Xp - New Pool, No Chemicals Yet - 0 Chlorine

[maggiem]

Hi everyone! I have been reading and reading and haven't run across this exactly - apologise if it is here and I haven't found it! I also think this is a better place to post this than in the "Above Ground Pool forum area.

We just filled a 15x36 intex vinyl pool (filled it about 3/4 of the way as it sloped a bit and it's just to teach my 6 yr old twins to swim) last night and I have tested the water a bit ago. I used the HTH 5 tests kit. THe readings are:

Ph = 7.3-7.5 ish

CYA - 30ppm

Alka = 150ppm-ish

Hardness = about 30 as it turned purple and not red with first drop of tester solution and took only 3 to get to a darkish blue

Chlorine = 0

THe 0 chlorine is throwing me off a bit. Our town water "stopped" using it so this might explain why it's 0 but my question is, do I need to raise it? From what I have read, it sounds like all other stuff is fine and calcium is not an issue due to the vinyl....

I have added nothing at all to the pool. Should I still shock it and add bleach or just shock it and dive in tommorow? IT's about 3,300 gallons I suspect

Thanks much! It's been hell trying to get lessons for my twins as there has to be 1 parent per child with every place I have called. Yes, that does make sense but I had hoped to start them when they were just months old :-( Anyway, I hope this $200 investment (pool, test kit, basic chemical kit) will work!!!

Maggie and her guppies

[KillyPumpkin]

Hi everyone! I have been reading and reading and haven't run across this exactly - apologise if it is here and I haven't found it! I also think this is a better place to post this than in the "Above Ground Pool forum area.

We just filled a 15x36 intex vinyl pool (filled it about 3/4 of the way as it sloped a bit and it's just to teach my 6 yr old twins to swim) last night and I have tested the water a bit ago. I used the HTH 5 tests kit. THe readings are:

Ph = 7.3-7.5 ish

CYA - 30ppm

Alka = 150ppm-ish

Hardness = about 30 as it turned purple and not red with first drop of tester solution and took only 3 to get to a darkish blue

Chlorine = 0

THe 0 chlorine is throwing me off a bit. Our town water "stopped" using it so this might explain why it's 0 but my question is, do I need to raise it? From what I have read, it sounds like all other stuff is fine and calcium is not an issue due to the vinyl....

I have added nothing at all to the pool. Should I still shock it and add bleach or just shock it and dive in tommorow? IT's about 3,300 gallons I suspect

Thanks much! It's been hell trying to get lessons for my twins as there has to be 1 parent per child with every place I have called. Yes, that does make sense but I had hoped to start them when they were just months old :-( Anyway, I hope this $200 investment (pool, test kit, basic chemical kit) will work!!!

Maggie and her guppies

I'm a bit confused at what you're asking.

I have the same pool. As we speak there is a savings account growing for a "real" pool next year. This pool is nothing but hassle. By the end of the season you will have spent double what you paid for the pool in chemicals not to mention your water bill. And if your kids wear sunscreen forget it.

I live in Philly and we def. have chlorine in our water. I can smell it and still my strips read zero. It's not enough to register on the strips.

Shocking your pool is not teh same as "adding chlorine". Daily chlorine is diff. then shock.

I have two boys and you pretty much are going to HAVE to add chlorine or you pool WILL turn green within days. The pump they give you...it's a joke. I run mine 24/7 and still have to hand skim the whole pool daily.

I shock once a week, AND add chlorine daily.

Yes, you can use unscented bleach but I have disocvered the sun just eats this and it's gone in a matter of hours.

I use a chlorine floater. I put tabs in it adjust it and let it do it's job throughout the day.

If my 2 year old is in teh pool I remove it.

People say different things for levels some say between 2.0-5 some say 3.0-4....

I keep mine a bit on the high end because of the kids and everything at 3.0.

You can also buy chlorine granuals to just dissolve and dump in but if you do this you will have to do it daily like hte bleach as the pool is so small the sun eats it even WITH stablizer.

Stabalizer in a pool this small is pretty much useless I've discovered.

Youre PH is good you want to keep that around 7.2ish.

Your alkalinity is kind of high...must be your water.

My water has a VERY low nat. PH.

I would try to get that alkalnity down or it's going to mess up your PH.

So...

Bring alkalnity down.

Get yourself some type of chlorine. Try about 1 cup of unscented bleach if you'd like to give it a try.

Wait a bit and test and get your chlorine up if you have to add more to aruond 3.0.

Or get some tabs and a floater or granuales whichever you want to give a shot at. It's hard to tell with these pools.

I'd rec. shock once a week with two kids. Esp. if they swim daily like mine do. Shock and swim works good enough for a small pool.

I test my water daily first thing in the mornign and make my adjustments.

But if what you are asking is do you NEED chlorine the answer is YES.