Hi! I have an Intex 22X52 with a sand filter pump that has been up for approximately 3 weeks. I live in Central Florida so we get lots of sun and rain. I bought the Clorox test strip (which I now understand was a mistake) and have been using them to try to get the water right. My pH has ran very high at every test, as has the TA. I’ve followed the instructions on the app and initially added a bottle of scale treatment, ph down and a bag of shock. Retested and did all of that again. Fast forward until today June 3rd and all I’ve added is 2 five pound bags of pH down, 3 bags of shock, 1 bottle of the scale remover and one stabilizer pod. Pool hasn’t been terrible, just slightly cloudy, up until yesterday when it got considerably cloudy. Woke up this morning to a green pool, so I took a sample to the pool store. According to them the pH was 7.4, the hardness was ok, no chlorine, and tested at 500 for phosphates. I purchased what they recommended, which was 2 jugs of chlorine, a gallon of muriatic acid, chlorine stabilizer and phosphate remover. Was told to dump it all in the pool and that the phosphate remover was going to make it turn white. Which in turn is going to need to be vacuumed out and my pump is not strong enough to do so, so the pool store conveniently can do so for $70. Upon leaving the store I realize the phosphate remover was $35, half the total cost. Started having my suspicions and came home and did some research and it seems my suspicions were right, I probably didn’t need the phosphate remover. My apologies for being so long winded, my question is, if this pool does in fact turn white, is there any alternative to needing them to come and vacuum it?
Green Intex Pool and Pool Store Directions
- Thread starter Squirej
- Start date
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,211
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Yes, there is an alternative. Take control of your pool. Have your read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry? Ask us any questions you have. Your approach of using test strips (of no real value for testing) and visiting pool stores (you are seeing their value to you already), is not going to be beneficial to you in the short or long term. TFP’s approach is for you to understand your pool, what it needs and what you need to add to make it happy.
You need a fresh start and a good test kit. There are only two. I recommend the TF-100, see link in my signature, and the Speedstir. It’s a small investment which will save you money and allow you to take ownership of your pool, versus your pool owning you.
You need a fresh start and a good test kit. There are only two. I recommend the TF-100, see link in my signature, and the Speedstir. It’s a small investment which will save you money and allow you to take ownership of your pool, versus your pool owning you.
Stay out of the pool store! Order the TF-100 test kit, and except for stabilizer (aka CYA or Cyanuric Acid), which you add once when you fill the pool and then only as needed if you add water, the only chemicals you need you can buy at the grocery store - bleach, Borax, and baking soda.
I started having heart palpitations halfway through your post! Trust me, neighbor with a similar but bigger pool, you don’t need them and you don’t need their potions. At first i was like yay, you can get your money back, but I looked again and it looks like you did use the phosphate remover after all. But not to worry, we will help you!
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You've been Pool-stored.
You found us faster than most people. I'd say you got off light.
Here's someone else's tale 14 years of pool stores and failure...
What you need to do is a SLAM. Plenty of success stories in here. Recovering my old inspirational links The more recent ones are the last.
You found us faster than most people. I'd say you got off light.
Here's someone else's tale 14 years of pool stores and failure...
What you need to do is a SLAM. Plenty of success stories in here. Recovering my old inspirational links The more recent ones are the last.
For now, until your test kit arrives, let’s focus on adding chlorine daily. In the menu of this site you’ll see Pool Math. Use that to calculate how much chlorine to add to your pool daily. No way to know your CYA level (stabilizer) until you get your kit, and it appears you have added some, so perhaps assume a low CYA number for now - maybe 20.
Hi, welcome to TFP! 500ppm of phosphate is not even that high. Most people test into the 1000's! Return it if you can. Why add a product that is going to make the problem worse and will cost you out the yingyang to remove it? If you use this product your option is to pay the pool store to vacuum for you, pay another pool service to vacuum for you, or buy a better pump and filter that can handle this amount of debris.
The other option is to get a good test kit and complete the SLAM Process to clear your pool. Your main problem is algae and chlorine kills algae. You may still want to consider adding a skimmer, pump, and filter for regular above ground pools at some point. A 22' pool holds around 12,000 gallons of water, which is more than a lot of inground pools! Adequately sized equipment makes a big difference in maintaining the quality of your pool water.
The other option is to get a good test kit and complete the SLAM Process to clear your pool. Your main problem is algae and chlorine kills algae. You may still want to consider adding a skimmer, pump, and filter for regular above ground pools at some point. A 22' pool holds around 12,000 gallons of water, which is more than a lot of inground pools! Adequately sized equipment makes a big difference in maintaining the quality of your pool water.
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