Woo hoo pool owner!!

[Libast]

Greetings!

I am an owner of an intex 13' pool that i am pretty much using as a "trial" pool to gauge my chemist abilities before we look into a more permanent recessed option.


As its still fresh and new to me, I have healthy water. No complaints with it, I wa'd s a lifeguard/pool operator all throughout high school, so I understand how to maintain it. I shock & chlorinate as needed, but i have not used the stabilizer (CYA) as i haven't minded chlorinating daily and haven't had any problems/complaints with the water.


This does however involve alot of time that I would rather spend in the pool if you know what i mean.

1) I'd like to normalize the chemical maintenence schedule with a more "automatic" solution. I know that larger pools can use surface skimmers with chlorine tablets/sticks and i am wondering if that would be a possible solution for my pool? its 2,600 gallons so not too large. A pool "expert" suggested that I would never be able to use one as it would over chlorinate, but I would think there would be an ability to control this?

2) I am wondering about an auto vacuum/surface skimmer. Right now I just net it all, but I'd prefer something a bit more futuristic. Are there options for a pool this size?

3) I think the filter/pump is grossly underpowered.... its the included intex one 530gal/hr. The pool is 2,600 gallons, and i would like to be able to use the above mentioned tools. What pump upgrade (wouldlike the saltwater chlorinator and sand pump, but I do not know alot about those for above ground pools)

Thanks in advance, I hope that I pass the real person test and gain access to the rest

[Watermom]

I can't answer the questions about the tools you are interested in for this small of a pool. Perhaps someone else will.

But I will tell you that an outdoor pool needs to have some CYA. Without it you will lose too much chlorine to the sun and probably be having to either take the chlorine level too high to make it through a day without losing it all (which wouldn't be good for the liner) or you'll have to be adding chlorine 2 or 3 times per day.

A better option is to add some CYA to get to a level of about 40 or so. That will allow you to add chlorine only once per day, preferably in the evening. 3-5 minutes per day is not much time and would allow you to better enjoy the pool.

Can you tell us more about your situation? Do you have a drops-based test kit? Test strips are pretty worthless. Can you post a complete set of current water testing results? What are you using to shock and chlorinate with ---meaning ingredients.

Repost with info requested and someone can help you go from there. Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[CarlD]

Since my first pool was an Intex 15' donut I'm right there with you. Mine was about 3700 gallons.
Watermom is right. You need some CYA in your pool. That way, you won't have to be adding chlorine all the time. While the pump is weak, I found it adequate enough to run a 4'x10' solar panel as well. Good care will allow you to spend more time in the pool and less time caring for it. But you can get a bigger pump and filter. Small combos are available from manufacturers like Hayward and Pentair.

Many trichlor floaters have adjustable vents so it doesn't over-chlorinate. I wouldn't recommend it for a donut though. You'll be tripping over it and that's not a good thing.

Carl

[Libast]

Can you tell us more about your situation? Do you have a drops-based test kit? Test strips are pretty worthless. Can you post a complete set of current water testing results? What are you using to shock and chlorinate with ---meaning ingredients.

Repost with info requested and someone can help you go from there. Welcome to the Pool Forum!

Thanks! Its actually a 13' metal frame pool, I avoided the blowup pool after seeing the neighbors smaller one burst like a water baloon.

i use a drop kit, its just the hth 3 way kit. when i opened my pool 3 weeks ago i did take my water to a local pool place and they also mentioned the CYA would be in my best interests.

Right now just using the "starter" kit for pop up pools from HTH.. the shock n swim, and the granulated chlorine, ph is 7.5 constant (no rain here in oklahoma in quite some time) and my chlorine is usually 1-3. I do add it at night and let the filter run a bit to circulate.

thanks for the welcome

[BigDave]

The last few years I ran a couple Intex donuts (none burst). My pool was in the shade most of the day and I kept my CYA on the low side - about 25ppm (by weight, the black dot never really disappeared). I only had to add bleach once a day unless there we alot of neighbors around (lots of kids fit in a 15' donut). Some days (cloudy) I could skip a day.

We had a Robo Clean robotic cleaner, It is a little car that drives back and forth across the pool sucking junk off the floor into it's internal filterbag. It was great. Works on electric so the weak pump wasn't a problem - in fact it kept alot of stuff from ever getting to the filter. It lasted three years of nearly daily use in the summer. It stopped moving at the end of last season. For $100 a season it was a great deal.