Cover failed, leaves everywhere, help needed

[sifuhall]

Thanks for the reply.

Some of these I can answer tonight.

It is a vinyl lined in-ground pool, no fountain or waterfall, no generator. We have a chlorine dispenser near the sand filter and we use chlorine (never bromine or bacquacil).

I can post the numbers tomorrow.

I use the test strips to get the info. Is that a reliable method?

[CarlD]

What is the volume of the pool?
What type of pump and filter do you have?

Test strips are generally not reliable but they are better than nothing. You must very carefully "read" the FC and pH levels. CH, T/A are nearly hopeless, and, if your strips have a CYA (stabilizer) level, it's totally hopeless. If all you have are strips, you can take a sample to a pool store and have them do their free test on it.

However, they will attempt to sell you chlorine tabs, calcium increasers, total alkalinity increasers, pH Up!, Low'n'Slo, clarifiers, algaecides and...phosphate reducers. You could get a VERY hard sell--be strong!

The only thing you MAY want to buy for now is liquid chlorine--10-12.5% (double-strength bleach). If your CYA is low or zero (likely given the vegetation), you'll need some of that--the roughly two pound container is all for now.

Depending on the store, they may push hard, they may back off, but I wouldn't buy anything but liquid chlorine and stabilizer (the latter ONLY if CYA is low, 0 to 25).

When you say you don't use chlorine I'm confused. You'll need to start to using chlorine if you want to clean the pool.

You will need lots of chlorine. Best would probably be bleach or liquid chlorine. We need to see test results.

Meantime, there's a better kind of skimmer for your problem called a "leaf rake" that has a VERY deep net and a squeegee edge that's ideal for scraping the bottom and is safe on vinyl. "Leaf Rakes" aren't as good for surface skimming as regular skimmers but are far better for the bottom.

There is also an inexpensive garden hose-driven vacuum that has a bag that is very good for leaves and such. A few brands are out there. There are variations like the "universal leaf gulper" that run about $25 (you said funds are limited) and "Big Sucker Leaf Vacuum w/ Brushes" that's about $20. There's a "Black Magic" vacuum (<$20), a "Blue Magic" for $10, etc.

Just Google "pool vacuum heads"

[Poconos]

Carl wasn't too clear but the liquid chlorine, 10% to 12 or so, may be available at pool stores. If available it is sold in bulk and he has a couple of 5 gallon containers that he gets refilled. May be too heavy for you guys to handle though, even if you can find it. There is a cost and convenience advantage in that you don't have to recycle the jugs. For the time being just stick with generic 6% ultra bleach with about the lowest prices at Walmart for the 182 Oz jugs at $2.54 I believe. In a nutshell, as he said, you need to get the solid matter out and whack the heck out of it with bleach and it will clear up.
Al

[sifuhall]

Thanks for the replies.

I made a typo, we do use chlorine, but not bromine or bacquacil.

The pool is approximately 12,500 gallons and we have a Hayward side mount sand filter.

We have what I call a leaf net, in that it is a larger bag, but I do not believe it has a squeegee edge on it. I'll look for one of those as well as the liquid chlorine and vacuums for leaves.

Also, I will take the water to be analyzed and post the results.