First pool, might be our LAST...name says it all!

[swamp mistress]

Thankfully the "goo" is disapearing, today there was almost nil on the skimmer.

7pm statis
flushed filter, added a total of 9 cups (72 oz) of bleach, (3 at first, tested, then 6 more)
without any problems...have not had to add metal control.
CL: 12 (if I understood shot glass method correctly, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, etc. did I do it right, after mixing pool water w/distilled, poured into test kit thingy, then added 5 drops & checked color...)
Ph: 7.2

8pm - checked again, same test results CL: 12, Ph: 7.2

will check early am & post results. The water is looking very good!

[CarlD]

Yup, you got the CarlD Patented Shot Glass Method down!

[swamp mistress]

6:30am results (6-way hth, 15' x 42' Intex)
CL: 12
Ph: 7.2

actions: flushed filter, (the water exiting the filter is only as dirty as the untreated tannin water going in from the hose), checked CYA sock, still has a little undisolved product in it, cleaned skimmer, VERY slight residue that washed off with the hose, didn't have to scrub it with degreaser! yahoo!!!! When I held up a glass of pool water, dare I say? it looked CRYSTAL! The pool water LOOKS so INVITING!

I didn't add more chlorine, didn't know how long to keep it at 12ppm...or let it fall back around 3-5 range?

[aylad]

I would leave it at 12 ppm for one more day, just to be on the safe side, but if you went from 7 pm last night until 6 am this morning with no chlorine loss, I'd say you're in pretty good shape. If you can keep it at 12 all day, and go all night tonight without losing any chlorine, then I'd say let it drift back down to the 3-5 range tomorrow and go swimming!! Might want to squeeze the sock a little to encourage the last of the CYA to dissolve, then tomorrow morning test your CYA, and we can adjust your baseline chlorine from there. Once you mix the pool water with the CYA reagent, let the bottle sit on the counter for 3 or 4 minutes. Then shake it again and run your test for CYA. If you're not sure, you can always pour the mixture from the tube with the dot in it back into your original container and do the test again. It's a very subjective test, but we need to know what yours is to determine whether to add more CYA or how low to let the chlorine go.

You've done a great job--keep at it, just a little longer--I'm getting the feeling that crystal clear pool is right around the corner!!

Janet

[swamp mistress]

ok, kept pool at 12ppm all day yesterday, only needed to add a little bleach last night to keep it there for overnight (2 cups), flushed filter & ran pump all night.

7am today (6-way hth test, 15'x42" Intex)
CL: 12
Ph: 7.2
I didn't test for CYA yet, the sock still had a little product, I squished the last of it out and will give it an hour or so to disperse, then test.

Water looks GREAT, very clear, so clear I can see the DESSERT DIRT that settled on the bottom. High winds blew the cover right off yesterday and dirt right IN, tried putting a coffee filter in the bag (tied to the long handled skimmer/brush included with the pool), but that didn't help much, it collected bugs but not dirt. I put in a new pump filter since the waters so clear, I thought I could see if dirt is EVEN being sucked into the filter at all. I'm hoping getting in it later today (yeah!..happy dance ) the dirt will get moving around so it CAN be filtered.

[aylad]

Congratulations!!
Now let your chlorine drop to the 3-5 range and enjoy your pool!!! Come back and let us know how the CYA level is doing.....and keep an eye on your pH. Remember that if your pH starts to climb, you could be letting yourself in for brown water again. Keep it below 7.6, but never below 7.0 .

Great job!

Janet

[swamp mistress]

1pm tested CYA (hth 6-way)

still not making the black dot disapear. I'm assuming I should add more, but I'll wait for your instructions.

Test kit didn't come with much CYA regeant, I might have just enough to test again in evening hours, if that makes a difference, located nearest pool supply store (gasp!) and will pick some up tomorrow for sure.

I'm otta here...got two kids & a pool that need a christening!!!!

[aylad]

Don't worry too much right now about the CYA--just concentrate on keeping your chlorine where it needs to be. Testing this evening isn't going to make much of a difference. Give it a couple of days, time to replace your reagent, and then test it again. If it's still low, then you can add a little more. You need to target around 30-40 ppm.

Janet

[swamp mistress]

Hi, although I haven't posted in a couple days (I have been reading) just wanted you to know I've been keeping up on pool maintainence. Friday I tested CYA levels with my remaining reagent, the black dot still does not disapear, since I read it can take a week to register levels, I'll recheck again when my order arrives, I couldn't find it locally.

So I went into a pool supply store to find the only person working was getting an ear-full from a customer, she was complaining she'd already spent over $200 and still had nasty pool water, she was not a happy camper! I heard the guy say, "that's the problem, people go to Walmart, buy the cheap blow-up pools, then expect US to FIX THEM!" I just smiled, left and went home to order my reagent that he was out of.

Our water went through a slight change, from clear to green & then started to turn slight brownish color so I just reversed my steps, added a little metal sequestrant, little algecide, keeping chlorine at good levels and today the water is "pristine" looking again. ( I had added some hose water when skimming the bottom so will need to add sequestrant each time I do that, I guess.)

I found the pole/skimmer that came with the pool to be useless...that is, until I made my own "skimmer bag." I took two cut up knee-highs, and one thicker nylon style sock with the cheese-cloth bag over the top, tied the whole thing onto the unit...boy! did I clean up the bottom! Only dust gets through now!

I'll check back when I have something to report.

[aylad]

Awesome!! Sounds like you've got it under control--ain't it great?

If it's been 3 or 4 days since the last of your CYA dissolved from the sock, and you're still not registering CYA, then go ahead and add a little more. I don't remember offhand how much you put in, but you want to target 30-40 ppm in the pool, so go ahead and add the remainder of the dose. Give it 2-3 days after the last has dissolved, and then test for it again and see what you get.

When you top off the pool with well water, you might want to put a trichlor puck (just not one that contains copper--read the ingredient labels!!!) into the skimmer and add it there, so that you can drop as much of the iron out onto your filter as possible before it gets into the pool, sort of like you were doing when you first started to clear it up. That might cut down on the amount of metal sequestrant you're having to use, and make it easier to keep your chlorine up without browning of the water. You also might want to consider a pre-filter of some sort so that most of the iron can be filtered out before it ever gets to the pool....just an idea, but one worth thinking about if you plan to run the pool from well water for the duration.

Going to the pool store is a real adventure after you learn about pool care, huh? I have a really hard time keeping my mouth shut when I hear the conversations of the people in front of me......then I wait for the sales people to walk away, and give the customers the link to this site. Too bad they're the only ones in town that don't have copper in the trichlor and stock parts for my Polaris, otherwise I'd never even have to go in!!

Janet