AG Newbie...just starting out.

Greetings all,

As title says...wife and I bought a house with a 28 foot AB pool. Season is just getting under way and I'm on the quest for forums and info...Found this site which looks like a great resource and looking forward to learning from some established users.

Except...now that I've registered I can't see the other subforums....can one of the moderators fix that for me?

Okay...now some pool questions and discussion items I've thought up over the last couple of days...

I pulled the cover off on Saturday and had some nice green algae growing in there. Got the pump and filter up and running (new sand, 22 in round filter, 1.5 HP pump). Scrubbed the walls and the bottom of the pool, added nearly a quart of mustard algaecide and a gallon of 12.5% shock. Filter and pump have been running almost a whole day now and it's the color and clarity have improved dramatically. Now that the pool clarity and algae has improved so dramatically should I backwash now to remove take care of that initial gunk that has been filtered out?

Ii know I need a good test kit. The previous owner had been using those test strips. But beyond that I'm not sure what the next most important steps are. I'm learning that pretty much everything is dependent on the pool chemistry but is there something I should be doing now until I have the test kit in hand (hopefully at the end of the week)

How much suction should the skimmer have. If I remove the strainer basket the surface gunk comes in much faster that with the skiller basket in place. How can I be sure the pool water is being filtered in the proper manner. Water is coursing out of the jet into the pool as strongly as when the filter started but...just want to be sure.

I'll stop there for now.

Thanks,
Robbym70

You have access now -- we use the "Getting Started" section to screen out all the spammers.

Regarding your filter: the way to determine when to backwash is pressure increase. You need to backwash, note the pressure a few minutes after you resume filtration, and then backwash when the pressure goes up -- usually about 5# on a sand filter.

You may need a new strainer basket that doesn't obstruct the flow so much -- that doesn't sound normal, but there's some strange above ground equipment out there, so I'm not sure.

Read through the BBB method page, and the Best Guess pages. That's pretty basic info. You can order a testkit via Amazon, using the links below as well.

Ben

Thanks Ben...Have found many online posts referring back to this forum...glad to have found you. Will get test kit shortly and go from there.

We're glad you found us, too. Feel free to ask whatever questions you have!

Janet