New member, pool owner for 10+ years

[Straightleg]

Been fighting algae for 8 years. So here I am to try the BBB. I did the phosphate thing, worked ok but very expensive. Did just about everything in the past.

So here I am. Closed my pool last year like this forum suggested. I bought a very expensive winter cover and a cheap blue tarp and double covered my pool. The pool this year is the cleanest I have ever saw it when I took the cover off
Here is my pool and supplies. Getting ready to open it.





I was going to hook up the inline automatic chorinator.
Besides just pouring bleach in can I fill this with some kind of product to just maintain what I have???

Will start with some bleach circulate and test the water when my taylor 2006 shows up.

Thanks
SL

[Themadczar]

I think you will also be pleased with the results throughout the season. I wouldn't mess with the auto chlorinator... The only chlorine you can use in it will also add other components to your pool (like stabilizer). It's fine to add stabilizer to a point, but you won't know if you've reached/exceeded that point until you have your Taylor kit and test for CYA. And even if you do want to add some, the easiest way to do so is dichlor from Sam's Club. Post your test results here when you get them and we can advise you further. Test for FC, CC, PH, TA, CH, and CYA when you get your kit. Also test your fill water so you know what you are altering when you add water (for example, TA in my fill water is very high, so I always have to keep an eye on it after I fill.)
A couple of tips about your tests...
For chlorine, the 10 ML sample is sufficient (accurate to 0.5 ppm which is fine). This will help you conserve reagents. Also, if the sample turns pink after adding 1 dipper of the dpd powder, you do not need to add the second dipper. Doing so will not change your results, but it will use more of the expensive powder than necessary.
For PH, I always read the results in bright light against a white or light colored background (a cloud in an otherwise clear sky works great). And you should read the results within 15 seconds.
CYA is a little tricky... Be sure you shake the solution vigorously for at least 30 seconds... And you want bright, indirect light to read the results. Again, outside in sunlight, hold the comparator at your waist with your back to the sun (so the comparator is in your shadow). This will yield the best results. Good luck!

[Tom.B]

Good tips. THANKS!

[Straightleg]

So what do I do with the brand new chlorinator? Dont hook it up and sell it?


SL

[Themadczar]

That would be my recommendation. I know that Ben (PoolDoc) dislikes most chlorinators... He would have to go into details about why. But based on his (and others') suggestions I have never used mine. So when it broke this winter, I plugged the lines and disconnected it.

[Straightleg]

Thanks. Will replumb today before I hook up everything


SL

[Themadczar]

Yep. That's the right kind...
Just use to chlorinate instead of bleach until you reach the desired level of cya... Probably will take a few weeks. I use poolcalculator.com to figure out the effect of adding chemicals. Never add all at once... Incremental doses of course.

[Straightleg]

Yep. That's the right kind...
Just use to chlorinate instead of bleach until you reach the desired level of cya... Probably will take a few weeks. I use poolcalculator.com to figure out the effect of adding chemicals. Never add all at once... Incremental doses of course.

2 gallons of bleach when I first took the cover off....4 gallons when I got my pump running 24 hours later.
On a test stick, no chlorine and it said ph low, cya low and ak low.
I guess I started wrong all ready...
Taylor Test kit not here yet, just bottle of test strips.

What should I do from this point on.



SL

[Watermom]

Pick up a cheap OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops) to use in the meantime. Actually, even after you get your good kit, the OTO kit can be used for quick daily checks of chlorine and pH. Or, see if they have the HTH 6-Way kit instead of the OTO. It is pretty cheap and includes a CYA test in it. If you haven't yet opened the dichlor, I wouldn't until you have a CYA reading. It may be the your CYA is ok and you don't want to add more and thus would be better off just using bleach. I know your test strip said low but we don't really trust test strips.

[Straightleg]

Did a couple of tests
ph 7.1
ta 140 - 150
fc 0
tc 0
cya almost .30 I would say .25


what now
Thanks