MUCH less than $200? Probably not. And if your local pool store is typical, the $200 was just to start. They were expecting to sell you more, later.
Cleaning up a slimy pool can be expensive . . . even when you use ONLY what's needed. This is one of the key lessons of pool care: a single slimy pool event can consume more work and chemicals than would be required in a month or more of normal clear water maintenance. You do NOT want to start, if you don't have enough money right now to finish. Doing so will waste the money you spend now, and very likely will not make it any cheaper later.
In addition, you are probably going to have to spend money on one-time purchases, since you are new to this pool. And, new-to-you pools often have postponed maintenance issues.
We can help you get it up and running as cheaply as possible, but not more cheaply than is possible! You won't do yourself any favors by starting the clean up, if you can't finish. And, if you can't that's understandable -- buying a new house can leave you completely tapped out.
So evaluate your budget. If you can't afford to spend $300 over the next 6 weeks . . . postpone opening the pool.
If you decide to postpone opening, do this (if you can) to make it easier to open, later:
1. If you have the cleaning tools (telescoping pole, skimmer, leaf bag), remove as much debris from the pool bottom as possible.
2. Go to Sams Club and get their 2 gallon PoolBrand algicide. Dump it all in, but not all in one spot. (Do NOT do this, if you think you're going to open the pool within a week or so -- we do NOT recommend that sort of algicide for pools that are in use!)
3. Cover the pool, with any sort of cover that you have for the pool -- hopefully there is a cover.
4. Wait till you DO have $300 to start re-opening. Plan to swim 2 weeks after you open.
5. If possible, check out the pool pump and filter, now. You will NOT be able to open if these do not work, and if they are broken, you can expect to spend several hundred dollars more. But, you may have recourse against the seller, if you make a prompt claim. So check them out, and then talk to your realtor, if they are broken.
Once more thing.
Call your water company, and find out what 12,000 gallons of water will cost you. If you are on sewers, remember to find out what the COMBINED cost for water AND sewer charges will be -- even though the pool water won't go in the sewers, they'll still charge as if it did. If it's not too expensive, you have another option: draining and refilling. But don't do so without careful prep -- we can help -- improperly draining even an above-ground pool can destroy it.
When you DO have the money to start the pool, here are the basics you'll need -- or one version of them:
NOTE: all images are 'clickable' IF you want to buy from Amazon, or just want more info or bigger pictures)
1. 50# of PoolBrand dichlor from Sams Club -- ~$120 (this will last most of the season)
2. (4) boxes of "20 Mule Team" borax from Walmart or whereever -- this is a start up dose; but you can buy borax as you need it.
3. A cheap OTO/phenol red test kit, like this one
You can click the image to order from Amazon (about $18 delivered) or you can find a similar kit from Walmart for $12 or so. The Walmart kits will not be quite as good.
4. Basic cleaning tools. Look around, and see what the previous owner left. Here's what you need to start:
+ a telescoping pole long enough to reach to the middle of your pool (14')
+ a skimmer net, for removing debris from the pool surface (the Swimline model at Amazon is called a "professional" skimmer -- it's not pro-grade skimmers cost 2x to 3x as much!)
+ a leaf bag, unless there are no trees within 50 - 100' of your pool:
5. Later, you'll probably need a vacuum head and vacuum hose.
Look all this over, look at your budget; look around and see what may be left at the pool, and get back to us, and we can help you.
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