New to TFP after owning a pool for 23 years!

[Traveljoan]

Yep, I'm old! Just read the intro article and excited about simplifying my pool care even more! Are you REALLY saying to use regular household bleach?? Haven't really studied the charts etc yet as I have a Big Issue. Just put a new vinyl liner in last fall, bought water and closed a crystal clear pool. Used chlorine and algaecide. Winter cover is the kind with a mesh center panel. Opened to the biggest mess ever. Added some chlorine and began filtering. There is a thick layer of brown gunk and my filter which is a DE filter with grids not fingers. Is there a secret to not having to clean than non stop until I get this silt out? I have a pole vac and a Baracuda. With the grids there is no way to "bump" and recirculate the DE (that I know of ....or is there???) and backwashing doesn't seem to help much. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. So excited to get this mess resolved and try my NEW heat pump that I have wanted for TWENTY FIVE years and finally got!

 

[Texas Splash]

You're not old...your just experienced. Me too. Welcome to TFP! YEP! Bleach is the primary method of chlorinating your pool in TFP. Virtually no side effects or bad by-products. We'll be glad to help you any way we can. Two quick things first please:
1 - Do you have one of the recommended test kit (TF-100 or Taylor K2006)?
2 - Can you please add your pool information to your signature by going to the Home Page, Settings, then on the left "Edit Signature".

That will help us a bunch. If you do have a test kit listed above, please post some results. Welcome to TFP!

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

Are you REALLY saying to use regular household bleach??

Yes. Despite how it's marketed, regular household bleach is a form of chlorine - sodium hypochlorite. Unless you have a SWG pool, regular unscented household bleach without any thickeners added is what we use for chlorine on an ongoing basis. I have found that swimsuits, goggles, and vacuum hoses last longer using our methods which includes liquid bleach for chlorine.

As for all that gunk...you need to get that out. I would try vacuuming to waste (if you have that option) to speed this up. That will stir up debris and, yes, you will need to clean your filter more often until you get all that stuff out. I would make this Job One right now. In the evening, after you've had enough of that, I would order one of the Recommended Test Kits.

 

[Richard320]

Welcome

Do you have a multiport valve or your filter?

Is it an above ground pool?

There are ways to remove sludge and spare the grids, but we just don't know enough to tell you if you can and how.

 

[Traveljoan]

New to posting on any forums and don't see how to add mt signature

 

[Texas Splash]

On the first (main) Home Page, look at the top for "Settings" (just under the pool school button), then when the next page pops-up, look to the left side of the page for "Edit Signature".

 

[pabeader]

Go all the way up on any page. Look on the right for the word settings. Click on it. Then look to the left side of the settings page. You should see something that mentions "My Setting" Under that will be Signature and edit

 

[Traveljoan]

Can't figure out how to add my signature! DUH! In ground 20 x 40, multiport DE, think it is a Pentair. Never tried to vacuum to waste as I figure it would empty all the water!

 

[pabeader]

did you try the things we suggested? What did you get when you tried?

 

[Traveljoan]

OK thanks for signature help everyone!!

 

[Richard320]

You will lose water when you vacuum to waste, no doubt. But it's not as bad as you think. Set the vacuum up and get it going before you stop and switch to waste. The vacuum really restricts the flow, so it's not like you're pumping full blast. Add a couple inches first and go to it.

 

[Traveljoan]

Thanks Richard320! Didn't think about the vacuum removing less water! Will try this in the morning! Many thanks!