What's my next step?

[79TAKid]

Hi everyone,

A little background. I knew nothing about pools 3 weeks ago. I bought my house back in December and it was a foreclosure. Very nice house that was well taken care of. The pool was closed for 2 seasons and the people sold the pool heater.

The neighbors have pools and a couple of them use a local guy (not pool store) to close their pool. I had this guy open my pool since it was a bit cheaper, he also did the pipe work to bypass where there wasnt a heater anymore..

Per my signature - 2005 pool, 26' Octagon, IG Pool, ~16gal, 5-5 1/2' deep, Liner, Sand Filter, Polaris Salt system, 3/4hp Pump. I don't have any paperwork on anything. I called the pool company that put the pool in and they gave me the dimensions and about how deep. I called back a couple days ago because I was unsure how many gallons, the girl did not check any paperwork this time and told me "Roughly 16000 gallons."


Here's what the pool looked like when we took the cover off:

(May 18) Still knew nothing about pools but started learning a ton after this point.

Here was 3 days later (May 21 - my 23rd bday )

I believe at this point I had poured in 2x 5gal jugs of liquid shock, per the pool opening guy. Then a few days later for the next week I put in 4-5 1lb bags of powder super shock all together and had a chlorine tablet in my skimmer basket (neighbor's suggestion).

May 24
I believe my vaccuum, net and all my pool stuff arrived in the mail around this time but I hadnt used it yet besides maybe scrubbing the walls and scooping junk out. I've had the skimmer going the whole time sucking tons of junk up and I was emptying it all the time along with backwashing the filter.

May 26 - I believe I tried to vaccuum a little but was too cloudy to see much

Since it had started to clear up and was more blue than green, I took a water sample to one the local pool places. (I have the results somewhere) The younger girl there tested my water and wanted to sell me $240 worth of stuff! 350lb of salt, some TA booster, and stabilizer? The whole time she was telling me that I should convert my pool back to chlorine too :| so I told her I'm going to talk to a friend before I bought anything (since I didnt trust her at all!). She was going off my pool being 20-22k gallons according to her math (I did not know how many gallons it was at this time).

Everyone you talk to has a different story of what to do, so its been a bit frustrating trying to figure out what to do (Before I knew about this site). My one neighbor has been super helpful with everything since i've moved in but he has a chlorine pool so hes only been able to tell me so much with mine. Another friend kept telling me to try Floc to clear up the cloudyness.

May 29 - I put this in in the afternoon, let the pump go for a couple hours and turned it off

May 30 - Next afternoon after work, Able to see where the black junk is settled at the bottom! I started to vacuum

May 31 - Vacuuming more

June 1 - Finally yesterday (it stormed bad the night before)

Probably still a little cloudy. So what's my next step? I don't have a test kit and that's probably something I need to order online, so I guess I'll have a pool store test my water again. I've already learned I can buy solar salt for much much cheaper, but i'm sure they'll want to sell my Alkalinity booster which will probably be $20-30. I also have no clue how much salt to buy/put in. I dont even know how to use my SWG and haven't found a manual online for it yet.

Thanks for any pointers

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

A salt pool is a chlorine pool. lol She works at the pool store?

The SWG converts the salt into chlorine. Its just an automated way of adding chlorine daily.

We need to see test numbers to help.

Baking soda is TA/Alkalinity booster and less than $1 a pound in the grocery store...

Check out the Pool Calculator - the link is in my sig. Play with it, sounds to me like 16,000 is closer to accurate. It tells you exactly how much of each chemical you need to add.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/recommended_levels
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator

I honestly don't think you have completed the shock process on your pool but without one of the recommended test kits (order online) it will be difficult to know.

Don't increase the CYA/stabilizer to the recommended level for an SWG until the shock process is complete and the FC is holding overnight, and you need one of the recommended test kits to determine that.

Did I mention a test kit? So worth the small investment. Prevents you from being pool stored and it will last you 2-3 seasons if stored properly. Allows you to take total control of your pool.

Hope this helps, post back with any questions!

 

[SkyKid]

Welcome 79TAKid
I would buy a good test kit like the TF-100(I did)
Then listen to the pro's here and not your pool store(did that too)
My pool went from green to Sparkling clean in about 2 weeks
I spent about 90$ on the TF-100test kit with the xl option(should of gotten the speed stir)
Then I bought around 20-25 gallons of bleach cost about 50$

 

[79TAKid]

Took a few pics of the pump/filter/SWG

I believe I have an air leak or 2. It seems that when its building pressure (say when move backwash back to filter or empty the pump basket out and it has to build pressure again), water will leak for a few moments out of the top of the filter. Also, a couple times yesterday when I turned the pump off, water got around the O-Ring of the pump and shot out. You can also see bubbles at the top of my pump basket (what is the real name for this lol). I also believe it has gotten worse the past couple days. Since I started this whole thing, i've had to close my main drain some of the way and put a rock in the skimmer hole so that it has enough suction to actually pulling things down into the skimmer basket and not have them just float above it. Now it seems that its not doing as much PSI and I have to have the main drain almost all the way closed (does that make since?).

 

[79TAKid]

Thanks for the quick replies guys! I'll buy a test kit, but wont that take a week to get?? The pool store will test my water for free to get me some kind of idea.

 

[Smykowski]

Welcome to the forum! As a rule,we are very skeptical of any results from a pool store. Those tests they do aren't really free, and most pool store employees don't truly understand the chemistry. While you're waiting for your kit, read Pool School several times (it probably won't start to stick until the third or fourth time through) and browse as many "Defeating Algae" threads that you can - look for ones with lots of replies/pages and pictures attached. Seeing the saga objectively before you start your own will be very helpful.

 

[Richard320]

Thanks for the quick replies guys! I'll buy a test kit, but wont that take a week to get?? The pool store will test my water for free to get me some kind of idea.

They sure will - and it's worth every cent you paid for it. And you'll leave with how much overpriced stuff? Pool stores exist to sell chemicals. Don't forget that.

If you live in the Southeast and order now, you'll likely have a TF100 in your paws by Tuesday. I've gotten my refills shipped from NC to CA in 4 days.

 

[79TAKid]

Thanks for the quick replies guys! I'll buy a test kit, but wont that take a week to get?? The pool store will test my water for free to get me some kind of idea.

They sure will - and it's worth every cent you paid for it. And you'll leave with how much overpriced stuff? Pool stores exist to sell chemicals. Don't forget that.

If you live in the Southeast and order now, you'll likely have a TF100 in your paws by Tuesday. I've gotten my refills shipped from NC to CA in 4 days.

I only meant have them test it but not buy anything haha. I havent gotten a chance to read the pool school thoroughly yet, but it sounds like everyone is recommended the TF-100.

Sorry if this is covered in the school but since I have absolutely nothing for testing, I want the TF-100 right? Should I only from here?: http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html

And what other options should I get? I have a salt water system. Will the Salt Test strips option be alright? Someone had talked about the XL option too.

Thanks again guys, I look forward to learning more here

 

[harleysilo]

XL option, salt test strips, and the speed stir. You have so much to learn I glad you found us NOW, before you went through heck with the pool store. Quit listening to your neighbors too, sorry to say. No pucks in the skimmer. Really you'll be flying blind till you get your test kit, but youve done a GREAT job so far, nice progress!

 

[harleysilo]

Oh and you are turning off the pump when you switch positions on your valve atop your sand filter aren't you?

 

[79TAKid]

XL option, salt test strips, and the speed stir. You have so much to learn I glad you found us NOW, before you went through **** with the pool store. Quit listening to your neighbors too, sorry to say. No pucks in the skimmer. Really you'll be flying blind till you get your test kit, but youve done a GREAT job so far, nice progress!

Thanks

Oh and you are turning off the pump when you switch positions on your valve atop your sand filter aren't you?

Yes yes I know that much haha.

 

[79TAKid]

Ordered the TF100 + speed stir + XL... Being a home owner/pool owner is expensive! But it sounds like this will save me money in the future.

 

[harleysilo]

That's is a very unique design for a pool. Any idea why that shape? I can't tell from your pics if it fits the space or not. Backyard looks nice and private, I like that fence style. Are those black columns lights or speakers?

For what you spent on being able to test your own water, feasibly for the next 2 years, assuming proper storage, you have saved yourself weekly or more often trips to get your water tested. You will be more accurate in adjusting your. Chemicals. Best of all with advice here you will have a perfect pool all summer, and for many more to come. The $~100 you spent will be the best you've spent on your new home.

Having the SWG will make BBB very easy for you. It will take some time to dial in the run time on the SWG, and you'll want to keep check PH to see if it is constantly rising. All issues have easy solutions so it's no big deal.

 

[harleysilo]

That pool needs a basketball goal!

 

[79TAKid]

That's is a very unique design for a pool. Any idea why that shape? I can't tell from your pics if it fits the space or not. Backyard looks nice and private, I like that fence style. Are those black columns lights or speakers?

For what you spent on being able to test your own water, feasibly for the next 2 years, assuming proper storage, you have saved yourself weekly or more often trips to get your water tested. You will be more accurate in adjusting your. Chemicals. Best of all with advice here you will have a perfect pool all summer, and for many more to come. The $~100 you spent will be the best you've spent on your new home.

Having the SWG will make BBB very easy for you. It will take some time to dial in the run time on the SWG, and you'll want to keep check PH to see if it is constantly rising. All issues have easy solutions so it's no big deal.

The black thing sticking out of the ground is for the optical lights, which I didnt learn what it was until the guy came and opened my pool :lol: Changes colors in the pool pink,green,blue, purple. Its pretty neat.

Here is an overhead shot of the house (on the left). It's pretty private. We're on a golf course so the shape could resemble a golf ball? Not sure.

 

[79TAKid]

So I've got my salt test strips (I have Amazon prime so got them in a day) but I'm still waiting on my test kit. Is there anything I can do in the meantime while I wait so that things dont get worse? Water looks a little cloudy.

I know these cant be trusted because they're from the pool store... Theyre a week old and pool size was calculated wrong, but here was the initial test results from the pool store. They said I had 0 CYA. Just wondering in case there's anything I should prepare for/worry about.

 

[harleysilo]

So what have you added to the pool in the past week? Have you added CYA (Stabilizer)? Have you been adding chlorine daily? Did you add salt yet or just get the test strips in?

If you've been keeping chlorine in it, and it's still a little cloudy, it could just require more filtering time. I've read many times that sand filters take awhile to get a pool crystal clear.

Have you opened up your sand filter yet? You could do a real cleaning of it, and make sure you have enough sand in there (no need to replace it) my-sand-is-channeled-how-to-fix-it-t7626.html

You could also try pool-school/add_de_to_a_sand_filter

If you haven't been adding chlorine then you just need to start adding chlorine, and properly shock your pool when you get your test kit.

 

[79TAKid]

The only thing I've done since those results is Floc and vacuum

 

[harleysilo]

You are not alone pump-losing-suction-power-t61978.html

 

[79TAKid]

Cool, I just noticed this morning that my test kit was on the front porch. Guess it came last night while I wasnt home! Can't wait to get home and learn how to use it/test the water.