We put this pool in 25 years ago. Not this passed winter but the winter before, we didn't cover it. Stupid, I know. Last summer, I never got it clear enough to see what was on the bottom of the deep end. I mean, I know that all the neighborhood leaves were in there. I took water samples to 3 different pool stores several times. I kept feeling like if I could have an extra pump or filter circulating I could make more progress. I put in well over $400 in chemicals. I used zappit 73 chlorine. I used chlorine and shock from 2 other pool stores too. I used algecide. We were not home on the weekends, so I felt that what progress I made I lost. I got the shallow end clear enough to see the bottom. Finally, after Labor Day, I closed it, with a ton of chlorine because the filter broke. Now I opened it a week ago. The cover had fallen in near the walk in steps. I had a million tadpoles and quite a few frogs in my swamp water. I had a guy come in that has a small pool/spa business. He and I and another guy spent hours using a leaf net/rakes to scoop green, slimey leaves off the bottom. Because of so much rain, we dropped the water level to just barely going in the skimmer. He took my pump to fix. $125 and then found a shaft or something for another $45. He said my fingers and everything else looks great. He brought down a pump and put in 2 bottles of algecide that were 30 or 40 bucks each. We used the pump to just circulate water for the last 48 hours. Now, instead of deep green, it is a medium green with a bunch of foamy **** floating on it around corners (dead algae?). He came yesterday and hooked up a filter to his pump. He said it got totally clogged in 5 minutes. He also stuck a hose or something down in the deep end and sucked sludge out, putting it in the back yard (this is fine with me, we live in the country.). We added more water. He wants me to put as much water in it as I can. I have a great well and we've had a ton of rain. He us coming tomorrow, hooking up a vac and vacuuming the deep end and blowing that right into the back yard. Again, okay. We will add more water. At some point, he wants to add some expensive flock stuff to make the particules go to bottom and then vacuum them, except at this point, we can't see to vacuum. I had thought originally of all in one day, draining pool down to only water in deep end, using the net to clean that all out, having firetruck tankers bring me water and fill it back up. Not now. I realize liner can shrink, but was going to do it in one day. Last time I filled it with the tankers, it took 5 loads and cost me $500. That was about 12 years ago when we got a new liner. Maybe longer.
So, any ideas, help? I've been researching for a while now. He admits its the worse one he has seen. I need to get this fixed up as cheaply as I can. To be truthful, my pool has been a luxury I can barely afford. I do love it though. The pool guy has tossed a couple of jugs of bleach in, but he said not to chlorinate until we get it clear enough to see bottom, would just be throwing my money away. That being said, will it get clear without chlorine or bleach? Again, open to suggestions here. Thank you so much.
Brenda
So, any ideas, help? I've been researching for a while now. He admits its the worse one he has seen. I need to get this fixed up as cheaply as I can. To be truthful, my pool has been a luxury I can barely afford. I do love it though. The pool guy has tossed a couple of jugs of bleach in, but he said not to chlorinate until we get it clear enough to see bottom, would just be throwing my money away. That being said, will it get clear without chlorine or bleach? Again, open to suggestions here. Thank you so much.
Brenda
