Above Ground Pools
- Thread starter JM4CY
- Start date
There is one in grimes that will test for free, the issue is getting there before they close at 5 on weekdays. I already bought vinyl patches, a skimmer net and some test strips. I just didn’t want to be the ******* that can’t balance a small above ground pool.
Something is happening to eat that chlorine. Just need to remove variables. What does tap water look like (city of Ankeny may have that info?). And the no FC detailed test. Sucks I know. Once you know what you are dealing with, its mostly easy. We had VERY heavy mineral water in Coralville, needed acid every time we filled it. Rural CR/IC we had heavy iron. Now, the water we use is perfect… and I mean perfect. So we don’t add much chlorine…. Just silver sticks up against the filter, and we shock after each use… chlorine is there for good.
My two cents: you’re over thinking it. I could be wrong and a bad dad but I have a pretty big above ground and just somewhat randomly pour liquid shock in there at about a half bottle a time and have a floating thing that holds the smaller chlorine tabs. I’ve never felt like I could read/trust what those little test strips read so I stopped using them after the first year of the pool. Those stores that test water for free, in my experience, will then sell you $150 bucks worth of stuff to “fix” the problem. I’ve only had problems one time and it got all murky on me but that was because I didn’t scrub it and then rinse it good enough at the end of the prior season before storing it. I do have a more expensive sand pump but I wouldn’t think that would affect the Chem levels that much at all. That’s how I do it and my kids have gotten sick yet from the water lol.
Maybe you’re right but it’s frustrating the **** out of me.
I posted what the levels looked like last night after adding. This is from this morning. I went from around 5 ppm to 1-2 ppm and by tonight, it will be gone. Keep in mind I just went through this cycle about 3 days ago too. I’m nervous about the floating chlorine thing because our kids **** with everything.
Two things are likely are using up your free chlorine: organics (algae, bacteria, etc.) and the sun.
I would suggest not trusting test strips or the pool store.
troublefreepool.com is a good resource that discusses using good data and low cost chemicals (relative to what the pool stores want to sell you) to eliminate algae etc. and make pool chemistry fairly simple. I used that site to learn pool chemistry when I started out on my agp and at one point was a volunteer moderator/helper for others on there.
I would suggest not trusting test strips or the pool store.
troublefreepool.com is a good resource that discusses using good data and low cost chemicals (relative to what the pool stores want to sell you) to eliminate algae etc. and make pool chemistry fairly simple. I used that site to learn pool chemistry when I started out on my agp and at one point was a volunteer moderator/helper for others on there.
