Proud new owner of an above-ground SWAMP

[frustratedpoolmom]

Do the baking soda calculations and add it, brush to make sure its all disolved. Don't worry about hardness.

Do you plan to use bleach daily, or tablets?

There is no reason to use liquid stabilizer. Its expensive and granular is fine. You can add it (via sock method) anytime and it won't affect anything else.

 

[adoptolderkids]

Well, we have a ton of the tablets in the pool shed that we could use, but if we want to use bleach, we'd have to go spend more money. Ideally I'd like to use up the tablets before shelling out more cash. If I can use the tablets now to help raise the CYA and help with the chlorine, I'd rather do that.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Ok, then with tablets you'll prob need 3-4 a for 7 days or so, just keep an eye on them. You want your PH to stay in the mid 7s and your TA at 120, the tabs are acidic and the higher TA will help keep the PH from falling. The ph will need to be monitored and adjusted with Borax if it falls below 7.4.

Once your CYA reaches 50 the tablets won't be able to keep up the proper FC level and you'll need to switch to daily bleach additions or replace water to get the CYA level back down.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Txmat]

Holly, check your FC tonight and then in the morning before daylight. If you pass the overnight test then hold off putting any tablets in until the FC has come down to your target range and you can go swimming tomorrow after the FC drops below shock level. Working on the TA and CYA will not effect your being able to swim. PH and FC do effect your being able to swim. Enjoy your swim as you have sure earned it.

 

[melissab]

So glad to hear you are clear! Your hard work has paid off. Pictures please.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Glad to hear it's clear. We'd love to see a pic or ten!

 

[adoptolderkids]

My husband vacuumed up the rest and the pool got a LITTLE cloudy. Soon got clear again so I jumped in! The water felt great - 74 degrees. It's 91 out today, and very sunny. My husband and daughter joined me for a short bit. The ladder is not at all secure - It has two bolts but no place on the edge is drilled to hold it in place. Gotta figure out a way to make it work. Are there clamps?

We're going to make another CYA sock for tonight and tomorrow (it's supposed to rain).

 

[Txmat]

FIRST SWIM of the year is always a GREAT SWIM.

 

[avidone1]

Great thread...So glad to hear your family is finally enjoying the pool.
Following your story and the helpful suggestions gave me quite an education.

 

[zea3]

Is one of the caps to the uprights missing? Usually a cap is left off and then the ladder is bolted to the pool through the hole in the exposed plate on top of the pool.

 

[flyweed]

I am sure this has been said..get rid of the crappy strips and order the TF-100 test kit NOW!! It will help you immensely. Next add bleach, and keep adding bleach until you hit 16ppm and can hold it there without it dropping. This along with netting and skimming and/or vacuuming all the solids, slime and globs out will get you up and running very quickly.

Dan

 

[adoptolderkids]

Um, I don't need to start shocking my pool again - I just got it clear! The bottom is clean.

Added the CYA sock last night - another 3 lbs. There is one pound left in the shed, but I think this last addition should get us up to 40, I think.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If it gets you to 40 ppm I wouldn't add any more right now. Run the pool for a while and see how much chlorine you're going through then you can decide.

I can't say enough how glad I am that you stuck with this and got good results. Kinda makes it seem worthwhile now doesn't it?

 

[adoptolderkids]

YES! This site is awesome, and I appreciate all the help I've received. Will be taking pictures in a short bit!

Can we swim with the sock of CYA in the pool? How soon?

 

[Txmat]

You can swim with the sock in the pool immediately. The only levels I concern myself with are the Chlorine and PH. If PH is out of the target range the water can be uncomfortable on the skin and the eyes. If the CC is greater than .5 or the FC is lower than the target or higher than shock then there is a sanitation issue. If both of these are in these ranges I swim.

 

[adoptolderkids]

We added a big jug o' bleach last night, and the FC went back up to 10 overnight, and was still there this morning. Just checked and it is back down to 3. The sock is now empty, after some squeezing from me this morning and this afternoon. Looks like the weather is clouding over now, so no one is getting in it today.

Pictures to follow!

 

[adoptolderkids]

 

[frogabog]

Cloudy but sanitized is fine to swim in. My kids are still alive and kickin....

I'd also take into account that your overnight test was essentially fine and now, over half a day later you've lost just over half of your chlorine. If the CYA hasn't completely dispersed, you can assume that you might not have enough in there yet to get to the 1 day/loose half the chlorine part yet.

Also take into account that you didn't "dose" for today but rather, relied on the shock level on shaky CYA levels.

Dose the pool to what... 7 (for 40ppm CYA right?) and test this evening. In sunny locations even without bathers in the pool expect to loose half the chlorine every day once the CYA is stabilized.

Also, keep pumping and filtering. Pretty soon you'll wake up to sparkly and you'll wonder why you thought it was clear before :~}

 

[Samantha_in_AL]

Holly, congrats on the clear pool! You won the battle with your swamp in a short amount of time. Have you passed the CC test yet?

 

[Txmat]

Holly, remember the CYA will take up to a week to show up and since you did not loose any chlorine overnight you can assume the drop was due to the sun and not organics. All you need to do is check the FC and PH once a day and make sure you keep the minimum FC level. For CYA calculation purposes you can use the number that you anticipate it rising to. Test CYA in another week to get an update and then you can adjust if needed. As for swimming your pool is safe to swim in.