Totally clueless. Any input is appreciated.

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htownjeeper

htownjeeper

0
LifeTime Supporter
Aug 8, 2011
195
Nassau Bay, TX
Hello, we just moved into a house with a pool 3 wks ago. I have never had a pool and the previous owners didn't leave me any information at all about the pool. I only know it's a 15,000 gallon pool because it came up in conversation. I've been taking my water to get tested once a week and I've been doing whatever they instructed me to do because I don't want to ruin the pool right out of the gate.

If I put up pictures of my pump set up, would that be of any use or would it just frustrate you, the experts? I really want to be a pro at this and take care of my pool for my family's enjoyment, but right now I feel like I'm just twisting in the wind.

I'm going to get the water tested tonight and I'll post results tomorrow.

Thanks,
Brian
 
1. Pictures are always helpful.
2. Stay away from the pool store
3. Get yourself a quality test kit from tftestkits. It is in my signature.
4. For the time being do not add anything else that the pool store tells you to do. Go get a sample tested and post a full set of results that you get
5. The pros here will help and get your pool cleaned.

Here is an example of what the help from the site and patience for you.

my-journey-from-green-to-crystal-clear-t20117.html

That post has pictures of how I started and how it ended.
 
Your own FAS-DPD test kit is essential. It sounds like you are very interested in learning about how to maintain your pool. The information you need is in pool school (upper right of this page, white button). Read it multiple times. Get a proper test kit (FAS-DPD, most of us use the TF100 cuz it's the very best value available) and start doing your own tests. The pool store is nice and free, yet frequently inaccurate and incomplete.

You can either follow the pool store's advice, purchase all the things they will undoubtedly recommend and spend the rest of the summer wondering why things aren't perfect or use the $ you'd spend on useless pool store chems and invest in a test kit that will hand the control over your pool to... YOU.

You aren't alone, most all of us here have been pool stored before finding TFP. Can you tell us what you've added to the pool since taking ownership? What exactly has the pool store told you to do? Do you have any of the previous pool store test results? That would be a good starting point for now. Do you know what your CYA level is?

Post your most recent results if you have them still, lots of peeps around more than happy to help you out.
 
ok, the test kit is ordered! 2-3 days it looks like for delivery.

Ok, I won't buy anything else from the pool store, I promise! I just didn't know what to do so I just did what they said. I had a feeling they were taking me for a ride. I've bought some shock, some muriatic acid and some calcium stuff.

I'm not sure if I have my old results, the wife may have threw them away. I'll just get a new result tonight and post it.

So, in the meantime am I just supposed to vac and skim the pool? The filters run every day from 10am-6pm and I'm vac'ing it about every other day and scrubbing the sides and steps about every other day as well.

Am I just in a holding pattern until I get the results and the test kit?
 
Good for you! You will not be disappointed.

Do you have any kind of chlorine and PH testing available? A strip perhaps (hate to suggest it, but...)?

For now you want to maintain some chlorine in the pool and adjust ph if needed. The test results tonight will be helpful. Are you using any kind of chlorine routinely? Or just adding shock product? What does the water look like?

The more you can tell us about what you've added and when/why, the better we can help you at the moment. You were sold calcium for what reason? Once you get some water chemistry values you can plug them into the pool calculator. See the link in my sig line.

When you go have the water tested tonight, don't delay. Chlorine levels can go down on the ride to the pool store. Also, ask them to test for ALL these values:

FC
TC
CC
PH
TA
TC
CYA (watch them do this test, ask them to do it a couple more times with the same solution to verify)

Ignore phosphate levels. Smile and tell them you already have whatever it is they want to sell you. Lying is ok when it comes to pool stores :~}
 
htownjeeper said:
ok, the test kit is ordered! 2-3 days it looks like for delivery.

Ok, I won't buy anything else from the pool store, I promise! I just didn't know what to do so I just did what they said. I had a feeling they were taking me for a ride. I've bought some shock, some muriatic acid and some calcium stuff.

I'm not sure if I have my old results, the wife may have threw them away. I'll just get a new result tonight and post it.

So, in the meantime am I just supposed to vac and skim the pool? The filters run every day from 10am-6pm and I'm vac'ing it about every other day and scrubbing the sides and steps about every other day as well.

Am I just in a holding pattern until I get the results and the test kit?
Click to expand...

If you can afford to get it, I highly suggest the speed stir and its on the same site. Since you will be shocking it will come in very handy.
 

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Also until you get your test kit and can test more often, I would suggest adding 1-2 big jugs of bleach (182 oz size) until you ge the test kit. This will not be the way you will do it, but will help get the process going until you get your real test kit and can post your first set of results.

Make sure to get just regular unscented bleach. Whatever bleach you get make sure it has 6% hypochlorite. For sure clorox has the 6%. People have had good luck with great value bleach from walmart. But whatever you get make sure it has 6% hypochlorite listed in the active ingredients section.
 
frogabog said:
Do you have any kind of chlorine and PH testing available? A strip perhaps (hate to suggest it, but...)?

For now you want to maintain some chlorine in the pool and adjust ph if needed. The test results tonight will be helpful. Are you using any kind of chlorine routinely? Or just adding shock product? What does the water look like?

The more you can tell us about what you've added and when/why, the better we can help you at the moment. You were sold calcium for what reason? Once you get some water chemistry values you can plug them into the pool calculator. See the link in my sig line.
Click to expand...
This was the water a couple of weekends ago:

78106336.jpg


It's not quite as sparkly as it was in this picture, but it's not far off. I've just been adding shock and muriatic acid mostly as they have been telling me.

3 1/2 lbs of super shock and 8 oz of muriatic acid last tuesday. I added 1 1/5 lbs of super shock last night just because they said I would use that much once a week. I'll see what my readings are tonight and post.

I'll ask for the levels you noted above.

Thanks!
 
mynewpool said:
Also until you get your test kit and can test more often, I would suggest adding 1-2 big jugs of bleach (182 oz size) until you ge the test kit. This will not be the way you will do it, but will help get the process going until you get your real test kit and can post your first set of results.

Make sure to get just regular unscented bleach. Whatever bleach you get make sure it has 6% hypochlorite. For sure clorox has the 6%. People have had good luck with great value bleach from walmart. But whatever you get make sure it has 6% hypochlorite listed in the active ingredients section.
Click to expand...

Will the pool be swimmable after I pour this much bleach in? My pool is not currently green and I don't think it's unsafe. I just don't want to make it unswimmable (is that a word?!) if I don't have to.
 
Brian,

Welcome to the forum :lol: If your water is still anywhere close to that in appearance, you will be fine. Post up those test results as soon as you get them. Do not put a lot of trust in them but it might tell us if something is glaringly off (not likely)

I hope you can get CYA test results but we'll see what they give you and work with that.

If you're going out, pick up about 4-5 of the 96 oz jugs of Clorox (or other brand) and we'll likely suggest you put some in but let's wait for the test results.

Posting a pic of your equipment is always helpful. There's lot's of folks here that will help you with whatever questions you will have about valves, etc.

While you are waiting on your kit (it will leave for Texas in about 30 minutes), Please sit down tonight and read Pool School....in particular, "the ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry". The info will overwhelm you probably at first but keep reading and it will start to make sense. At the same time, ask lots of questions on the forum and everyone hear will help you keep your sparkling pool in good shape.
 
Dave,
Thanks for the comments. Got the email saying order was complete. Kudos to you guys, that is awesome customer service! I'll get the Chlorox on the way back from the pool store and will post results.

I hope I wasn't misleading earlier...my pool is not in bad shape. I just want to make sure it doesn't get there but I have no idea of what I am doing!
 
Since you added shock product last night, you probably don't need to add that much bleach for today.

The test results from tonight will be sufficient. Once we get an idea of your CYA level in relation to the chlorine level you can go to the pool calculator and use those values to calculate how much bleach (if any) to add tonight.

In the meantime, read pool school a few times. You'll have a much better understanding of how this all works once pool school sinks in a little. It's a little confusing at first but it'll come together after a few reads.

And hey... See Dave up there? ^^^^^ That's the guy who cares enough about your pool to ship your test kit out today. Just one of the reasons we love him so!
 
Hi neighbor! Welcome to TFP! There are several Leslie's pool stores and a Warehouse pool store in the Clear Lake area. Any one of them can run the tests for you, just don't buy anything from them. Locally Walmart has the best price on 96 ounces of 6% bleach at $1.27 a jug.
 
zea3 said:
Hi neighbor! Welcome to TFP! There are several Leslie's pool stores and a Warehouse pool store in the Clear Lake area. Any one of them can run the tests for you, just don't buy anything from them. Locally Walmart has the best price on 96 ounces of 6% bleach at $1.27 a jug.
Click to expand...
Howdy! Yeah, I've been using Warehouse. Just got back from getting my analysis and HOLY COW! I have no chlorine in my pool!

Free Chlorine : 0.0ppm
Total Chlorine: 0.0ppm
Combined Chlorine: 0.0ppm
pH: 7.8
Hardness: 325ppm
Alkalinity: 75ppm
Cyanuric Acid: 80ppm
Total Dissolved Solids: 700ppm

Analysis says to add 1pt 2.0 oz of Muriatic Acid, 6lb 10.0 oz of Alkalinity Control, and 5.0 oz Calcium Hypochlorite.

Now that the analysis has been done, I'm ready for the gurus to let me have it! I'll let a few posts roll in before I start putting stuff in. I bought 6 jugs of Chlorox at the store and yes, I made sure it was 6% and in 96oz jugs.

Thanks again guys,
Brian
 

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