Above ground pools for dummies (part V): Chemicals

This post is part of the six-part series dedicated to above ground pools:

• Part I: Introduction
• Part II: Site preparation
• Part III: Pool assembly
• Part IV: Pump/filter/skimmer
• Part V: Chemicals (this post)
• Part VI: Conclusion
• Part VII: Post scriptum
• Part VIII: Post post scriptum

The main complaint I hear from both in and above ground pool owners is the hassle of maintaining clean water. While many mastered it, a few still cannot quite get it right no matter what they do. I installed my first above ground pool a month ago, so I am not an expert, but let me at least explain the initial process, in case you wonder what to do about chemicals once you set up the pool and fill it with water. Here is what I did  so far.

TEST, TREAT, REPEAT

I stopped by a local Leslie's Pool Supplies store, got an empty test bottle, came home, took a water sample, and brought it back to Leslie's for testing. The process is simple: you come to the store, put you bottle in the special container marked with a number, and when your turn comes (chances are, there will be other customers doing the same), they will put your water in the testing device and print out the results showing the levels of important chemicals, the course of recommended actions, and the product you need to use. The line may be long, but the test takes just a couple of minutes. There is no charge for testing and you can (and should) repeat tests regularly.

I heard some people complaining about Leslie's employees pushing their products on them, so they would waste hundreds of dollars on unneeded stuff, but it was not my case. My initial test result showed the products I needed and the instructions. The instructions were a bit confusing (chemicals had to be applied in certain order, using specific amounts, and after particular times). I asked the girl who was helping me to simplify it and she did. Following her instructions took a bit longer, but they were more straightforward. On the initial visit I spent about $150 on chemicals (I needed four different types of chemicals not including bags of salt that I bought from Lowe's). Prices at Leslie's are slightly higher than prices at home improvement stores, but not outrageously higher. 

TIP: Register online and join the free Leslie's Pool Perks program to have your info in the system (to make it easier to track your pool water test results) and collect points you can tun into money when buying pool supplies.

It took me almost two days to complete initial treatment, after which I took another sample and tested it again. I tried testing the pool water using the test strips that came with the pool (or the pump), but I could not figure out the meaning of some colors.

So, I went back to Leslie's and their test results showed a higher level of chlorine and lower level of salt which made sense because on my first visit, the girl told me not to use the full amount of salt since it would be easier to handle lower salt content than higher salt content. I talked to a guy on my second visit and he said that if my pool water looked and felt okay, then I did not need to buy any extra chemicals.

To reduce the chlorine level, I turned off the chlorination function, but it looks like I held it off for too long because a couple of weeks later I noticed that my pool liner walls were a bit slimy. I tried another test strip and again had no clue what it meant.

So, I scrubbed off the pool walls using the brush from the maintenance kit, added more salt, turned chlorination back, and am planning to make another trip to Leslie's for a more accurate test result.

That's all I have to say about the pool chemicals.

In conclusion, I will provide links to the resources I found useful. See my next post.

NEXT: ABOVE GROUND POOLS FOR DUMMIES (PART VI): CONCLUSION

PREVIOUS: ABOVE GROUND POOLS FOR DUMMIES (PART IV): PUMP/FILTER/SKIMMER

FIRST: INTRODUCTION