Pool cover is off... next steps???

[trishalinn]

Alright, I cleaned off my pool cover (surprisingly, with a LOT of help from my almost 6 year old). We got the cover removed, but I'll have to wait until my husband gets home to get it all folded up. There were just a few leaves under the cover and I was able to get those cleaned out as well. I've also ordered the TF100 test kit. So now I'm looking at this big black pool of water. The sides and steps are all covered with black yuck.

I think that the chlorinating liquid at my local pool store is going to be just as cheap if not cheaper than purchasing clorox. Assuming my husband can figure out how to get the equipment running (since he was the one who watched the guys close up the pool in the fall) is there something we can/should do after that? Can I start to put chlorine in the pool before we get the test kit? I believe the pool place will test our water for free if we buy the chlorine from them.

Also, do we need to change the sand that's in the filter? I have NO idea how long it has been since it was changed, and I know someone told us when we moved in that we should probably get new sand.

And finally, I have been getting all the stuff out that was left here by the previous owners. There is something called a Kreepy Kadet and I can't quite figure out what it is for, or even if it has all of its parts. There is also some Muriatic acid, pool minus (sodium bisulfate), algecide 60, and 3 in 1 chlorinating skimmer tablets. Will this stuff be of use?

I'll try to figure out how to post some of the pictures of the pool that I took.

Any input on next steps would be appreciated.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hold on to the Muratic Acid, the "pool minus" and the Algaecide 60. What brand is the "3 in 1" tabs? Can you read the "active ingredients"? from that?

Sand doesn't necessarily have to be changed, there are several variables. Any idea how old the sand is?

You really need to get the water circulating and test before you start adding chems. Yes, it needs chlorine but you want to test the PH and TA before you start shocking the pool.

Not sure about the Kreepy Kadet, some kind of cleaner I suppose.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

3-in-1 sounds like it may have copper...be careful...

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

3-in-1 sounds like it may have copper...be careful...

That's what I was thinking.... Makes me wonder about the black gunk described by the OP.

 

[baudilus]

Does the black gunk feel slimey?

If you're afraid to touch it, I'm sure your almost 6-year-old would be more than willing, considering that he/she is obviously fearless.

 

[trishalinn]

The thing says: HTH 3 in 1 chlorinating skimming tablets. It does not have all of the ingredients listed, that I can find.

The black gunk is slimy, and I'm not afraid of black gunk... my hands wash

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Those have copper. Toss them in the garbage.

In this case slimy is probably good, LOL (copper can leave permanent black staining.)

 

[PaulR]

Those have copper. Toss them in the garbage.

Uh, check with the garbage company first... might want you to take it to hazardous waste. Mine does.
--paulr

 

[baudilus]

So slimy is good because that's probably algae and shouldn't take more than bleach, brushing, and time to clear.

What I would probably do (in order):

remove as much debris as possible from the bottom of the pool with a net (if any).
Get a full set of test results.
Get ph close to target (which may vary based on your other numbers).
If CYA is prohibitively high, address this before shocking.
Find out your normal and max shock levels and begin attacking that algae. Brush as often as is practical - in your case the max shock level may be most helpful, but be careful not to exceed it.
After the algae is gone, begin working on your other numbers.

There may be other issues requiring more immediate attention, so a full set of numbers posted here will help the fine folks here help you a lot more than my general advice above. The obligatory question: do you have your test kit yet? Results from the pool store are better than nothing, if not.

You will need chlorine, so if the pool store price is comparable to bleach, then go for it.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Those have copper. Toss them in the garbage.

Uh, check with the garbage company first... might want you to take it to hazardous waste. Mine does.
--paulr

Excellent point, Paul.

 

[trishalinn]

Thanks for all of the advice. We're still trying to figure out how to get this thing up and running. We had the pool place come out and close up the pool for us when we purchased the home last fall, so my husband could take notes and know how to open and close it this year. BUT, he's lost his notes... so he looked online to no avail. He is going to try to go into the pool place and see if they can give him some directions. SO FRUSTRATING! Hopefully we'll be able to get started soon! I'm sure you'll hear from me more after we do, because we are totally clueless pool owners :?:

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

If you post pics of your equipment, we can help walk you thru it. Usually it's just a matter of making sure the plumbing is connected properly, plugs removed, valves open, priming the pump, etc.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Don't let that pool place sell you "opening kits" or anything like that!!

 

[trishalinn]

All right... I got the pictures ready to go. Now I'm going to try to post them. Here are some pictures of the system we're trying to figure out how to use.

 

[trishalinn]

Here are some pictures of our pool. We just found out last night when we had a guy come out to give us an estimate on a pool cover, that we have an unusual pool. We're not sure what the prior owners of this pool were doing, but the pool is an old pool and the stamped concrete around it is fairly new. They just threw up some boards around the outside of the pool instead of finishing the job I guess. So, if we want the cover with the track around our pool apparently we need to get that finished off. Which, I'm sure it needs to be anyhow since the boards are all warped and popping up.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Well, see those red knobs - those are your valves, and they are closed. Those have to be opened (when you are ready) so that the water flows properly.

Hopefully the equipment guru's will be along shortly but it looks fairly simple enough that we can walk you thru.

Can you take a pic of the skimmer?

 

[trishalinn]

what is the skimmer? Sorry, I'm quite pool illiterate!!!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Click on this link
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/visual_encyclopedia

And scroll down till you see pics of skimmers. In an inground pool, the pic on the left, there is usually an opening in the deck somewhere and the lid comes off. Do you see a lid anywhere on your pool deck?

 

[trishalinn]

Here are the pictures:

The water is pretty much to the top of where the wood is, so you can't see the opening on the inside of the pool.

 

[baudilus]

I find the choice of wood for the coping odd; maybe the previous owner ran out of money during the concrete remodel?

The two red knobs are from the suction side and are where the water gets sucked in from your pool, from the skimmer(s) (rectangular opening in the wall of the pool close to the surface) and the main drain (drain port in the bottom of the deep end. They are both closed. I'd be suspicious of the fittings above those knobs as well, but they may have been standard at the time the pool was installed.

Edit: I see you posted pictures of the skimmer. Is there an additional one?

The next port over with the flexible piping and the square looking "nut" where the others have the red knob appears to be your pool return(s), and that's where the water goes back into the pool after it's filtered.

The last one should be your waste port - this is where waste water goes when the filter is set to waste or backwash - it may be plumbed into your sewer or just have an outlet somewhere else where the water comes out.

The filter (big black drum) is a sand filter with a multiport valve on the top - this is where you switch the functions of the filter (filter, recirculate, backwash, rinse, waste, winterize, and close). You must NEVER try to move this while the pump is on! You can read all about those functions in pool school, and ask here if you have any questions. Can you post a picture of the label on the filter so we can see the flow rate, etc?

The pump I don't recognize, and sadly the label doesn't show the HP, flow rate, or anything. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than myself will be able to help with that.

The water will need some TLC but you'll get through it and enjoy that pool.