New Pool Owner needs Help..

[fireball56]

Moved into this home a couple months ago and the pool came with it. (18'x33'x4')To start, I am pretty sure the previous owner had not used this in a couple years. The winter cover was down in the water, so every thing that had accumulated on it, ended up in the pool. After a couple weeks of cleaning, we finally got the water to be sparkling clean. By the way, we are in the country with well water. So last week we decided to finish filling the pool up from the well. ( had to add appx. 500gal.) So then after testing and seeing the FC is zero, I decide to shock it. So I premix 2 small bags of shock and disperse it around the pool. Within 5 minutes the water turnes solid brown.. So after finding this website and reading a bit, I think my water has iron in it. So amongst the crate of chemicals left here is a bottle of METAL KLEAR. So I pour it in the pool. It took over 4 days but the water is now back to crystal clear and after vaccuming the bottom, the pool looks great. NOW the problem is after testing and putting the results in the Pool Calculator, it says I need to replace 68% of my water???? So my question is, Is this really the only answer because having to have water hauled in will be a big $ problem.. I have also added 3 gals of bleach and the FC is still zero, afraid to try and shock it again.. Thanks for all the help and following are test results.
FC-0
pH-7.8
TA-120
TH-800
CYA-30-50

 

[zea3]

Hi welcome to TFP! Since you have a vinyl lined pool, you can manage the high CH level by keeping the pH and TA in the low end of the recommended range, around 7.2 for pH and 70-80 for TA. This will prevent scale from forming. Take advantage of any forecasts of heavy rain by draining a few inches off the pool and allowing rainwater to make up the difference.

I'm not familiar with the sequestrant you used (metal klear) so it may have caused a temporary increase in chlorine demand.

 

[Leebo]

Welcome! Lisbon.....hey I've been there! Down just south ofSteubenville myself.

Your issue is your calcium hardness. Once it's in there, it don't come out without replacing water. It can lead to cloudy water and scaling. You are in SOME luck as it shouldn't go up more with a vinyl liner.

Can you test your well water??? Often that's the issue, and trucking in fresh water is your best bet.

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, Fireball,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: Your run-in with the pool calculator is common for newbies so let me help just a bit. Don't use the calculator to tell you WHAT to do, use it to tell you HOW MUCH you need to do.

I'm not sure (based on your test results) why it suggested a drain/refill but I see no reason for it (again, based on the results you posted)

The pool looks great but to keep it that way, you HAVE to put some chlorine in it immediately or it will turn green and be unsanitary.

I have also added 3 gals of bleach

When? Chlorine is consumable and must constantly be replenished.

afraid to try and shock it again

Not to worry, you didn't shock your pool to begin with. Shocking is a process you must read about in Pool School.

Let's get your chlorine issue squared away and then we can deal with the iron in your water.

 

[duraleigh]

I didn't address the TH in the pool because it is TH, not CH, almost always taken from a strip test and completely unreliable

 

[fireball56]

Thanks all for the replys, Hey Leebo, I am originally from Toronto and was born in Steubenville, graduated from Wellsville... OK I have poured the bleach to it, tested and coming up a little. Added more bleach and waiting to test again. I only have the small test kit that does chlorine and pH so yes the rest of the readings are from test strips. Thanks again and I will post readings later..