Yay!!!New pool!!!

[jo3ponies]

Choosing between A/C and a pool I chose pool. (who knew I'd be a water baby in my 60s?) Tried every way possible to get softened water to fill it but no way so water is from our (hard) water well. After previous attempts to keep old, smaller pools swimmable my husband gave up so I'm taking over with a bigger pool (20' x 48" round) and YOU. Hoping we're going to have a very successful relationship, do what my hubs couldn't, and you will make my summer everything I hope it will be....you just don't understand how important it is to cool off and get my water exercises in. Thank you....

[Watermom]

Do you have the pool up and running yet? What all have you added to the water? Do you have a drops-based test kit?

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[jo3ponies]

1/2 full and will finish filling today. I have a 3 way test kit and all was 0 except ph was 7.2. Have only put about 5 cups of concentrated (Clorox from Sam's) bleach. My well water is known to be very hard (calcium) and I tried every way possible to truck water in but wasn't able to do that in my area. Lost last year's pool to a tornado so got a little bigger one this year and since my hubs gave up on trying to keep it swimmable last year I am taking over this year (with your help, of course). I got the bigger pool so I could do water exercises and cool off in between gardening and storm cleanup in the Oklahoma heat....going to be 101 today....cool front moving through. I'm told by local pool people that is isn't possible to maintain a pool with hard water. The only advice they gave was "drain the pool and fill with softened water". When I told them that was just not possible they said they had no advice for me other than that. Is it possible to maintain a pool filled with hard water? Or am I doomed? Not swimming is not an option....I'll get in it if it looks like pond scum if that's my only choice....but I hope it isn't.

[Watermom]

Order a good test kit. The one we recommend is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). Not available locally but you can get it through this link:> http://pool9.net/tk/

Since this is a freshly filled pool, the perfect way for you to start up is with our Super Simple Startup Recipe:> http://pool9.net/ssr/

You can deal with hard water assuming it isn't ridiculously hard. You will want to keep your pH and TA on the low end, though.

Read the links I posted above and then let us know if you have more questions.

(Until your registration is completed, you won't be able to follow links or see the rest of the forum while you are logged in. So, copy the links and paste them into a browser window after you log out.)

[jo3ponies]

Darn...it won't even work when I copy and paste it! I'm ready to order it when it's ready to let me. Will see if I can access the SSS link. I sure don't want to mess this up so I hope you hurry and get me completed. Just figuring out how to use forums. I am also ready to register as a subscriber if that will help get the info better.

[Watermom]

Were you logged out when you copied and pasted the link? It should work.
If you are interested in becoming a subscriber, it does make your posts get priority attention especially when we get busy.

[PoolDoc]

You're membership has been updated, so you shouldn't have any problems with access now.

Regarding the high calcium -- I wouldn't worry about it -- it may not be a problem at all. Go ahead and get the K2006 -- they are essential with well water. And follow the list below:

1. Use ONLY borax to raise the pH, if it's low. Never use soda ash (pH UP).

2. Do NOT ever add calcium to your pool -- even if a pool store tells you it's essential.

3. Do NOT add baking soda (alkalinity increaser) to the pool unless WE tell you to do so.

4. Read the muriatic acid page (http://pool9.net/ma/) and make sure you're ready to use MA to lower the pH as needed.

5. ONLY use bleach, dichlor or trichlor to chlorinate.

6. If you have a salt system that came with your pool, turn it off. Until you have learned to fully manage your chemistry, running a SWCG on pool water with very high calcium will just break it.

7. Do NOT use calcium hypochlorite shock, ever. (Ironically, depending on your filter, it may be possible to use cal hypo to BOTH chlorinate AND lower your calcium -- but even here, I'm the only one who can tell you how. So for now, no cal hypo).

8. If you don't have one, get an OTO / phenol red drops kit from Walmart. Get an HTH 6-way, if available. Get a cheapo model if not. Test your pool and post the results. Keep your pH low-ish (7.0 - 7.4)

9. Do NOT buy and use any clarifier, floc, or products to help with calcium. Usually, they end up making things worse, not better.

10. Order the K2006 . . . and watch the videos. As soon as you get the kit, test the pool and post results.

[Watermom]

To clarify PoolDoc's step #8 ---- if you get the HTH 6-Way kit, you don't need the OTO/phenol red kit because the 6-Way kit has an OTO kit in it. Do NOT get the 6-Way test strips. Only the 6-Way drops-based kit.

[PoolDoc]

Thx, WM.

[jo3ponies]

I've got the Borax and bleach and did the fill up process according to the 7 day Simple Startup. I added bleach and Borax according to their instruction the first evening of pool was completely filled. I had seen a bit of algae and a water bug so I added extra bleach and Borax according to the instructions in the 7 day SS. Will take my first test (3 way drops I had previously purchased) in the morning and let you know what I find. Went to Sam's for Dichlor but they loaded up Chlorine Tablets instead. Will return and get the stabilized Chlorine tomorrow. (Darn it). Ordering K2006 tomorrow also. (Hope it isn't too expensive. Was shocked that the plain Chlorine Tabs were $80!!!) AAAAwwwk! Can I afford this? I'll find a way....Do they still make those little swim caps we used to wear in PE?