New pool owner wondering if the switch is worth it.

[jne2016]

Hello all I've had my 40x20 inground now for Bout 2 weeks. And have had very little success I've tried slamming shocking, algee killer and even bought a auto vac.

Still no success all my levels seem good besides lower chlorine content this morning but still very cloudy can't see more then 2 feet down.


So I was thinking maybe just making the jump to a edge 40 would be good. It's 400 off at discountsaltpool. I'm in southern ga and also was curious how do I keep it open year round if I switch over.

 

[Donldson]

An SWG will be nice to have once you get your water chemistry sorted out, but you do need to sort out your water chemistry.

You need to be able to properly test your water: Test Kits Compared

And then you need to fully complete the SLAM Process. Once you've done that then you'll have a better idea about your water chemistry with which to based your SWG considerations on.

 

[Mdragger88]

As @Donldson mentioned- a swcg won’t solve your current algae problem - they are simply maintainers of maintenance fc levels.
You must do the
SLAM Process to rid your pool of algae.
Is this a new pool or just new to you?
Viny or plaster?

 

[Bperry]

Still no success all my levels seem good besides lower chlorine content this morning but still very cloudy can't see more then 2 feet down.

The low chlorine is the single most important item to maintain. Don’t wait to get that sorted out.

 

[jne2016]

It's new to me ant it's a liner pool. I moved down to albany ga from wa state.
Owner had pump off for a good 4 months and I've put about 14 2.5 gallon clorines in and a good 8 packets of shock in the last 2 weeks it's gone from dark dark green to very cloudy blue can't get past it.

 

[Bperry]

and a good 8 packets of shock in the last 2 weeks

powdered chlorine can be a problem when cleaning a pool like that. Leads to cloudiness (cal hypo) or raises the CYA (dichlor) which makes the chlorine less effective) follow the SLAM process instructions really closely.

 

[sande005]

While a huge fan of getting a salt generator, the one downside is that they cease making Cl when the water temp gets too cold (less the 50 or 60 degrees). Others from your region can advise as to how to deal with your pool in the cool months. It mostly depends on the risk of freezing (like, the pool getting covered in ice or pipes freezing in cold snaps). Having a SWCG though does not require you to keep the pool open over the winter. It may be as easy as just shutting the SWCG off, and running the pump while adding some liquid Cl every week or two. Or it may be a full on drain all equipment and cover. Or some variation between the two. It all depends on how severe winter is in your region. But having a SWCG will not change what is needed to be done, or not done.

 

[Newdude]

Get the 60k unit, the 40k will need to run several hours more a day, leading to a shorter lifespan. You have long seasons too, which will contribute to the smaller cell dying earlier also.

*Once you have reliable testing and successfully passed a SLAM to a 'T'

By the time the water is too cool for the cell, the daily UV demand is much less and you won't be dosing nearly as often to keep up. So yes, you'll have to manually dose, but no it's not frequent. The daily dose may last a week or even weeks depending on how cool it is.

 

[sande005]

Just to drive the message home - it will keep your pool algae free but will NOT remove any algae that has gotten started. That requires much more Cl than it can generate.

 

[Mdragger88]

It's new to me ant it's a liner pool. I moved down to albany ga from wa state.
Owner had pump off for a good 4 months and I've put about 14 2.5 gallon clorines in and a good 8 packets of shock in the last 2 weeks it's gone from dark dark green to very cloudy blue can't get past it.

Great update your signature with all the info you have on your pool - vinyl, inground, volume (we can help you calculate), test kit etc. so we can guide you correctly

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.google.com

The SLAM Process done with liquid chlorine and as outlined in the article will clear your pool.
Its not a dump & pray thing but a fairly precise procedure that ensures you have fully eradicated the algae. A real swamp can take a while to clear even with diligently testing & replenishing slam level fc multiple times per day.
How are you currently testing the water?
Can you post your latest test results?
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya

what is the condition of your sand filter? Has it ever had a deep clean?

 

[jne2016]

Okay tomorrow I will get a but load more cl and try the process again. Also I have enough idea of condition of the sand pump it's always around 29-30psi doesn't move from there.

I did by the bottle of filter cleaner and run it through it.

 

[Mdragger88]

Okay tomorrow I will get a but load more cl and try the process again. Also I have enough idea of condition of the sand pump it's always around 29-30psi doesn't move from there.

I did by the bottle of filter cleaner and run it through it.

By deep clean I am referring to this procedure- not a product

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...

www.google.com

We’ve had people who inherited pools that thought they had sand when in fact it was some alternative media (like nasty filter balls).
Opening it up to give a deep cleaning also allows you to check & ensure the sand is at the proper level.
Not a bad idea with unknown equipment.
Also confirm that the gauge goes to zero when off - if not, its time for a new gauge.
Backwashing should be done when psi rises 25% over clean pressure so it’s important to have a functioning gauge.
Too much backwashing can be counter productive.
Once you’re following all the
SLAM Process
protocols as outlined and have confirmed your sand & filter is in decent shape you can use a little pool grade DE to help “assist” your sand in collecting the finer particles that persist as you get to the “pool owner patience” part of the slam.
More about that here

Add DE to a Sand Filter

A clean pool filter will increase the efficiency of your pool! ... your filter are to backwash it, clean the manifolds and grids, and add new DE.

www.google.com

You want to be in the final stages with all the other bases covered before proceeding to adding any DE. As mentioned in the tutorial you can just add when you’ll be around to monitor psi & omit it when you won’t as it’s washed away by backwashing.
Slam level fc is to be maintained until ALL 3 end of slam criteria are met.

 

[jne2016]

Okay got a new gauge ita running at 13-15 psi.
Poured 14 gallons in last night and was at 4.5-5 cl just checked it and I'm at .5-1 currently I can see the bottom in the shallow end but it's so cloudy.
I have another 14 gallons but I don't want to pour 50 bucks in everyday that's crazy.

Forgot he ph is 7.2ish
Ta is 90
Th 300
Cya 20

 

[Donldson]

14 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine should have raised your FC 51 ppm.

What process are you following and how are you testing?

 

[jne2016]

Well slam process Said slam level 28 not sure if that was 28 gallons or not but pool store was closed by time I added them.
And then 24 hours later all my kits said same like less than 1 cl.

 

[Donldson]

Well slam process Said slam level 28

28 ppm of Free Chlorine. Every pool size is different, can't just say "add X gallons" and fit the needs of every pool out there.

Also to have a SLAM level of 28 ppm you'd have to have a CYA of 70. You just said your CYA was 20. Why the discrepancy?

And I really need an answer: how are you testing your water?

 

[jne2016]

With a hth 6 in 1 kit test strip and then I have a 4-1 test kit from. Pool shop

 

[Donldson]

Test strips will bleach out at high FC. Not that they're worth the paper they're glued to anyway, they belong at the bottom of a trash can.

To do the SLAM Process right you need to be able to properly test your water. It says so in the "Before you start" section. Until then you can't accurately say what any of your water levels are or what the next step is.

Test Kits Compared

 

[PoolStored]

You cannot safely slam without a proper kit. You may be damaging your pool or equipment.

The best value on reagent sizes and includes a speed stir, which makes testing much easier and more accurate. Link--> TF-Pro
The next best is the TF100, again great value, but no speed stir or container. Link--> TF-100 Test Kit
Taylor also makes a good kit, the K-2006C. Link--> Amazon.com

 

[jne2016]

It's just so cloudy and I still can't see anything once it starts to get deeper. Yes I realize I'm probably doing everything wrong but this is first pool and still trying to get use to humidity aswell lol