Metal Frame Pool...Solar Cover and BBB ??

[zebfam]

Hi,

We will be putting up a 18x52 metal frame pool this year for the first time.
What is the best solar cover to use for the pool? Should we stick with the intex one made for the pool or should/can we buy one that is better from a pool store?

Also I am clueless when it comes to BBB and we would like to use that method from the start. The pool is about 6,981 gallons....what exactly do I need to buy and how much of each do I need to use for a pool this size?

[Watermom]

Go to the top of the chlorine forum and the testing and adjusting chemistry forum and read the stickies. It will help you get started with BBB and balancing your water. Also, if you will go to post #2 in the following thread, you will find a very helpful calculator that will help you determine how much bleach, etc., you need for a particular volume. I would also advise you to test your fill water and then post results here even before you fill your pool and let someone take a look at the numbers.

I'll let someone else talk to you about your pool cover questions.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=4735

[Kimrst]

We have a solar cover bought off Ebay. (Maybe we paid $50.?) The "solar cover" was a joke from Intex. The solar cover from ebay has bubbles on it and lays on the surface of your pool. If you do it right you can get most of the dirt and bird poo off it , or at least into a net, before it falls back into the pool to be sucked out by the un adequet cartrige filter that comes with the pool.

Don't use the floating chlorine pucks unless you get a LOT of splash out or your stablizer will build up and you'll end up with a green pool. But they "might" be ok if you have kids that get a lot of water out . Or they can be used initally untill the stablilizer is at the level you want, then go to BBB.

Read, read, read, and get a good pool testing kit. Buy the bleach on sale when you see it. And you can't ever have too many of those filters. Once pool season hits they become VERY scarse. You can put a ladies knee high inside the filter basket to pre-filter out a lot of junk and add more time to the filter.

I love our frame pool, can't wait to get it up and swimming... :-) Kimrst