing more, and more each day. Then I ended up in the bed for several days from the pain from walking to, and from the back yard, merely putting chemicals in the pool. So as you can guess, the pool turned dark green again, and everything had to start all over again.
Here's what's been done so far: 1) I've read many, many, posts here at TFP.(Very Smart Move) 2)Looked up info, researched areas of confusion-(As mentioned above, biggest confusion area: All shock is NOT the same. Different types do different things, not all add the same things to your water, and some effect other levels, and/or can buildup and cause damage to your pool/equipment over time). I learned quite a bit, but still have so much more to learn, which I'm looking forward to doing). 3) Ordered a Taylor K-2006 (Another Very Smart Move, received it 2 days ago-(Have already used up all the reagent to check CYA though, so I have to order more of that). 4) Learned it existed, and how to use The Pool Calculator (Very grateful for this little helper too).
Here are some of the test results so far: (My biggest issues right now is properly applying what I have learned the past 2 days, knowing what does what, and even though I kind of sort of know what is suppose to do what, lol all mine must be broken, cause lol they, for some reason, still ain't doing it).
My 1st readings- 2 days ago
FC-0
CC-0
pH-5.8
TA- No idea on the 1st check because when the R-2008 was added it turned Pink instead of green lol. I redid the test several times, but it did the same thing, so I'd say the TA was probably-ZERO, or close to it?
CH-10
CYA-<30
I took several reading between the 1st and last, but won't list them all because the #s are all over the place. Here's what chemicals I've added to pool in the past 2 days so far, and why I thought I needed to add those specific chemicals. I am planning on going completely BBB once I get this mess under control, but for now I'm kind of playing hit and miss, and praying a lot, but am very slowly making some progress.
All chemicals were added per The Pool Calculator suggestions, or based on what TFP posts, and/or TPC said a specific chemical would/should do if added. So please correct me if I've misunderstood what a particular chemical's reaction was suppose to be, etc.
I started out by adding 6 gallons of liquid bleach, but of course that got used up quickly between the algae, and the sunlight. Added borax to try to raise the pH (don't have a checker for this yet, or any MA, so didn't want to go overboard. I didn't add as much of this as the calculator told me too because I had no way of checking the levels, or neutralizing it). Later added pH Up to try to raise pH because limited borax, and no MA didn't help because I still couldn't get pH over 6.5.
Liquid chlorine continuous getting used up quickly too. Added Baking Soda to try to bring up TA, and pH but not much help pH remained at 6.5-6.8. So I Shocked with Calcium Hypo to Super shock, and see if it would help get the algae down some, raise the CYA, and possibly allow any FC to be able to work longer at fighting the algae. That didn't do much, so I shocked with Trichlor to bring up the CYA level some this way. At one time the FC was at 5.0, and the CC was at 20. I know 25 is way too high, but it too was quickly used up, and depleted).
I later got fed up trying to fight the pH issue, but realized later I was actually bringing it down, but unfortunately not before I shocked with 2 pounds of Dichlor to try to bring the CYA up a little, so the FC could work better, and hopefully the pH would rise, but lol since dichlor decreases pH too that didn't happen, DUH LOL I told ya, I have A Lot still to learn).
I eventually did get the CYA up to 30 which finally did start allowing the FC to work a little longer before being spent. I added Alkaline Up that was suppose to also increase pH (according to the jug), but TA increased some, but pH remained at 6.8. Added 4 more gallons of Liquid Bleach at dark to give the chlorine a chance to fight the algae without the sunlight aiding in depleting it. Added pH Up at 7pm, and I am aerating with return pointed up to top of pool surface). So only time will tell what the morning will bring.
My last reading tonight at 7 pm
FC-2.5
CC-4.5
pH-6.8
TA- 40
CH-35
CYA-30
Anyway I think that about covers it. Sorry the post was so long. Any pointers of getting that pH up where it belongs (preferably without MA) would be appreciated. I suspect I'll have to get a borax checker, and some MA, and battle the pH with borax and MA? I'm really not looking forward to learning how to deal with MA because my physical disabilities/limitations makes me very clumsy. So lol with my luck, I'll probably do something stupid, and acid myself to death. Plus there is no deck around the pool, so everything that gets added to it is all uphill, so to speak, which IMO makes it that much harder. I do know I need to stay away from the Cal hypo, trichlor, and dichlor, hopefully if I stop pulling it down, the pH will come up to safe range on it's own. Anyway, any suggestions on what I need to do now would so be appreciated. Have a wonderful day, and Thanks again for letting me hang out with you awesome guys, and gals. I look forward to getting to know you all.
Up until 2 days ago, I didn't even have a decent test kit to even check the levels.( that's how little I knew about pools). Not that the things done would have been close to correct anyway. Yelp, after reading a lot of posts on here I realized we had basically been doing about Everything incorrectly in the past anyway, so hopefully, things are now heading somewhat in the right direction. 2 weeks ago, after the sludge pit was scooped out, I started shocking the pool like crazy, (I didn't have any baseline levels because I didn't have a test kit at the time so I bought strips to check it with lol which was not such a good idea. Everything was just a guess. I threw tons of shock, algaecides, clarifiers, etc. in not even aware of what I needed to be putting in, what levels were high, what levels were low, etc. Then I found this site Whooo Hooo !!!
The entire time I have owned a pool, I've been under the impression that Shock was Shock, until I began reading the posts here on TFP, and I now know that couldn't be further from the truth. (Yes, I feel very stupid not knowing there were different chemicals in, different shocks. But I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one who has ever thought that, so thank you TFP for setting me straight on that which IMO is the 1st step in the right direction). Seriously, to tell you what I thought, when I'd go to Wal-mart to buy shock, and I saw 3 or 4 different types of shock there, I assumed they were all the same chemicals, but just different companies that made them. So naturally, being broke, LOL I just bought the cheapest one they had.
Even without any knowledge, or a tester kit I was somehow able to get the pool from a dark green to a white, cloudy, milky color and it was clearing more, and more each day. Then I ended up in the bed for several days from the pain from walking to, and from the back yard, merely putting chemicals in the pool. So as you can guess, the pool turned dark green again, and everything had to start all over again.
Here's what's been done so far: 1) I've read many, many, posts here at TFP.(Very Smart Move) 2)Looked up info, researched areas of confusion-(As mentioned above, biggest confusion area: All shock is NOT the same. Different types do different things, not all add the same things to your water, and some effect other levels, and/or can buildup and cause damage to your pool/equipment over time). I learned quite a bit, but still have so much more to learn, which I'm looking forward to doing). 3) Ordered a Taylor K-2006 (Another Very Smart Move, received it 2 days ago-(Have already used up all the reagent to check CYA though, so I have to order more of that). 4) Learned it existed, and how to use The Pool Calculator (Very grateful for this little helper too).
Here are some of the test results so far: (My biggest issues right now is properly applying what I have learned the past 2 days, knowing what does what, and even though I kind of sort of know what is suppose to do what, lol all mine must be broken, cause lol they, for some reason, still ain't doing it).
My 1st readings- 2 days ago
FC-0
CC-0
pH-5.8
TA- No idea on the 1st check because when the R-2008 was added it turned Pink instead of green lol. I redid the test several times, but it did the same thing, so I'd say the TA was probably-ZERO, or close to it?
CH-10
CYA-<30
I took several reading between the 1st and last, but won't list them all because the #s are all over the place. Here's what chemicals I've added to pool in the past 2 days so far, and why I thought I needed to add those specific chemicals. I am planning on going completely BBB once I get this mess under control, but for now I'm kind of playing hit and miss, and praying a lot, but am very slowly making some progress.
All chemicals were added per The Pool Calculator suggestions, or based on what TFP posts, and/or TPC said a specific chemical would/should do if added. So please correct me if I've misunderstood what a particular chemical's reaction was suppose to be, etc.
I started out by adding 6 gallons of liquid bleach, but of course that got used up quickly between the algae, and the sunlight. Added borax to try to raise the pH (don't have a checker for this yet, or any MA, so didn't want to go overboard. I didn't add as much of this as the calculator told me too because I had no way of checking the levels, or neutralizing it). Later added pH Up to try to raise pH because limited borax, and no MA didn't help because I still couldn't get pH over 6.5.
Liquid chlorine continuous getting used up quickly too. Added Baking Soda to try to bring up TA, and pH but not much help pH remained at 6.5-6.8. So I Shocked with Calcium Hypo to Super shock, and see if it would help get the algae down some, raise the CYA, and possibly allow any FC to be able to work longer at fighting the algae. That didn't do much, so I shocked with Trichlor to bring up the CYA level some this way. At one time the FC was at 5.0, and the CC was at 20. I know 25 is way too high, but it too was quickly used up, and depleted).
I later got fed up trying to fight the pH issue, but realized later I was actually bringing it down, but unfortunately not before I shocked with 2 pounds of Dichlor to try to bring the CYA up a little, so the FC could work better, and hopefully the pH would rise, but lol since dichlor decreases pH too that didn't happen, DUH LOL I told ya, I have A Lot still to learn).
I eventually did get the CYA up to 30 which finally did start allowing the FC to work a little longer before being spent. I added Alkaline Up that was suppose to also increase pH (according to the jug), but TA increased some, but pH remained at 6.8. Added 4 more gallons of Liquid Bleach at dark to give the chlorine a chance to fight the algae without the sunlight aiding in depleting it. Added pH Up at 7pm, and I am aerating with return pointed up to top of pool surface). So only time will tell what the morning will bring.
My last reading tonight at 7 pm
FC-2.5
CC-4.5
pH-6.8
TA- 40
CH-35
CYA-30
Anyway I think that about covers it. Sorry the post was so long. Any pointers of getting that pH up where it belongs (preferably without MA) would be appreciated. I suspect I'll have to get a borax checker, and some MA, and battle the pH with borax and MA? I'm really not looking forward to learning how to deal with MA because my physical disabilities/limitations makes me very clumsy. So lol with my luck, I'll probably do something stupid, and acid myself to death. Plus there is no deck around the pool, so everything that gets added to it is all uphill, so to speak, which IMO makes it that much harder. I do know I need to stay away from the Cal hypo, trichlor, and dichlor, hopefully if I stop pulling it down, the pH will come up to safe range on it's own. Anyway, any suggestions on what I need to do now would so be appreciated. Have a wonderful day, and Thanks again for letting me hang out with you awesome guys, and gals. I look forward to getting to know you all.
But this page will help remind you.
