Quick question

[Miki79]

Hi -
So glad I found you! We just bought a short sale house with a pool and a pond in the backyard, both of which were green/black and hadn't been maintained in over 2 years. With the help of the local pool store I've gotten the water in the pool a pretty blue/clear color, although my test strips showed no chlorine in it. I went to ask the pool store guy if it was okay to swim in and what to do now and he told me I have to "shock" it once a week with 5 gallons of chlorine and it's okay to swim in but my pH is alkalinity is a little low. Is this right? I have to go to the pool store once a week? After lurking around for the past 2 days, I've ordered the TF100 kit but it won't be here until Monday. Also there are some dark colored stains on the bottom of the deep end and around some of the wrinkles in the liner. Will they go away? Thanks in advance for your help

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Depending on the stains there are a few ways you can treat them... but that can wait till you "get to know your pool" better.
No the pool guy is wrong - a properly chlorinated pool, rarely if ever, needs routine or weekly shocking.
What are your PH/TA right now? FC? Did the pool store give you any numbers?

 

[Miki79]

Wow - you guys are fast!
No, they did a test strip as well and just told me it was okay to swim and to use one of the tablets to scrub off the stains while I was in there. I haven't tried that yet. Once I get the test kit I ordered, I'll put the numbers I get up. I was just checking to make sure I was hearing him correctly. It didn't seem right that I had to add shock every single week all summer long. I'll try to get it tested as soon as the kit gets here. Thanks again!

 

[Richard320]

Wow - you guys are fast!
No, they did a test strip as well and just told me it was okay to swim and to use one of the tablets to scrub off the stains while I was in there. I haven't tried that yet. Once I get the test kit I ordered, I'll put the numbers I get up. I was just checking to make sure I was hearing him correctly. It didn't seem right that I had to add shock every single week all summer long. I'll try to get it tested as soon as the kit gets here. Thanks again!

Yes, you heard him right. They push tablets for chlorinating, and when the CYA gets too high for the Chlorine to work, you shock every week with Calcium Hypochlorite. And in a year, two at most, they recommend you empty the pool and start over. And, by the way, they have this "startup kit" you'll be needing. Ka-ching!