New To Pools

[Teedop]

Hi! Other than your regular summer kiddie pool I've never owned a pool. This year my husband decided we could get a pool. Giving that we are in a temporary residence and I'm terrified of messing up a pool, we got a small Summer Escapes quick set ring pool 14'x14'x36" at 2400 gallons. Before purchasing the pool I looked all over the internet for any kind of information I could get about pools and pool maintenance. I wanted to know what I was getting myself into! Then I found this little gem, TFP, and I'm so glad I did.

So our pool is set up and I've decided to use liquid chlorine. A lot of information I found on TFP is for larger pools (about 3k gallons) other than "Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools" which has your basics for seasonal pools. What I'm really interested in, is making sure that I keep my pool in tip top shape. Is there any advice anyone can give me for a smaller seasonal pool? I've tested it since I've set it up with the 6-way test kit from Aqua Chem. Should I invest in an actual tester? Or does my smaller pool size make it unnecessary? I added the opening amount of liquid chlorine and algaecide liquid for my pool size and have been keeping the chlorine maintained and will be adding more algaecide liquid once a week. I've just did a new test and my information is:
Hardiness: 120
Total Chlorine: 3
Free Chlorine: 3
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 120
Stabilizer: 0

 

[duraleigh]

I think you can live with the test kit you have.

Most important, put some stabilizer in your pool. I would suggest enough to get to 40 ppm. That will really help your chlorine consumption.

Save your money on the algaecide....you don't need it.

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School

 

[Richard320]

What he said ^^^

Algaecide isn't necessary if you maintain the FC level.

 

[Teedop]

I think you can live with the test kit you have.

Most important, put some stabilizer in your pool. I would suggest enough to get to 40 ppm. That will really help your chlorine consumption.

Save your money on the algaecide....you don't need it.

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School

Immediately after doing that test I headed out for some stabilizer and am adding it now! I'll have to reread the ABC's. I feel like I've spent that last week reading this website. lol

 

[duraleigh]

I feel like I've spent that last week reading this website.

Yeah, it's a LOT to digest. "ABC's..." gives you a good starting point into understanding your pool chemistry and where your normal ranges should be.

It also generates a lot of questions and we all like to answer questions.