Hi everyone, glad to be here and so thankful for this awesome resource TFP.
Recently bought an Intex 15’ x 48” pool (the ones you blow up the top ring and then just fill with water). Thought it would be a good start, big enough for our 9 year old (and us) to play in but not a huge deal…so we thought. Still love the pool itself, but taking care of the water is a lot!
This is our first pool ever, and while I know pools need chemicals I had no idea what to do. My husband worked with a friend in the pool business years ago so I thought I’d let him figure this out but we BOTH realize we know nothing lol. I usually do my research and really wish I had this time, big time.
Anyway, we set up the pool and naively put one of those floaty things in the pool with some chlorine tablets (I’ve learned better now from this site). After almost two weeks, realized the test numbers weren’t really changing and probably needed to do something different. By this time, the water is getting a little cloudy and noticed the bottom/slides getting slick or slimy, which I understand now is probably algae starting to grow.
Husband went to the pool store and had water tested and came home with a box of like 7 Baquacil products. We followed directions on the paper that their computer spit out and put the products in the pool. After, it became more cloudy and now has this film on top…not really oily but more like a light, thin flaky white texture. Before discovering this site I was Googling trying to figure this out but wasn’t really helpful. Does anyone have ideas of what this film could be?
The alkalinity has been pretty high so I did put another dose of pH decreaser (powder) in yesterday and this morning it does seem to be a bit clearer and bit less of the film on top (no idea if related to the pH decreaser). Alkalinity seems to be down also to somewhere between 120-180. Hard to tell with those stupid test strips (I’ve also learned they aren’t great and learned about the better tests, which I’m now looking at buying).
Otherwise, hardness looks to be around 250ppm. PH 7.8, alkalinity between 120-180. The test strip for the Baquacil Sanitizer and the Oxidizer looks to be in the good range. If the numbers are good, should it generally be safe? I know the test strips aren't very accurate...and I've read the algae can be hard to get a handle on once it starts.
Open to any obvious advice needed as well. I’ve learned a ton from articles and forums on this site in the last 24 hours but it is still a bit overwhelming. I regret starting with the Baquacil and prefer to switch to chlorine, but would like to use up as much of the Baquacil as we can just because of the money dumped into it.
Recently bought an Intex 15’ x 48” pool (the ones you blow up the top ring and then just fill with water). Thought it would be a good start, big enough for our 9 year old (and us) to play in but not a huge deal…so we thought. Still love the pool itself, but taking care of the water is a lot!
This is our first pool ever, and while I know pools need chemicals I had no idea what to do. My husband worked with a friend in the pool business years ago so I thought I’d let him figure this out but we BOTH realize we know nothing lol. I usually do my research and really wish I had this time, big time.
Anyway, we set up the pool and naively put one of those floaty things in the pool with some chlorine tablets (I’ve learned better now from this site). After almost two weeks, realized the test numbers weren’t really changing and probably needed to do something different. By this time, the water is getting a little cloudy and noticed the bottom/slides getting slick or slimy, which I understand now is probably algae starting to grow.
Husband went to the pool store and had water tested and came home with a box of like 7 Baquacil products. We followed directions on the paper that their computer spit out and put the products in the pool. After, it became more cloudy and now has this film on top…not really oily but more like a light, thin flaky white texture. Before discovering this site I was Googling trying to figure this out but wasn’t really helpful. Does anyone have ideas of what this film could be?
The alkalinity has been pretty high so I did put another dose of pH decreaser (powder) in yesterday and this morning it does seem to be a bit clearer and bit less of the film on top (no idea if related to the pH decreaser). Alkalinity seems to be down also to somewhere between 120-180. Hard to tell with those stupid test strips (I’ve also learned they aren’t great and learned about the better tests, which I’m now looking at buying).
Otherwise, hardness looks to be around 250ppm. PH 7.8, alkalinity between 120-180. The test strip for the Baquacil Sanitizer and the Oxidizer looks to be in the good range. If the numbers are good, should it generally be safe? I know the test strips aren't very accurate...and I've read the algae can be hard to get a handle on once it starts.
Open to any obvious advice needed as well. I’ve learned a ton from articles and forums on this site in the last 24 hours but it is still a bit overwhelming. I regret starting with the Baquacil and prefer to switch to chlorine, but would like to use up as much of the Baquacil as we can just because of the money dumped into it.
