New to pools and need help please :D

[luv2swim]

Hello :-D
I am in dire need of help. :? We just recently bought an Above Ground 8ft Round, 30 inch high vinyl pool that raises itself as it fills, which did not come with a filter. Being on a limited budget since I don't work in the summer, I am trying to find out the easiest way to take care of the water in our pool.
It was filled last week and started to become cloudy along with acquiring debri (grass, leaves, bugs lol) -- there were only 3 kids who used it, but since hubby decided we needed to mow LOL,-- it is now being drained. We would like to refill it within the next few days but I was wondering if there was anything I should do before it is refilled---i.e. = scrub out the inside, invest in a chlorine floater....etc.
Since funds are tight, (hence getting the pool to put in the backyard instead of driving to the closest one lol) any easy to follow help would be so greatly appreciated!!!! :-D For example: What is the best way to keep the water clean and clear, and should the pool be located in a more shaded area if at all possible or sunnier location? And is a chlorine floater a good idea and should it be left in the pool since we don't have a filter or should it be taken out, esp when the kids are swimming in it?.......
Sorry about all the questions, but this seemed like the right place to ask them Thanks in advance for all of your help!

 

[From_Arizona]

Welcome to the forum - there are many here that can offer good advise. I am a novice when it comes to pool chemistry, but you need chlorine and water circulation. Just think of it as a large bathtub that many people are using, you need to cycle dirty water out or treat it with something or else it will just stagnate.

You would want to weigh the cost of water (change it frequently) to the cost of maybe a floating chlorinator. You want to make sure you are letting the kids play in clean water w/out any stagnation isuues.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

With no filter, I would probably just drizzle in 1/2 cup of 6% bleach (laundry aisle, read the back of the label for the percentage) each evening, stir it up real good with the skimmer, and change out part of the water each week or so, when you need to use that vacuum that hooks to the hose. You are not dealing with 1000's of gallons, so if it did get out of control, draining and refilling would be not too big a deal.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[duraleigh]

I like The Mermaid's ideas. My thinking is you may not have a pump or filter or skimmer. If that's the case, just drizzle that Clorox in there and stir it around a little....it'll disperse quickly and evenly in five minutes or so in that pool. You'll need to do that pretty often to keep your pool sanitized.

I would also get an inexpensive test kit (less than $10.00) so you can test your chlorine level and pH. Keep about 2-4ppm of chlorine in there all the time. If your pH gets above 8.0 or below 7.0, post back here and someone will give you easy directions on how to get it back in range. Happy Swimming! :lol: :lol:

 

[eelhc]

local classified papers/craigslist...

I personally would not let my kids get in any pool without proper filtering/sanitation.

Check out the local classified papers/craigslist or you might want to take an ad out yourself. It's a bit late in the season but around here in the late spring the papers are FULL of folks "giving away" their above ground pools + equipment. The deal is that you come and dis-assemble and take away. Oftentimes one can end up with a pool for the cost of a liner and some sweat equity.

 

[luv2swim]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome :-D and the information on how to get started!

From Arizona: Thank you. :-D Do ya think my son will mind if i use his pool noodle as a stir stick for circulation? :lol:

The Mermaid Queen and duraleigh: Thank you very much for that info. :-D :-D :-D I am going out right now to clean up the inside of the pool since its been drained and moved LOL. Sorry, no we don't have any pump or skimmer or filter, but we do have a fishnet that we use to scoop the debris out with, and a tarp that I stake down when we are done using it. LOL I think that adding the 1/2 cup bleach and changing some of the water every week or sounds like a good and easy way to keep it clean. Will definitely get the test kit--was reading up on that last nite, and will try to avoid the one with the strips if possible--while at Wal-mart later today! And if I get in over my head---pun intended---I will definitely come back and post for help!

eelhc: Thanks for the advice. I'll check the craiglist and maybe freecycle and see if I can find anything.

Guess I better go get the padlock for the gate now :lol:

Thank you sooo much again for your help! Cross your fingers that it will be up and ready by tomorrow! :lol:

:sun: It's gonna be a scorcher!

 

[Buggsw]

In your case, you probably have enough splash out and addition of fresh water that you may be able to get away with no pump/filter by adding bleach and stirring.

However, if a body of water sits uncirculated for a period of time it can become stagnant over time.

Just be aware and test the water. You don't want your kids to get rashes or other illness from a pool with bacteria.

 

[luv2swim]

Thank you Buggsw! :-D No, it wouldn't be good for him to get a rash or other sort of illness, seeings how he already has allergic reactions to mosquito and spider bites. Learning that the hard way was tough enough.

Thank you everyone for all your help! I have learned more in the last few days then I thought I would ever know about having a pool.

While it is more time consuming than we had originally thought, it's also very satisfying to know that we can have fun in our pool in the backyard.

:sun:

 

[LadywithIron]

Check garage sales too, I was able to pick up a 2000GPH Intex pump last year at a garage sale for 5 Bucks. You don't need one that large, but if you can find a larger one, you can always sell it on Ebay and then buy a smaller one. I could have easily gotten 100 bucks for mine. Lots of people get these pools and use them one year, and throw the liner away, so they have pumps laying around.

Also when dealing with a round pool and leaves, bugs and debris, I have found that if you will take like a boat oar or or a board, and create a whirlpool in the water, all of the stuff will end up in the very center for easier netting.

Back before Iron entered my life, and my pool, and I used to be able to use chlorinated tablets, I used to just take a plastic soda bottle and cut holes in the bottom and put small pieces of a chlorine tablet inside. As long as air is trapped at the top, where the lid goes on, it will float away.


16X4 Metal Frame Pool Intex
6000 gallons
Model 51 Krystal Klear/Intex Pump
Hayward Aqua Critter Vacuum
West Texas

 

[luv2swim]

Thank you for all of your help, it is really appreciated.
Now hubby went and bought a 10ft round AG with a pump/filter which was on sale. :lol: So the filter issue is solved..... LOL

But now I am wondering, for an above ground pool, is it necessary to put a tarp down first? What purpose does it serve? (other than making the grass moldy and stinky underneath the tarp as it dies off---LOL)

 

[LadywithIron]

Yes it is necessary because the grass can actually grow through the liner.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

My experience is that grass/weeds (at least the kind in Southeast Louisiana) will grow through weed-block cloth, a tarp, AND the liner.

Spray the area really good with round-up before laying your tarp and setting up the pool.

 

[luv2swim]

My experience is that grass/weeds (at least the kind in Southeast Louisiana) will grow through weed-block cloth, a tarp, AND the liner.

Spray the area really good with round-up before laying your tarp and setting up the pool.

Oh no..... Well, hopefully everything underneath the pool will just die off----We did put the tarp down though. LOL


Now there is a concern with the new 10ft pool with a filter----

Hubby picked up this container that reads:

HTH- Pace- Dual Action 1"
Chlorinating Tabs
Stabilized Chlorinator.

Active Ingredient: Trichloro-s-Triazinetrione .............93.5%
Copper Sulfate pentahydrate...................................1.5%
INERT INGREDIENTS...............................................5.0%
Available Chlorine...................................................84%

I dropped one of the tablets inside the filter and ran it and the water was fine. After being used by my son and his friend on Thursday, I dropped in another one of the tablets and ran the filter for 2-3 hours. I noticed that on Sunday, the pool had a slight greenish tint and was a little hazy. Hubby decided that the pool was "fine" and he and son jumped in..... Well, "someone" forgot to run the filter.
Today-Monday-- the pool still has a greenish tint, but is even cloudier. Now, I don't have a great test kit with all the numbers like you all do, :lol: (I am trying to convince hubby we need one or something similar that we can afford--lol) what I do have is a "Vue Block Test Kit" made by Qualco---it's the one that tests for chlorine (Orthotolidine) and ph only using the drops of solution that Menard's sells. Well, I tested the water and the chlorine test didn't change color at all---it was not even the same color as the: "0.4-add" box. And the ph test was the same color as the: "6.8-add" box.

So, here is what I did:
1st--Skimmed out what debris I could. 2nd--Replaced filter with brand new one--old filter had brownish stuff on it that came off when I sprayed it with the hose. 3rd---Added another tablet and have running the pump now for almost 6 hours. (It is now 3 am here--way to dark for me to see if the water has cleared up. I will check that and report back tomorrow---Tuesday---after I have gotten some ----LOL)

While skimming out the debris, my neighbor came over----and noticed the color/haze in the pool. "Oh, ours is like that too," she says, "all you need to do is go to Wal-Mart and get some shock treatment to put in it. That is what I do and run the filter and it clears right up."

Now, I am confused----------Do I get the "shock treatment" since I am using the Dual Action Chlorinating Tablets, or do I try the BBB method? My Sister-in-Law and co is coming for the weekend, and it would be nice to be able to let them use the pool if they wanted to. Is this something that is going to take a week or so to clear up? Also, since there is Copper in the water now--according to the container, and she and I both have dyed hair (both deep burgundy colors, and no we didn't plan it----ROFL) will it turn our hair funky colors?

Sorry about the :blah: Did I mention how great it is to have found this place????

 

[luv2swim]

Oh, another question----- Will I have to drain the pool and start all over if I want/have to quit using the HTH Stabilized Chlorinator tablets and switch to the BBB method? :? Thanks for all your patience with this newbie! :-D

 

[JohnT]

Oh, another question----- Will I have to drain the pool and start all over if I want/have to quit using the HTH Stabilized Chlorinator tablets and switch to the BBB method? :? Thanks for all your patience with this newbie! :-D

No. Just start using bleach.

 

[JasonLion]

You should get a good test kit. At the very least the HTH 6 way kit from WalMart, less than $20. Better yet would be the TF Test Kit. A good test kit will more than pay for it's self in chemical savings.

The HTH dual action pucks contain copper, which is fine in the short run but will cause problems in the long run. They also lower the PH constantly. If you are using them you need to keep an eye on the PH and increase it reguarly. You can increase the PH with 20 Mule Team Borax.

You should shock the pool. You do this by bringing the chlorine level up for a period of time. You can do that with bleach or with a "shock" product from the store.

 

[luv2swim]

Thank you very much JohnT and JasonLion!!!

Went and got the HTH 6 way test :-D and here are the results:

TC--0.5
pH--6.8
CYA--30 ppm---the solution never went cloudy when i mixed it, and the little black dot in the bottom of the vial never disappeared. :?:
TA--50 ppm
TH--260 ppm

While at the store, I picked up the 174 oz bottle of bleach---6% for $2.28, and the 4 lb box of Baking Soda with the directions on the back for pool care--- :-D for $1.87, already have the Borax so didn't need to grab that---lol. DOH---I did forget the Soda Ash
Now, I'm not sure if I used the Bleach Calculator right or not, but when I figured it with 1000 gal for the pool size, and the chlorine strength at 6% and the PPM increase desired at 5, it said I would need 1 cup plus 3 oz of bleach to raise the PPM to 5. Now, is that --1 cup + 3 oz-- what I need to shock the pool? Or do I need more than that amount? Thanks for bearing with this country bumpkin! :-D
Just want to try tackling this pool with out all the spendy chemicals....... LOL

P.S. Just used the "Pool Calculator" and if my numbers are right, it says I need to add 8oz bleach to raise the FC to 4, 2 oz. soda ash to raise pH to 7.2, 6 oz baking soda to raise my ALK to 80, and to add 3 oz of stabilizer to raise my CYA to 50. Whew, lol ok, now, can anyone please tell me if the calculations sound right and if that is what I need to add? Your help has been most gratefully appreciated!!!!!!!! Please keep it coming!!! :handshake: :slidehalo:

 

[JasonLion]

You should have the pump running when adding chemicals and for at least an hour after you add chemicals.

I would start by adding 1/3 cup of Borax and 2 1/2 cups of bleach. That will raise your PH and TA and TC levels. Let that mix in and then wait four to eight hours and then retest the TC and PH.

Shocking the pool means bringing the chlorine up to shock level, which I estimate is around 12 for your pool, and holding it there till the water clears. Once the water is clear you want to keep the chlorine around 3 for now.

Your CYA level is probably 5 to 10 right now. If you use tablets in the pump/filter it will come up slowly. You will want to stop that and switch to bleach eventually so the CYA doesn't get too high.

 

[luv2swim]

Hey JasonLion, anyone ever tell you that your a lifesaver? :super:

Thank you sooooo much! (times a gazillion) Thinking I will stop using the puck/tablet things.... And am heading out right now to add the bleach and borax. BTW--did I mention I have a habit of making things harder than they should be to figure out? :lol: Thanks again, and I will let ya know how the tests come out!

 

[luv2swim]

Alrighty. Just did tests and TC is 2.5----was darker than 2 and lighter than 3, and pH color was slightly redder than 6.8 but not near 7.2 = so I am assuming its around 7.0, and the TA is at 6 (60 ppm). Should I use Baking Soda to raise both the pH and the Alkalinity? Thank you for helping me. I promise that by next year.... ah, who am I kidding.... I will still need plenty of help! LOL

PS~The pool doesn't look as cloudy as it did yesterday--- :-D --insert happy dance here-- LOL