New member and first house with a pool :D

[MrPariah]

Hello!

I'm a new member to this forum and I've been scrolling over it over the past few days and i'm really enjoying it, with the amount of useful information it has to offer about pools and pool maintenance.

My mother has just purchased our first house with a pool, to which she was hesitant due to the responsibility and maintenance which goes along with owning one. Unfortunately I've got close to no knowledge about pool maintenance. I've gone through the pool school which this website offers and have learnt a lot, however I'm still a bit unsure what to do. We will be moving into the house in about a months time so i haven't actually been able to exercise anything here just yet.

To put it briefly, I'm not sure where to start in order to make sure the pool is perfectly ready for the Aussie summer that'll be coming in a few months:


Should I start by cleaning the pool? i.e removing leaves, dirt, dust, etc?
Should I start by inspecting the pump and that whole system?
Should I start by testing the pool water and bringing each chemical up to a safe and recommended level first?


I don't know where to start and the following procedures after that. At this stage in terms of information regarding the pool, all I know is that it is a plaster/pebble in ground pool; I'm sorry that's quite brief but that's really all I've got.

Anyway sorry for such a long message but all in all what/where would you recommend me starting at?

Thanks in advanced!

 

[needsajet]

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

Removing leaves is a good thing to do. Is there a long pole and some attachments there? The pool water needs to circulate a few hours each day, so you'll want to know if it's doing that, and then later learn and check into the filter and salt water chlorinator (usually that's the source of chlorine).

This site is founded on Trouble Free Pool Care (TFPC) which is described in a link in my signature that I found really helpful when I started out.

Testing is important, and pool services or pool stores are not very good at it. Most everyone here has joined because of bad experiences. So we do our own testing rather than get "free" testing at a pool store and their recommendations for excessive chemicals and use of potions. With TFPC, you'll spend a bit on a recommended test kit up front, and then save it back in around a single summer, or maybe even by Christmas. Thankfully there's a mob up in Queensland that's got it together to supply a good test kit: Clear Choice Labs Simple. Accurate. Fast. and they've become known for good customer service. There's some good info on their website as well as test kits. If that sounds like a sales job, I don't have a share of their company. It's known here that TFPC is the cheapest and safest way to run a pool, and as a bonus, it never turns green the day before a party!

 

[yann]

G’day and welcome to TFP!

You’re in good hands here. I started just like you 5 months ago and quickly turned my pool into crystal clear waters.

Lots of help here and our local hero jet ^^^ is a great resource. He’s been supporting me all the way with my newbie questions and I am now able to support others.
First thing, as jet mentioned, contact CCL and get yourself a total kit. Their customer service is outstanding.
Then get yourself a pole and a skimming net and start scooping out floating debris and leaves.
Once you have a chance, let us know what equipment was left behind by previous ownersool cleaner, chemicals... and create a signature with detailed list of equipment.
We should be able to guide you through them and explain how to use them, saving you $$$ in professional pool visits.

Good luck and welcome once again.

 

[MrPariah]

Re: New member and about to own a pool!

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

Removing leaves is a good thing to do. Is there a long pole and some attachments there? The pool water needs to circulate a few hours each day, so you'll want to know if it's doing that, and then later learn and check into the filter and salt water chlorinator (usually that's the source of chlorine).

This site is founded on Trouble Free Pool Care (TFPC) which is described in a link in my signature that I found really helpful when I started out.

I don't think there is gonna be a long pole and such, so I'll have to buy some (I've found some ones at clarke rubber online I'm gonna purchase)

I'm not sure if the pool is a salt or fresh water type pool although I will check the filter and clean it out if need be

It doesn't seem like a massive pool so I might start out running the pool for about 6 hours each day that should hopefully complete one cycle that should be enough right?

G’day and welcome to TFP!

You’re in good hands here. I started just like you 5 months ago and quickly turned my pool into crystal clear waters.

Lots of help here and our local hero jet ^^^ is a great resource. He’s been supporting me all the way with my newbie questions and I am now able to support others.
First thing, as jet mentioned, contact CCL and get yourself a total kit. Their customer service is outstanding.
Then get yourself a pole and a skimming net and start scooping out floating debris and leaves.
Once you have a chance, let us know what equipment was left behind by previous ownersool cleaner, chemicals... and create a signature with detailed list of equipment.
We should be able to guide you through them and explain how to use them, saving you $$$ in professional pool visits.

Good luck and welcome once again.

Thanks so much, I know the cost of maintaining a pool can be high, so I love the idea of keeping that cost low whilst have a TFP!

 

[needsajet]

Exciting times! I have a few different brands of stuff across the 3 pools I look after, and I like the Aussie Gold brand for pool tools and stuff, though I'm sure others are good as well.

Pump run time depends how much of the day you like the pool to be well skimmed. Usually that's more than enough for keeping the water mixed, and frequently more than enough for a saltwater chlorinator. When you're able, let us know your pump brand, model and horsepower (or kW) and a bit more about the pool by way of signature, as yann mentioned. There's a link in my signature called 'read before posting' which has a heap of helpful tips for getting the most from TFP. Yann and I and a bunch of others here will help you with whatever comes up.

 

[kimkats]

Look like you are in good hands already! (THANKS John!)

I am going to share a set of links I put together for new pool owners. It is a LOT of info so take it slow. It will start to sink in as you use it.

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

PoolMath

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.


With the Pool Math link-there is a learning curve so play around with it. The first thing you should do is going down towards the bottom and change it to TFP levels.

Kim