New pool owner, strips and diving bugs ?

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Eaglei22

Eaglei22

0
Apr 26, 2017
37
IL
So as like many im brand spanking new to kicking off a pool. I read through the pool school and im confused on the when to add each chemical or if im testing the right things, or maybe my tester is cheap.

Finally added the last amount of water today, and have the pump running. It's a 24ft round Bestway pool with about 15k gallons. I have these diving bugs i tried to skim out but i think they keep jumping back in.. so i threw 2lbs of shock x-tra in, and said you are on your own. Thinking i may need another lb. Will the chlorine get rid of them?

I did the testing strip and some of the colors seem off the chart , or maybe im just bad at matching the colors.. but based off my results, what else should i be doing ?

I have a pound of alkaplus powder i haven't added yet. Figured id ask the experts, and go cut my grass.

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Step 1: Throw the strips away
Step 2: Invest in one of the recommended test kits (see link in my signature) ... the TF-100 is the best value.
Step 3: Post up a full set of reliable test results.

I would not use anything with the work Xtra in it, especially if it also says Blu or Blue ... those typically add copper and you do not want that.

For a new fill, you know you need CYA and you know you need to be adding FC. I suggest using PoolMath to determine the amount of CYA to add to target 30ppm and get that dissolving and add 1 gallon of bleach daily until your test kit arrives.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool
 
When you calculate the chemicals to add to balance your pool, be sure to put less than the full amount (I do 50-75% of the suggested amount), then test after an hour (maybe longer if you have the standard Bestway pump, less than ideal circulation). If you haven’t hit your target, add more and then repeat. You want to work your way up to the target so you don’t overshoot it. Chlorine is the exception, just add the whole amount right away.

Also, with CYA, pour it into a sock and hang in front of the pool's return. You can massage the sock to speed up the dissolving, and it's safe to swim while it's dissolving to, just don't let kids put the sock in their mouths or anything.
 
I was looking at those earlier but eas having trouble relating actual chemicals or products to acronyms.. still trying to digest it all.

Should i still throw bleach in even though i added 2lbs of the shock
 
Yes, without any CYA, the sun will burn up your chlorine quickly. If you have a 15k gallon pool, I’d start off with 50 oz of stabilizer. Any brand will do so long as it says it’s 100% cyuranic acid. And I would return any unopened shock. Those typically have copper in them which doesn’t help you pool at all, and can end up staining your liner if there’s too much. Also, regardless of anything a pool store o4 anyone told you, you don’t need to add an calcium hardness to a vinyl pool.

one more thing, add your pool details to your signature so everyone can easily see it. Size, above ground, volume, pump and filter, water source, and any other equipment you’re using with your pool.
 
Okay, things are getting a little clearer after reading a bunch of different examples and sites, things started to come together. I just need to get a better testing kit, and I am looking to different options right now, deciding how much I want to spend.

So from what I can make of those test strips, it looks like my ph and alkaline are high. I do have a little harder water, but not well water. It did rain this morning too, how does rain water normally effect the chemistry? So yesterday I purchased a gallon of bleach 8% and put it in and also purchased some chlorine tablets, as I don't have time with my schedule to keep buying bleach and balancing it every day. I put some sodium bicarbonate in (the recommended amount) and I have been running the filter most the night and this morning. How long will it take usually to see the difference in PH and Alkaline?

Also, from what I can tell on those confusing strips it looks like the CYA is stable, and the FC is at 5.. so I didn't add anymore CYA. Should I? Just to CMA?

BTW, those diver water bugs.. are still in the pool. Will they eventually go away after the chlorine/bleach is in there long enough? I mean I am at 5 FC and they are doing backstrokes spitting water up in the air... I want them gone. I skim them out, and they are back again.. so either they are coming back (not sure if they fly around too) or there are a bunch. I am not even sure how they got in there. When I put them on the ground, they flop around like a fish out of water. This water is brand new, as I just put the pool up. I filled it up off and on over 2.5 days. They were in there by the second day.

I will add to my signature my information.
 
It will be your pool to manage, but using solid chlorine (pucks) on a regular basis is a recipe for trouble. The use of Liquid Chlorine (bleach) on a daily basis is highly recommended. Save the pucks for long weekends or vacations were you will be away from the pool. Then adjust your FC needs based on any rise in CYA from their use.

I also highly recommend the TF100 from TFTestkits.net for a test kit. The Taylor kits on Amazon sound good but are small and you will need reagent refills very soon. The TF100 is constructed with the residential pool owner in mind.

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

On your other questions - rain has little effect unless it is of ark building proportions.

Adding any other chemicals based on test strip results is discouraged. Unless it is CYA and that is only if this is a fresh fill.

Wait for your test kit and once you have a full suite of test results, post them here and we can provide feedback.

Take care.
 
Thanks mknauss. Just a hectic schedule currently, so I figure I am bound to forget right now, but maybe I will try to discipline myself more to use the bleach bottles. OKay, I was looking at the TF100 kit yesterday, but the price tag had me in limbo, but with the refills like you said you probably come out ahead anyway.

- - - Updated - - -

Response to updated:
Okay, thank you mknauss.
 
The cost of the TF-100 is nothing compared to what you will spend trying to clear up your soon-to-be green pool if you continue to rely on test strips. Trust me on this one.
 

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Btw, I edited my signature. I noticed it didn't update my recent posts (maybe it takes time) but posting for easy reference to view signature contents of pool information in case I have nothing to say for a while.
 
Think about this, some people have had to use 30+ gallons of bleach to slam their pool. After taxes, that's pushing $90. Test kit costs $70 and if you use it to properly maintain your pool, you'll hopefully never need to slam. Also, when it's time to refill your reagents, it's only $45, and I've heard they have a big sale every March to help people get stocked for summer.
 
You said your strips were reporting that your pH and TA were high ... but then you added baking soda which raises the TA? :scratch:

You should be able to retest in 30-60 minutes ... but even if you use test strips back to back to back they can report different results ... so make of that what you will ;)
 
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