Proud new owner of an above-ground SWAMP

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They just screw right off. When installing the new one you want to wrap about three turns of teflon tape, and then screw it in. Almost any pool store will have them and you can find them on the Internet. It is very uncommon for Lowes to have them.
 
Ok, well there is a pool store 5 minutes from my house, but they open at 10, the same time I need to be at an appointment. I'll go over and pick one up after. So I need the gauge and some teflon tape. I will get those! I guess I will swing home first so I can get a sample of the water to take in at the same time.

Thank you, everyone, for helping me through this!
 
Actually Lowes and HD both carry pressure gauges. Just not in the pool section.

They are in the plumbing section with the well pumps and such. The same gauge is used on residential well systems. If you look in the area with the pressure switches and blow off valves, there are pressure gauges there too. They come with two sizes of threads. If I am not mistaken you want the 1/4" threads. The teflon tape is in the same section. A roll costs about a buck.

Wrap 4-5 turns of teflon tape on the threads of the valve. Turn it in hand tight, then CAREFULLY snug it up with a wrench. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN or you could crack the filter housing. If you get it snug and it weeps, take it out and replace the tape adding a turn or two more. Try again. It's the kind of thing that you need a knack for, not hard, but might need a little trial and error if you've never done it before.

In another 8 days, you should be more or less ready to swim- so don't sweat the parents.
 
Okay got the new gauge installed (thanks to my dad) and the pressure is at 11 psi when filtering. It actually works right! YAY!

I have to say I think the pool store analyzing thing is Crud, because it listed all sorts of things as "not tested" and as "no." I'm like - why even print them out to me on a list? But of course, next to the numbers, they were given me a spiel about how I should buy all these different products. Feh.

FC: 8.5
pH: 7.1
TA: 57
Hardness: 131
CYA: Not tested

The kid dumped all my water out, and then when I asked him about the CYA score, he was like, oh, well, let me look. He looked at the computer and he said I think it is reading that way because it is a 0, but if you want to bring more water in, I'll retest. GRRRRR.

I'm going to take more to him in a short bit to be 100% sure. If the number is a zero, I do know there is a bottle of stabilizer in the shed. Should I put some in?

It's a very sunny day here - when I returned from the store, my dipstick was reading almost 0 on the FC! Crazy. I dumped two gallon-and-a-half jugs of bleach in. I think I've used over 16 jugs of it so far - and I'm now down to my last two. I guess I will have to pick some more up while I am out again. Ridiculous.

Please tell me what I need to buy if I need to get any additional chemicals at the pool store while I am out, or if I can use cheaper substitutes I can swing by Wal-mart.

Thanks!
 
I'm sure that sometime in the last 6 pages you've been told that you need a good test kit of your own. If you haven't, then let me be the first. Go to http://www.tftestkits.net and order the TF-100. It'll be the best thing you can do.

When you take the sample back to the pool store let them check everything again and see how they compare to the numbers you got earlier. Post the new set here too.

Bleach is the best bang for your buck. I use the Great Value brand from Wally World. If you have a SamsClub or Costco near you they sell it in (3) jug boxes for less.
 
Yeah, I'm going to buy a test kit when my husband gets paid this weekend. Until then, I'm stuck with the dipsticks - including the pool guy kind. :)

Yes, I've been buying Clorox at Sam's in the 3 pack. They don't have any other type of bleach in the store closest to me, otherwise I would get the generic.

I am off to the pool place, yet again!
 
11 sounds good. My filter is brand new with brand new sand and is at 8- so comparatively you're good.

The good news is that you have gotten most of the filth out of the pool and your filter seems to be in good working order now.

Now it's simply a matter of keeping your chlorine high enough for long enough to kill all the other nasties in your water. Keep posting here and people will help you.

I suspect you have 0 stabilizer / cya due to the length of time the pool has been sitting. I wouldn't add any until confirmed by your next test at the pool store.

Let that filter run constantly until the pressure reads about 20 psi. Then backwash, set back to filter, and let it run constantly again until you get back up to 20 (or about 10lbs higher than your initial clean reading). The interval will get longer and longer as your pool gets cleaner and cleaner.

With everything seemingly working properly now, it's just a matter of filtering and keeping that Chlorine level up at shock level. That part will likely take you a few more days.
 

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Ok - new pool store numbers.

CYA - definite 0.
Total Chlorine - 9
FC - 7.3
pH - 7
TA - 62
Hardness - 114

A girl did it this time. She told me my total chlorine and free chlorine weren't matching so that means I need to add some of their Oxysheen to fix the problem. I told her I would think about it. :)

GAH. Before I left, I went to check the filter, and the skimmer basket was popped again. The pump hadn't gone dry though. Fixed it, and then when I came back home from the store - same scenario. Why must these things plague me so? Oh these first world problems! lol Any ideas?

Thanks everyone!
 
It's time to get some stabilizer in there. You need to add about 3 lbs ot get it up to 30. You said you have some, right?

Then continue the shocking. You're losing a lot of your chlorine to the sun right now. The stabilizer will help that.

Hang in here and once you get past all this things will be much easier.
 
The skimmer has to be losing suction for your basket to keep popping out. Are you sure your pump is fully primed? I noticed in the picture you posted of your strainer basket (on page 3 of this thread) that it looks to be only about halfway full of water. It should be completely full and free of air bubbles.
 
Actually, there is exactly 3 pounds of the stabilizer in the shed, so that'll work out great. :) We are going to vacuum again in a short while - should I wait to add until after we finish that? The stabilizer bottle gives me too options - broadcast it across the entire pool or add it slowly into the skimmer. How do you decide which option is preferable? And how slowly, is slowly?
 
Solid (powder) stabilizer, right? Don't just throw it in the pool, put it in a sock and hang it in front of a return. I've tried the skimmer thing and don't recommend it. Even putting it in a sock in the skimmer drove my filter pressure up pretty high, and in your situation that's something you don't need. Until your pool is clear you will need to backflush fairly often, and if all your stabilizer is in the filter, you'll just blow it all back out.
 

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