Need advice on cloudy Intex Pool . . . but I don't want a K2006

[EllenF]

Wow, Ben, what a warm welcome to the pool world you've given me.
I'm new to all this and came here for some advice, which Watermom gave me. I was and am appreciative of her.
How exactly did I waste your time when you didn't respond to any of my posts? Watermom did a great job educating me on the basics, but since I'm just a small resistant little pool owner I won't bother you all any more.

[PoolDoc]

Your choice, of course.

I handled it badly, and should have checked with my mods, etc first.

I can certainly see how my response came across as rude -- I have tendency to 'think out loud' at times, and that's what I was doing. But the simple fact remains that, if you have problems with a small pool, the 3 options I gave you are really the ones you have -- not because I'm being mean or rude, but just because those are the facts.

Test it accurately -- and then fix it -OR- drain and refill it and then use the SSR (which avoids some of the need to test -OR- give it up.

Of course, there's a 4th option the pool chemicals companies hope you'll take, and that's to keep buying useless pool chemicals OR using bad test methods (strips or pool dealers) so they can keep selling you stuff, as the problems continue.

Sorry I didn't say it better. Good luck.

[Watermom]

Ellen, if you are able to buy the K1515 kit I mentioned above, that will give you the ability to test accurately and we will be able to help you clear your pool up. Let us know.

[CarlD]

My first pool was an Intex donut, 15' diameter, 15 years ago we used for three years.
I went thru many of the same problems you did...wasting money on "How To Tame The Pool Monster" and other useless, expensive industry advice. I put in the wrong chemicals, the wrong algaecide, but nothing worked.

Then, in the 2nd season, I found the Pool Forum. I was one of the first members to have an Intex anything, and Ben knew little about it and was highly skeptical I'd be able to make it work with the as-yet-unamed BBB system in a 3500 gallon fish bowl with a lousy undersized cartridge filter. But I bought the equivalent of the K-2006, and it was the best investment I ever made! My water troubles with the Intex were over, and after the 3rd season I built my current pool and managing it was easy.

But here is the thing: We can only give you our best advice. You can take it or not take it, because it is your pool, not ours. We hope you will take it because most of our members are able to enjoy their pools with minimum effort and expense because our advice is the simplest, most logical, and effective you can get.

[EllenF]

Thank you all. I DO understand that you can only give me your advice and can't read my total chlorine without the K2006. I never asked you to find a way around it or guess. What I just didn't appreciate was a moderator coming down hard on me (or changing the name of the thread). This pool has been a good intro to the whole process. I especially never knew that places like Leslie's were like when I'd take my car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and they'd try to flush my radiator for $300.

[JimK]

My first pool was an Intex donut, 15' diameter, 15 years ago we used for three years.
I went thru many of the same problems you did...wasting money on "How To Tame The Pool Monster" and other useless, expensive industry advice. I put in the wrong chemicals, the wrong algaecide, but nothing worked.

Then, in the 2nd season, I found the Pool Forum. I was one of the first members to have an Intex anything, and Ben knew little about it and was highly skeptical I'd be able to make it work with the as-yet-unamed BBB system in a 3500 gallon fish bowl with a lousy undersized cartridge filter. But I bought the equivalent of the K-2006, and it was the best investment I ever made! My water troubles with the Intex were over, and after the 3rd season I built my current pool and managing it was easy.

But here is the thing: We can only give you our best advice. You can take it or not take it, because it is your pool, not ours. We hope you will take it because most of our members are able to enjoy their pools with minimum effort and expense because our advice is the simplest, most logical, and effective you can get.

+1!