New pool owner

[PoolDoc]

I'm still working on the auto-upgrades. You should got to "Registered+" in a day or so.

Looking at your pool chart info, I see that you have well water and are using 'guess-strips'. That tends to be a toxic combo -- well water is often problematic, and with guess strips you really don't know what you're dealing with.

I'm posting some relevant info for you below; hope it helps.

Ben

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+ 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.)

+ Having a good test kit makes pool care easier for EVERYONE, but is an ESSENTIAL tool for pools with problems. A good test kit means a kit that can test chlorine from 0 - 25 ppm, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stabilizer with reasonable accuracy. Test strips (AKA 'guess-strips' ) do NOT meet this standard. Some pool store testing is accurate; most is not. The ONLY way you'll know whether your pool store is accurate or bogus, is by testing accurately your own self. On the other hand, pool store 'computer' dosing recommendations are NEVER trustworthy -- ignore them. They are designed to sell more chemicals than you need, and WILL cause many pool problems.

+ We recommend the Taylor K-2006 test kit, which meets the requirements above, for many reasons. The HTH 6-way drops kit is a great starter kit, and is compatible with the K2006 (it's made by Taylor). There are a few alternatives; for example Lamotte makes an FAS-DPD kit that's OK -- but it costs 3x as much. But, we're not aware of any test that is better, and since we are all familiar with the K-2006 (and can help you with it) we recommend it exclusively ( Test kit info page )

One caution for the 2012 season: Amazon does not stock the kits directly. So when buying at Amazon, Amato is our current preferred seller. However, they often don't list enough stock to last the whole day, so try order mid-morning. You should expect a delivered cost under $60 for the K2006A and under $95 for the K2006C. If you can't find that, wait a day.

+ Here are links to the kits we recommend (you can check local availability on the HTH kit, using the Walmart link):

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

+ Pool tests for metals aren't always reliable, for a variety of reasons. If there's a chance you may hve iron or other metals in the water you fill your pool with, using a bucket test can verify the problem: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16946

+ Filling with metal contaminated water is tricky. Often, by the time your pool is full, it's already stained. If you think (or know) you have metals in your fill water, it is best to wait till you have a complete treatment plan -- and all testkits and chemicals ready and waiting -- BEFORE you fill. If it's too late for that, but your pool has not yet turned brown, or started staining your pool, then do this:

• Lower your pH to 7.0 - 7.2)
• Add a dose of pool store LIQUID metal control agent. Do NOT over dose. Do record EXACTLY what you use, because we'll need to know.
• Buy and use some polyquat but do NOT use chlorine.

If everything is already all brown, do the same as above, BUT maintain low (1 - 3 ppm) levels of chlorine.

+ The OEM cartridges in Intex / Summer Escapes / etc. filters are not high quality. The Intex manuals recommend replacing them completely every 2 weeks. A BETTER option is to replace them permanently with 2 - 3 Unicel cartridges, and rotating them through a cleaning solution. Properly maintained, the Unicel cartridges will last all season AND will filter better. So even though they cost more per cartridge, they cost less per season! Learn to maintain them, by reading this post, Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It!

But, purchasing them is tricky. Amazon does not consistently stock them, and some of the 3rd party sellers are charging high prices and/or high shipping. So, check the Amazon link, but watch out for the prices and shipping costs.

It would be nice if you could just buy them elsewhere, but many of the online pool stores are listing Pleatco or other Asian made low quality filters, as "Unicel C-4607 type" or "fits Unicel C-4607". So shop carefully!

Here are the Amazon links:

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Easy Set Size A or C) @ Amazon
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 15 Square Foot Intex B Filter @ Amazon

[Gomez5693]

OK, we got the HTH 6 way drop test kit and pool is;
Cl 1
pH 7.2
Alk 400
CYA less than 30, the dot never disappeared
Hardness 370

[PoolDoc]

Alk 400
Hardness 370

Ouch! Keep your pH low!, as in 7.2 or lower. You'll need to read the muriatic acid page linked in my signature, and then get some. Your pH is going to constantly tend to drift up.

You also may want to do a metals bucket test
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16946
to see if you hit a home-run (high TA, high TH, AND metals).

+ Do NOT use any calcium hypochlorite based chlorine.
+ Do NOT add pH Up (soda ash, washing soda), or Alkalinity Up (baking soda)
+ Do NOT let your pH get above 7.4
+ Do use dichlor, to chlorinate (info below)
+ Do NOT add large dose of chlorine all at once.
+ If you are not on a tight budget, do get some polyquat (info below) and use it to allow you to run lower chlorine, till we work out a plan.

Your pool water is very 'twitchy', and will turn to 'milk' if you don't follow the guidelines above. If you don't also have metals, we can just lower your TA, and then you can go about things pretty much as usual. If you DO have metals (iron!) in the water, then you've got some work to do.

Ben
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+ If you need stabilizer, and have access to a Sams Club, buy their 24 pack of 1# bags of dichlor shock. Each bag will add about 7 ppm of chlorine, and about 6 ppm of stabilizer, per 10K gallons of water. Otherwise, order dichlor from Amazon:

Kem-Tek Dichlor 22 lbs

We do NOT recommend buying dichlor locally, otherwise, at least until you are an EXPERT reader of chemical labels. The chlorinating pool chemicals sold at Walmart, Kmart, Costco, and most other local stores are diluted blends, sometimes with copper and other products with bad side-effects

+ Chlorine is the strongest algaecide you can buy . . . but occasionally, you may need a different one. Almost the only alternative algaecide we recommend is polyquat -- poly [oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene dichloride] . This product is a GOOD clarifier and a moderately good algaecide, with almost no bad side effects. We often recommend it for use when you are going on vacation, or when you need to lower your chlorine, to prevent remove stains. It has become quite difficult to purchase locally at the normal full strength 60% concentration. If you find it locally, at a 60% concentration, that's fine. But be SURE to check the chemical name. If you need to buy it online, here's an Amazon link:

Kem-Tek 311-6 Pool and Spa 60-Percent Concentrated Algaecide, 1 Quart

[PoolDoc]

note correction to polyquat paste-in . . . NOT the same as in the emailed version of the post.

[Gomez5693]

We do have access to Sam's, but it will be a couple days before we can get up there. The Chlorine and Shock that we have from Wally are both 47.6% calcium hypochlorite
I'm not sure if I saw a different bucket test or just didn't read it right; as I was filling the pool I put 3 gallons of water in a bucket with a 1/4 cup of bleach and it stayed clear for over 24 hours, I'll have to do the other way as well.
We just got out of the pool and noticed the floor and walls feel a little slimy.
Would some water softener salt dissolved in a bucket then added to the pool water help?

[PoolDoc]

We just got out of the pool and noticed the floor and walls feel a little slimy.
Would some water softener salt dissolved in a bucket then added to the pool water help?

Salt won't help. Add BLEACH tonight!

Post EXACT brand and label info from the shock, so we can figure out if you can use it, or have to flush it.

[Gomez5693]

OK, I got the Dichlor from Sam's (Sodium Dichloro-s-triazinetrione hydrated 99%) and added 5 ounces per the super chlorination instructions. Actually, I should have used 4 ounces. Anyway, current readings are Cl 5ppm, pH 7.8 and the water is clear. I still need to find the muriatic acid.