I cant get it! None of it.

[cantgetit]

I am a BRAND NEW GREEN pool owner - so far this has been really expensive.....

I recently changed over from a chemical pool to a INTEX above ground salt water system, bought it 8-14-09. I put in 2 1/2 40 lbs bags of Lowes Pool salt, this was recommended by the pool manual to put in 100 lbs of salt for this 15 x 42 metal frame pool, & to run the salt water system 3 hrs.

I have a sand bottom under the pool with the liner on top of the sand, it looks like there is constant sand in the pool - yet it sticks to the bottom & sort of looks like algae, the water is also cloudy.

These are the readings: Best rate
The salt strip says 5.5 then is says = 2840 2500-3500
Total hardness = 400 200-400
PH = 8.4 7.4 -7.6
Cynauric Acid = 100 30-50
Total alkalinty = 120 100-140
Free Chlorine = 0/0 1.0 - 3.0
I dont even know what all this means or how to correct what's going on, Intex said to call a licensed pool company they said to get on here???!!!

I thought you could just buy a saltwater system & all problems would be resolved, clear pretty water now I am hearing you still have to put chemicals in the water. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP

 

[duraleigh]

You need to start by reading Pool School. Perhaps more than once until the meaning of those tests makes sense.

Start with the ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP!!

You've made one small mistake - namely, that the salt system would cure everything. It WILL help you more easily maintain the pool, but simply CAN NOT solve an existing algae problem To solve the algae problem you want a good bit of liquid chlorine, religiously maintained - a quality (ie - not strips) test kit will help save you time, effort and money If you haven't, take a read through Pool School (linked on every page and in my sig) - the articles there are short and to the point and will surely help you!

I see Duraleigh has answered whilst I was typing Give Pool School a read and ask more questions as they arise

 

[dmanb2b]

Welcome to TFP

I'll repeat what Waste and Dave have said...read pool shool at least twice over and it will click for you as it did for me back in April...yes many of us were in the same situation as you

Your intex salt system (which I own and works great) is what we acronym as a SWG, but really should carry the acronym of SWCG (Salt Water CHLORINE Generator). The unit basically uses salt (sodium CHLORIDE) to generate...yup you guessed it CHLORINE. You basically invested in an electronic device that enables you to make your own chlorine from salt that you added to the water.

Most importantly...dump the test strip you have and get yourself a good drop based test kit. I recommend the TF100 from TFtestkits.net or the Taylor k2006. Either is somewhat expensive $60-$80, but will save you ALOT of money and frustration going forward. You need to be able to test for FC, CC, CH, TA, PH and CYA...all explained in pool school.

If you follow this site and it's recommendations I can almost guarantee you will have a trouble free pool too

My last pool I used to shock weekly and used a bucket of pucks every season. Plus algaecide, PH +/PH-, Metal out etc.

Since finding TFP I have spent $65 on a test kit, about $10 in some bleach, $40 in salt and $35 on muratic acid plus $165 for the intex swg...that;s it...and that my start-up year, have not shocked once this season.

Here is my estimated cost for next year

$20 bleach - in case I open up to a green pool and need to shock...otherwise some electricity and my SWG will take care of the rest.
Salt - $5, to adjust levels from any salt lost due to water drainange from closing the pool
Muratic acid - $0...my PH has been steady at 7.5 for 2 months and have 0.5 gal left over from this year

maybe $20 for baking soda and borax, if needed.

That's it...can;t wait for next year...thank you TFP

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I thought you could just buy a saltwater system & all problems would be resolved, clear pretty water now I am hearing you still have to put chemicals in the water. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP

Once you get your water balanced, that will pretty much be the case. With adequate testing and small adjustments you shouldn't have to do much.

You are going to need a few things:

1. A good test kit, either the TF100 or the Taylor K-2006
2. Muratic Acid (Your PH and TA are too high for an SWG), and combined with the high TH you are at risk for scale and damaging the SWG - I would turn the SWG unit off for now
3. Lots of bleach a.k.a. Liquid Chlorine

You need to lower the PH, today - Muratic Acid is available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

You need to shock the pool with Bleach until the FC holds overnight and the water is clear. You need the recommended test kit to shock the pool properly.

You need to accurately measure the CYA level - the test strips are notoriously inaccurate and the 100 may not be correct. When you say you "changed over" how did you treat the pool before? Or was this a fresh fill of water? (in other words - did you add CYA ("Stabilizer") or use chlorine tablets?)

You need to learn how to use the Pool Calculator - see my sig - it will help you calculate exactly how much of each chem you'll need to add to bring the water into balance. There is an article in Pool School that teaches you how to work the calc.

I know it's a lot of info to take in all at once, but eventually it will sink in and begin to click. We are here to help - so if you need clarification on anything just holler. Hope this helps.