Need help getting my pool right for birthday party this saturday

[Watermom]

You are welcome. Hope you have a fun party despite the pool not getting cleared up in time.

[walnut777]

thanks, we had a great time. despite the pool being cloudy all the kids got in and had a great time. one of the parents was good at reading the chemical levels. he tested it and everything was in a safe level.
the blow up slide and the slip n slide and trampoline kept the kids busy. good food and us guys ended up playing cornhole (beanbag game) up until after 11 pm.

[CarlD]

Amazing how when you come to the pool store with an algae problem and you have a vinyl pool, they INEVITABLY "recommend" (ie sell you) calcium--and then recommend using Cal-Hypo to chlorinate. Calcium is USELESS in a vinyl pool! And the Cal-hypo adds even MORE calcium that you don't need.

Now Cal-Hypo, used appropriately, is a fine product, and a good way to shock a pool that isn't already high in calcium. But it's irritating to us that pool stores CONSTANTLY push calcium to customers with algae problems when it cannot help at all.

[PoolDoc]

And the Cal-hypo adds even MORE calcium that you don't need.

Usually, but not always. I've got a couple of threads going, where I've mentioned that cal hypo can be used to REDUCE calcium levels. But it involves that whole 'tweaked pH', upstream of the skimmer dosing thing that I've danced around for years -- because it can be dangerous if chemicals get mixed up.

If you just dump it in the pool, per the label, yes, it usually raises calcium levels. (I suspect, but haven't tested, that it will LOWER calcium levels somewhat if you cloud the heck out of the pool, then push the pH up a bit and filter or vacuum the cloud out.)