for those of you with above ground pools a ?

[dcut4]

Well we got the pool that I had asked about in a previous post ( an 18x 42) and have it all set up and ready to go once it decides to act like summer instead of fall.
My question is what kind of chemicals do you use ? no where in the manual does it say. It talks about keeping chlorine and ph levels good but nothing about what is correct or what to use, just say's to talk to your pool profesional......uhhh, I live in central Illinois, not alot of pool pros around.

So any one with one of the above ground easy set pools, what do you use to keep it clean and safe?

[Tasha405]

Get the water test strips (from like wal-mart or a place like that) and on the back you match up the colors and it tells you what is good level and so one. I have bought and used the chlorine tablets (use in a floater), the PH balancer, Shock It, Algeacide (sp?), and a clarifier because my water got all funky on me because it hasn't been used in a while. its been chilly here. lol

Oh and we get the chemicals that are used in vinyl pools. Some of them will say for small, large or whatever. We have the same size pool that you do and you have to use the ones for a large pool.

[Angelseyes28]

I have a 12x36 above ground pool and I use "Shock Plus 4 in 1". A bag a week is normally how much I use. So far so good, just make sure to remember to change your pump filter or backflush your pump(depending on the type pump you have) as needed.

[Tasha405]

I have a 12x36 above ground pool and I use "Shock Plus 4 in 1". A bag a week is normally how much I use. Thats it! Thats what we use too. Why couldn't I think of that? :rolleyes: LOL

[dcut4]

Thank You!!!!

The shock plus 4---is it all the stuff we need in one? or do I have to get it plus all the other stuff like chlorine and algee srtuff?

[Angelseyes28]

Thats it! Thats what we use too. Why couldn't I think of that? :rolleyes: LOL

LMAO not enough coffee and cigs this morning....you aren't awake yet:p

Anytime dcut, I hope you enjoy your pool.:) All I use is the 4 in 1, I'm too lazy to do everything seperately lol.

[freeplease]

We have a 24x48 pool, and we're using those chlorine sticks in the return. We used to use the non-chlorine liquid, but it cost a fortune. We also super shock like every 10 days, especially when it's heavily used. Get the test strips, they tell you pretty much what you need to know. Also, we get this stuff called Off the Wall. It's a blue gel cleaner that you lightly brush on the vinyl at the water level to remove the ick.
We've had the pool for around 6 years, and it's the best thing we ever did for the kids. We know where they are--And all of their friends. lol But that's ok.

[rlynn411]

We have 18x 48 above ground pool. You need test strips. We use one of those floating dispenser for chlorine tablets. We normally start out with 2 of the 3" tablets and replace when both of them are at about half. We always have problems with our PH and akalinity being to low so we have to use PH and akalinity increaser products. If your PH annd alkalinity is to low your chlorine will not read correctly. At the start of the season our chlorine was at about nothing, which I knew was imposible.... once I got Ph up the chlorine was alot higher than it should be.

Chlorine tablets are less expensive in the long run than liquid chlorine, plus tablets are more stable and the chlorine doesn't burn off as with the liquid. Liquid is always good to have around if you need to bring your chlorine up quickly.

We do a preventive algae treatment weekly. We do use a shock it every 7 to 10 days.....especially after heavy rains, extreme heat or heavy use.

We run our pump at least 12 hours a day. We back flush our sand filter as needed, which is every 5 days or so lately due to the cottonwood. We normally replace the sand in the filter every year right after the cottonwood is done.

I spend about 15 to 30 minutes a day on our pool. Proper maintance is the key to preventing problems, and maintaining healthy water conditions. We're usually pretty lucky and our water stays crystal clear. Test your chemical levels daily, skim and vacumn as needed and you should be fine.

Also I don't allow anyone in our pool that has used a suntan OIL. Lotions are fine, but oils just do something and its hard to correct it. Our neighbors are the same way..... and she's not sure what it is about oils either. Just know it tends to make for problems.

Next time your at Walmart, Kmart, Lowes, etc, check back in the pool supply area there are normally phamplets or book like things that go over pool care, and what each chemical does, trouble shooting, what to do if you get a problem and possible causes and treatment of them.

Enjoy your pool!!!

[dcut4]

Again THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! to everyone who has replied... now back to Walmart :rolleyes:

[Tasha405]

We have 18x 48 above ground pool. We always have problems with our PH and akalinity being to low so we have to use PH and akalinity increaser products. If your PH annd alkalinity is to low your chlorine will not read correctly. At the start of the season our chlorine was at about nothing, whick I knew was imposible.... once I got Ph up the chlorine was alot higher than it should be.

Thats our problem right now. Our PH & alkalinity levels aren't high enough. I bought some extra stuff the other day and added it to it yesterday, hopefully it worked. I haven't had time to go check it yet. :rolleyes: I guess I could go do that now instead of sitting here. :o lol

[rlynn411]

Thats our problem right now. Our PH & alkalinity levels aren't high enough. I bought some extra stuff the other day and added it to it yesterday, hopefully it worked. I haven't had time to go check it yet. :rolleyes: I guess I could go do that now instead of sitting here. :o lol


It took me over half a container of each PH and alkalinity incresers to raise those levels where they needed to be. Always a constant battle to keep them high enough....and on the off chance I raise them to high....I head out with the decreasers. The pool company told us these two levels are important, other wise your chlorine doesn't work as it should.

It funny our neighbor which is just 2 houses from ours never has trouble with either of these levels....its not like were getting our water from 2 different suppliers.