New Owner using well water

[Sellersgang]

We are new pool owners with a 18' x 48" AG pool. We are currently filling the pool with well water and would like to know the first thing we need to do to treat this well water. The water now is crystal clear and COLD!! I would like it to stay that way!!

[Watermom]

Do you know if you have metals in the water? You might want to do the "bucket test" to check for metals (explained below). Post back with your results.

When testing for metals, you'll need the following:

(2) white 5 gallon buckets.
A 1 gallon or 1/2 gallon clean milk jug or orange juice container (to measure with) OR
A household scale accurate to within 1 lb.
A *fresh* jug (96 oz or 1 gallon) of plain 6% household bleach.
A box of 20 Mule Team borax.
An OTO testkit, like the Taylor 1000 or the HTH 6-way drops kit. (Test kit info page)
Lids or towels you can cover to cover the buckets.
A plastic or stainless steel tablespoon measure
A plastic or stainless steel 1/4 cup measure
A clean household long-handled stainless or plastic cooking spoon.

To carry out the test:

Use the gallon or half gallon measure to collect pool water.
Fill the first white bucket with 4 gallons of POOL water.
(Measure by adding 4 measured gallons OR by adding 33 lbs of water to the buckets)
Fill the second white bucket with 4 gallons of FILL water, from whatever source is used to fill the pool.
To each bucket, add 1/2 cup of bleach & mix (~80 gal bleach /10K gal pool -- 480 ppm)
Mix completely with the spoon
Wait 15 minutes, and note any color change.
To each bucket, add 1/2 cup of borax,
Mix with the spoon till dissolved completely
Cover with lid or towel.
After 24 hours, inspect. Note clarity, color and sediment, if any visible
After 24 *more* hours, inspect. Note clarity, color and sediment, if any visible
Test both buckets for chlorine levels with OTO. You should not get a 'normal' reading, but report resultant color.
Report results.
Recover the buckets, and wait 3 days, and check again.

In the meantime, get a test kit. The one we actually recommend is the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C which you can get through the test kit page in my signature. But, since it is only available online, you need something to use until it arrives. Get a cheap OTO (yellow drops) / phenol test kit, or if available at YOUR Walmart (check availability), get the HTH 6-way DROPS test kit, which is compatible with the Taylor K2006. Test the pool as soon and you can, and post the results. If you get the 6-way kit, ALSO test the water you FILL the pool with, especially if it's a well, and post THOSE results as well. (The HTH is the best available kit you're likely to find locally, but it's not the K-2006. It can only provide rough measurements chlorine levels above 5 ppm, and it measures "TOTAL" hardness, rather than "CALCIUM" hardness, which is not ideal.)

While you are at Walmart, pick up a couple of gallons of plain, unscented bleach (generic is fine) and a couple of boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart.)

Also, please fill out the Pool Chart with your pool's information. It makes it easier for us to help.

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results