Another Pool Newbie :) Here's my questions

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poolnovice23

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Jun 1, 2013
12
So I just moved into a rental that happens to have a pool. They had pool service but now it is up to me. I didn't realize that they stopped coming until recently I noticed the yellow algae lol. SO I found this forum and decided to educate myself. You guys are very helpful and hope that you can help me with these questions since I have never had a pool before. Out of the sake of emergency I got myself pooltime 6 way test strips. I plan on ordering the TF100 kit soon. Here are the results
TA- ~60
CYA- ~100
PH- 8.4+
FC- 0
TC- 0
Total Hardness (i'm guessing calcium hardness?) - 1000

SO given that my numbers are not anywhere near it should be I really don't know where to even start. I'm almost tempted to hire a pool service but I just don't have the $90/mo to throw away if I can put in some effort and do it myself. I hate paying for something that I can do myself lol. I have heard of taking out the cartridge filter weekly and cleaning it and then replacing it every few months. I have an inline feeder that's obviously empty at the moment and there is a second small cartridge that doesn't seem to be having any flow going through it. I'm going to try and attach some images.
Next, when the pump is running should I have the waterfall and spa jets running daily as well?
What order do I start correcting these numbers and what is the best way to go about it?
With the CH being so high am I going to need to replace the water?
I have 2 pages of notes so far and am learning fast I just need someone to help me take the first few steps.
There are some extra valves that are not labeled that I don't know what they do if somebody has seen similar and can help me out there it would be appreciated.
 

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WHILE........... you are waiting for your test kit to come in......(you already ordered it I hope)......I'd do two partial drain and refills one third at a time to lower that CYA and hopefully the CH. Fix the Ph down to 7.2 and get your FC to 5 or 6. Then clean the cartridge filter. Ordered that test kit yet?
 
No i dont have a cleaner in the pool, i had to buy the brush vacuum and skimmer because i had nothing. I guess thats why there is no flow through it? If i have to do a partial drain how do i do that? Should i go ahead and add the chlorine tabs into the feeder?
 
That is correct. The valve is in the off position. There should be a quick connect somewhere on the wall of the pool that you can connect one to in the future if you want to.

As far as draining your pool goes, you need to get yourself a submersible pump and start pumping out the water. Since you have a cartridge filter you probably don't have the ability to backwash to waste/drain. If you have a port on your plumbing to connect a hose and drain that way that may be an option. Unfortunately it is probably only a typical hose bib which is very slow.

There will be no reason to chlorinate when doing this process since you are getting rid of water. Based on the numbers that got the pool in this situation the continuing use of tabs will probably be a bad choice. Do you have an idea on how high your water table is? Where are you located?
 
The water table relates to your groundwater and how close it is to the surface. If you drain too much of your pool at once it can pop out of the ground. I think your water table is shallow which means you run the risk. Do what woodyp said and drain a third refill then drain another third and refill. You could probably get away with half but I wouldn't go any further than that.

You can use the hose connection (Is that the valve on the bottom left corner of your first pic?) and run the hose out to the street or open field etc. If you choose that route you will need to shut the valve off to the skimmer and only draw water from the floor drain. That is the one that has the two lines coming together before the pump.

Someone from your area might have more input on this as well.
 
ok so the water level was already starting to get low so did the switched the valve over to pick up from the floor drain. when I did that it started sucking it out of the spa and dropping the level rather quickly. what could be causing this?
 

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So what i'm thinking is i'm going to have to get a submersible pump because when I switch to the floor drains it just drains out my spa... as i'm typing i'm wondering if I turn on the spa jets while having it pull from the floor drains instead of the skimmer will that keep it filled? would like to know since I need to start draining this and getting my pool under control. Also, when I drain it are there regulations or anything I need to know about when draining my pool? Do I just hook up the hose and let it run somewhere or wha tis the proper procedure for this... after I do the drain and fills what will my next step be?
 
After you have done atleast 2 drain/refills, test your numbers with the kit you have ordered. (You ordered them already didn't you?)

Check and see if the CYA is in range of 30-50. If it is, check pH and adjust it and then start the shocking process found in Pool School.

The test kit (TF-100 and/or K-2006) is a very important tool in the shocking process. You need it to know you're getting reliable numbers and to pass the OCLT.
 

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Ok so its taken a few days but i've drained about half the pool. Now that it took so long i have nice green water left in there so my new questions are.... Do i fill it from the water hose or are there other options? Can i do anything about the algae before i refill the pool?
 
I'd start filling with a hose. You may be able to truck water in but IDK i'm not from FL.

Did you get your test kit yet?

Have you seen the pool calculator yet? It helps you determine how much of various chemicals you need to add to your pool. You could start adding some bleach but it may be a waste if you are still waiting on your test kit.
 
ok so the test kit arrived today. after doing all the tests my CH is 400 which is above the recommended. Now I just drained right around half to 2/3rds of the pool and refilled it. Do I need to do it again?
 
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