Hi all! 
Great forum!
I just had the pool company open my 40' x 20' inground SWG vinyl lined pool last weekend. The winter cover was full of about a foot of water and leaves that they dumped in the pool when they opened it. They shocked (SLAM'd?) the pool and now the water is cloudy, but blue will a ton of leaves now at the bottom. I've been running the pump constantly and keeping an eye on the skimmers and pump/filter pressure. I've found 2 dead birds, 3 dead mice and a dead chipmunk in the skimmer. All relatively fresh, have no idea what's going on there. This has all been a great introduction to my first pool ever...
On the bright side, I'm very handy and very interested in learning all I can in the interest of doing most of the maintenance myself. I've already learned a lot from reading the Pool School articles, plan to do a little research on all my equipment, clean out the leaves, fill the pool up to the top in preparation for a cleaning, report back here with test results for advice, and am excited to get the pool ready for the summer.
I want to get started this weekend, and before the local pool stores close for the long weekend hope to buy some essentials to keep me busy:
Should I hold off on getting anything else until I test the water?
Here is my first pool! (Old photo from previous owner)
Great forum!
I just had the pool company open my 40' x 20' inground SWG vinyl lined pool last weekend. The winter cover was full of about a foot of water and leaves that they dumped in the pool when they opened it. They shocked (SLAM'd?) the pool and now the water is cloudy, but blue will a ton of leaves now at the bottom. I've been running the pump constantly and keeping an eye on the skimmers and pump/filter pressure. I've found 2 dead birds, 3 dead mice and a dead chipmunk in the skimmer. All relatively fresh, have no idea what's going on there. This has all been a great introduction to my first pool ever...
On the bright side, I'm very handy and very interested in learning all I can in the interest of doing most of the maintenance myself. I've already learned a lot from reading the Pool School articles, plan to do a little research on all my equipment, clean out the leaves, fill the pool up to the top in preparation for a cleaning, report back here with test results for advice, and am excited to get the pool ready for the summer.
I want to get started this weekend, and before the local pool stores close for the long weekend hope to buy some essentials to keep me busy:
- Test Kit - Local pool store has a Taylor K-2005 in stock. Not as good as the 2006 with FAS/DPD but all I can get in time for the weekend. I'll order the FAS/DPD separately for later tests.
- Salt - I know my salt levels are low, I think the pool guys said currently around 2000ppm.
- Chlorine and other chemicals? - Pool guy shocked the pool, but should I assume I'll need to pick up chlorine/bleach? Any other chemicals?
Should I hold off on getting anything else until I test the water?
Here is my first pool! (Old photo from previous owner)
