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

[Watermom]

You can most certainly just use plain, unscented bleach as your source for chlorine. Many of us do -- me included. But, there is more to it than just adding a couple of cups per night.

Needed chlorine levels are based on your CYA reading. With a CYA of 50 that you reported above, you need to keep your chlorine between 3-6ppm ALL the time. So, you test your pool each evening to get the chlorine reading and then add however much bleach you need to get your chlorine level back up to around 6ppm. For reference, in your pool each cup of 8.25% bleach should add around 0.7ppm of chlorine and each quart would add around 3ppm.

More info about the CYA and chlorine connection can be found here:> http://pool9.net/cl-cya/

Hope this helps.

[EllenF]

Got it. Thanks everyone so much!
I've actually been surfing around the site in anticipation of getting a permanent above ground at some point. What a great resource you all are. I'll be sure to do a lot of homework before buying and won't be taken for a ride (again - I never knew the pool stores will commonly try to sell you a bigger filter system than you need).

It's hot and humid here in RI today and the kids can finally get back in the pool!

Take care and thanks again - hopefully I can take it from here!

Ellen

[Watermom]

You are welcome. If you need us again, we'll be here!

[PoolDoc]

I never knew the pool stores will commonly try to sell you a bigger filter system than you need.

Conventional AG pool sales typically include a bigger pump than you need -- not a bigger filter. Normally, the pump is too big, and the filter is too small.

Soft-side (Intex, etc) pool systems (pump + filter combo) are better matched . . . they are BOTH too small. That's why it's so hard to clean up a soft-side pool once it is cloudy.