While waiting?

[Wilbarger]

We have our new outdoor pool up and full of water. Now the electrician can't make it to hook up the electric pump. It could be a few days or even a week before we get this done. I don't want the water to get out of hand. I added shock to it yesterday. What should I do or how long can I safely wait before getting this pump and filter hooked up?

[Watermom]

Not a problem. A couple of years ago, we had a huge storm that came through here knocking out the power to 85% of the customers in the state. My power was out for a solid week, from Friday to Friday, during a week where we had daytime temps in the 100s all week. I kept my pool from turning green by adding bleach every day. In fact, that week would have been unbearable without that pool! Before I got out each evening, I took a bottle of bleach and drizzled it around in the pool and danced and swirled and did lots of stuff to move the water around. I did this every day. I have a 27ft AG and I think I added between 1/2 to 1 gallon each day for a week. At the end of the week, the water was perfectly clear.

You can do the same thing. Of course, you don't have to be in the pool to do the bleach. Just reach as far from the side of the pool as you can and pour it really slowly around the perimeter. Then, use a clean broom or oar or whatever and stir the water up the best that you can. That will keep your pool just fine until your pump is up and running.

(I would use bleach instead of bags of granular shock.)

Also, since this is a new fill, go ahead and read our Super Simple Startup Recipe so that once the equipment is hooked up and everything is up and running, you'll be ready to get your chemistry off on the right foot. I would also encourage you to go ahead and order a Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy) test kit. Not available locally, but you can get it through the link.

http://pool9.net/ssr/
http://pool9.net/tk/

Good luck and welcome to the Pool Forum!

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EDIT: Since this is a freshly filled pool with no CYA in it, you'll lose chlorine fast. So, you'll probably want to add some bleach every morning and then again every evening so you'll be sure to always have a chlorine reading. If you give the volume, I can better make a recommendation of how much bleach to add.

[Wilbarger]

Thanks for the reply. You have eased my mind and enabled me to get some sleep this weekend. I have a 5600 gallon pool, so I suppose a 1/2 gallon of bleach per day should be enough? Thx again

[Watermom]

In a 5600 gallon pool, half of a 121-oz jug of 8.25% bleach will add about 7ppm of chlorine. You may find that you need to add some morning and evening. Pools with no CYA lose chlorine fast. Just do a quick check a couple of times per day and if the chlorine is getting too low, just add a little bleach. Just make sure you keep a reading. I was able to only add bleach once per day when we had no power but I had CYA in my pool. You don't. So, you'll just to have to keep an eye on it. It will be fine.

[Wilbarger]

what is the best way to check it. With those test strips?

[Watermom]

No, not test strips. We call them 'guess strips' for a reason. The test kit that we think is by far the best is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy) that I mentioned in my previous post. But, in the meantime, go to Walmart and get an OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops). Use it to test the water. It will only read to 5ppm which will be ok for now. But, do order the K2006 kit. It tests everything you need to test and will make your pool maintenance so much easier.

(Until you registration is completed, you won't be able to see the rest of the forum while you are logged in. So, copy that link and then paste it into a browser window after you log out.)

[Wilbarger]

It is nice to have such knowledgeable people to get info from. This is a great site. Thanks again.

[Watermom]

This is a great site.

Thanks! We think so, too!