no real test kit what can i do

goats

0
May 4, 2014
21
New Mexico
I will start with the conditions from last year. Water stayed milky white settling on the bottom. This year started out with bleach to reopen pool. pool turned clear yet still had the residue. I made a gravity vacuum to get it out, water was clear enough to see the bottom . I then filled up the pool with another foot of water. Added stabilizer Water turned green I added a half gal of bleach. I can test the PH it is now 7.2and now chorine if off the scale but dropping. I vacuum residue daily till it gets to cloudy to see what I am doing. Our water is from a well if that helps at all. I know a better test kit is needed and when I can get to town I will but that could be a while
 
Welcome to TFP!

There is no way to offer suggestions without test results. Why add stabilizer when you do not know your previous level? Might be too high now and if you do not have adequate FC, that could result in algae clouding the water. Sounds like you are trying to drive a car blindfolded ... You might get where you need to go, but highly unlikely.

You should order one of the recommended test kits as they are not usually available locally.
 
What we teach to maintain crystal clear water begins with precise testing. Making suggestions as to what might help without good test results is just simply guessing and it almost never works.

You will probably not be able to get the test kit you need locally. You need the TF-100 or the K-2006
 
Rural has nothing to do with anything. We keep trying to point out that you have to order the good kits online because stores to not carry them. Clearly you have internet, so you should be able to order one online ;)
 
I live in Australia and still managed to get a recomended test kit, bloody cost a lot though with $85 shipping
without knowing what your water test results are you may as well flip a coin
should i add bleach? heads = yes, tails = no
should i add acid? heads = yes, tails = no
is my CYA ok? heads = yes, tails = no
well you get the idea
 

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Re: my water levels

Phosphates are meaningless too. Just a ruse by leslies to sell some very expensive phosfree! You're lucky yours was 0 if higher they'd have sold you some. This sucker bought some before I learned about bleach and cya.
 
Re: my water levels

It will be 4 to 6 weeks before I would be able to order your approved test kit. Neighbor told me today give me a sample they would get it tested so I did it. they went to town and yea they went to a pool store. If no help in here without that kit then so be it But if anyone has any ideas I would like to hear them .My biggest prob is poor filtration not chemistry I think I will get the stuff in the bottom sig
 
Re: my water levels

My biggest prob is poor filtration not chemistry...
Based on numerous posts from people in similar situations as yours, I can tell you that this is usually not the case. A majority of the time, the pump, filter, and plumbing is working properly and doing what it's supposed to. It's the chemistry problems that allow more debris in the pool than should be, which clogs the filters quickly and reduces water flow. Once the chemistry is fixed, the filter "problems" take care of themselves.
 
Re: my water levels

this pool is the 15 x 48 pool with what I believe is a 1000gph pool pump/filter so in theory takes 4 hours to filter all the water. My knowledge of pumps and filtration is enough to know it isn't really good enough, especially when you have the pump sitting on the ground. pumps lose some the farther they pump. Our pump sits off the ground about 2 feet. Not to mention I have the skimmer on it but instead of it hanging on the side I sunk it to the bottom of the pool. My problem is the water isn't clear. never has been clear in this pool.
but as I said will be a long while before I get the approved test kit and by then our swim season is half over with

- - - Updated - - -

Phosphates are meaningless too. Just a ruse by leslies to sell some very expensive phosfree! You're lucky yours was 0 if higher they'd have sold you some. This sucker bought some before I learned about bleach and cya.

Bleach is what I am using
 
Re: my water levels

The test kit is needed to confirm there is nothing living in the water. Then it is up to the filter and your is lacking if you have the little Intex cartridges. Getting some Unicel carts should help, upgrading to the sand filter and pump would be better although sounds like that is not in the cards.
 
Re: my water levels

Ok, lets try taking this from a different point, although without good testing there is only so much we can do, and a lot is blind guessing. What does the water look like, better yet can you post a photo. Also tell us a bit about the history of this pool, you say the water has never been clear, going back how long....
 
Re: my water levels

pool was put up last summer water was hauled in for it from a well. once I got the chorine and PH right it turned white then the white settled on the bottom as a fine powder that I could not get rid of. Closed pool for winter.
This spring I started to work on it as it was green and black. Pool has been given 1 and a half gallons of bleach to get it where it is I added water once it was almost clear and it tuned green again. Now it is yellowish color with a brown sediment on the bottom witch I am vacuuming out with a homemade siphon vacuum the one with the hose and a bag will not catch the particles I didn't know if it was chemistry or filtration I have a post in filtration as well that is why I said that is a different post
I believe a pic has top go through outside server? that will take me a bit
 
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