Hello everyone. I just purchased an above ground 18 X52 Intex pool. The Fire Department is coming tomorrow to fill it for me with pond water. I have read some of the other posts on here, but I have not learned all the pool lingo as of yet. What will I need to do to clear the water up once they fill it????
New pool owner needing help!!
- Thread starter kimma
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!!!You will need to test the water to see where you are at and then make adjustments based on that. Have you ordered one of the Recommended Test Kits yet?
Coming from a pond, you will likely need to follow the SLAM Process to clear it up.
Please add your pool details to your signature and a more useful location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.
Hopefully the water is clear when they deliver it ;-) I was up to speed last year when I filled my Intex, thanks to this website, and I attacked it with dichlor, which boosts chlorine and CYA immediately. Use the PoolCalculator to figure out how much total dichlor you can use to reach your CYA goal before switching to liquid chlorine. You must have one of the recommended test kits and you need to test right away for pH and get that adjusted properly. Get the filter pump going and stay ahead of everything. You should have no problems.
(EDIT: Sorry, didn't see the pond water connection.)
(EDIT: Sorry, didn't see the pond water connection.)
Welcome!
A proper test kit will be essential. People who fill from city water have a big head start and can usually fudge things for a week or two. You can't. Break out the plastic right now and order a TF100. You might as well get the XL option now and save on shipping.
Here's a recent thread from someone who's doing it now. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/75222-TF-100-Test-Kit-Results-on-pond-water
If you use the search box up above on pond water, you'll find many more old posts that discuss it.
Take pictures! Start with the empty pool, then filling, then day one... you know. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/72545-Posting-Photo-s-Tutorial
A proper test kit will be essential. People who fill from city water have a big head start and can usually fudge things for a week or two. You can't. Break out the plastic right now and order a TF100. You might as well get the XL option now and save on shipping.
Here's a recent thread from someone who's doing it now. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/75222-TF-100-Test-Kit-Results-on-pond-water
If you use the search box up above on pond water, you'll find many more old posts that discuss it.
Take pictures! Start with the empty pool, then filling, then day one... you know. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/72545-Posting-Photo-s-Tutorial
You've been given great advice! You do need the TF100 to get through the SLAM.
Welcome to TFP!
Welcome to TFP!
In my opinion, don't waste your time with chemicals! I would be buying a Salt water generator right from the start! It's the only way to go!! Best thing since sliced bread.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I live in Maine and I am still not any better with the pool water. I went to the local pool company and they did test my water for me. Most of the numbers were good they said except for the iron. They gave me a bottle of Stain X to put in and still 2 days later and have no good results. I tried posting a picture of my pool on here but for some reason it wont let me. It is still really brown and rusty after a week of running the filter/pump. I am really getting frustrated. They have told me not to add any chlorine at this time. Here are my numbers they gave me: Free Chlorine 4.2 PH 7.4 Hardness 30 Alkalinity 0 Cyanuric Acid 10 Copper 0 Iron 0.67
First thing is, you need to stop getting your water tested at the pool store... Invest a little money in the TF100 kit... Its the most accurate test and pool stores are notoriously inaccurate... We can't really help until we get an accurate set of test results otherwise you will be wasting more money..... :-(
The pool store is there to make money, pure and simple, we can help you to avoid the pool store almost altogether....
Once you get an accurate water test, there will be people on here jumping over others to give you the best advice...
The pool store is there to make money, pure and simple, we can help you to avoid the pool store almost altogether....
Once you get an accurate water test, there will be people on here jumping over others to give you the best advice...
How did you get a CYA level of 10 if you didn't add any? Pond water does not come dosed with CYA. So now you know that their testing is bogus right?
Please read the :lookhere: ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and :lookhere: Test Kit Comparison. You need a test kit. It is your number one tool of pool ownership. You will use it everyday. The TF100 is your best kit for the money as you will get more testing reagents than the K2006 offers. You're going to need a metal sequesterant. You can read about that here :lookhere: Metals in the Water and Metal Stains.
The faster you take control and start to understand your pool, the better off and less painful it will be.
Please read the :lookhere: ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and :lookhere: Test Kit Comparison. You need a test kit. It is your number one tool of pool ownership. You will use it everyday. The TF100 is your best kit for the money as you will get more testing reagents than the K2006 offers. You're going to need a metal sequesterant. You can read about that here :lookhere: Metals in the Water and Metal Stains.
The faster you take control and start to understand your pool, the better off and less painful it will be.
Very good advice from all of you. I have a test kit and I did test it on my own, but because I wasnt sure about all the numbers that is why I took a sample to the pool store, But now that I have found this site. I won't be doing it again. So as of this morning... I rented a much larger pump yesterday and I am happy to say that I can finally see the bottom of my pool. I am headed out to do a test on the water and I will be back on here shortly with my numbers for some help from all of you. I am going out of town in a little bit to purchase a better pool vac that what came with the pool any advice on that would be helpful also. Be back in a few with my numbers. Thanks again for all you're help!!
What kind of test kit do you have?
Sorry to nag, but I'm going to pile it on. We don't trust pool store test results. We can give you all the advice you can handle, but if it's based on suspect chemical readings, the advice itself will be questionable.
Sorry to nag, but I'm going to pile it on. We don't trust pool store test results. We can give you all the advice you can handle, but if it's based on suspect chemical readings, the advice itself will be questionable.
ok I am back. I have a test kit that came with the pool. Going today to purchase the TF100. This mornings readings are this: TC = 0 I could not get any color at all after adding the five drops of OTO. PH = 6.8 CYA I over flowed to test tube and could still see the black dot at the bottom. Alakalinity I added 5 drops of the tirant before it turned red and the Hardness I added 3 drops of the tirant before it turned Blue. So with this, what do I do now??
- - - Updated - - -
Just so everyone knows also. Okay from the start, we had the pool filled last Sat. (a week ago yesterday) at that time we immediately added a bag of ultimate shock. After a couple days we added another bag. Two days ago I added a bottle of Stain X to help get the rust out. Since then we were told not to add Chlorine so we have added nothing else since Thursday.
- - - Updated - - -
Just so everyone knows also. Okay from the start, we had the pool filled last Sat. (a week ago yesterday) at that time we immediately added a bag of ultimate shock. After a couple days we added another bag. Two days ago I added a bottle of Stain X to help get the rust out. Since then we were told not to add Chlorine so we have added nothing else since Thursday.
How does the water look now? You can order the TF 100 here. Some of our members with rusty water have used a layer of paper towels in the skimmer basket changed frequently to help filter out the rust.
Use PoolMath to determine how much CYA you need to raise the level to 30 ppm. You can find HtH brand conditioner or stabilizer at most Walmarts, or just look for a pool product labeled stabilizer or conditioner where the main ingredient is Cyuranic Acid (CYA) Do not buy anything that contains copper, silver, or minerals. Sometimes they will be labeled 3 way, double acting, or all in one type products.
Use PoolMath to determine how much CYA you need to raise the level to 30 ppm. You can find HtH brand conditioner or stabilizer at most Walmarts, or just look for a pool product labeled stabilizer or conditioner where the main ingredient is Cyuranic Acid (CYA) Do not buy anything that contains copper, silver, or minerals. Sometimes they will be labeled 3 way, double acting, or all in one type products.
The water is by far getting better. I can finally see the bottom of the legs of the ladder on the pool floor. The color of the pool has gone from a rusy/brown to a greenish brown color. Someone told me to add clarifier to it. Not sure if I should or not? And I was also told not to add any chlorine? so are you saying to just add the conditioner/Stabilizer and that is it for now?
Happy to report this morning my pool is looking really good. After running the much larger pump that we rented from the pool store for the weekend my pool is just about clear. It still has just a little greenish tint to it, but otherwise looking great. Finally
Newbie still having issues
Merged your threads. Please keep all info in this thread until you hit maintenance. Folks need the history to help answer questions. Thanks, Butterfly
Hello everyone. I really do appreciate all of you're help and advise. My pool has gone from a rusty/brown nasty color to a doable blue cloudy color. I can finally see the bottom of the pool, but still cloudy. Tested it yesterday and still no Chlorine at all and my PH was really low. I am still getting the rust on my filter when I clean it so I haven't dared to add any chlorine to it as of yet. Please tell me what I should be doing next. Just keep filtering? I have been running it 24/7 for over a week now and gone through about 10 filter so far.
Merged your threads. Please keep all info in this thread until you hit maintenance. Folks need the history to help answer questions. Thanks, Butterfly
Hello everyone. I really do appreciate all of you're help and advise. My pool has gone from a rusty/brown nasty color to a doable blue cloudy color. I can finally see the bottom of the pool, but still cloudy. Tested it yesterday and still no Chlorine at all and my PH was really low. I am still getting the rust on my filter when I clean it so I haven't dared to add any chlorine to it as of yet. Please tell me what I should be doing next. Just keep filtering? I have been running it 24/7 for over a week now and gone through about 10 filter so far.
Re: Newbie still having issues
What test kit are you using?
Can you post a full set of results?
What test kit are you using?
Can you post a full set of results?
Re: Newbie still having issues
I slammed it last night but before that I took a test with my kit that came with the pool. I had zero chlorine my PH was 6.2, my alka was (still trying to figure this one out) 9 drops of the tirant turned it red. my hardness did nothing. I added the 5 drops and the water never changed color. then I added drops of the tirant to it and still nothing happened. I am out of the OTO stuff I am getting some today so I didnt do the CYAm test.
I slammed it last night but before that I took a test with my kit that came with the pool. I had zero chlorine my PH was 6.2, my alka was (still trying to figure this one out) 9 drops of the tirant turned it red. my hardness did nothing. I added the 5 drops and the water never changed color. then I added drops of the tirant to it and still nothing happened. I am out of the OTO stuff I am getting some today so I didnt do the CYAm test.
Are you using a sand filter setup? I never noticed you mentioning a cartridge or sand. I have terrible suspended iron in my well water and the cartridge used to take me over a week to clear it from a fresh fill. But when I upgraded to a sand filter, it cleared it 2 days! Best thing you could do is get a sand filter setup if you do not have one already. I used chlorine pucks in a floater and it works just fine for maintaining my level.
Kimma, do you have your tf100 yet?
... And slam is a process you need to have a full set of test results to start a slam.
... And slam is a process you need to have a full set of test results to start a slam.