Results for "cloudy water"

Algae Green Pool Medium 2-3 days 613 👍 6

How Long After Shocking Pool to Add Algaecide? Complete Guide

The pool service guy insists I wait a full 24 hours after shocking before adding algaecide, but that seems excessive when algae keeps spreading. I have two young kids who are eager to get back in the water, and I want to make sure I'm doing this chemical treatment properly.

Should I wait a certain amount of time between the shock treatment and adding the algaecide? I'm also concerned about when the water will be safe for swimming again. What chlorine levels should I be looking for before adding more chemicals, and how do I know when everything is balanced enough for the kids to swim safely?…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 2-4 days for complete dissolution 377 👍 0

How to Dissolve Pool Stabilizer (CYA) - Complete Guide

Around $800 worth of granular cyanuric acid is just sitting on my pool bottom — would my warranty cover this stabilizer dissolution mess before I drain 20,000 gallons? I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool and my current CYA reading is around 15 ppm - I need to get it up to about 50 ppm. I tried just broadcasting the granules directly into the pool like I do with other chemicals, but they seem to just sink to the bottom and sit there without dissolving much.

I've heard that cyanuric acid is notoriously slow to dissolve compared to other pool chemicals. What's the most effective method to get this stuff into solution? Should I be pre-dissolving it somehow, or is there a specific technique that works better? I want to make sure I'm doing this right and not wasting product or creating hot spots in my pool.…more

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Filters Medium 4-6 hours 255 👍 0

Can You Reuse Pool Filter Sand? Cleaning vs Replacement

Halfway through another messy backwashing session with my gunky 3-year-old sand filter, I'm trying to decide between cleaning it again or just replacing the sand entirely. The sand looks pretty gunky when I backwash, but replacement sand isn't cheap. I've heard some people say you can rinse it thoroughly and reuse it, while others insist fresh sand is the only way to go. What's the real deal here? I don't mind doing the work myself if it'll save some money, but I also don't want to compromise my water quality.…more

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Product Ranking 8 compared

Best Above Ground Pools

4.3 (22,100 reviews)

Maintenance Medium varies by closure type 218 👍 0

How Long Can a Pool Stay Closed? Duration & Safety Limits

Between the winter thaw and spring opening every year, I'm left wondering if my pool's been closed too long and the water is now unsafe. My facility requires extended closure periods for various operational reasons, and I want to establish clear protocols for both planned seasonal shutdowns and emergency closures.

Specifically, I'm looking for data on maximum safe closure timeframes before water chemistry becomes unmanageable and equipment integrity is compromised. What are the industry standards for winterized pools versus temporary emergency closures?…more

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Filters Medium 4-6 hours 193 👍 0

Can You Shock Pool Without Running Filter? Safe Method

Spent years shocking my old above-ground pool without running the filter and it worked perfectly, but now I'm questioning if it's actually safe for this new setup. I need to shock my pool but I'm wondering if I absolutely have to have the filter system running while I do it? The pool store mentioned something about circulation being important, but they weren't super clear about whether that meant the filter specifically or just water movement in general.

I'm trying to figure out if there's a safe way to shock the pool even if my filter isn't running - maybe by brushing or using the return jets? Any guidance would be really appreciated since I don't want to mess this up!…more

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Water Chemistry Easy 15 minutes 182 👍 0

Can I Use Pool pH Increaser in My Spa? Safe Chemical Guide

Noticed I'm always running low on spa pH increaser and wondering if this is a dumb question, but can I just use my pool's pH increaser instead? I have both a pool and a hot tub, and I noticed my spa's pH is running low. I have some pH increaser that I bought for my pool - can I use the same product in my hot tub, or do I need to buy separate chemicals?

The pool store didn't really explain if there's a difference between pool and spa chemicals, and I don't want to mess anything up. If I can use the same pH increaser, do I need to adjust how much I add since the hot tub is obviously much smaller than my pool?…more

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Above Ground Medium 2-4 hours 176 👍 0

Above Ground Pool Problems: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Our above ground pool faces the exact same maddening issues every single spring, and we're tired of getting ripped off by overpriced pool store "solutions. Between overpriced chemicals and costly service calls, I'm looking to become more self-sufficient with pool maintenance.

My pool seems to have different issues throughout the season - sometimes the water looks off, other times the pump isn't working right, and occasionally I notice problems with the liner or walls. Rather than guessing or getting upsold every time, I'd love a systematic way to figure out what's actually wrong so I can tackle these problems myself and save some money.…more

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Equipment Medium 8-24 hours wait time, 30-60 minutes vacuuming 175 👍 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

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Filters Easy 30 minutes 171 👍 0

How Long Do Pool Filters Last? Replacement Guide & Signs

After following my pool filter manual religiously for years, I'm baffled why it says replace every 6 months when mine still looks spotless after twelve. Have cartridge now but considering switching. How long do different filter types actually last before they need replacing? What are the signs it's time for a new one?…more

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Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 170 👍 0

How to Raise Pool pH: Complete Guide to pH Increaser

Before I dump chemicals into my pool, I'm trying to decide between adding baking soda or actual pH increaser to bring it up from 7.0. The pool store told me I need to raise it, but they mentioned a couple different chemicals and I'm honestly a bit confused about which one to use.

I've heard about soda ash and baking soda, but I'm not sure what the difference is or how much I should add to my 20,000 gallon pool. I really don't want to mess this up and swing it too far the other way. Should I be adding the chemicals slowly, and do I need to have my pump running when I do it? Any guidance would be really appreciated!…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 30-60 minutes 168 👍 0

Can You Vacuum Pool After Adding Chemicals? Safety Guide

Despite adding chlorine shock and algaecide yesterday, is it dangerous to vacuum my pool with my kids swimming here regularly? Can I start vacuuming immediately or do I need to wait? Don't want to mess up the chemical distribution or damage my equipment.…more

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Best Pool Heaters

4.4 (8,900 reviews)

Water Chemistry Medium 4-6 hours 167 👍 0

Can I Shock Pool After Adding Baking Soda? Complete Guide

Noticed my neighbor's pool stays crystal clear when he adds baking soda then shocks immediately, but mine turns cloudy every time — what's his secret? I added baking soda to raise my alkalinity this morning, but now I'm wondering about timing.

Can I go ahead and shock the pool right away, or do I need to wait? I don't want to waste the shock treatment or mess up my water chemistry. The pool store guy mentioned something about waiting but then tried to upsell me on their "premium" shock system. Just looking for straight answers on proper timing and whether I should test anything specific before shocking.…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 48 hours 167 👍 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

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Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 166 👍 0

How to Increase Pool Alkalinity Fast - Complete Guide 2024

So there's this pool guy telling me to drain and refill my entire pool just because my alkalinity hit zero, but that sounds like expensive overkill for some cloudy water. Every time I try to balance the pH, it just crashes back down within a day or two.

I've got a 20,000 gallon pool and honestly I'm tired of throwing random chemicals at this problem. What's the RIGHT way to get my alkalinity back up to where it should be? I need specific amounts and steps because clearly what I've been doing isn't working.…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 6-8 hours 165 👍 0

Can I Shock Pool After Adding Alkalinity? Timing Guide

Walked out to check my 20,000 gallon inground pool after dosing it with sodium bicarbonate this morning to raise alkalinity from 60 ppm to 100 ppm, and now I'm second-guessing my shocking timeline. My pH was sitting at about 7.2 before I added the alkalinity increaser, but I know adding baking soda can bump up the pH as well.

I'm planning to shock the pool tonight since we've had some heavy swimmer load this week and the water is starting to look a bit cloudy. Should I wait a certain amount of time after adding the alkalinity before I shock? I want to make sure the shock is as effective as possible and I've heard that pH levels can affect how well chlorine works.

My current test results show chlorine at 1.5 ppm, alkalinity should now be around 100 ppm, and I'm not sure what the pH has risen to after adding the sodium bicarbonate earlier today.…more

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