Good morning everyone.
I'm new to this site and the world of swimming pool mainenance and ownership
I recently purchase a 31 YO house with a 16x36 in ground pool. The house was vacant for two years, during which the (black) tarpaulin covered pool became a home to critters and algae that normally live in a pond, including about twenty five frogs and one snapping turtle. Just before the previous owner vacated the house, a new liner and pump was installed in the pool, then it sat for two years until I bought it
This is my first pool, so I am learning as I go. This is what I have accomplished in one week.
I removed the cover, skimmed the floating trash, removed the frogs and turtle and got the pump/filter working. The SP-710 "vari-flo" valve needed a gasket, so that slowed me down for a whole day. After replacing the valve gasket everything seems to be working properly so I focused of cleaning the water all week (Mon thru Fri), by filtering and backwashing the filter several times a day. I also added five pounds of swimming pool water shocker from Wal-Mart. Friday I replaced the sand in the Hayward S-200 Hi Rate Sand Filter. The old sand was crusted and was only about half full. Yesterday, Saturday I drained about 1-2 feet by selecting waste on the valve, and added another five pounds of water shocker. With water about knee high in the shallow end of the pool I scrubbed it with a brush. I scrubbed the vertical walls all the way around the entire pool. With the brush I am using I can reach down to the part where the vertical walls start to angle in toward the deep end of the pool. I am able to scrub some of the angled part into the deep section also. Today, the pool walls and the shallow end are freshly scrubbed and look nice. The water in the shallow end looks clear but its only about a foot deep, the water in the deep end looks greenish. I cannot see the bottom yet, I can almost make out the vacuum head on the bottom, so the deep end is not clear yet. I am still getting an occasional leave in the strainer, but I think I have most of the big chunks removed, and need to start throwing serious chemicals at it. I am going to take a sample to my local Leslie’s pool store and see what they tell me it needs. I am guessing they are going to sell me the chemicals that will start clearing up the water in the deep end. I’ll post more after I get back.
I plan on converting to a salt water chlorine generator system as soon as recommended, so I am all ears. Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!
Ax
I'm new to this site and the world of swimming pool mainenance and ownership
I recently purchase a 31 YO house with a 16x36 in ground pool. The house was vacant for two years, during which the (black) tarpaulin covered pool became a home to critters and algae that normally live in a pond, including about twenty five frogs and one snapping turtle. Just before the previous owner vacated the house, a new liner and pump was installed in the pool, then it sat for two years until I bought it
This is my first pool, so I am learning as I go. This is what I have accomplished in one week.
I removed the cover, skimmed the floating trash, removed the frogs and turtle and got the pump/filter working. The SP-710 "vari-flo" valve needed a gasket, so that slowed me down for a whole day. After replacing the valve gasket everything seems to be working properly so I focused of cleaning the water all week (Mon thru Fri), by filtering and backwashing the filter several times a day. I also added five pounds of swimming pool water shocker from Wal-Mart. Friday I replaced the sand in the Hayward S-200 Hi Rate Sand Filter. The old sand was crusted and was only about half full. Yesterday, Saturday I drained about 1-2 feet by selecting waste on the valve, and added another five pounds of water shocker. With water about knee high in the shallow end of the pool I scrubbed it with a brush. I scrubbed the vertical walls all the way around the entire pool. With the brush I am using I can reach down to the part where the vertical walls start to angle in toward the deep end of the pool. I am able to scrub some of the angled part into the deep section also. Today, the pool walls and the shallow end are freshly scrubbed and look nice. The water in the shallow end looks clear but its only about a foot deep, the water in the deep end looks greenish. I cannot see the bottom yet, I can almost make out the vacuum head on the bottom, so the deep end is not clear yet. I am still getting an occasional leave in the strainer, but I think I have most of the big chunks removed, and need to start throwing serious chemicals at it. I am going to take a sample to my local Leslie’s pool store and see what they tell me it needs. I am guessing they are going to sell me the chemicals that will start clearing up the water in the deep end. I’ll post more after I get back.
I plan on converting to a salt water chlorine generator system as soon as recommended, so I am all ears. Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!
Ax
Why are you keeping it so shallow? 
If not, the chemicals could ruin the liner from sitting at the bottom. 
Any pics?
You could get bleach, borax and baking soda much cheaper at Wally World!
:lol: }