3x2m 1013g Costco Intex Pool Help(Indoors)

[TheronB]

What's the best way to shock a small indoor pool like this? Chlorine stays in the water for a long time, but the non-chlorine shocks don't seem to remove chloramines. Also, chemistry is good except pH is a little low. What's a good way to add aeration, or should I use Borax?

Thanks

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Can you provide some water chemistry test results? How do you test your pool water chemistry?
Non-chlorine shock will show up as CC when testing.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! Could you post a set of test results? Do you currently have an algae problem or are you doing a weekly shock? If you do not currently have an algae problem then you do not need to shock the pool. What are you using to add chlorine to the pool?

 

[TheronB]

I'm using household 6% bleach to chlorinate the pool. I'm testing with 6 in 1 test strips.

TC - 0-25 (closer to 0, but range is large)
CC - not available on these strips
FC - between 2-3
pH - between 6.2 and 6.8
TA - between 80-120
TH - around 100
CYA - tests around 100, but I've never added it or used stabilized chlorine. It starts in the 30-50 range and slowly creeps towards 150 after a while. Strips say to read at 15 seconds.

Water has always been crystal clear, no algae or scaling and feels fine without any irritation. Maybe a slight chloramine smell if you snuff your hands right after wetting them but no smell above the water.

The pool gets no direct light and very little contamination because it's in an enclosed patio with one large screened window. It's covered when not in use. I only need to add bleach a couple times a week to keep it in this range. From reading, I expected the pH to gradually creep up with use, but after almost a month it seems stable there still.

 

[zea3]

I know it is difficult to get good test kits in Taipei. If you have never added any granulated chlorine, stabilizer, or conditioner to the water then the CYA level is zero. With 0 CYA you want to stay below 2ppm for chlorine. It sounds like you do not need to "shock" the pool, just maintain regular chlorine levels. If you notice chloramines building up then uncover the pool and open a door or window to the outside and let the air circulate. As far as aeration you could add a little fountain. Anything that churns the water a bit adds aeration and pushes up the pH level. Your best bet may be to find a small. battery operated floating fountain for your pool.

 

[TheronB]

Thanks for the reply. I plan to order a better test kit, but international shipping is limited now with the Coronavirus. There are chemical supply shops around, but I haven't found a dedicated pool supply shop.

Do they make small manual pool vacuums for pools like mine? Or is my best bet to drain, clean and refill when sediment is present?

I'll look for a small battery operated fountain.

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How about this? I can get it locally online and it's only $10.

I assume I just need to attach something to it so that the jet breaks the water surface and I'm good to go?

 

[zea3]

I can't read whatever language the link is written in. If that is a small submersible pump, as long as you can set it up so it churns the surface of the water it should work. I would take it out before swimming.

 

[TheronB]

I can't read whatever language the link is written in. If that is a small submersible pump, as long as you can set it up so it churns the surface of the water it should work. I would take it out before swimming.

Yes, it is a submersible pump. It's specced to expel water 200cm and the pool height is 75cm. With the right attachment, there should be substantial cascading and the entire pool volume should pass through it in less than three hours. I'll definitely remove it before people go into the pool.
Thanks

 

[TheronB]

Is this sufficient to raise pH?

 

[Casey]

View attachment 133575View attachment 133575
Is this sufficient to raise pH?

Yes! Its breaking the water surface and should do the trick. BTW... Beautiful pool water! Looks like you're doing well with it.

 

[TheronB]

Yes! Its breaking the water surface and should do the trick. BTW... Beautiful pool water! Looks like you're doing well with it.

Thanks for the confirmation and encouragement. Hopefully it warms up a little soon. Little ones still shiver when they are in the water now.

 

[TheronB]

After a few days the fountain isn't having much affect on pH unfortunately. I'm going to pick up some borax tomorrow and add it little by little until I get it back close to the ideal range.

 

[Brett S]

After a few days the fountain isn't having much affect on pH unfortunately. I'm going to pick up some borax tomorrow and add it little by little until I get it back close to the ideal range.

This pool is indoors, correct? One thing that can happen with indoor pools is that if you have a high CO2 level in the air in your house then it can be difficult to keep the pH level in the water up. Having a lot of people in the house, especially if the windows and doors are closed all the time can definitely bring up the CO2 level. Opening some windows near the pool to provide ventilation can help to reduce the indoor CO2 level, which will also help raise the pH level in the water.

 

[TheronB]

This pool is indoors, correct? One thing that can happen with indoor pools is that if you have a high CO2 level in the air in your house then it can be difficult to keep the pH level in the water up. Having a lot of people in the house, especially if the windows and doors are closed all the time can definitely bring up the CO2 level. Opening some windows near the pool to provide ventilation can help to reduce the indoor CO2 level, which will also help raise the pH level in the water.

Ok, thanks. All the windows in the house are closed except the large window next to the pool. It's humid and dusty where I live, so everything else is kept closed with dehumidifiers.

I added about a third to half of the borax I would need and it definitely started heading in the right direction. I didn't want to add too much at once in case the strips weren't accurate, but they seem more accurate now. The CYA now reads 0 as it should. Perhaps the low pH was interfering with that test before. I added another third of the borax just now, and I'll check it again in a day.

 

[TheronB]

Update...
Added more borax and after 7 hours of filter pump and fountain the pH tested within range. Everything tests within range now according to the test strips except TA, which jumped from around 100 to 180-240, but that doesn't make sense considering borax doesn't add carbonates and there is no CYA. The pool is vinyl and there is no clouding or scaling so that should be fine AFAIK. I'll have some different test strips in a couple of weeks hopefully.

 

[harleysilo]

could you try a nozzel of sorts attached to orange pipe and adjusting it to spray directly into the water vs. arching into the water?