Expert: Lynn bellay Date: 7/1/2008 Subject: shocking the pool and vacuuming
Question QUESTION: We recently bought a house that came with pool in the backyard. People two houses down told us to just add shock and the water will eventually turn crystal clear like they have it. But something is not right here, I have been adding shock for about week and the water still was green. I did little researching about backwashing filter and that its best to put shock in the evening and water got clearer but my question is after adding shock it just sits down on the bottom in one corner and I wonder if it actually does anything. and if its worth adding each evening more. Should we buy liquid shock? is it better then normal one?
I also have question about vacuuming, finally once pool got clearer I was able to see the bottom of the pool which was pretty terrible. There is only a hose and a really weird vacuum that when I connect the hose and run it, it sucks the water out and after the vacuum fills up and stops. Just checked again and I see no visible big leaves but water is not really clear yet but I see dirt that looks like sand. what is best way to get rid of it?
ANSWER: If sand is getting in your pool their is a filter problem[laterals or standpipe need to be examined].Adjust water chemistry,at sundown double shock pool,put all vac equipment in shallow end of pool,run filter for 3 hours,shut of filter,vac in the morning.Add algaecide,reshock if algae is still their[sides of pool will be slimy].If pool is not clear add a coagulant follow directions.Brush sides and bottom of pool keep up water chemistry[check every 2 days],shock every 2 weeks.Add algaecide every 2 weeks.If algae is very heavy after you shock vac to waste.Keep water level up as this uses alot of eater.I'm not sure what type of filter you have,do you mean pumps shuts off on filter?Make sure before you vacuum you bleed all air out of hose.Put vac head on pole in the water and hold other end over return jet in pool until all air is gone then hook up hose to skimmer.Make sure water is going to filter and not air or you will have to bleed air out again.Move vac head SLOWLY when vacuuming.Lynn
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QUESTION: Yes, water just clear now. It looks the same as our neighbours water. It is pretty much usable from the looks but tested it with strips for alkanity, Ph and other stuff and I my last question would I need to put filter on when I add Ph increaser or stabilize tables? Our Ph is lower then 6.I have also put those stablilizer tables in floater feeder. How long would I have to wait before see if Ph increased?. And let me try to rephrase that question on the vacuum, we connect hose to the skimmer and other part to vacuum. Should the filter be in FILTER mode or WASTE mode? Thank you so much for your help. It cleared some of my questions
Answer If you want the dirty water to by-pass the filter[in case of heavy algae or unwanted debris]not to go in the filter use waste other wise use filter.I use a 5 gallon bucket to mix chemicals and disperse the around the pool.Be care when using shock as it is easy to bleach things.I use 3 inch tablets in my skimmer as I don't like float dispensers.Lynn
