Need help with getting started w/ my inground pool?

Question

1st time w/ pool I need the 411(info) on pools... what supplies do i need to get? Where? In other words i need info on opening my pool?

Answer 1

Feel free to drop me a line at [e-mail] and I'll tailor a schedule for your exact pool. Please include the gallon size, material it's made of (concrete/plaster or vinyl/fiberglass), filtration system, chlorination system, and any chemicals you've used so far in it.

There are only a few basic things that you need to maintain a pool. Chlorine, pH, and alkalinity are the main things that you will deal with on a constant basis with a pool. These can be raised with household bleach, 20 Mule Team borax, and Arm & Hammer baking soda (BBB) respectively.

Properly set up pools take less than 20 minutes per day to maintain.

Please NEVER add any copper materials into the pool. Doing so will only cause serious problems.

Answer 2

Rob 'n Liz said it all. Avoid your local pool store as they'll oversell you and you'll be mostly paying for packaging. Avoid any copper system. Salt systems are good, but you should start with the basics and you'll find info on using bleach, borax and baking soda at http://www.poolsolutions.com/
The physical act of cleaning... netting and vacuuming... may feel awkward at first, but in a few weeks you'll be a pro. You won't have to spend more than a hour or so a week once everything is clicking.

Answer 3

Call around your area to the pool companies. Someone somewhere probably has a "Pool School" where they teach pool owners about how to care for their pool.

I took one when we got our pool, and they stress that care should be easy - when it stops being easy, you're doing something wrong.

Basically, pools have two types of systems.
A. Chlorine with a Copper backup.
B. Copper with a Chlorine Backup.

Most people go with A, as it is easier to find and control.
First, get some pool shock. Put this in the BASKET of the skimmer and allow it to work overnight. (All chemicals should be placed in through the basket/skimmer for better spread itn the pool. ) SHOCK kills everything in the pool. Run the filter and even the vacume (get one of those autovacs, looks like a bug, runs on it's own) to get rid of anything which is still in the water. Overnight the pool should be pretty clear. If it is not, you can find some POOL CLARIFIER (yeah, even at Walmart) and add it to the water according to volume.

You can put the Chlorine in the basket or in a floater. Chlorine floaters can be purchased at Walmart. They also have all in one units complete with chlorine. You cut off the tabs on the bottom, opening a certain number of tabs (according to the size and volume of your pool) and then just allow it to float in the pool.

Get some test strips. Yeah, I know, a lot of places tell you to use the drip kits, but i"ve only used the strips for nearly 10 years. The strips have about 6 pads which test for different things. Dip them in the pool for a few seconds, hold sideways a few seconds to allow the chemicals to affect the pads. The pads turn colors after you dip them in the pool. THe color can be matched against the side of the bottle and tell you whether the item is in the right area or not. The only things to concern yourself with to begin are Chlorine, PH, Alkalinity. You can get chemicals you need anywhere, even Walmart. If you need to raise the PH level, look for a bottle of PH PLUS (Ph+) if you need to lower it, look for PH-. Easy huh? The same for Alkalinity, look for Alkalinity+ or Alkalinity- to adjust. The sides of these packages will tell you how much for the volume of your pool.

To backup this system, I use Copper Algeicide. Again, everything you need is on the side of the package. This is more difficult to monitor during the summer, but you work with it and learn. This is a backup system anyway, so it's not as important to keep exact. In fact, many times I do'nt add the Copper until I close the pool in the fall.

In the Fall, when I close the pool, I pour double strength COPPER ALGIECIDE into the pool (again using the skimmer to allow it to mix properly) before I cover it and leave it all winter. When I open it in the spring, the water is clear.

Ok, thats' about it. Anything else you can probably learn on the net.

Answer 4

Go to any pool and chemical supply store. Yellow pages.
They have all the answers you'll need. Have the dimensions and gallons of water in pool. If you don't know the gallons, take the dimensions and the deepest and lowest feet in depth.
Take a sample of the water, taken at a depth of your arm, along with you for testing.

Answer 5

Make it easy on yourself. Checkout your local Pool Supply Store. The staff is eager to help. You'll need the basics,,,,shock, clarifier, water teat kit and algeacide.. Don't waste your money on the test "strips". The kit for testing the water is "very" easy to use. The pool store will check it for free and let you know what to do!!! Have fun!! I love my pool and have taken care of it myself for 8 years. Spend about $250 a year on chemicals.

Answer 6

a local pool supply store can help you..... you need test supllies for pH and chlorine levels too.

Answer 7

go directly to http://appliancequickfix.com/
They have one great page on pool water. Luck