Good day everyone:
First of all I am so happy to have found this resource. less than 24 hours ago I knew next to nothing about water chemistry and after reading through pool school I feel like I have enough info to be dangerous
I bought a fixer-upper last december and of course it came with an 22000 gallon 16x32 in ground pool that was in rough shape. It wasn't closed properly for winter and it was a really really bad winter here in MA. The pool was drained to less than 1/2 full, the linings came off the walls and I didn't even think it could be re-attached. I was seriously consider burying the pool, but I didn't and I'm glad I didnt.
So fast forward to the last week or so, the "pool guy" re-attached the lining, checked the filter and filled the pool with new water. Now at this point I had no idea anything about maintaining a pool. A long-time friend of the family has had a pool for 20 years and was happy to point us in the "right" direction. Armed with his advice I went to the local pool store and bought a hayward brominator, 50 lb of bromine, 25 lbs of PH plus an el cheapo test kit (CL and ph) and 2 lb of lithium hypochlorite to shock the pool for the second and "final" time for the season.
Low and behold, after reading online at my first opportunity to really focus on the pool I am realizing I am NOT pointed in the right direction.
So here is what I've done so far.
1). Had liner re-attached and sand filter checked out.
2). Completely new water delivered
3). Shocked the pool with lithium hypo after a ton of dirt, mold got into the pool while I powerwashed the filthy concrete deck.
4). Started the brominator less than 24 hours ago
6). Stopped brominator already
5). tested water today and here are results
cl: 0.3
ph: 6.8 (added 27 oz of Sodium Carbonate less than an hour ago)
TA: 20
My 5 bottle testing kit only does these tests (plus an acid test if PH is high) and I know after reading pool school this is insufficient so I ordered the TF-100 test kit this morning.
I am looking for advice in these areas.
I decided that I do not want to go bromine. The reasons besides the expense is that my pool gets sun from late morning to dusk. It is in direct sunlight for almost all of that time. I am afraid that even though I have a solar cover that the sunlight will make having a bromine pool really expensive. I know that you once you have a bromine pool you always have a bromine pool until the water is switched, however I haven't put that much bromine in the pool in less than 24 hours from tablets did I? Can I just start using chlorine?
Ideally I want to go the BBB route if I could and the Pool School provides some great information however I am a little confused to where I should begin. My water is currently mostly untreated and needs sanitizer asap. If I use chlorine do I need to shock it to raise it to 10ppm or do I just add chlorine to get it to the standard 1.0 - 3.0.
As someone who has never owned a pool and now wants to have a great one I am hoping you can help me truly be pointed in the right direction. I want to learn and I can be patient. Thanks in advance.
Brad
First of all I am so happy to have found this resource. less than 24 hours ago I knew next to nothing about water chemistry and after reading through pool school I feel like I have enough info to be dangerous
I bought a fixer-upper last december and of course it came with an 22000 gallon 16x32 in ground pool that was in rough shape. It wasn't closed properly for winter and it was a really really bad winter here in MA. The pool was drained to less than 1/2 full, the linings came off the walls and I didn't even think it could be re-attached. I was seriously consider burying the pool, but I didn't and I'm glad I didnt.
So fast forward to the last week or so, the "pool guy" re-attached the lining, checked the filter and filled the pool with new water. Now at this point I had no idea anything about maintaining a pool. A long-time friend of the family has had a pool for 20 years and was happy to point us in the "right" direction. Armed with his advice I went to the local pool store and bought a hayward brominator, 50 lb of bromine, 25 lbs of PH plus an el cheapo test kit (CL and ph) and 2 lb of lithium hypochlorite to shock the pool for the second and "final" time for the season.
Low and behold, after reading online at my first opportunity to really focus on the pool I am realizing I am NOT pointed in the right direction.
So here is what I've done so far.
1). Had liner re-attached and sand filter checked out.
2). Completely new water delivered
3). Shocked the pool with lithium hypo after a ton of dirt, mold got into the pool while I powerwashed the filthy concrete deck.
4). Started the brominator less than 24 hours ago
6). Stopped brominator already
5). tested water today and here are results
cl: 0.3
ph: 6.8 (added 27 oz of Sodium Carbonate less than an hour ago)
TA: 20
My 5 bottle testing kit only does these tests (plus an acid test if PH is high) and I know after reading pool school this is insufficient so I ordered the TF-100 test kit this morning.
I am looking for advice in these areas.
I decided that I do not want to go bromine. The reasons besides the expense is that my pool gets sun from late morning to dusk. It is in direct sunlight for almost all of that time. I am afraid that even though I have a solar cover that the sunlight will make having a bromine pool really expensive. I know that you once you have a bromine pool you always have a bromine pool until the water is switched, however I haven't put that much bromine in the pool in less than 24 hours from tablets did I? Can I just start using chlorine?
Ideally I want to go the BBB route if I could and the Pool School provides some great information however I am a little confused to where I should begin. My water is currently mostly untreated and needs sanitizer asap. If I use chlorine do I need to shock it to raise it to 10ppm or do I just add chlorine to get it to the standard 1.0 - 3.0.
As someone who has never owned a pool and now wants to have a great one I am hoping you can help me truly be pointed in the right direction. I want to learn and I can be patient. Thanks in advance.
Brad