Totally clueless. Any input is appreciated.

[linen]

I'll let a few posts roll in before I start putting stuff in.

I wouldn't wait, get some chlorine in there now! Use poolcalculator.com to calculate how much you need. Make sure to input your CYA (Cyanuric Acid) to get the recommended levels, your CYA level is high, do not put anymore in (do not use trichlor or dichlor tablets).

 

[zea3]

Most of your total hardness is calcium. With your total hardness at 375 I would not add any cal-hypo products either. You could stand to drop the CYA down to 50, but I would wait and test that with the TF100 when it arrives. Go ahead and add the bleach. The pool is already developing a touch of cloudiness and you don't want that breaking into a full algae bloom.

 

[frogabog]

Nice pool! Is that a bench or a spa? I'm jealous...

Go to http://poolcalculator.com Enter in your volume at the top. Then go to the bottom and set your goals to Trouble Free Pool.

Then enter the numbers you just posted into the "now" column.

Enter 80 into the CYA, and once you do that the pink area in the bottom (chlorine goals) will adjust for your CYA level. It'll give you a minimum, maximum and two shock values (normal and mustard).

In the first section at the top, change or verify that 6% bleach is listed as your chlorine source.

Since it's evening, you will want to enter into the "target" column the high value from the pink section. For CYA of 80, that is 11ppm. Enter 11 into the target column and tab or click out of the area and you'll see it calculate the amount of bleach to add.

Your CYA is a bit high, but for right now all you need to do it get chlorine into the pool. We'll help you lower the CYA later.

PH is also at the top of the ok range. It might be worthwhile to lower that to 7.4 with acid tonight as well.

Once you get some chlorine to stick around in the pool, you can go back to the store and try for a CC reading.

Now go calculate, add the chlorine slowly in front of a return and leave the pump running. As long as you don't have an algae bloom started, the max should get you through the night and tomorrow. That's ideal BTW... If you loose all that chlorine tonight something is definitely amiss.

Are you running completely blind with no way to test chlorine and ph right now at home?

 

[anonapersona]

Well, I for one think you are going to have this worked out really fast. I see just dull water in the photo, I would not be surprised if after getting the FC up that it may be sparkling by as soon as tomorrow. But for now, you need to just get the chlorine in and keep filtering. Do brush the pool, clean the skimmers and so on. Check the filter pressure. A DE filter is capable of clearing that up pretty fast if you can keep the chlorine level up.

You ought to get a Wall Whale brush next time you are at a pool store. I assume you have a pole mounted skimmer net and leaf rake. You will want those eventually. You may want skimmer socks too, especially if pine needles get into the pool, they can get past the skimmer basket into the pump. And, at the pool store, pick up a free water sample bottle if you don't have one yet.

 

[duraleigh]

Responders,

It is usually very confusing to a newbie to add too many instructions all at once. htownjeeper has no prior experience with pool jargon and cannot be expected to understand the reasoning behind all the things that are being thrown at him.

K.I.S.S. :lol: :lol:

Getting OP to post test results we can trust will get him started down the right path. With that in mind, I suggest OP start to day by putting in 3 of the jugs of Clorox he purchased (roughly 9ppm) and then adding one jug of 96 oz Clorox each remaining day until his test kit arrives.

Once accurate test results are posted (and the ones above may be just fine, but let's confirm that), we can all help start him down a path that will put the sparkle back in the pool.

 

[htownjeeper]

To all, thanks for all of the advise. As said above, I have no clue as to what some of you are referencing! Last night, I added two jugs of Chlorox and turned on both pumps.

There is one pump that the pool cleaner told me never needed to be used (I met the previous owner's pool cleaner the week we moved in. They were pre-paid til the end of July, so I got a free visit so-to-speak). I noticed last night when I turned on both pumps (I turned on both because I figured it couldn't hurt) that there was this cylinder with cap on it and I heard gurgling water in it. So, I unscrewed the cap and guess what? It's got chlorine disks (look like white hockey pucks) in it! This part has not been running to the pool because that guy told me I never should run that pump unless I wanted the "water feature" to be turned on. I think I see now why my chlorine wasn't getting put into the pool. I'm ticked off, but relieved as well because I think a small mystery has been solved.

Now that it is putting chlorine in the pool do you think I should still pour in a bottle a day of chlorox?

 

[htownjeeper]

Nice pool! Is that a bench or a spa? I'm jealous...

Thanks! That little cut-out part has three nozzles mounted flush on the bottom and there's a light too. You can turn it on and it's a nice little fountain thing. Purely for decoration I think.

 

[htownjeeper]

ok, now for some stuff that might be difficult for you guys to translate to me because of my lack of knowledge in the subject. Here are some pics of my pumps and stuff. I know very little about what anything is and what they do, so please don't assume I do!

This is a DE filter yes?

The pump on the right is the one the pool guy said to never run because I didn't need it. But I found out last night it also drives the chlorine into the pool via the big return nozzle that comes out in the center of the pool between the shallow/deep end.

 

[duraleigh]

Now that it is putting chlorine in the pool do you think I should still pour in a bottle a day of chlorox?

Actually, I would like for you to turn that back off and use the jugs of Clorox instead.

Those pucks are adding more CYA to your pool (VERY hard to get rid of) and you likely have too much already.

 

[htownjeeper]

Will do!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yes, that is a DE filter.
How long have you had the pool?
Have you ever backwashed it?

The big valve with the handle on top is the multiport valve. It's used to divert the water as required for filtering, backwashing, wasting water, etc.
The valve labeled 'Skimmer' is the diverter for the skimmers. You turn it to adjust the flow from one or the other or both skimmers.
The valve on the suction (front) of the pump selects between the main drain and the skimmers.
The middle pump is the booster pump for the pressure side pool cleaner.
The right hand pump is strictly a water feature pump and unless you have a water feature you don't need to run it.
The valve labeled 'water feature' selects between the normal returns or the water feature. It's set to supply the normal returns now.
The tall white thing is the tablet (chlorine) feeder. It's in the normal return line.
The line coming out of the left side of the multiport going into the ground is the waste line.

 

[htownjeeper]

Yes, that is a DE filter.
How long have you had the pool?
Have you ever backwashed it?

a) Thanks, I thought so.
b) I just moved in. Not sure of the age.
c) I have no idea what that is.

 

[mynewpool]

Yes, that is a DE filter.
How long have you had the pool?
Have you ever backwashed it?

a) Thanks, I thought so.
b) I just moved in. Not sure of the age.
c) I have no idea what that is.

Here is a quick idea of what backwashing is.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4608434_properl ... ilter.html

Basically it is a quick way to clean off the grids inside the filter without taking it apart. It also helps wash out some of the dirt that has been caught by the filters.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Look for the model of the filter on the label and that'll let you figure out how much DE to add. There's also an article in Pool School on the use and care of DE filters.

 

[htownjeeper]

Thanks...sounds like I should do the backwashing since I have no idea when it was last done. Might make a big difference huh?

 

[mynewpool]

Yea espeically since you do not have a salt water generator (SWG) unless I missed that and if your CYA is really 80, backwashing may help a little in getting some of it out. But until you get your test kit we will not know if that is correct or not as the pool store is about 90% of the time wrong with most test results.

 

[htownjeeper]

Took this just now. Added a jug of clorox, scrubbed the walls, then vac'd the pool. This is current look of my pool. Can't wait for the test kit so i can get it dialed in!

Filter pressure is about 30psi. Is that too high?

 

[mynewpool]

Each filter pressure can start different. To me that does sound high.

A few ways to see if it is high is do a backwash and after completed see what the pressure is at. If it does not drop much then 30 may not have been high. If it drops it around 8-10 then 30 is high. A complete cleaning would be the best method I would say so that you would know where the pressure is on a fresh clean. You can also tell if it high if the jets in the pool do not seem to be putting out much pressure. This is a easy sign that the pressure is high.

I only say 30 is high to me, because for me 15 is high, but every setup is different.

Go check your jets and see if you feel good pressure. If it seems to have good pressure then 30 could be normal. Pool looks good and once you get your test kit you will be trouble free in no time. From the looks for it, it will not take long at all. I would guess maybe a week if that to get everything in line.

 

[linen]

Can't wait for the test kit so i can get it dialed in!

It will change your pool life!

Filter pressure is about 30psi. Is that too high?

That is high. Have you figured out how to backwash/bump your filter yet? If not, that may be why you pressure is high. Here is the link to the article I think Bama was refering to: http://www.troublefreepool.com/use-and-care-for-de-filters-t4086.html

 

[htownjeeper]

I read the article, and frankly I'm scared I'll mess something up. Probably just because I've never done it.