New here. A bit overwhelmed.

[Watermom]

It is ok to add chlorine. As I suggested, take it to about 6ppm but just don't "shock" the chlorine up high. You might need to reread this thread. There has been a lot of information given and sometimes it is hard to absorb it all on the first read. Hang in there. You'll get it. Let us know when you find out about your well water.

[Mwil3]

It is ok to add chlorine. As I suggested, take it to about 6ppm but just don't "shock" the chlorine up high. You might need to reread this thread. There has been a lot of information given and sometimes it is hard to absorb it all on the first read. Hang in there. You'll get it. Let us know when you find out about your well water.

OK. I'm sorry...I was a bit confused (I thought that "shock" was Chlorine)
When you say "plain bleach" do you mean just "plain bleach"? Like from walmart?

[Watermom]

"Shock" is a verb -- something you do to your pool, not a product. When we say to shock the pool, we mean to super-chlorinate. You do NOT want to do that right now until you find out if you have metals in your well water.

When I say plain bleach, I mean plain, unscented laundry bleach. Clorox or better yet, generic from someplace like Wal-mart where it is cheaper. Most of us here on the forum use bleach as our source of chlorine.

[aylad]

OK. I'm sorry...I was a bit confused (I thought that "shock" was Chlorine)

Just to clarify, as Watermom said above, "shock" just means to raise your chlorine level to a level that will kill algae. What product you use to accomplish that with is your decision. I know it's confusing--pool stores package powdered chlorine and call it "shock", but it's just chlorine in large amounts. You can use

Dichlor--usually what is in the packaged "shock" and will raise your chlorine but also has the side effects of raising your CYA and lowering your pH

Cal-hypo--also packaged as "shock" and will raise your chlorine and calcium (calcium is not needed in a vinyl pool, no matter what the pool store people say!, but will not cause problems for you unless your hardness gets above 250 or so, and then it can cause milky water)

Bleach--plain, generic bleach with no additives, scents, etc. available at WalMart that will raise your chlorine but not affect your other chemistry numbers. Most of us on the forum use this because it's the most readily available, cheapest form of chlorine that doesn't mess with your other chemistry numbers

Liquid chlorine--same as bleach, but usually in 10% strength, where bleach is either 5.25% (regular) or 6% (ultra).

So--you need some chlorine (up to 3-5 ppm) in the pool to keep from growing algae, but you don't want to "shock" your pool (up to 10-12 ppm) until you know if you have metals in your water, because high doses of chlorine with metals in the water cause the metal to fall out of suspension and cause staining. (See the Metals forum if you need more info on this).

Hope this helps..

Janet

[mbar]

You may want to add a sequestering agent before you shock. Anything that says metal out, or metal control. If you have metals in the water, and high ph and you shock you will cause the metals to fall out of solution and stain the pool (it can be cleared up, but to stop it before it happens is much easier!). Put as much as it says on the bottle in, and you will have to add it as you add water to your pool. The sequestering agent will keep any metals in the pool water in solution. High ph along with high chlorine levels is what makes metals fall out of solution. If you have any questions feel free to ask

[Mwil3]

Well....I went by the pool store to get some conditioner and the guy told me to put 4lbs in a 6500 gallon pool (don't worry...I didn't put near that much.) After reading a bit more of the SWG booklet, it said to add about 1/2 pound, so that what I put in (I figured it easier to add more than take some out.) I put in 2 quarts of plain bleach and ran the SWG for about 6 hours (per the directions in the booklet.) I can't get my hands on a Taylor test kit locally, so I'm going to have to order one. I used some test strips, and I got a liquid kit for pH and Chlorine, and from what I can tell, it looks like my chlorine is good. The kids splashed and I have the jet aggitating the water surface and my pH is TA seem to be pretty high (again, that's with the test strip.) I did add about 1 cup of acid last night. I'll take a sample to the pool store and see if they can give me some numbers. Thanks for the help and the warm welcome.

[Watermom]

You are right that it is best to go slow with adding cya and it is easier to put more in than take some out. The only way to remove it is to do a partial drain. How did you add it? In the skimmer? Hanging in a sock in front of a return jet?

[Mwil3]

You are right that it is best to go slow with adding cya and it is easier to put more in than take some out. The only way to remove it is to do a partial drain. How did you add it? In the skimmer? Hanging in a sock in front of a return jet?

Well, I put it in a nylon stocking, but as I was swimming around I noticed that I could rub it around in my hands and it seemed to disolve, so that's what I did. After about 10 minutes of that it had all disolved.

I've got a quick question about "metals"? The swg calls for some copper. Does that count as metal?

[Watermom]

I know next to nothing about SWC so I'm gonna let someone else talk to you about SWC issues. Yes, copper is metal but I have no idea how much is recommended, etc. If nobody pops onto this thread to addess that part, repost this issue in the SWC forum. Might be a good idea to go ahead and do that anyways.

[chasamp]

ok. so everything is great except the PH which is high. what can i use to lower it. i have intex pool, with the saltwater filter system.