New pool owner and well water

[anikahmae]

I have just purchaced a intex ultra metal frame pool 16x48 and we have well water. Our well has not been tested in a while. Our neighbors have warned me the water will be very brown, which from what I have already read is from metal. They all try to add things to help clear it up. But I would like to prevent it if possible before filling my pool. So my question is should I invest in a filter that goes on my garden hose and where can I purchace this. Or any advise would be much help. Husband is already not to excited about new pool to begin with, so I would like this process to go as smoothly as possible. Thanks!

[CarlD]

I'm trying to think of a good way to go...maybe fill an old knee-sock with cotton batting or chopped-up towel rags. bury the hose in the middle of the batting and hose-clamp it to the hose. Something like that to filter the particles out.

Not sure.

Carl

[PoolDoc]

Read through some of the recent well water threads in the Metals section -- I'm moving this post there.

I don't have time this morning to go through this again, but most of the info is in those posts.

Bottom line: it's going to be a pain.

If you want to try it . . . I'll help you use a second smaller pool to 'pretreat' the water for your pool. I want to experiment with that, because right now, I don't have any really good solution for folks like you with Intex pools. If you pursue this option, you'd need the following:

#1 - A smaller Intex pool, like this Intex 12' pool (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OR5X1A/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=poolbooks&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000OR5X1A&adid=04FM6J66FDVP02R7RH4K&) (must have pump / filter)

#2 - A sump pump like this 1/6 HP model (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009X8O2E/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=poolbooks&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0009X8O2E&adid=0E7FSQD6XX5X2Y7VT4FW&).

#3 - Some aluminum sulfate (floc) like this:
http://store.poolcenter.com/nu-clo-alum-flock-5-lb-pail-aluminum-sulfate-flocculant-p162127.aspx

What you'd have to do is pre-treat the water in the little pool, floc it, let it settle, and then with the sump pump resting on a block 4 - 8" above the bottom, pump CLEAR water into your pool. Then, you've have to pump the remaining floc out onto the ground, and start again. I *think* this would actually work well, and not be as cumbersome as it sounds, once we got the routine down.

But, till then it would be sort of an experiment. I'd prefer to do it here, but I don't have access to well water like that, currently.

Ben

[cans25]

I am going through the brown water battle right now with the same Intex pool you just bought. The filter the pool comes with is not strong enough to filter out the metals, at least in our situation. We put together a jury-rigged sump pump filter I learned about on this forum and it's working so definitnely read the other posts on this issue, there is lots of good stuff here! I also ordered the Intex sand pump, which is an upgrade option on this pool, from Amazon ($200) which is more than I wanted to spend but from what I've read (and experience) the pump the pool comes with just is not sufficient unless you have prefect water. It hasn't come yet so I cannot comment on how it will work.

Good luck!