New User Posting First Time

[StevenHumphrey]

I have an inground 20 x 44 ft pool. Just opened it up last Sunday and was surprised that the water was green. Last couple years, the water was clear and this winter was a cold one. Then I remembered when I closed it last year - early September - it was pretty warm for a month or so afterward. This year, I will close it in October, when the temp goes down to 6 degrees.

Anyway, I have shocked it and it is still a little green. Have not yet tested the water - probably do that sometime today. I have read the BBB advice a few years back, which is very good especially concerning using bleach and baking soda. The last couple years I have discovered that the regular stores do not sell normal bleach anymore. It is all concentrated. I do find regular bleach at the Dollar Tree and I can get the baking soda cheap at WalMart. However, I have never been able to find 20 Mule Team Borax. Do you have any suggestions as to where it is sold?

A few years back I switched from a sand filter to a cartridge filter system and I regret that decision to this day. The pool always has sand and dirt on the bottom and the Polaris pool sweeper has never worked correctly since. If I decide to sell the house and move, I will switch back to a sand filter.

Thank you for the welcome and I hope you can answer my question about the borax.

Hey - another question. Is it possible to post a picture? If so, I can post what my pool looks like and maybe get suggestions on how to keep it cleaner. Thank you again.

[Watermom]

What kind of test kit do you have?

As far as bleach goes, it is fine to use the concentrated stuff. What most of us use is Walmart's generic 8.25% bleach. Unscented only! Have you looked in the laundry aisle at Walmart for the Borax? That is where it would be. I have seen it in many Walmart stores.

To post a picture, you can either use Picasa, Flickr, etc. or just email them to poolforum@gmail.com and reference the URL of this thread.

(P.S. I'm with you on the filters. I would never want a cartridge filter. Sand filters are so easy. )

[StevenHumphrey]

I used half a bottle of concentrated bleach last year and my water starting sudzing up. I stopped real quick, discharged the water, and used a leaf net to get as much suds and toss it out of the pool. Scared me too much to try it again. I will try WalMart again. I was looking for 20 Mule Team and not thinking that it could be another brand name. Thanks. What kind of test kit do you recommend?

[Watermom]

Concentrated bleach will not cause that. I wonder if you accidentally used something with some scents, etc., in it by mistake? I buy the Walmart generic 8.25% all the time. In fact, it is the only thing I use. It does not cause foaming. (Maybe it was a type of algaecide you used instead that caused the foaming?? Some of them will do that.)

As far as Borax is concerned, it is 20 Mule Team Borax that we buy. All the Walmarts I have ever looked in have always had it in the laundry detergent aisle.

The kit you want is not available locally. It is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C. If you get it through this link http://pool9.net/test/, it earns the forum a small percentage which helps us keep the lights on. (Link takes you to our Amazon link. Any purchases made through that link, (and NOT just pool supplies), will earn a little to help us keep the forum alive.)

[PoolDoc]

Stay away, far away, from the 'flavored' bleach in the pretty bottles.

In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that the bottle has pretty colors, flowers, or says "New and Improved" . . . it's not what you want!

. . . membership upgraded.