First Day Pool Owner

[Wyzt]

Hey, I just bought a house which just happens to have a big above ground pool...and now I have to figure out how to deal with this thing. I should've been researching this(more than I did before) but work was so nuts the past few weeks I didn't have time so here I am. I literally got the keys today and am trying to jump in quick! My previous research didn't lead me to here for some reason but now I've seen this and the TFP (bbb) method which sounds like a good way to go. Sorry if this post is a little all over the place!

I have a 30'x15' above ground pool. I didn't think to measure water height, but seems like typical height is 52", so my math on that was just under 15,000 gallons. It looks like I have a SwimPro Voyager. It says SW1000Z4 on the label, but looking online it looks like its a SwimPro Voyager 110 Pump, which has those big circular cartridges(because I saw they left a spare in the garage). It looks exactly like this:

110 Voyager Element Filter System with Twist-Lock Pump and Accessories - Filters & Parts - The Great Escape

Easy to operate Energy efficient Full flow element Advanced filtration technology that results in crystal clear pool water Includes: 110 Voyager...

www.shopthegreatescape.com

I ordered the Taylor Technologies K-2006 test kit, but I don't think I'll get it until maybe Saturday. They left behind some paper test strips, so I figured I would use that in the mean time. The pool is pretty clear now, so I think the were maintaining it until at least a few days ago, so I imagine keeping it up as much as possible right away until I get a test kit is a good idea. Apart from a few leaves I need to clean out it looks pretty clean.

Test strip is a bit hard to read, center of each color thing is a bit darker then the edges, so hard to tell, but I did my best.
pH - 6.8
FC - 4 or 5 ppm
Total Alkalinity - 40 ppm, although maybe less because outside edges a bit lighter in color
Stabilizer - 30 ppm, but also lighter along the edges

Trying to pump this through the pool math app, it seems like I should add Soda Ash (~2 lbs, 12 oz) to get the pH and TA up, and a little under 2 lbs of dry stabilizer to try and get the CYA up. Chlorine seems good/a little high. They currently have the chlorine tablets in the floater, I figured I'd leave it for now until I get the full testing kit and go the full TFP method, unless you think I should just pop it out now.

Apart from that, I was trying to figure out how to use the pump, and quickly stopped when I got scared I'd break something...two things for now.

1. I tried running it at first, opened the air outlet on the top of the pump, and turned on the pump. Closed the air outlet once water shot out of it. Now water was pumping through it seemed like, but would go well and pump pretty powerfully into the pull, then would kinda make noise and not pump as much. I think I figured this out and its that the water level dropped, and is only slightly above the inlet elevation for the skimmer hole thing. I believe this should be up to about halfway? I figure whats happening is it occasionally gets good suction, pumps fast, pulls the water elevation down in the skimmer to the point where it sucks in air since the water line is too low. I think I just have to hose in some water to gain an inch or two. If thats right, how does that affect adding any additional chemicals?

2. The inlet basket on the pump. It looks pretty full of leaves now, so figure I need clean it out. This was the main oh Crud moment where I said I need to ask people online first. I tried opening it and water shot out, since the water line is above the pump, obvious to me now. Closed it immediately and walked away. So there is line shut off valve from the suction skimmer. The downstream side just has this lever that says Waste. I'm guessing turning this to there, and also opening up the cap thats keeping the outlet closed would let you drain pool water. So if I turn this but leave the cap on, would that just shut off the water from that downstream so I can safely open up the pump filter basket for cleaning? After that I believe I just refill the water in the basket, close it, then do the pump run while opening the air release thing again.

Whoo thats a lot of stuff! Sorry if its very all over the place, bit of a panic cause this is a lot to do while still dealing with all the other moving and also work!

Let me know if you need any other info! I'll definitely post a test off the real kit I ordered as soon as I get it!

 

[Msch99]

Welcome to TFP! Nice job putting pool info into your signature, helps the experts a lot.
Did you order the K-2006 or K-2006C? The C has more reagents so if not, you will need to replenish fairly quickly.

Don't add anything to the pool except liquid chlorine, 5ppm daily, until you can post a full set of results for the experts. I would pull the tablets and would also be surprised if your CYA isn't higher than 30.

Go ahead and add water. A few inches won't effect the chemistry much and we don't know for sure what they are anyway. Adding chlorine and circulating the water is crucial to keeping algae at bay. If you can't get pump going, at least try brushing it around and moving water best you can.

I would clean the filter, or at least check it out. Shut off the inlet and outlet valves between the pump/pool. I don't have that type of filter, so can't help much there.

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP, Great job finding us Just add liquid chlorine until you get your test kit, those guess strips are exactly that....

 

[Wyzt]

Good news. projected delivery on testing kit of august 11th got here today instead. it is the non k one so ill need more regents like you said soon enough. im going to fill up the pool needed today, add the chlorine you guys said for the day, and ill try to get good test results tonight. gotta figure out how to run the tests too. gonna run to store to get liquid chlorine now.

thanks!

 

[cowboycasey]

AWESOME

 

[Wyzt]

Oh sorry, i feel dumb and trouble finding it quick, since i need to buy it at store. When you say add 5ppm liquid chlorine. is that something i need to calculate based on pool gallon volume to get a volume(gallons to add?). Wanna make sure I buy enough for at least todays add of the 5ppm. Dont have a computer with me at new house yet so tough to navigate and find!

 

[cowboycasey]

Use the new poolmath app on you phone, click the link in my signature

 

[Wyzt]

Ah, should i put target as 5ppm and assume 0 for current to get that then? kind of like this?

thanks so much for your help! and in this cause for liquid chlorine id be buying liquid bleach it seems. ill go with this unless you say otherwise!

 

[batesjer]

Usually the liquid pool shock is a better buy. Same stuff but stronger and cheaper. WALMART, Lowes, HD all should have a version. Its 10-12.5% chlorine. If you can't find that you can use regular bleach. Stay away from clorox brand or any that say splashless or have additives.

 

[Msch99]

Just make sure you check the % on the bleach jugs you use. Can change in the App as needed. App set for 12% atm.

 

[Wyzt]

Just tested, gotta get used to telling colors buuut

FC: 7.5
CC: 1.0
pH: 7.2
Base demand: 8
TA: 110
CH: 225
CYA: Super high, couldnt see dot very fast, way past measurement. interpolating numbers would tell me up towards 150. photo attached

gonna pump stuff in pool math app now

 

[mknauss]

100 is the limit of the CYA test, so you have to do a diluted test. Mix 50% pool water with 50% tap water. Use this mixed sample as your test water. Multiply the result by 2 for your CYA level.

Once you determine your CYA level, we can provide guidance on how much water you should drain and refill. Start looking for where you would put 10000 gallons of water.

 

[Wyzt]

ended up with 90, so 180 on that. im gonna try again maybe in the morning in better sunlight since suns going down....but man i just got really scared of owning this pool. have no idea how draining any of this would work here haha

and i was so happy a couple hours ago when i got the pump working...

 

[batesjer]

Can you run a hose to sewer, a drain for spanish tile system, or anywhere else that's not on the lawn? You're gonna have to drain it in the winter so not a bad thing to have to learn to do now. If its closer you could do a laundry sink or kitchen sink if needed.

 

[Wyzt]

Calmed down from panicking a bit. i wont let the pool beat me and i want to swim Darn! Sadly its the weekend now, but ill call my village on monday to see where its acceptable to drain as their ordinance doesnt say. The county ordinance does say to dechlorinate pool and drain it to the storm sewer so i imagine that will hold true in the village then.

i think the owner moved states and was trying to sell the house while living in another state, travelling up here often while house sold. i assume he basically just kept feeding pucks for who knows how long and let cya rise and rise. not sure how quickly CYA raises normally if you just always have a thing full of pucks floating around.

Either way, definitely makes me want to keep away from pucks once i get this all fixed! maybe ill just keep feeding the pool the liquid chlorine daily until monday to keep water clean looking until i find out for sure monday if i have to output to sanitary or storm sewers

Ill also retest in the morning jjust incase good morning sunlight changes everyyyything!

 

[Wyzt]

Update on a sunny day. First fixing my idiotness. I had asumed pool volume before based on some googling on my first day in the house, but now i went around and measured depth of the water in a few places in the pool and then used an online oval pool calculator. so at 3.83' deep its actually closer to 10,100 gallons. at the very least thats less volume of water to dump and refill!

New test i did today are at

FC 14.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.4
(for pH im getting used to color comparison between the water and the example haha) i think the 7.4 feels like the hardest one to compare eith in bright lighting. adding 3 or 4 drops of demand gets me to what i think is 7.6, not sure if 3/4 drops from 7.6 would actually be 7.4 or maybe its really more like 7.2)
cya 120
TA 110
CH 230

in bright light at least doing the 50%/50% pool and tap water i think cya might be closer to +/-120. so at least its much lower than 180. if the 120 is accurate it sounds like one dump of 2/3 of the poul should get me to 40.

Per pool math seems what i should do for now is drop PH slightly to 7ish and let return pump rate aerate to lower my TA a bit.

i also ordered some more regents for the FC and CYA test since the FC powder and CYA regent seem like theyll be by far the first to run out.

Also the pool looks super clean, clear, no growth. so as long as i maintain the calculator FC of 9-15 until i can replace some pool water to lower CYA it should be all good to finally use and swim in right?

Thanks!

Edit: i also wanted to say, doing all the test and grabbing leaves and vacuuming is very surprisingly very relaxing for me. Ive been really stressed with work but somehow felt incredibly relaxed doing all this. Hope it stats like that long term!