New Member, yucky pool

[Old Bat]

2012.05.29.15:30
Anybody here? My bucket still cloudy with some slime accumulating on the bottom.

Pool is filled. Have not treated in any way. Not sure where to begin. I ended up with the 6 way test kit from Walmart. My husband bought it for me for a late Mother's Day. He didn't know it wasn't the same so this is what I have for now.

Tested the new water. PH is 7, Alkalinity is 490! Hardness is 590! I think these are quite alarming. Trying to figure out which thing I should do first.


2012.05.29.16:03

I'm not sure where my posts are going. I'm very confused about the pool AND the forum. I'm not able to post new threads yet. And the only way I see this thread is by clicking an old link in my email. Where are you Pool Doc? Thank you if you can help us.

[PoolDoc]

+ Your existing post is in this section: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/forumdi...amp-Operations

+ You can post in most of the other sections, but NOT in the "Getting Started" section, which is a 'gateway' section.

+ Regarding the forum; we've been slammed over the weekend. There was simply no way to keep up.

+ TA=490; CH=590? The white bucket test couldn't work -- adding backing soda that created a mess.

+ Let's try something different:
-- Test your fill water's (well water?) TA and CH, and report those.
-- Let me know if you have access to Arm & Hammer Washing Soda at Walmart.
-- Dump and rinse your bucket.

Added note: I called the head chemist at Kem-Tek; they've been using a process to remove excess calcium and alkalinity that's very close to the "lime softening" process used in the potable water treatment business. I think you are going to need it -- but he was out, and will be on vacation till Thursday.

[Old Bat]

That is our fill water. Yes I needed 49 drops of the alk titrate to turn it red and 59 drops of the hardness to turn it blue.


And also now I added some bleach, just to have some in there and the water turned green. Copper again?

They might have that washing soda. I bought 2 boxes 20 mule team and 4 lbs of regular baking soda, along with the stabilizer and bleach. Do I really have to do the bucket thing again?

[PoolDoc]

Do I really have to do the bucket thing again?

It's your pool; you don't have to do ANYTHING you don't want to do!

But, you've got some very difficult water to work with, for which there are no chemical 'magic wands'. Of course, the pool store will be HAPPY to sell you a wheel barrow load of possible magic wands, and let you test for a small $$$$ fee to see if they really work.

[Old Bat]

NO, I don't want to do anything the pool store way ever again! I just don't know what to do. It just seems like those numbers are really crazy to me. I followed the directions carefully.

I'll do the bucket thing, but what do I do?

[Old Bat]

Well the green has disappeared. The water looks good. I have a sock of CYA in front of return.

I just don't want to end up with this scale on the liner again. And such high levels of alk have me worried about future problems. Not sure how to proceed.

I haven't added anything other than bleach and CYA this year.

[BigDave]

Hold tight, Ben will get back to you. He's working on a method for you that none of the rest of us can help with.

[sunlove]

Sounds like you will need to soften your water but that is something I know very little about because I don't have hardness. Think that is why PoolDoc suggested you purchase the washing soda...I am sure he is onto something.

[Old Bat]

Thank you for your replies.

Could somebody tell me how much CYA to add? I've had it in a sock for days and days. Did the test today and the sample is clear all the way up the tube. I'm new to this, sorry. So I think I should put a startup dose of it in. What do you recommend for 5K gallons?

I only have the yellow chlorine test and keeping it up but have to keep adding chlorine so feel I should put some more CYA.

We had some hard rain since startup. PH is 7.2 now. Haven't retested for ALK or hardness yet.

[Watermom]

How much stabilizer did you put in the sock and how much of it would you guess is still in there? [And, where did you locate the sock? Is it in FRONT of the place where water comes back into the pool? PoolDoc ]

How often are you adding chlorine and how much are you adding at a time? Are you using bleach for your source of chlorine?