Magna_Mike

obie, If you look at the pump, there should be a PLUS sign above one of the two ports. Then look at the pool, there should be a corresponding PLUS sign on the pool where the hoses go. You connect plus sign to plus sign and the one not marked together. on my 15 foot Intex, you connect the in on the pump to the right hole, and the out to the right hole on the pool.

I am by no means a chem expert when it comes to pools, i am still learning myself, and am probably going to give you the wrong advice..... You need to ass chlorine either by way of stablized tablets, or chlorine (unscented) bleach. the "Total Chlorine" levels should be between 1-3ppm "free chlorine" between 1-3ppm, and "Bromine" (if you are using tablets) between 2-4ppm The chlorine keeps certain bacteria levels down, and keeps certain algae from growing..... I know there are other reasons for the chlorine too, but I dont know what they are.... There are some very knowledgeable people on this board, the trick is getting them to reply to your posts... LOL Maybe do a google on importance of chlorine in pools....

Todays Testing: 06.08.08..................................Target....Results....Ok...Low Total Hardness 175-225ppm.......B+/C-......B...................X Total Chlorine 1-3ppm...............B/C..........-B.................X Free Chlorine 1-3ppm................B+...........-B..................X Bromine 2-4ppm.......................B+...........-B..................X pH 7.2-7.6................................B+...........-B..................X Total Alkalinity 175-225ppm.......D/D+.......-C..................X Stabilizer at least 30ppm...........B/C..........B..........X So guessing, I need to add a couple more Chlorine tabs, Up my Hardness, Up my pH, and Up my Alkalinity? How much of what do I need to add?

PoolTech, you forget about me?

06.03.08...............................Target......Results...Ok.....Low Total Hardness 175-225ppm....B+/C-........B..........X Total Chlorine 1-3ppm............B/C............B..........X Free Chlorine 1-3ppm.............B+.............B..................X Bromine 2-4ppm....................B+.............B..................X pH 7.2-7.6..............................B+............B-.................X Total Alkalinity 175-225ppm.....D/D+........C-.................X Stabilizer at least 30ppm..........B/C...........B.........X It looks like it is time for me to start putting the 1" Stabilized tablets back into the pool via floater. You said to put 5-6 tablets in the floater at a time. How long do I leave the floater in the pool at any given time? I intend on running the pump/filter 8-12 hours a day/night when I can (I have it set up on an automatic shut off timer. I manually turn it on, and set the timer to however long I want it to run, and am trying to run it at night instead of during the day). From the looks of my results, I am guessing that other than the Chlorine, I also need to add a little pH, guessing the actual number it is at is a high 6.x, the Hardness needs to be raised from the 100ppm to at least 175ppm, and the Alkalinity needs raised from the 80ppm it is sitting at to at least 175ppm as well. I did add 4 ounces of Algaecide Plus yesterday with the pump/filter running because there is an algae growing on the bottom, I left it alone and will vacuum it out tomorrow. other than that, I have not added anything to the pool since I started with the high chlorine levels.

ok, here are todays test results: 06.02.08.......................................Results Total Hardness 175-225ppm...............B Total Chlorine 1-3ppm.......................C+ Free Chlorine 1-3ppm........................C- Bromine 2-4ppm...............................C- pH 7.2-7.6........................................B+ Total Alkalinity 175-225ppm...............C- Stabilizer at least 30ppm....................B

Todays Readings are: 05.31.08 Total Hardness 175-225ppm B(100ppm area) Total Chlorine 1-3ppm C (a dark c, very light D probably close to 5-6ppm) Free Chlorine 1-3ppm C (a dark c, very light D probably close to 5-6ppm) Bromine 2-4ppm Tablets C (a dark c, very light D probably close to 10-12ppm) pH 7.2-7.6 B (a light B probably around 7.0) Total Alkalinity 175-225ppm B (a light B probably around 25ppm) Stabilizer at least 30ppm B (a light B probably around 40ppm)

Even though the Chlorine is showing high, there isnt a strong smell, only a slight smell when my nose is close to the surface of the water.

As of 05.28 the results were: Total Chlorine: D+ (higher than 10ppm) Free Chlorine: D+ (higher than 10ppm {pools}) Bromine: D+ (higher than 20ppm {tablets}) I will test it again in the morning.

How long do i leave the floater with the 5-6 1" tabs in the pool? How long should I run the filter with skimmer? Still waiting for the chlorine levels to come down....

I used 4 tons of masonry sand. I have had no problems.... I would guess to answer that the only difference is that "play" sand is filtered better than masonry sand. I did have to pick a few smooth rocks out of my sand, and some weeds from where the sand had been piled and the weeds started to grow in it... Outside of that... it was fine. I didnt sift it or anything, i spread it out, and as I was on my hands and knees leveling it I picked out the bad stuff... Major plus is that masonry sand by the bucket load is cheap.... I forget the square yardage, but it was like $24.00 for a load that was about 2 tons. So all in I paid about $50 for the 4 tons of sand.... Around here $50 will buy you about 20 40pound bags of play sand.... 800 pounds... not even a half ton... So that is going to be your major deciding force.... can you afford all the play sand you will need?

double post.... edited...

I laid sand down.... about 4 tons, and then a tarp over the sand. I moved the corners of the tarp to mow around the pool and was greeted by a stentch.... I was thinking that I somehow set the pool over the old non functional septic system. I am glad to read that this is a common issue.

Several questions.... How far is the pool from any buildings? is there a deck? Are you wanting to cover the entire pool? Are you wanting a permanent covering? A temporary covering or a covering that you can use to cover the pool when he is in it, but remove when he is not in the pool? Also, are you looking to hire someone to build this for you or DIY? How much money are you planning to spend on this? A remedy that comes to mind would be a curtain type roof. Build a rectangle frame around the pool on 12 foot 4x4s that are 10 feet out of the ground. and either 4x4s or 3x4s around the top. Using two 20 foot by 20 foot sunblock screens. These are UV protected black mesh screens that are used to block the sun from penetrating patios and what not. You will probably need to have them special made from a awning shop. Attach these to tight wires that run the length of the pool along the top of the frame with eye hooks. Open in the center, and you use a pole hook to grab the mesh, and push it open or pull it closed. This way you block the sun, when your son is in the pool, but allows the wind and rain to come through when it needs to, and you can open it to allow direct sunlight to keep the pool water warm. Just an option....

If it is a rough concrete slab, I would see about laying something down under the liner to cushion it from the concrete and also to cushion the feet of the young ones who will be using it.... If it were a smooth concrete slab, I would say to pressure wash it to make sure it was nice and clean, and then set up. If getting some type of cushion will not break the bank.... I would do it either way. Not too thick, or it might cause the liner to shift and roll.... something thick enough to cushion, but is able to be compressed..... You can get a good tarp and double it over and put the pool on it.

I will add to what SparkMaster said, in that if you are just going to extend the line 20 feet farther from where the electrical is now, what I would do personally is go to HomeDepot and pick up a in ground flush mount 6x6 box that would fit the current conduit (pvc) and put it where the current electrical stops, make your connection in this waterproof junction box, and extend from there. This way it is not sticking out of the ground, you can mow over it, and you have access to the splice. I am not sure if there are NEC codes for above ground pools.... I know most for inground pools, but this being a DIY, you should not have any code issues if done the way suggested.

No, do not patch over it, and what do you mean a third patch over it? you already have two patches? Or did you mean a second patch? What I suggest is that you get an underwater patch kit, and follow the instructions. Most kits I am familiar with come with a large uncut sheet of vinyl and a tube of adhesive. Get into the pool, and play with the patch that is coming up, and see if you can get it to come off without stretching or tearing the liner. If you can, then go cut a new patch with rounded corners and apply the adhesive to it, fold it in two and get it into the pool quickly. Find the hole, and place over it and then place a weight over it to hold it down. After about 10 minutes it should be there and if you got the patch kit with the clear vinyl no one will know it is there except you so no one should be playing with it with their toes or anything. If the patch will not come off, take a pair of scissors or razor blade in with you and trim it down as best as you can without making a new hole. Now cut a patch from your new underwater kit that will fit over the old patch plus about a half inch to full inch all around it and apply the adhesive and put it over in the same manor described above. This should take care of the problem. Be glad you didnt get your liner where I got mine.... When I got mine, it had over 30 pin holes in it on the bottom and about 5 on the sides... I was mad a could be... but I was able to get them fixed and am using the pool without problem of leaks...

I have a 15x4 intex metal frame and set it up on a level, but slopping, sand foundation. I laid out the sand and leveled it out making sure to slope it about an inch or so in one direction where I wanted the drain to be for easier draining. I filled her up and everything was level, the leg poles were straight, everything was nice.... about 3/4 of the way filled I noticed it was leaning. All the legs were leaning, the liner was bulging on the side it was leaning towards, I was freaked out. I straightened out the legs as best as I could on the sides and on the side that it was leaning towards, but could not straighten the legs on the side that it was leaning from.... the top of the pool was leaning too far over the bulge of the liner for me to straighten these legs. I went ahead and finished filling the pool, and let her sit for a few days. it settled and two of the legs sank into the ground about 3 inches farther than the others. This caused the liner to lean and bulge on that one side. I put a tarp over the sand before i put the pool up, and I needed to mow around the pool, so i flipped the edges of the tarp up around the bottom of the pool to mow and got a nasty smell. My house if on sewer, but I am thinking that I might have possibly put my pool on the site of my old septic system. But I would think that the system would be empty after not being used for the past 15+ years since the house was put on sewer.... I have no clue.... any ideas? Second issue... Chemicals... I read through some of the threads here about chemicals and see that some folks are able to balance their pools easily and just maintain from there. I would love to be able to do that so i can keep costs down.... I have been trying to use the "AquaChem 6-way strips" from Wally-World. I cant seem to figure these things out. I get a 10 oz sample of water from elbow depth and dip the strip into the sample and count 15 then compare to the chart on the back of the bottle as the directions say to do. But the colors on the strips continue to change colors.... I try to get a reading at exactly 15 seconds and write them down. Today I tested twice from two different samples and got different results. The second test game me the following results: Hardness: the color was in between B and C so i will guess the ppm is between 100 and 250 Total Chlorine: Color was darker than D, so the ppm would be above 10 Free Chlorine/Bromine: Color was darker than D, so the ppm would be above 10 for Free Chlorine and 20 for Bromine pH: color between B and C making it between 7.2 and 7.8 Alkalinity: color between B and C making ppm between 40 and 120 (supposed to be around 180ppm) Stabilizer: Color was lighter than A meaning that I have less than 0 ppm of Stabilizer in the pool. Chemicals I am using: 1inch Stabilized Tablets in a floater (guess I need to adjust the floater to put in less), Shock Plus (half a pound a week), Algaecide Plus 2oz a week. Have added other stuff but not as maintanance, just as treatment to raise or lower levels according to the "Free Online Water Test analysis" on AuquaChems site. The Testing Analysis to me seems flawed because it only accepts exact color input, meaning you must select one single color, not an inbetween color, so according to the chart, for pH if the color is closer to C (7.8) I have to select it, and it wants me to add pH Decreaser. I go back and change it from C to B (7.2) it then changes the results for everything else... Do any of you use and rely on these strips? What is the testing method of choice? Any info or direction would be appreciated. Thanks