1st time pool owner

[hamiltonmike]

i appreciate all of this info more than you can imagine. much more informative than the pool people.

i have been testing 3 times a day and keeping my ph at 7.2 or a bit above.


the distilled water is a good little tip as i have been scratching my head about my meter only reading up to 4ppm. i have been making sure that it is at least 4 or a bit more yellow. i will try the distilled water trick and see hoe that goes.


my alkalinity is staying right around 80-90ppm


today for the first time since i took the cover off i can see the bottom no problem. it is still a bit cloudy but definitly strides in the right direction!!!!(thanks to all of you )


i am thinking that the brushing the bottom is maybe why the pool stayed so cloudy for days?? i did not brush the pool and stir up the dirt yesterday and today it is much better!

should i vacuum the bottom now that i can see it, or should i wait til the pool is not cloudy anymore??



i am look at the 2006 test kits. i didn't realize there were 2 different models, hence the price difference from site to site. i will stop in at a few shops after work tomorrow and if they do not have it i will just order one and do the distilled water trick.



thanks again everyone

[polyvue]

today for the first time since i took the cover off i can see the bottom no problem. it is still a bit cloudy but definitly strides in the right direction!!!!(thanks to all of you )


i am thinking that the brushing the bottom is maybe why the pool stayed so cloudy for days?? i did not brush the pool and stir up the dirt yesterday and today it is much better!

should i vacuum the bottom now that i can see it, or should i wait til the pool is not cloudy anymore??

i am look at the 2006 test kits. i didn't realize there were 2 different models, hence the price difference from site to site. i will stop in at a few shops after work tomorrow and if they do not have it i will just order one and do the distilled water trick.

The algae, even when dead and dying, has to go somewhere. If you can, vacuum to waste -- that is, not back into your filter. If the filter pressure (PSI) rises substantially (8-10 psi over baseline) clean or backwash. It's desirable to continue brushing the pool surfaces to dislodge any nascent algae.

BTW - If this advice conflicts in any way with that given you by this forum's long-time posters or moderators, feel free to disregard. They have oodles of experience with these matters and can see you through this.

For some reason, none of the pool stores I'm familiar with carry high-end residential test kits. Leslie's sells a rebranded version of the Taylor K-2006 on-line but doesn't stock it in their stores. Your best bet to obtain a K-2006 is on-line. If you actually find a quality FAS/DPD test kit in a store, please post back and let us know -- it would be nice to know which stores are the exceptions.

[CarlD]

Because brushing makes your pool cloudy has led you to think brushing's a bad thing!

NOT SO! Any algae still alive is knocked loose by brushing and the dead algae is moved around so it is more easily filtered out. I don't know of ANY time when brushing is bad for your pool. Be sure to watch your filter pressure and backwash when it goes up.

[hamiltonmike]

well the pool is still very cloudy but i can still see the debris on the bottom.

i have been testing constantly and just now i got

chloring 9 ppm

ph 7.4

alk 80

it is definately getting better but definately not like some of the 4 and 5 day tarp off-swimming threads i have come across


i have been debating calling someone in to have a look but i have already done most of the opening stuff. so would it be worth it to hire someone to come have a look? id prefer not to if he is going to throw some chlorine in and leave shich is what i am picturing is going to happen lol

the pool shop people told me that once the green clears out(which for the most part is) and the pool goes cloudy that i can add a product called clear blue to the skimmer, and that will clear it up.

i didnt buy it but i thought i would ask here first


thanks
mike

[AnnaK]

No Mike, don't call anyone. You already know all you need to know about how to clean up your pool. Keep adding chlorine, keep brushing, keep the filter running.

The pool didn't turn green in a day and it'll take longer then a day to clean it up. Do the work, be patient. "Clear Blue' is probably a flocculant. Sure, you can buy it. It might help, it might not. Filtering will clear your pool eventually. It does take time.

[Watermom]

Can you net any of the debris off the bottom? The more you can get out of there, the faster it will clear. You are doing the right things. You just need what we refer to around here as POP --- pool owner patience. It has only been a few days. You'll get there. How high are you taking the chlorine when you shock? How many times a day are you testing and adding more bleach? How much chlorine are you losing overnight?

[hamiltonmike]

i have been out there all weekend brusing and netting as mush as possible! there is still the odd leaf here and there. for the most part it is particulate debris which the net wont get so i will have to vacuum it up.

a buddy of mine had a few pieces from various test kits, so he gave me the vile part, and the chlorine reads up to 10.

i was testing 3 times daily during the weekend .

since the tester reads up to 10 , that is what i have been shooting for , for consistancy reasons( i realize you said 12ppm)

this morning the chlorine was 4-5, so i am losing roughly 5-6 ppm?

i have been adding chlorine at about 9 am about an hour before the sun hits it, and roughly 9 pm once the sun is gone.


tomorrow i will be back to work so that will change a bit.



i spent a good 40 days (embarrassing i know) last season trying to get this up and running and it was a sad day when i had to put the cover on it, and i still couldnt see the bottom

but my POP has not run out just yet, as long as we are making progress