pool 101... Help Please I know nothing.....

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C

clayton

0
May 14, 2008
11
Central Arkansas
Just purchased a house in Arkansas with a pool that hasn't been used in two years. The cover was partially in the pool and the water is green with leaves and frogs in it.. So far I have removed the cover, using the net got most of the leave I could find, added a box of shock that was in the garage of the house and put in 6 cups of powder chlorine. I got the pump ( sand) running and have the water level to the middle of the skimmers and everything seems to be running correctly. I have a test kit that was at the house and checked to red side (ph) and it seems to read about 7 and the chlorine ( yellow ) seems to be 0 or very close.. I am not sure how to determine the # on this little kit... The pump has been running for the last 3 days and the water looks a little clearer but not as clear as I think it should be by now.. The pool is square and pretty big, liner pool and seems to be about 25 ft by 50ft with the deep part in the middle and shallow on each end...

Now, that is all I know about that.......

Where do we start.. Pump running, water moving, 1 box of shock in and 6 cups of chlorine in today.......

Help..... :shock: :shock:
 
Welcome to TFP! You need to keep adding Chlorine - and you need to get one of the TF100 Test kits. Your kit tests up to 5PPM Chlorine and you need to get yours up to 15ppm. You can probably use granular shock at this point as I'm sure you probably don't have any CYA in the pool. That's a big pool 35 to 40K gallons I'm guessing if not bigger. Check the stickies for determining pool volume and add chlorine accordingly. Be patient - it took two years to get that way - a week to 10 days to turn it around is just a drop in the bucket.
 
Hi Clayton and welcome :)

The TF Test kit is the most recommended by folks here. Link in my sig. This is the best investment we made in our pool!

Since you do not have a great test kit yet, I suggest you take a water sample to the nearest pool store and get it tested! Resist any urge/pressuer to buy any products. :wink:

Post back here with your numbers and you will get some good advice.

Do you know about backwashing your sand filter?

Lots of folks here ready to help you :-D
 
Thanks.....

Yes I have back washed several times over the last few weeks just a few minutes each time. Now after adding the chlorine, the water has turned a brownish gold color and it appears the algy is dying and going into the skimmer. I am going to leave the pump running and get a TP test kit. Today I will take the water to a local pool store and have them test it. NO, I will not buy anything from them until I have got my numbers and posted them here. I read Bleach is a good Idea for shocking a pool but I have already added one box of granule shock. Will it hurt anything to switch to Bleach if I need to shock again? I have been reading this forum for the last few weeks and trying things I read. We actually aren't moving to the house for another two weeks but the owner has moved already and Oked me to start working on the pool so I go to the house about every other day and backwash and clean out the skimmers and filter. I had the water a cloudy blue last week but noticed more leaves in the deep end. After removing what I could see the water turned green again so that is when I add this last box of shock. I tested to chlorine level and noticed it was almost 0 so I added six cups of chlorine. Now we have gold water and dead algy on the surface. I will get the numbers and get back with you guy's. :shock: :shock: :?:
 
Clayton,

Welcome to the forum.

In the "Stickies" above, read Jason's article "Turning a green pool......" It'll give you a good idea of the process involved.

Also read ABC's of pool water chemistry.....very basic primer.

I would suggest you wait 'til you can give that pool your undivided attention. You're gonna need a TON of clorox and the process may take as long as a week.....requiring you to do something at least daily.

Dabbling at it (trying to do it part-time) can be pretty frustrating.
 
OK, took the water in and got it tested.. Here are the #'s...
TDS 600
CYA 41
Tot Chlorine 4.4
Free Chlorine 4.4
PH 7.5
Tot ALk 154
Tot Hardness 225

Pool store said the # where perfect !! OK I did break down and buy Proteam Mustard & Black Magic 6 oz and added it. They said I have Mustard Algae and this would help it. I brushed the pool then backwashed it then added the stuff....

Jasons Calc says my pool is about 30k gallons the pool shop says it 18k..

It's 20 X 40 shallow on each end and deep in the middle. About 4foot on the ends and 8 in the middle..

:shock: :shock:

now what!!!
 
duraleigh said:
Clayton,

Welcome to the forum.

In the "Stickies" above, read Jason's article "Turning a green pool......" It'll give you a good idea of the process involved.

Also read ABC's of pool water chemistry.....very basic primer.

I would suggest you wait 'til you can give that pool your undivided attention. You're gonna need a TON of clorox and the process may take as long as a week.....requiring you to do something at least daily.

Dabbling at it (trying to do it part-time) can be pretty frustrating.
Click to expand...

Find an Aldi's store and stock up on their "Tundra" 6% bleach. It should be 99 cents for the 96 oz. jug. I'd gather up a cart full (about 40 -50) and that will get you cleared up and stocked for awhile. By the way - where are you located? We may be neighbors for all I know 8)
 
Moved from another thread. JasonLion
clayton said:
OK guy's I posted my Numbers, Pool place said the numbers are good, Brushed twice, vacuum twice over the last two days and the bottom is clean.. Shocked about 4 times ( twice with power twice with bleach)over the last week and seem to be holding my CYA around 40 - 60.. Ph is 7.2 but my chlorine is staying above 10 and has been up for two days I put 5 bottles of bleach in on Saturday . BUTTT the water is still a milky greenish blue... Good news is I can see the bottom now if the sun hits it just right.. The water coming through the skimmer looks clear and the backwash bottle looks clear..

Where do we go from here!!!!! :roll: :roll: :roll:
Click to expand...
 

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Sand fitler now,,, Do I want to change to Salt....????

Here's a hole new question... I have heard Salt is less of a problem and the water is much nicer to swim in... My Filter ( Hayward pro series S244S says sand or salt filter.. Now it is sand... How do I go about changing to salt if I decide too.. and how expensive is it.. :?: :?:
 
Re: Sand fitler now,,, Do I want to change to Salt....????

clayton said:
Here's a hole new question... I have heard Salt is less of a problem and the water is much nicer to swim in... My Filter ( Hayward pro series S244S says sand or salt filter.. Now it is sand... How do I go about changing to salt if I decide too.. and how expensive is it.. :?: :?:
Click to expand...

If you convert your pool to a salt pool, you will still use sand in your filter. You would simply be adding salt directly to your pool water and filtering the same as you do now. Salt does give the water a silkier feel and if you decide to purchase a salt water chlorine generator, it will make adding chlorine to your pool pretty much automatic on a daily basis (I personally love it).

As far as just adding salt for enhanced feel of the water, there is discussion HERE.

The cost for salt isn't that much, about 5 bucks for a 40 lb bag at Home Depot/Lowe's. Each 40 lb bag will give your 30k gal. pool about 160 ppm. Salt water chlorine generators vary greatly in cost from about $200 to $2000.
 
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