New pool owner with tons of ?'s

[partisan17]

Just bought a foreclosure. Pool has water in, some old filter, 1.5 hp pump, no heater. inground pool, looks concrete. local pool guys want about 1k to open and clean. any suggestions. i never had a pool beofre. right now pool is filled and covered. water is pretty clear, but a lot of algae and green slime.
i am looking to update the pool with new equipment. budget is aout 10k. looks like pump is working, but filter is really old. please help.

[PoolDoc]

You'll need to post (or provide) pictures of the pool and your equipment, before we can help much. And, unless you've got a clear reason to replace all the gear, I'd recommend going ahead and opening it and operating it -- even for just a month -- BEFORE you make decisions on what needs work. Post the URL of the pictures on Flickr, Webshots, Google Drive, etc. OR email them to poolforum@gmail.com

Even in the Chicago area, $1,000 seems pretty high to clean and open. The peak of the pool season is over, and the closing season hasn't started, so you might want to check around for a better price. You can probably get a better price, by pre-treating with bleach for a week or so, before you get a price. Do this:

1. Get a cheap OTO / phenol red (yellow / red drops) test kit. Check the pH level, and report that here. Order a K2006 kit (link to test kit page in my blue signature block)
2. Measure the pool as best you can, and report that info, too.
3. Buy 16 gallons of PLAIN 8.25% household bleach. Add 2 gallons, in at least 4 different spots around the pool. If possible, use a bucket to mix 1/2 gallon of bleach with 2 gallons of water and pour that in -- with no circulation, the mix will distribute better. Do this AFTER you have tested pH.
4. If the pH was less than 7 or more than 8, don't add more chlorine, till that is fixed.
5. Otherwise, add 2 gallons every evening, until the OTO test shows a DARK yellow result. At that point, peel back 1/6 to 1/4 of the cover, exposing that much of the pool to light and air.
6. Report changes in algae.
7. Once the K2006 arrives, check all levels: FC, CC, pH, alkalinity, calcium, and especially, CYA
8. Once the algae is dead -- should happen while you maintain DARK yellow OTO readings -- call and get another opening quite.

Once the pool is up and running, and you have a bit of experience running a pool, THEN you can start on a rehab plan. One concern I have is that the pool surface (or liner) may need replacement more than the equipment, and may eat up your budget all by itself.

[Shredhead]

I keep mine open till October, but most people around here close in early September. You might just punt and wait till next year.
I think you just about have to have some type of a heater. I had to turn mine on last week during that cold snap.

[PoolDoc]

You might just punt and wait till next year.

Shred, the point is, he has not really checked out his equipment or pool interior. It's almost impossible to do so properly without opening the pool.

And . . . it's cheaper and easier to get repairs done in the fall when the pool season is winding down, then in the spring, when it's heating up. Putting off repairs that can be down in the fall, till spring, almost always hurts the pool owner.