We have one of those 900 gallon.. 2.5' deep by 16' wide semi
inflatable swimming pools, with an water filter running (8.5 hours a
day after 7pm)...

I'm having trouble figuring out the proper chemicals i should be
buying.. and what that cost probably is per season.

At this point i've bought the shock granuals that come in a bag for $3
and should be applied weekly. The directions call for an entire bag
per 11,000 gallons.. Our pool isnt filled to capacity due to slope..
so say it has 650 gallons.. i guess this would imply that each week i
should be putting in about 5.9% of the bags contents.. whatever that
is in OZ (probably 5.9 of 16 oz) and then teaspoons i guess?

Also.. the bag mentions following the 4 step guide..

water balancing, chlorinating (or bromine), shock treatments, and then
algae treatments..

Other than this shock treatment.. are the other 3 done only in the
beginning of the year.. and what does this imply? Do I simply go
stock up on ph balancer (or akalinity), bromine or chlorine, and algae
chemicals, then apply these once, followed by weekly shock treatments?

At any rate.. so far I've only used the shock treatments.. i had gone
like 3 weeks without doing one.. and algae (slimy on the bottom/sides,
slightly green) was appearing.. so I used the underwater sucker device
and strainer to remove all that i could in general.. then applied the
shock.. but even after 20 minutes the water feels very slimy.. i'm
worried i may have a mess that cant be fixed... or perhaps i just need
the other 3 chemicals..

(I guess if i did bromine i could avoid chlorine.. is chlorine linked
to any conditions that should be avoided these days.. seems like you
dont see it much, though the shock treatment says it has 45% chlorine
in it i think.. i thought the shock was all 4 steps but i'm a bit
confused now)..

Thanks for any tips..

markm75 writes:

Thanks for any tips.

The essential water items are chlorination and pH. Get a 2-way test kit
and chlorinator and pH-down, and use them.

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:14:11 -0700, markm75 wrote:
-SNIP-
I'm having trouble figuring out the proper chemicals i should be
buying.. and what that cost probably is per season.
Ther variables on how much you'll use per season are-
how much water
how hot it is
how humid it is
how much use the pool gets.

No way to tell until the end of the season.

At this point i've bought the shock granuals that come in a bag for $3
and should be applied weekly.

Again- all those variables come into play. Get a $6 test kit- little
red and yellow bottles and some sort of 'test tube' with the color
scales on them. Test your pool twice a day until you figure out how
much chlorine to add. Then once a day.

-snip-
Also.. the bag mentions following the 4 step guide..

water balancing, chlorinating (or bromine), shock treatments, and then
algae treatments..

Balance first- [best scenario is take a jar of water to a pool
place. They test for free- and they can tell you exactly what you
need.] then chlorine and an algae preventer.


Other than this shock treatment.. are the other 3 done only in the
beginning of the year.. and what does this imply? Do I simply go
stock up on ph balancer (or akalinity), bromine or chlorine, and algae
chemicals, then apply these once, followed by weekly shock treatments?

Test- test- test. A decent pool place will be happy to help
you. [if they aren't helpful, they aren't a "decent pool place"]
They know that by taking care of you with your first pool you're more
likely to buy a pool from them later.

At any rate.. so far I've only used the shock treatments.. i had gone
like 3 weeks without doing one.. and algae (slimy on the bottom/sides,
slightly green) was appearing.. so I used the underwater sucker device
and strainer to remove all that i could in general.. then applied the
shock.. but even after 20 minutes the water feels very slimy..

The chlorine has kind of a slimy feel- But with a pool that size,
it might be more efficient to dump and start over. The bigger the
pool the easier it is to keep in balance and algae free.

i'm
worried i may have a mess that cant be fixed... or perhaps i just need
the other 3 chemicals..

You need them- but don't just start dumping willy-nilly. You really
have to test it. You bought a giant science project. It isn't
really hard- but you need to make it a religious daily habit. You
need to do it every day- and not be able to get to sleep at night if
you forget.


(I guess if i did bromine i could avoid chlorine.. is chlorine linked
to any conditions that should be avoided these days.. seems like you
dont see it much, though the shock treatment says it has 45% chlorine
in it i think.. i thought the shock was all 4 steps but i'm a bit
confused now)..

I've never used bromine. Too much chlorine is bad. I don't think
the right amount will harm anything. The only way to tell how much
is right. . . is by testing.

Good luck- Get it in shape now- because August will make the
balancing act twice as hard. [at least in my part of the world-
upstate NY]

Jim

On Jun 24, 11:14 pm, markm75 wrote:
We have one of those 900 gallon.. 2.5' deep by 16' wide semi
inflatable swimming pools, with an water filter running (8.5 hours a
day after 7pm)...

I'm having trouble figuring out the proper chemicals i should be
buying.. and what that cost probably is per season.

At this point i've bought the shock granuals that come in a bag for $3
and should be applied weekly. The directions call for an entire bag
per 11,000 gallons.. Our pool isnt filled to capacity due to slope..
so say it has 650 gallons.. i guess this would imply that each week i
should be putting in about 5.9% of the bags contents.. whatever that
is in OZ (probably 5.9 of 16 oz) and then teaspoons i guess?

Also.. the bag mentions following the 4 step guide..

water balancing, chlorinating (or bromine), shock treatments, and then
algae treatments..

Other than this shock treatment.. are the other 3 done only in the
beginning of the year.. and what does this imply? Do I simply go
stock up on ph balancer (or akalinity), bromine or chlorine, and algae
chemicals, then apply these once, followed by weekly shock treatments?

At any rate.. so far I've only used the shock treatments.. i had gone
like 3 weeks without doing one.. and algae (slimy on the bottom/sides,
slightly green) was appearing.. so I used the underwater sucker device
and strainer to remove all that i could in general.. then applied the
shock.. but even after 20 minutes the water feels very slimy.. i'm
worried i may have a mess that cant be fixed... or perhaps i just need
the other 3 chemicals..

(I guess if i did bromine i could avoid chlorine.. is chlorine linked
to any conditions that should be avoided these days.. seems like you
dont see it much, though the shock treatment says it has 45% chlorine
in it i think.. i thought the shock was all 4 steps but i'm a bit
confused now)..

Thanks for any tips..

by not giving it daily attention and chlorine, your pool got away from
you. your pool water goal is for clean sparkling water so clear that
you can easily read coins on the bottom of the pool when standing
nearby. every day.
in buffalo ny: city water arrives with some chlorine in it, from the
hose. this dissipates in sunlight and with "bather load". so when it
does, the pool tester will show you that you ran out of chlorine.
chlorine prevents slippery algae. if your pool is out of control
there is always a complete water change and plain liquid regular
clorox bleach to get it started again. there are modern water test
strips in a small plastic pill bottle, or the old style less expensive
liquid testers with red drops and yellow drops. if you smell
chloramine [formed when the chlorine can't finish its job properly],
you have INSUFFICIENT chlorine. if your water is changing from
desirable clear to undesirable partly cloudy, SHOCK DOSE it with
chlorine to kill the algae which first appears as cloudiness before it
turns the water green [and slippery].
see a large amount of info at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_pool_sanitation
and quick info at:
http://www.poolinfo.com/Pool-Water-Chemistry.htm
or here's my expertise:
April 29, 2007: Buffalo NY: Our Pool: Theory and Care and Feeding of
our 12,000 gallons of pool water, which is 3-1/2 ft. deep: Above
ground 24ft round flat bottom, Hayward sand filter S-144T, New 2007: 2-
speed pump has built-in off-low-high speed switch. [Use high during
vacuuming and to speed up shock and filtering of problem water. If
pool water has no problems and is sparkling clean and you are simply
circulating routine chlorine, use low speed.] For removal of leaves
and for springtime pool opening always use HAND SKIMMER ON A POLE.
Don't clog the vacuum hose with leaves.
1. ADD WATER [hose fills the pool at only one-half inch per hour].
Water level in the skimmer box should be 2/3 full plus whatever you
are about to use for vacuuming and backwashing. Skimmer Box Level must
not be below 1/2 or the pump will suck air thru the skimmer box,
damaging the pump. Skimmer Box Level must not be full, or the skimmer
can't skim the floating leaves off. Add water as needed for vacuuming
to waste, backwashing, and rinsing, and to replace evaporation and
splashed water. Hose water to fill the pool: At 11 Upper kitchen, it
takes 30 seconds to fill a one-gallon pitcher with cold water. Hose
delivery will be faster at the pool [at ground level without kitchen
fixture]. Use 2 hoses without nozzles for refilling in spring. 12,000
gallons at only 2 gpm takes 6000 minutes divided by 60 minutes in an
hour = 100 hours, to fill to 42 inches. But that's at a fill rate of
only .42" per hour. -
Our average water depth is 3.5 feet. Walls are 4 feet tall. The
capacity of a Circular shaped pool, which measures 24 feet in diameter
with a depth of 3.5 feet of water , is approximately 11894.4 gallons.
2. Manually clean the Pool: Use hand skimmer to remove leaves, etc.
3. In your swimsuit, whirlpool your bottom leaves to the center, use
hand skimmer to remove debris and to make vacuuming easy.
4. Pump off, Empty skimmer basket.
5. Pump off, Empty pump basket.
6. Vacuum to Waste never to Filter.
Vacuuming requires a higher level of genius intelligence than usual!
Find the skimmer box's insert adapter, vacuum hose, and brush head on
extension handle.
a. Hose dirt off the vacuum hose. Connect 30-foot hose to brush head
with extension handle, submerge vacuum brush head with vacuum hose
attached.
b. Turn pump on in Filter mode. Fill the floating vacuum hose with
the fast return hose from filter [or slow garden hose] until air
bubbles stop. This will take several minutes. You may encourage the
air bubbles to move along by tipping the vacuum hose to allow the air
bubbles to get pushed out the submerged brush head.
c. Pump off. Quickly attach vacuum hose thru from pool to skimmer box
insert adapter while keeping brush submerged. Pump on in WASTE mode.
7. BACKWASHING: Pump's SAND FILTER likes low 10 pounds pressure on
the gauge.
When pressure reaches over 16 pounds:
Pump off.
Shift to BACKWASH.
Pump on for at least 3 backwash minutes [or even better until waste
water discharge hose is clear].
Pump off.
Shift to FILTER.
Pump on
and FILTER. [Watch the clock or you will pump out your water to the
bottom of the skimmer box and cause pump damage. The water cools the
pump!]

page 2
POOL CHEMICALS: Do not mix chemicals. Choose the most suitable one
for the dose.

Leaves, dirt, and sunshine reduce the chlorine level. 1. Avoid skin
contact. 2. With filter running, and when swimming is over for the
day, add to empty skimmer basket and run pump overnight. 3. Rinse
hands, measuring devices, and bottle. Circulate liquid bleach 5
minutes or dissolve 5 oz. granular 10 minutes minimum.

8. Bad Water? If water is cloudy or green algae or "heavy bather
load" or chlorine smell is present:
a. If going swimming now add big 22 oz. scoop of granular Oxygen
[sodium persulfate] to skimmer basket with pump running for 10 minutes
or until return hose is clear.
b. If after swimming time add shock dose to skimmer with pump
running: 22 oz. granular chlorine for our 12,000 gallons. Also use
shock dose of 22oz. weekly during 80-degree hot weather, and August
algae season. Note August hose water may arrive with higher levels of
chlorine, so it's always best to test.
9. Testing. If water is sparkling clear [object on the floor of the
pool appears in focus], test the water at 18-inch depth with 5 yellow
drops in chlorine tester.
TYPES OF CHLORINE we choose from, pick one, depending on temperature
and bather loads:
Pool "hockey pucks" are EXPENSIVE STABILIZED CHLORINE: maintain 1.0
to 1.5 ppm chlorine. One 3" tablet per week or as needed to maintain
proper chlorine levels. Dosage may vary depending upon water
condition, bather load, time of day and geographical location.] When
tester shows 1.0 ppm or less, just add a chlorine "hockey puck" tablet
to an empty skimmer.]
GRANULAR CHLORINE: If tester results are clear [with zero ppm], add
routine chlorine dose with pump running: 5 oz granular chlorine for
our 12,000 gallons. Maintain 0.6 to 1.0 ppm chlorine when using
granular chlorine.
CLOROX: If you are going swimming now you may use Regular dose of
liquid Clorox: Add One quart (32 ounces) will raise the pool 1.0 ppm.
There are 4 quarts in a gallon (128 oz.) CLOROX LIQUID BLEACH (5.25%
sodium hypochlorite) (800) 242-7482 from product bulletin 224-83 FOR
OUR 12,000 GALLON POOL
Regular dose of Clorox: One quart (32 ounces) will raise the pool 1.0
ppm.
Shock dose of Clorox: Two quarts (64 ounces)
Cloudy Water/Algae dose of Clorox: One gallon (128 ounces)
Bill's Note: Clorox is more expensive than granular chlorine. It
works faster in the pool. It weighs more, so is less convenient. Read
% ingredients when using other chlorine liquids.

EXPERT Department: Never let your water be less than crystal clear.
If pool is a not crystal clear, algae is beginning to cloud your
water.
Liquid acts faster than granular.
Tester used with proper chlorine added will bring pool water to
similar levels required for drinking water. Because of dirt it is not
for drinking, of course.
Pool chlorine tester may also be used for testing refilled fish tanks
when removing chlorine.
11. PH Test [red drops] Skip it unless you have water trouble. ph
range should be 7.2 to 7.6 (It usually stays in this range by itself,
due to "acid rain" in our area.

buffalobill writes:

in buffalo ny: city water arrives with some chlorine in it, ...

Chlorine, or chloramine?