Results for "pool water level"

Water Chemistry Easy 15 minutes 1,176 👍 73

What Free Chlorine Level Should You Maintain?

Found myself staring at my test kit at 11pm trying to figure out if my chlorine reading is even close to where it should be. It's late and I want to get a dose in tonight if I'm off, but I genuinely don't know what number I'm shooting for. My pool has stabilizer in it and I've been guessing at a target for months.

Is there a universal number everyone aims for, or does it actually vary based on something? I keep seeing different ranges thrown around online and I can't figure out which one applies to my situation.…more

Read answer

Algae Green Pool Medium 4-6 hours 1,829 👍 16

Can I Shock Pool After Adding Algaecide? Complete Guide

Spent all morning watching my pool turn green with algae patches and now I'm holding bottles of algaecide and shock with no clue which to use first. But I'm not sure about the timing - can I add both in the same day? Should I put the algaecide in first, or does it matter?

Also, if I can use both, how long should I wait between adding them? Don't want to mess up my water chemistry or waste expensive chemicals by doing this wrong!…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 3-4 hours 270 👍 0

Do You Have to Drain Your Pool in Winter? Complete Guide

Finally getting tired of the third round of conflicting advice about draining my pool this winter and I'm done with all the guesswork. I've seen conflicting information about whether complete drainage is necessary or if partial water removal is sufficient for proper winterization.

Specifically, I need to know the optimal water level in relation to the skimmer system and what additional chemical treatments and equipment protection measures are required. What are the technical specifications for winter water levels, and how do these relate to preventing freeze damage while maintaining water chemistry balance during the off-season?…more

Read answer

Editor's Pick

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum (2026)

Wall-climbing scrubber brush and Wi-Fi control — ideal for in-ground pools up to 40 ft. View on Amazon →

Sponsored

Maintenance Medium 2-3 hours including testing and monitoring 278 👍 0

How to Use Pool Shock: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Looked everywhere for guidance on liquid chlorine versus granular shock but I'm still completely lost on the actual shocking process for my pool. The pool store told me to use liquid chlorine and something about raising the free chlorine to "shock level" but I have no idea what that means or how to figure out what level that is.

I've heard it has something to do with my CYA levels? And that I should do it at night? I just want to make sure I'm doing this right and not wasting chemicals or damaging anything. Can someone walk me through the proper process step by step?…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Medium 2-4 hours 488 👍 0

Can You Shock Pool With High pH? Complete Chemistry Guide

This might be a stupid question but I'm literally at the pool store about to buy shock for my high pH pool — am I wasting my money? My pool is looking a bit cloudy and I know I need to shock it, but when I tested the water, the pH came back really high - like 7.8 or maybe even higher.

The guy at the pool store mentioned something about pH affecting chlorine, but I didn't really understand what he meant. Can I go ahead and shock the pool anyway, or do I absolutely need to get that pH down first? If I have to lower it first, how long do I need to wait? I'm worried about the water getting worse while I'm trying to fix the pH.…more

Read answer

Algae Green Pool Medium 2-4 hours including wait time 1,735 👍 24

Should You Vacuum Pool After Adding Algaecide? Step-by-Step

I looked outside this morning and there's this overwhelming musty, swampy stench hitting me from the pool with chunks of dead algae floating everywhere after adding algaecide two days ago. The water looks like a swamp but at least it's not getting worse.

Should I be vacuuming this stuff up now or waiting longer? I don't want to mess up my filter with all this crud, but I also can't stand looking at this disaster anymore. What's the right timing for vacuuming after algaecide treatment?…more

Read answer

Maintenance Easy 5 minutes 423 👍 0

Pool Glossary: SLAM, Sanitizer, PSI, CYA & Common Pool Terms

I keep seeing pool terms and abbreviations like SLAM, CYA, FC, PSI, sanitizer, backwash, and shock. What do they mean in plain English?…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 2-4 hours 245 👍 1

Do I Need Pool Shock? When and Why to Shock Your Pool

During last week's heavy storms and downpours, my pool water turned cloudy and now I'm worried it's not safe for my kids to swim. My free chlorine levels seem to be dropping, and we've had some heavy rain lately plus the kids and their friends have been using the pool constantly this summer.

I keep hearing about pool shock but I'm not sure when I actually need to use it or what type is best. I just want to make sure the water is properly sanitized and safe for swimming. What are the signs that tell me I need to shock the pool, and how do I do it correctly?…more

Read answer

Above Ground Medium 8-12 hours 598 👍 0

Above Ground Pool Installation: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

I'm installing an above ground pool and need to know about site prep, what order to assemble everything, and how long this will realistically take. Don't want to mess this up.…more

Read answer

Equipment Medium 8-24 hours wait time, 30-60 minutes vacuuming 762 👍 0

Can You Vacuum Pool After Shock? Complete Safety Guide

Last night my wife casually mentioned our 20,000 gallon inground pool still looks cloudy after yesterday's calcium hypochlorite shock treatment, and now it's all I can see. I added about 2 pounds of shock around 7 PM, and now this morning I'm wondering when it's safe to start vacuuming.

I have a lot of debris that settled to the bottom overnight, including some leaves and dirt that blew in during a storm. My test strips are showing the chlorine is still pretty high - looks like it's reading around 8-10 ppm this morning. I don't want to damage my pool equipment or create any safety issues, but I'm eager to get the pool cleaned up since we have guests coming over this weekend.

What's the recommended waiting period before I can safely vacuum? Should I wait for the chlorine to drop to a certain level first, or is there a standard timeframe I should follow regardless of the chemical readings?…more

Read answer

Algae Green Pool Medium 45 minutes 345 👍 0

Can Pool Algae Grow Without Sunlight? Indoor Pool Facts

Starting to see algae in my 8-year-old indoor pool despite zero sunlight exposure — is this equipment failure or normal aging? My pool has been covered for months now with zero direct sunlight hitting it, but I'm still dealing with algae growth! I thought algae needed sunlight to survive, so this doesn't make any sense to me.

I've been throwing chemicals at this problem left and right, but the green keeps coming back. The pool is basically in complete darkness under the cover, yet somehow this stuff is thriving. Can algae actually grow without sunlight, or am I missing something obvious? I'm starting to think there's more to this than just blocking out the sun.…more

Read answer

Product Ranking 8 compared

Best Salt Chlorine Generators

4.3 (6,200 reviews)

Above Ground Medium 30 minutes 482 👍 9

Do All Pools Need Liners? Pool Types and Liner Requirements

During my pool consultation, three different contractors gave me completely opposite answers about needing a liner, and now I'm wondering if someone's trying to upsell me.

I'm considering several options including above-ground pools, concrete inground pools, fiberglass shells, and even looked into natural swimming pools. Some contractors are telling me that every pool needs a liner, while others say certain types don't require them at all. I want to make sure I understand the liner requirements before making my final decision, especially since this affects both the initial cost and long-term maintenance.

Can someone break down which specific pool types actually need liners versus which ones can function without traditional vinyl liners? I'd appreciate any insight into how the construction material affects liner requirements.…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Medium 48 hours 610 👍 0

Can You Shock Pool After Adding Stabilizer? Complete Guide

Apparently I added stabilizer to my pool yesterday but now I'm second-guessing whether it's safe to shock it — did I mess up the timing? The pool store told me I needed it because my chlorine wasn't lasting very long in the sun. Now I'm wondering when it's safe to shock the pool - can I do it right away or do I need to wait?

I've heard that stabilizer takes time to dissolve and I don't want to mess up the chemical balance. Should I test the CYA levels first? And does having stabilizer in the water change how much shock I should use? Any guidance would be really appreciated!…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 2-4 hours initial, 1-3 days total 289 👍 1

How to Shock Your Pool: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

I'm wondering why my pool shock manual says to add it directly to the water when every online guide insists on dissolving it first. The pool store told me I need to shock it regularly, but I'm honestly not sure what that means or how to do it properly. I don't want to mess anything up!

I have a 20,000 gallon pool and I've been testing the water with strips, but I'm not entirely sure what numbers I should be looking for when it comes to shocking. Should I just dump chlorine in, or is there a specific process I need to follow? Also, does timing matter - like is there a best time of day to do this?

Any step-by-step guidance would be really appreciated. I want to make sure I'm doing this right and keeping the water safe for my family.…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 45 minutes 564 👍 0

Can I Shock My Pool 2 Days in a Row? Complete Safety Guide

Walked into my new house and discovered the previous owners left the pool water so disgustingly cloudy that yesterday's shock treatment barely made a dent. I'm wondering if it's okay to hit it with another round of shock today or if that's overkill?

I've heard mixed things about back-to-back shocking - some people say it's fine for stubborn algae, others warn about turning your pool into a chemical soup. What's the real deal here? Don't want to fry my pool equipment or create a safety hazard, but also want to get this water crystal clear again.…more

Read answer

Loading more Q&A...

You've seen all 349 Q&A articles!