Hi All,
This is my second question as a 25,000 gallon pool owner, the first was regarding my pool setup, specifically how to remove water from the pool (turns out the handle to the ball valve had been broken off).
Now, I'm asking for help on how to get the pool looking nice and clear. The prior owners to the house (we moved in this past fall) had the pool looking in slightly better shape than us, so I know it's possible! I've seen posts on here recommending a home testing kit, but as we are brand new we've been taking water samples to a nearby store for testing and assistance. It'd been a month since the pool was opened and now we're getting anxious to be back in it, so I'm looking for additional insight/opinions, etc.
So, I've listed below the water tests which we've done, along with what was recommended to improve the situation at each water test. As we're new, we did what was recommended to us. The pool has seen some improvement, but now is in a state where we can see the shallow end, part of the middle and none of the deep end due to the cloudy nature of the water.
Over the past month we have used vacuum fairly frequently and cleaned the cartridge filter twice (once being two days ago, the second being a week before that).
Pool Opened - May 27
Heater turned on - May 29
We don't have an automatic chlorinator, so we stuck two pucks in a floating dispenser in the pool.
First water test June 6 after the pool had turned on us
Free Chlorine - 0.02 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.22 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.2 ppm
pH - 8
Hardness - 85 ppm
Alkalinity - 65 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0.1 ppm
Iron - 0.4 ppm
Steps taken - Shock pool, Algaecide, liquid chlorine.
Second water test June 11
Free Chlorine - 0.04 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.15 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.11 ppm
pH - 7.8
Hardness - 87 ppm
Alkalinity - 67 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0.1 ppm
Iron - 0.6 ppm
Borate - 2 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of stabilizer, 24 hours later a jug of liquid chlorine.
Third water test June 13
Free Chlorine - 0.73 ppm
Total Chlorine - 1.18 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.45 ppm
pH - 7.8
Hardness - 89 ppm
Alkalinity - 87 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0 ppm
Iron - 0.1 ppm
Borate - 3 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of alkalinity increaser, a jug of calcium hardness increaser, two tubs of borate
Fourth water test June 18
Free Chlorine - 0.05 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.36 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.31 ppm
pH - 8.1
Hardness - 120 ppm
Alkalinity - 105 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 2 ppm
Copper - 0 ppm
Iron - 0.2 ppm
Borate - 13 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of alkalinity increaser, a jug of calcium hardness increaser, fill up floating chlorine dispenser with pucks - something like 5 or 6 in total
That's where we are now and more than happy to hear anyone's thoughts/opinions/suggestions/etc.
Thanks to all in advance!
This is my second question as a 25,000 gallon pool owner, the first was regarding my pool setup, specifically how to remove water from the pool (turns out the handle to the ball valve had been broken off).
Now, I'm asking for help on how to get the pool looking nice and clear. The prior owners to the house (we moved in this past fall) had the pool looking in slightly better shape than us, so I know it's possible! I've seen posts on here recommending a home testing kit, but as we are brand new we've been taking water samples to a nearby store for testing and assistance. It'd been a month since the pool was opened and now we're getting anxious to be back in it, so I'm looking for additional insight/opinions, etc.
So, I've listed below the water tests which we've done, along with what was recommended to improve the situation at each water test. As we're new, we did what was recommended to us. The pool has seen some improvement, but now is in a state where we can see the shallow end, part of the middle and none of the deep end due to the cloudy nature of the water.
Over the past month we have used vacuum fairly frequently and cleaned the cartridge filter twice (once being two days ago, the second being a week before that).
Pool Opened - May 27
Heater turned on - May 29
We don't have an automatic chlorinator, so we stuck two pucks in a floating dispenser in the pool.
First water test June 6 after the pool had turned on us
Free Chlorine - 0.02 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.22 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.2 ppm
pH - 8
Hardness - 85 ppm
Alkalinity - 65 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0.1 ppm
Iron - 0.4 ppm
Steps taken - Shock pool, Algaecide, liquid chlorine.
Second water test June 11
Free Chlorine - 0.04 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.15 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.11 ppm
pH - 7.8
Hardness - 87 ppm
Alkalinity - 67 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0.1 ppm
Iron - 0.6 ppm
Borate - 2 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of stabilizer, 24 hours later a jug of liquid chlorine.
Third water test June 13
Free Chlorine - 0.73 ppm
Total Chlorine - 1.18 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.45 ppm
pH - 7.8
Hardness - 89 ppm
Alkalinity - 87 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 1 ppm
Copper - 0 ppm
Iron - 0.1 ppm
Borate - 3 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of alkalinity increaser, a jug of calcium hardness increaser, two tubs of borate
Fourth water test June 18
Free Chlorine - 0.05 ppm
Total Chlorine - 0.36 ppm
Combined Chlorine - 0.31 ppm
pH - 8.1
Hardness - 120 ppm
Alkalinity - 105 ppm
Cyanuric Acid - 2 ppm
Copper - 0 ppm
Iron - 0.2 ppm
Borate - 13 ppm
Phosphate - 100 ppb
Steps taken - a jug of alkalinity increaser, a jug of calcium hardness increaser, fill up floating chlorine dispenser with pucks - something like 5 or 6 in total
That's where we are now and more than happy to hear anyone's thoughts/opinions/suggestions/etc.
Thanks to all in advance!