New Intex pool filled with iron contaminated water

[trockyh]

I'm hoping to have the pool crystal clear soon. I have the intex 15x48 and had a water truck fill it most of the way with city water. I topped it off with my well water that is heavy with iron. I bought a pool time test kit from Home Depot and then purchased what it suggested I needed for the pool Now after two days the water is brown. I've read some of the posts on here and haven't found a definitive answer to what needs to be done. I did just order the Taylor Complete FAS-DPD Pool Water Test Kit K-2006. Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

[PoolDoc]

OK - bad news: dealing with iron in pool water is never easy, and it's fairly difficult on small Intex pools, due to the small somewhat ineffective filter systems.

We can help you develop a successful routine for dealing with this, but there's a learning curve. The good news -- if you've got kids wanting to swim -- that iron's not hazardous at all. As long as the chlorine is OK, and the pH is between 7 and 8, everybody can swim.

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-- I can't finish this now - just got a call and have to go. I'll post some stuff that we often tell people, that's relevant to your situation --
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+ Using polyquat during metal clean up accomplishes two things: it helps kill or prevent algae, letting you run lower chlorine levels, and it is a very good clarifier, that helps you filter out any small metal particles that may form.(Probably available from pool stores, and possibly some big box stores -- but you MUST learn to ID it correctly. See the polyquat page (http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/polyquat.html) for more info.)

Kem-Tek 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEI0Y/poolbooks) @ Amazon
Nava 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004BFV4EQ/poolbooks) @ Amazon

+ The OEM cartridges in Intex / Summer Escapes / etc. filters are not high quality. The Intex manuals recommend replacing them completely every 2 weeks. A BETTER option is to replace them permanently with 2 - 3 Unicel or Filbur cartridges, and rotating them through a cleaning solution. Properly maintained, these cartridges should last all season AND filter better. So even if they cost more per cartridge, they cost less per season! Learn to maintain them, by reading this post, Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It! (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?18044)

But, purchasing them is tricky. Amazon does not consistently stock them, and some of the 3rd party sellers are charging high prices and/or high shipping. So, check the Amazon link, but watch out for the prices and shipping costs.

It would be nice if you could just buy them elsewhere, but many of the online pool stores are listing Pleatco or other Asian made low quality filters, as "Unicel C-4607 type" or "fits Unicel C-4607". So shop carefully!

Here are the Amazon links:

Unicel cartridges: @ Amazon

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BNPRC2/poolbooks)
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B Filter (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0039X2XZK/poolbooks)
Unicel C-3302 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0040T54NA/poolbooks/)

Filbur cartridges: @ Amazon

Filbur FC-3710 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007F8T4KW/poolbooks/)
Filbur FC-3752 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002BUM8KM/poolbooks/)
Filbur FC-3751 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00564Q680/poolbooks/)

[trockyh]

The filter that comes with this pool is not much of a pump and filter. Are the sand filters that walmart sells worth purchasing?

[PoolDoc]

Gimme a link, and I'll look.

But, it doesn't take much circulation, to keep up with a small pool. It's just that with the low-grade cartridges, stuff that should be filtered isn't.

[trockyh]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/19336119

[PoolDoc]

The design looks reasonable and the reviews at both Walmart and Amazon:

Intex 56673EG 14-Inch Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump, 110-120 Volt with GFCI (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004DCANM6/poolbooks/)are very positive. Go for it!