To clean an above the ground swimming pool or blowup type, take a plastic broom ($1.00 at a discount store) and "sweep" the debris on the bottom toward the skimmer. Then unhook the hose from the skimmer and suck up the trash from the bottom with the hose. It is much quicker and effective way to clean your pool than the vacuum.
This is a great idea, I have an above ground pool and I will try this method this weekend! Thanks for the information !
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My husband drained our above ground swimming pool for the winter. Now I'm trying to clean it. There is like dry mud and I have been brushing the bottom and it is coming off, but taking forever. Yes I know now that he should not have done that. It is very bad. This is the first pool I have owned. Can anyone tell me if I can get it clean an easier way? I know nothing about pools or is my pool ruined? Please help.
By Amanda
Never drain the pool unless you plan on taking it down. If you leave the water in over winter drain it half way and chemicalize it for the winter in the spring shock it and use algacide.
I have an above as well. I drained mine one year and same issue as you, tree bud and all. I used hot water with dish soap. Use a pool brush meant for pools and shopvac out as you go. Takes a few hours. My pool is 18' round. Hope this helps. You only need to drain just below your shimmer each year.
My husband saw this pool at the store and bought it. It is 26 feet x 52 inches. It is now green. All I have done to it is use the big chlorine tabs. I told him we need more, but now we need help. I don't want to call someone. I want to try to do it first. It holds approximately 14,810 gallons. The max.water depth is 45.5 inches. The filter system is a SFS2000. Pump type F2000C. It has a GPH flow of 2000. The min. run time is 7.41H. Please help me get my pool nice and clean again. Thank you. I really need direction on what to use and how much to use. Thank you again
By Isabel C. from Detroit, MI
Buy "Green to Blue" Algae remover at walmart and follow the directions on box. It will first kill it all and the second step will put all of the dead algae on the bottom of your pool.
My wife and I are new to the pool world. We have an 18x48" above ground pool. I started to notice that there is white stuff floating at all levels in the water. Could this be white mold and if so how do I treat it and also the water gets cloudy once in the pool.
I have been trying to vacuum up the discolored cloudy spots. Are we missing something a step or 2? How long should we actually have the pump on for and how often should we clean the filter. Sorry for the long question.I have an above ground pool but I do not use the filter or the pump for this pool because I live in the tropics and basically don't really need it. I just add some vinegar to the water of the pool to keep it clean and keep the mold out of the pool. I also have a cover for the pool to keep it clean and keep the bugs out of the pool. If you have a pump for your pool I do believe that it is to run for several hours a day to keep the pool clean. I would also get one of the floats that you can float in the pool to put the chlorine in the water to help keep this clean.
Usually excess chemicals cause the cloudy look you are describing. Do you have a local pool place you can contact and get them to test to be sure nothing else is going on and then have them help you adjust the chemicals.
You need to have your water tested so you'll know where to start as I'm sure you are not enjoying your pool right now.
I feel sure there is a pool supply store in your area but you can generally have your water tested at any store that sells hot water heaters - such as Sears, Lowe's or Home Depot.
You could probably talk with someone in the store where you purchased the pool for recommendations on exactly what you need to have to keep your pool clean and free of germs.
A pool company will sometimes do a surrey of a pool set up and make recommendations. Some charge a fee but others do it for free.
Just remember, these companies are in business and want to sell their products so be careful and only purchase what you feel is what you need.
These pools are popular but not trouble free and that is why they have pool forums - to help people solve these problems without paying a large fee.
You will have to join to ask your questions but I'm sure this will not be the last problem you'll have so make friends with these people.
www.poolhelpforum.com/
www.poolforum.com/
The filter broke, it was 3 days before I installed a new sand filter. The pool water was a disgusting green, I could not see the 2nd step on the ladder. After running the new filter, and adding shock treatment, and running 2 cycles of boost on the Krystal Clear salt chlorinator, the water is cloudy, milky. How can I get it to clear up?
By Betsy
My water was so cloudy I couldn't see the bottom of my pool, I called a pool store the Lady told me to go buy 2 case of chlorine and pore 6 gallons in and save the other 2 for the next day, the next day I surely could see the bottom, you have to chlorinate the heck out of it, my pool is 28 round. Hope this helps it helped for me
I had the same problem after treating my water with a chemical to raise the PH. To fix this, My pool guy added about a quart of hydrocloric acid to my 24ft above ground pool, and within an hour, I could see the difference. I don't want to depend on the acid to clear cloudy water, so I now use Borax to raise the PH and the water stays clear, and it's cheaper.
I cleaned my above ground pool 2 days ago. I refilled it and put a chlorine tablet in the dispenser. I also added a little algaecide now after filtering for 3 days I got in the pool and it felt like a greasy substance was on the bottom. Then I noticed where I stepped it turned black as did my feet and knees. I had to take a bath and use a brush and soap to remove it. What happened to the pool?
By daneed
You killed the algae but you have to vacuum it out of the bottom or put a particulate stuff that makes it rise to the top and filter it out. The particulate stuff I don't like but I use a vacuum that to the water hose and remove the dead algae.
You may think about using an algaecide that last for 3 months and put it in in 21/2 months. I live in south GA and that is what I do. I keep my pool with baking soda, 3month algaecide and chlorine 3inch tabs. It is above ground 12 foot x 4 foot.
I just got a house that has an above ground pool that doesn't have a pump or anything. I have to still clean it out, but I don't want to clean it out if I have to have a pump to even get in the pool.
Please help.You have to have a pump, it will turn green in no time without one. Also you will need shock, clorine tabs, ph decreaser & increaser as well as testing supplies (strips are easier but cost more than drops). You have to clean the pump filter & replace it when needed. A vacuum helps.
Skimming the pool surface by hand every few days is one of the easiest and fastest way to maintain your pool especially during the fall season. Use a long handled net known as a leaf skimmer to remove leaves and bugs. Skimming increases the efficiency of the pools circulation and lowers the amount of chlorine you would need to add in your pool.
Always keep chemicals out of reach of children and pets and should be closed when not in use. You should use a separate cleaning measuring cup for each chemical to transfer or measure the chemicals. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling these chemicals and always use them in well ventilated areas.
Does anybody know of a person that will come and check my pool for chemicals and cleaning that will be cheap? My pool is 18 by 48. I did put some things in it, but I'm not sure if it is good.
We have the same size aboveground pool 18 x 48 and we purchased the chemical tester from Kmart you can get it for starting at six dollars that test the pH in the pool and you can also buy your chlorine there as well
There's some really dirty water in the pool because we haven't cleaned it in months, how do I take the water out? The lady who owned it said that there's a door somewhere to release the water, I can't find it.
By Sarah
Along the bottom of the pool. Usually close to the fliter area, there is a release vaulve. Kind of like where you can attach a hose to it to siphon the water out. Just look on the bottom edge of the pool
I have an above ground pool, 12'x4' round. I've been unable to get rid of the cloudy white particles that keep settling on the bottom and middle of the pool. I've used many different chemicals and replaced the filter numerous times and nothing seems to work. Also, there seems to constantly be little flies at the bottom in the cloudy area. The flies are always the same kind, small with black and yellow striped bodies about the size of a small mosquito. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.
Hi, you might want to just change the water & start fresh. Drain the pool and clean the liner with bleach and a pool liner cleaner. If your filters are a few years old replace them or use a filter cleaner on them. Re-fill the pool and keep it chlorinated and balanced. A lot of stores that sell pool supplies will do free water testing and let you know what to add & advise you. Consider getting a pool cover as well.
My pool is really green and I would like to know what household cleaning supplies I can use to scrub it to get it clean.
By Denise B from Blakeslee, PA
The best thing to do is too go to a local store and buy a cheap algae eating pool solution called shock it's very cheap and it gets the job done and I would say if the pool gets green you need to clean the filter and make sure it doesn't get peed in :) Hope that helps.
I put a chlorine pill in a 12 foot x 4 foot pool and it made a huge stain on the bottom side. Now I'm worried it will tear. How much should I have put? And will it tear?
By Alma from Corpus Christi, TX
Yes! It will eventually ruin your liner. We have an 18 foot above ground pool that my husband dropped a chlorine tab in and didn't remove for a couple days. It removed the blue coloring from the liner and the next year when we went to clean the liner, the discolored part disintegrated and the whole liner was ruined. It may survive for awhile but get ready to replace the liner. Use a floating chlorine tab dispenser if you don't have a skimmer basket that holds the tabs.
I'm wondering how to successively clean my 16' by 32' above ground swimming pool? It's filled with algae and the water is completely green! Is there some simple way I can clean it without vacuuming it, as our vacuum for some reason isn't working?
By Gail B
I had the same problem and a very nice pool man gave me the answer. You need to put at least 6 gallons of pool shock. And one whole bottle of algae cleaner. Ask for the strongest one. It really works. Keep the pool running day and night for 2 days.
My 17 x 48 foot above ground pool is still a lite green. What do I need to do next? What products are best and how much do I use?
By John
We use our chlorine tablets along with baking soda about 1/2 lb and phosphate remover about 2oz per 5000 gallons you can purchase this at home depot our pool stays crystal clear.
I have an inground pool with cloudy water. What can I use other than a commercial pool product that will work like a "Floc" and drop floating debri to the bottom of the pool so that it can be vacuumed?
The best solution to keeping the pool clear is to test often and stay on top of the situation. The more you get out of whack, the more expensive and longer it takes to come back. The PH is the all powerful count to keep track of. If you can keep it at 7, then you should be problem free, but things change with a rainfall, or adding water to the pool. Shocking it is the only way to kill the algae, and only then will it sink to the bottom of the pool for vacuuming. You can get shock at Canadian Tire cheaper than at the pool place and then I found an even better price at the local garden store. Always shock at night and keep the kids out for 24 hours afterwards. The sun kills the shocking power. I was also told that foregoing buying those big containers of shock, you can religeously put 1 cup of Javex in the pool everyday instead, but then the next time I saw him, he was raving about getting a tank and buying shock in bulk at a really cheap price. The best plan is to take a water sample to the pool store and get them to run it thru the computer. This way, you'll know exactly what you have to do and knowing that can save you money in itself. We finally got a manta, sooooo glad! What a time and back saver! But the best advise that I can give you is to get your water sample into the pool store regularily to have a proper plan of action and stay on top of things. There are several reasons why water may be cloudy and sometimes you have to put in a teaspoon of muric acid when all else fails. Get some prof. advise on this one though, good luck!
I just brought a house that has an aboveground pool that they didn't have a cover on. The water is black. What can I do to get it clean?. Please help.
I have this cloud in the center of my pool that I can't get to settle to the bottom so I can vacuum it. I have used Shock and Flock It and use a clarifier also. Any help in solving this would be great.
Make sure you are using a pool vacuum, as well as skimming. This article may help you: pooluniversity.org/
You do not mention anything about your pool filter so maybe that could be a problem as a filter needs to be large enough to accommodate your pool size and should run several hours a day - every day. You can also use too much chemical and that can cause some problems like this.
Here are a couple more links that have different suggestions so maybe after reading some instructions you might come up with a way to remove the cloud.
blog.poolcenter.com/
I have a 4x18' above ground pool with a pump and have been adding the store bought chlorine tabs, but the water is still green and murky. I know it's safe to add household bleach (safer than chlorine), but I'm not sure how much to add or how often. Also is it okay to use bleach alone or in addition to tabs? What should the ph test read?
I read that you should use a pool conditioner (prevents UV rays from destroying chlorine, or else you should add chlorine every 2 hrs). Is that expensive and if so would it be okay to exclude it just for the weekend. I need quick overnight fix cuz we have family in for the 4th (kids wanna swim asap!) Help plz.The Ph should be 7.2 or below. If not, use muriatric acid to lower it. Then you can clean the pool with granular chlorine.
This is a good article to refer to
dengarden.com/
This is one of those times that going to a pool store and consulting someone who has likely seen everything is probably the best bet! Good Luck!
I accidentally put 98 oz of clarifier in my pool 4 days ago. I have been vacuuming and flushing the pump for days.
My jet starts out strong then it just trickles. What can I do to get it running strong?ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I have an above ground pool that has a terrible brownish ring/stain just above the water line. I've tried scrubbing it and using pool recommended cleaners, which haven't worked. Monsoon storms left a fine layer of dirt on the bottom that the vacuum is not picking up. It's a mess! Any ideas?
I have an Intex pool holding 3700 gallons. All the green algae collects on the bottom in clumps when I treat it. Then, I cannot get it up without it spreading into the water again.
