What Chemicals

[mick32]

just got a used 18ft above ground , put new liner in and looks great , just not sure about what chemicals to use . local store recommends ez-pool but that looks expensive . can some one reccomend something or just say what they use . thanks in advance for help

[PaulR]

For a chlorine source, lots of people just use bleach (from walmart/target/etc) because it's cheap and easy to find. The only caution is to make sure you get the full strength (sodium hypochlorite 6%), some house brands are unlabeled and can be 3% or less. You'll never go wrong with Clorox. Some of the more reputable big-box house brands are okay too, although I don't offhand have a list. Bleach is pretty optimal as a chlorine source because most other kinds of chlorine will add other stuff you don't want. I use "liquid chlorine" from the pool store which is just double-strength bleach (commonly 10% or 12.5%).

Then for keeping pH under control, use muriatic acid to lower pH, or borax (20 Mule Team works great) to raise it.

That's about all I do on a regular basis. In an above ground pool with a vinyl liner you won't have to worry about calcium (unless you use calcium hypochlorite as a chlorine source). The only other water-chemistry parameter worth tracking is Total Alkalinity (TA), pay attention to that if your pH won't stay put.

And of course for getting started you will need stabilizer/conditioner from the pool store; the ingredients should read "cyanuric acid 100%" (or close to 100%). Stabilizer will help keep the chlorine from being burned up by the sun.

I rely on the Pool Calculator to tell me how much of what to add to my pool, and what good target ranges are for the chems.

--paulr

[Scott_Wilson]

If I've posted this in the wrong place, I apologize. I couldn't find a topic that talks about salt content in pool water.

Background, I have an 18' circular above ground pool with the Intex Salt Water system. From a chemical standpoint, everything is good but the salt content. I just tested it at 3000 PPM and I know the book says 3500 PPM for 5500 gallons. Since my water temp has now lowered to 60 deg F / 16 deg C, the Clorinator keeps telling me I have a low salt content, and actually I do.

My question, Is this caused from the drop in water temperature? Does the water temp have an effect on the saturation level of the salt in the pool water? My concern, if I add salt to raise the level appropriately and the the water warms, will it send the salt PPM off the chart resulting in me having to drain water out of the pool to balance it again?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[dymondgeezer]

If I've posted this in the wrong place, I apologize. I couldn't find a topic that talks about salt content in pool water.

Background, I have an 18' circular above ground pool with the Intex Salt Water system. From a chemical standpoint, everything is good but the salt content. I just tested it at 3000 PPM and I know the book says 3500 PPM for 5500 gallons. Since my water temp has now lowered to 60 deg F / 16 deg C, the Clorinator keeps telling me I have a low salt content, and actually I do.

My question, Is this caused from the drop in water temperature? Does the water temp have an effect on the saturation level of the salt in the pool water? My concern, if I add salt to raise the level appropriately and the the water warms, will it send the salt PPM off the chart resulting in me having to drain water out of the pool to balance it again?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Add some salt. 5lbs at a time. Add 5lbs, wait 24hrs and run SWG. If you go slowly then you won't overshoot too much.