Swimming Pool Newbie! Help?

[Bec]

So we just got our first pool, set it up on Sunday. We filled it little by little for 2 1/2 days due to our shallow well. It POURED rain for 2 days and yesterday we noticed that the water is green

...what happened??? DH did the test strips to find out what was needed, we added everything to get the levels right yesterday evening. Help!!!! What do I do now? How long does it take for it to clear?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

It sounds like you have some algae in your water. You need algae killer.

We use hth algae guard in our pool. We put about a capful in our pool once a week because our pool is small. Just read the directions on whatever chemicals you buy.

You will probably need to get in your pool and scrub the sides of it if there is algae scum on your pool walls. You can get a little oven mitt-like cleaning glove to wash the pool with at a pool supply store.

 

[calicokat]

A good pool site is www.troublefreepool.com

They are all about keeping your pool in good shape with good testing and monitoring. The cool thing is, they have found that bleach, borax & baking soda are all that's needed - cheaper and easy to find! You'll learn a lot, even if you don't go with all their ideas.

Good luck on your pool! We are on summer #4 with our Intex metal frame and lovin' it

 

[1_FnkyFrm]

It will need algea guard and need to shock it and backwash it also....lol The joys of having a pool...ps bleach will bleach out the color in your liner don't use it....

 

[bella1210]

i don't know what it is because i do not have a swimming pool.

 

[Mahonri]

Algecide, shock, backwash a couple of times a day. It could take a week.

Keep a chlorine floater in there with chlorine tabs.

 

[sticck]

You need to get stabilizer in it asap and bleach to clear it. I agree with calicokat about troublefreepool.com. They have saved me a small fortune with mine and it stays crystal clear.
Don't start just dumping stuff in until you read up on it there and use their pool calculator for the correct amounts of bleach, stabilizer, etc.
Algea guard is a waste of money and you don't need to backwash if you just set it up. I doubt the filter is dirty.

 

[twentynine]

Replying via black berry some answer will be short and edited------

How big is the pool?

What chemical treatment regimen are you using?

Have you done a pool start up treatment?

Tested raw water for iron?

DO NOT USE BLEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Technically baking soda and stuff can be used, but not by a novice, and for a large pool with initial treatment cost of commodity chemicals would not be cheap because of the amount of chemical required.

Yes! Green stuff is algae, with summertime temps, algae can bloom in hours if water chemistry is not maintained properly.

I treat water for a living and have been doing it for 32 years.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

The chlorine floater is definitely a must. Find a locally owned pool store and purchase your supplies there--they will usually give much better, more knowledgeable service at lower costs than the national chain stores.

 

[Bec]

Thanks everyone! I got the Chlorine floaters, algea stuff, test kids and everything. Everything is reading perfect right now, we are just waiting for it to clear. We shocked it Thursday night. I guess we just have to wait and see now!