I pass the OCLT test and the water is clear as can be .... now what do I do to maintain chlorine levels? Do I test each day and add clorox from pool math results? I have crystal clear water!!!!!
Just maintain your chlorine levels. I test every morning before heading to work and dose liquid if it's called for.
Maintiaining adequate chlorine levels is the key. It doesn't take long after levels drop to zero for an algae bloom to start (ask me how I know!) and once that gets out of control you have to start the fight all over again if it gets out of hand. Even the minor bloom I had last year when I got sloppy with my chlorine levels took me 4-5 days to clear up, and I caught it early.
Wendy,
Congratulations! Your post is so inspirational to me! Our pool was also inherited when we bought our house last August. It was crystal clear and beautiful when they showed the house the first time and then in the moving process, they let it get out of hand. Last year we spent $546 on trying to get it cleaned up and never even got it clean enough to swim. It was extremely frustrating. Now that I have been spending days reading on TFP, I see how we were "pool stored".
Do you have an estimate of how much bleach you used in getting your pool clear?
Wow... that is *seriously* clean
I have left for a few days and simply added the anticipated needed amount of bleach to bottles labeled with the day of the week
My neighbor is kind enough to add to the pool in the evenings for me
Would imagine anyone could do so if bleach was measured out for them in this fashion
I have a frog type chlorinator and use it specifically for vacations.
The last 2 years it has only been a week, but it will be 10 days this summer.
My plan is to bring the pool up to shock level with liquid chlorine, leave the solar cover on, and place a full chlorinator pack in the frog with a setting of 2. I will run the filter on a timer for 4 hours a day at 1 hour intervals.
This will add a little to my CYA, but I keep it a little lower just for vacations. I am hoping this is enough to last til I return and will bring the pool back up to shock level again upon return.