New to the forum

[Sheila2e]

We haven't even taken the winter cover (we also have a solar cover), so I have no clue what state the water is in yet. :/ We have test strips & the traditional dropper type test kit.

Hayward 110 SwimPro Element, Hayward 2.0 HP PowerPro- is this what you need to know?

I don't know if this helps any either, but we have an ET automatic chlorinator... we don't have/use one of those floating things w/ the chlorine tablets.

[aylad]

What she needs to know is if you have a sand, DE, or cartridge filter?

Janet

[AnnaK]

Sheila, whichever way you go, full open or just have the pump functional to add chemicals now and then, be sure you add enough water to the pool to reach halfway up the skimmer frame, otherwise your pump won't have any water to draw in.

[Sheila2e]

Ok, spent most of the day trying to get water off the winter cover. We finally got it off, power washed the winter cover. And the water is crystal clear! Yay! So far no algae, or slimey walls. Just a few dead flies, a slug, a worm. Oh & one of those creepy swimming bugs. So far looks like I just have to fill the pool & vacuum it! I am so excited... But now my question is.... Is there any way to avoid those creepy swimming bugs?

[PoolDoc]

Is there any way to avoid those creepy swimming bugs?

Sure!

Just move your pool into the desert, OR take all of the water out of it.

Seriously -- not really. Those waterbugs can fly, and do!

[Sheila2e]

lol They are sooo gross though... The desert thing sounds like a good idea though!

[PoolDoc]

It's all matter of perspective -- my family finds them fascinating!

(But then, we currently have a dead bat hanging in a bag on our front stoop, so I can show my Scouts. And, we had a pet jumping spider that got so fat from eating the flies we gave it, it couldn't jump! Watermom has gotten to the point where she's afraid to look if I send an email entitled, "Look what we found!")

[Sheila2e]

lol I don't blame her! My 5 year old daughter loves slugs, worms, spiders, etc... But flies & those swimming bugs freak her out!! She won't get in the pool if she sees'em! & at one point towards the end of the summer, I swear something in the water was biting us! :/ I was just hoping there was a way to detour them from the pool.

[PoolDoc]

You can cautiously use the linear quat algaecides we usually dis-recommend. The same characteristics that cause the water to be foamy, also make it harder for those bubble breathing bugs to function. Sams' Club has a 2 gallon pack of that stuff for pretty cheap. If you get some, add the recommended dose, and see what happens. Just be careful -- that stuff uses up chlorine and makes the water more irritating. If you get a K2006, and post readings, I can help you 'tune up' to run the quats intermittently without having too much conflict with chlorine.

[Sheila2e]

Ok thanks I will definitely be looking into that. We still have a few weeks before we can actually swim. I think next week we are planning on filling the pool back up. The pump is connected but not running yet... hence needing water. lol