Hi! We just bought a home with a saltwater gunite pool. It’s 24,700 gallons. After the previous owner left there was about a week that no maintenance at all was done and algae was taking over rapidly. We hired a local service to perform a “green to clean” service and are hoping to maintain ourselves from there. I know I need salt, and a water test kit, but beyond that I don’t know much as we have never owned a pool. We are also planning to purchase a Polaris 280 to clean debris from the bottom. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!! Attaching photos of the listing picture of the pool and the pool in its current state for reference.
Beginner maintenance
- Thread starter jstiefer
- Start date
Hey J and Welcome !! The core of TFP revolves around accurate testing. You have to make a small investment to ensure you won’t live at the pool store Spending hundreds each trip for lackluster results. The tf-100 from tftestkits.net is the gold standard. Along with the kit, splurge the extra $40 for the speedstir. Press a button and it mixes your test vials for you. Otherwise you are swirling and counting drops while looking for color changes, and that way worked for decades, but this is 2020 and we press buttons now. 
read up onABCs of Pool Water Chemistry And all the related pool school links that are associated with it. Simple stuff but it’s an absolute assault of info at first. Read it, digest, read it again, Ask questions in the proper sub-forum and you’ll be trouble free in no time.
when you have your test results you enter them inPoolMath to know what and how much to tweak.
read up onABCs of Pool Water Chemistry And all the related pool school links that are associated with it. Simple stuff but it’s an absolute assault of info at first. Read it, digest, read it again, Ask questions in the proper sub-forum and you’ll be trouble free in no time.
when you have your test results you enter them inPoolMath to know what and how much to tweak.
Wobblerlorri
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
@Newdude has you covered. Get the TF-100 test kit, read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and FC/CYA Levels, and ask any and all questions.
This "green to clean" service -- are they supposedly done? Because your water, while clear, is still green. You might want to read SLAM Process and install PoolMath on your phone or tablet and tackle it yourself. Remember, no one will care for your pool as much or as well as YOU can!
This "green to clean" service -- are they supposedly done? Because your water, while clear, is still green. You might want to read SLAM Process and install PoolMath on your phone or tablet and tackle it yourself. Remember, no one will care for your pool as much or as well as YOU can!
Welcome fellow Texan.
Are you buying a new Polaris 280 because the old one broke or because your pool service advised you?
I have a Polaris 280, and it does the job, but its been with me for over 12 years. Many on this forum have moved to newer technology such as Robots. You may want to seriously consider your options on that before buying the 280.
Also, stay out of pool stores as they just try to sell you unnecessary chemicals to maintain your pool or to get rid of the algae. Basically all you need is salt and muriatic acid to keep your pool in tip top condition. For now, you will also need liquid chlorine to help rid yourself of the green water. Your pool has a Salt Water Generator (SWG) so that is a good start. Post the name of it so people can assist you to get it to work properly. Post some pictures of your equipment pad and folks here on the forum will help you identify what you have. You could also ask your pool service to help you with that if they are still with you.
Ask as many questions as you need. Once you can provide your own test results you will find lots of help to get the pool in a steady state. Welcome again.
Are you buying a new Polaris 280 because the old one broke or because your pool service advised you?
I have a Polaris 280, and it does the job, but its been with me for over 12 years. Many on this forum have moved to newer technology such as Robots. You may want to seriously consider your options on that before buying the 280.
Also, stay out of pool stores as they just try to sell you unnecessary chemicals to maintain your pool or to get rid of the algae. Basically all you need is salt and muriatic acid to keep your pool in tip top condition. For now, you will also need liquid chlorine to help rid yourself of the green water. Your pool has a Salt Water Generator (SWG) so that is a good start. Post the name of it so people can assist you to get it to work properly. Post some pictures of your equipment pad and folks here on the forum will help you identify what you have. You could also ask your pool service to help you with that if they are still with you.
Ask as many questions as you need. Once you can provide your own test results you will find lots of help to get the pool in a steady state. Welcome again.
