Pool owners, I need your advice

Fellow pool owners-

I need some advice, having just moved into a new home with a pool in the backyard.

We're looking for a Pool Cleaning/Maintenance service, and want to know how much to expect to pay, and how often they should come (does it differ by season?).

In essence, we trying to avoid being oversold on cleaning/maintenance services.

Also, please keep in mind that we have a complete pool cover on tracks that keeps it covered during the winter (non-swimming) months.

Thanks any all pool owners for your advice!

I have a somewhat related question.
I have a 3000 gallon water storage tank used for bathing, washing, filling the fish pool cooking (after putting it through an Aquarain filter); cooking, and for watering plants..I have an osmosis filter that I plan to hook up to make the drinking water a little less hard, but till then, how much chlorine should I put in the tank, just to clean up any bugs that may be brewing in there ?
Is Clorox ok to use? Or should I get the stuff made for pools? How much of exactly what should I put in, assuming the tank is full, (3000 gals.) ?
I know I shouldn't use it to fill the fish tank any more after I treat it with the chlorine... thanks..

Ive looked into powered cholrine or tablet form for emergency drinking water purification and i found out its no good, dont use it. Ron

It's a sunken (below ground) pool, and rectangular.

C'mon, somebody out there must employ a pool cleaning service?!?

Originally posted by guncollector:
It's a sunken (below ground) pool, and rectangular.

C'mon, somebody out there must employ a pool cleaning service?!?

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">OK-I've got a kidney shaped pool in my back yard -it's been there since 1961.
The pool guy comes weekly and has been charging me $45. a month (plus an occasional pump part), but I've been using him for 20 years.

He basically sweeps, cleans, vacuums the pool, monitors and adds the chemicals.

Hi Ron,

Had an IG pool now for some time. I have never used a service but do have an automatic cleaner. These things are GREAT! Wouldn't have a pool without one. I think you might find that it is very easy to take care of a pool and could easily do it yourself. When I first got this pool, I thought it would take a degree in chemistry-not the case. believe it or not, I spend less than $100 dollars a YEAR on chemistry. If I can do it, anybody can. Here is my secret:

http://www.poolsolutions.com
http://www.poolforum.com/

These sites are the best I have found and offer a wealth of knowledge about pools. Ben is a straight shooter. He tells you what you need to know and what to stay away from.

Hi Ted,

Yes, you can use clorox, but you would be just as well off to use a generic 5.25% bleach. Just make sure it doesn't contain any soap or fragrance.
I would put a cup of bleach in and measure the ppm(parts per million). This can be done with a cheap pool testing kit. About 4 bucks. Since you don't have to worry about fading a liner, I would try for 20 ppm. This will kill any bacteria. Don't drink until the ppm levels off to around 2 ppm though. If this tank gets any sunlight(and is clear), it will probably harbor algae. Keep it out of the sun, this will help in the battle of algae.

is it above or below ground?

we have an above ground due to lack of by space, and they are actually quite easy to take care of. just bothersome...

Thanks tik,
it's an above ground opaque plastic tank. It fills at the top, and drains from the bottom (duh) and is about 12 or 15 feet tall, so if I dump clorox in the top it will take some time to reach the bottom..I could run the well pump to help agitate it...mm let me see, 1/000 of a gallon of clorox would be 1 part per mil for 1000 gals. so 15 thousandths of a gallon would be 5 parts per mil. in 3000 gallons, right, mathematicians?
128 ozs in a gallon, so 128/1000 = .128 x 15 = 1.92 ounces chlorine per 3000 gallons for a 5 parts per mil dilution? Could someone check my math please?
Thanks..

I'm sorry Ted, but the math goes beyond the capabilities of my calculator...

Bart, what a great little abacus! - I forget how those things work - does that one show 133, or 331. or 200, or 2?
Until someone checks the (above) math, I'm stopping roaming the countryside with my dog drinking beer and doing good deeds..

Hi Ted,

Without getting to involved in math. Just remember it is better to have a little to much clorine than not enough. Just remember not to drink until chlorine levels drop. Also Ted, and any pool owners, moving water also HELPS prevent algae. It doesn't prevent it-just helps prevent it.

Originally posted by Ted the Led:
Thanks tik,
...<snip>
... mm let me see, 1/000 of a gallon of clorox would be 1 part per mil for 1000 gals. so 15 thousandths of a gallon would be 5 parts per mil. in 3000 gallons, right, mathematicians?
128 ozs in a gallon, so 128/1000 = .128 x 15 = 1.92 ounces chlorine per 3000 gallons for a 5 parts per mil dilution? Could someone check my math please?
Thanks..

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">OK, I'm just going to go ahead and add the chlorine accordingto my math.... and if I die, it's YOUR fault--
You know who you are....goodbye....

Ted, the math is correct, assuming that 1/000 of a gallon of clorox would be 1 part per mil for 1000 gals.
You have a pm...

Bart; too late, I turned green and died.

You can have the Action Light, and the Arc AAAA...

oh look it's Galileo and Benjamin Franklin, gotta run..

TED! I thought I got the action light. It's ok, I'll just take the Subaru and the eMac.

Err, don't you mean fly?

Thanks for the lights!

sorry Saaby I forgot, if Isaac will give back the car, and Nicholas will return the eMac, you can have them..


Bart, nah, that wings stuff turned out to be b.s ..we're all on Segways here..

Neat! I didn't know the came with anti-gravity packs too...

oh yeah! you missed the news? --

http://www.idleworm.com/tch/gingr.shtml