My 24' pool has a lot of alge in it. It only costs $35 in water to fill the pool. Can I just drain, clean, and refill ? I am going to install the salt system I bought last year with the pool. So do I need to start with fresh water anyway ? If I clear the pool with my chemicals and chlorine, can I still install the salt system ?
Draining Pool and Refilling
- Thread starter vanmor
- Start date
You can, but that might not completely clear up the algae.vanmor said:
You do not have to replace the water before you go to a salt system. Clearing the pool with chlorine first will work just fine.vanmor said:
--paulr
Well I topped my pool off. Added all the chemicals to level everything off. I have shocked twice. This turned the water from green to a real cloudy blue or light green. Then got in the pool and brushed everything down. During the brushing, I loosened up all the slimy green alge that was on the sides and bottom. I have shocked a third time and leveled off the chemicals. Oh and I have backwashed my filter several times. It's back to being light blue and cludy again. Now I have put a full bottle of clairifier in the pool. It is extremely cloudy. Do I need to turn off my pump and let this stuff go to the bottom ?
You don't need clarifier...but you do need some POP (pool owner patience) 
Have you read through Pool School? How are you testing your water? What are the results? (FC, CC, PH, TA, CH, CYA)
Shocking is a continuos process, not something you do 2-3 times in a few days...adding "shock" is not shocking, rather you need to add enough chlorine to bring your water to shock level and is based on how much CYA is in your water.
Post some water test results and we'll help you get this cleared up....I'm guessing you are not done shocking, but the number will speak for themselves.
Have you read through Pool School? How are you testing your water? What are the results? (FC, CC, PH, TA, CH, CYA)Shocking is a continuos process, not something you do 2-3 times in a few days...adding "shock" is not shocking, rather you need to add enough chlorine to bring your water to shock level and is based on how much CYA is in your water.
Post some water test results and we'll help you get this cleared up....I'm guessing you are not done shocking, but the number will speak for themselves.
OK.....
I need a better test kit, but here is what I have.
Cl over 5
Br over 5
pH 7.2
CYA under 30
TA 300
I have good water with no detectable hardness.
I need a better test kit, but here is what I have.
Cl over 5
Br over 5
pH 7.2
CYA under 30
TA 300
I have good water with no detectable hardness.
I had to get out and run some errands. I went by NuWay and had the water tested. The guy there says I'm doing what I need to be doing. He said just let the Chlorine levels get back to normal and the water should clear up.
Unless it's clear now, letting the FC level come down to "Normal" will not help clear the pool. You should confirm you are done shockin, as described in pool school. Did the employee happen to provide you with results?
I didn't ask for the printed readout. He said my numbers were OK. I will ask for a printout from now on. I did get one last year after a test, so I know they give them out.
We just had a big thunderstorm come though about three hours ago. My pH level went down and I am bringing it up with chemicals. The Cl has come down to about 3.
The guy at NuWay says the Cl can't do it's job to clear the pool if it's too high.
I have read pool school. But I'm not sure when I should stop shock treatments.
I've got a lot of white solid material in the pool as of now.
We just had a big thunderstorm come though about three hours ago. My pH level went down and I am bringing it up with chemicals. The Cl has come down to about 3.
The guy at NuWay says the Cl can't do it's job to clear the pool if it's too high.
I have read pool school. But I'm not sure when I should stop shock treatments.
I've got a lot of white solid material in the pool as of now.
Read this. All explained in one easy article.
And get a decent test kit. Then you can monitor things any time, day or night. And know what's going on in the water. Then when you pour in the salt, you won't get any surprises.
And get a decent test kit. Then you can monitor things any time, day or night. And know what's going on in the water. Then when you pour in the salt, you won't get any surprises.
vanmor said:
Hi Van...With all due respect, that is about the worst advice I have heard this season. By all means you may feel comfortable with the guy's advice, he may be a good salesman, but IMHO without a good kit (reliable test results) and receiving that kind of advice he'll keep you coming back for more product you just plain do not need.Sorry to say this, but I think you are being "pool stored"
OK........
I have read pool school and the crystal oasis. I was following all of this and have been having success.
I'll go back today and get the good test kit.
I figured since the pool guy didn't try to sell me anything, I was good to go.
I have read pool school and the crystal oasis. I was following all of this and have been having success.
I'll go back today and get the good test kit.
I figured since the pool guy didn't try to sell me anything, I was good to go.
NuWay doesn't have as good a test kit as the one I got at WalMart. So I'll just have to order one.
I went ahead and added some pot ash. I got the pH up to add some flocculant. There are just way too may solids in there to clear out. I shut the pump down at dusk. I checked just a while ago and a lot of stuff went to the bottom. I hope I can get that stuff off the pool floor without stirring it up again.
I went ahead and added some pot ash. I got the pH up to add some flocculant. There are just way too may solids in there to clear out. I shut the pump down at dusk. I checked just a while ago and a lot of stuff went to the bottom. I hope I can get that stuff off the pool floor without stirring it up again.
If you're using a manual vacuum just go real slow and it'll pick it up without stirring it around.
It didn't work, I got that stuff all stirred up again. However, I was trying to do it without without setting the pump valve on waste. I brought everything up to shock level and bought an extra hose to use as a waste hose. I shut the pump down at dusk and will check it again in the morning. I have everything set up to vac now. The pool is a bit over filled (top of skimmer) and should be ready in the morning.
I posted in the pumping station that I thought my filter was not doing it's job. Sure enough, the Zeobrite is all funky and gunky. I'll try the salt solution fix tommorrow.
I took out the Zeobrite because my tube and laterals came out. I drew off the excess wter (it wouldn't drain out) and then unloaded the zeo by hand. I cleaned the feed tube and laterals and placed them back in the filter and refilled with the zeo. Before I did that, I put a five gallon solution of salt water. I used ice cream salt. Four pound box was a $1. I'll back wash the salt solution this evening. Then place the valve on waste and try to vac again. The solids have resettled to the bottom. If everything goes well, I'll shock again and start running the pump on filter.
By the way, thanks for all the input. I trust you guys more than the folks at the pool store. The guys at the pool store are OK but then again, everytime you go in, it's something different. year and my experience so far, I think I'm getting the hang of it.
By the way, thanks for all the input. I trust you guys more than the folks at the pool store. The guys at the pool store are OK but then again, everytime you go in, it's something different. year and my experience so far, I think I'm getting the hang of it.
I backwashed the filter and ran the vac with the filter valve on waste. This time I got a lot of the junk out of the pool. Takes a lot of water though. I had to refill a bit to finish. Pump has been running for 20 hrs and I think it's getting clearer. Not really sure.