10ft paddling pool - please tell me how to maintain it!

[countrylifer]

Right. I have the pool (10ft easy set one) it has a filter. The pool has been filled, the filter is running. I have a net, and a cover.

What I need to know is how much chlorine is needed. I have a floating dispenser, and the 20g chlorine tablets, and test strips. Do I need anything else?

If you have a pool this size I really want to hear your extra levels of detail on how you keep the water clean for the summer! How many tablets/how often/chlorine while filter running or not/anything else! Thank you 🙏

Do the tablets have an amount per cubic metre / cubic litre of water?

How deep is the pool filled?

My assumption would be there is an amount per cubic metre (e.g. 4g or whatever) per day.

So your pool is 1.5m radius so 7.25m2 area. If it's filled to e.g 75cm deep that would be 5.5cubic metres I'd water.

We have one and test the water every other day. If the chlorine is low DH chucks in 1 tablet and tests again an hour later, aiming for between 1 and 2 on the test strip (he's a chemistry professor so I guess he knows what he's up to).

We also have a bottom cleaner thingy which attaches to the garden hose and 'vacuums' up gunk on the bottom.

No the tablets done give an amount per cubic metre of water (which seems strange they don't!)

The pool is around 4,700 litres of water, hence the desire to keep it clean and not waste it by changing it. I know lots of people have these types of pools but all the other threads just say "I use chlorine tablets" and I can't find anything to tell me how much/many to use

We also have a bottom cleaner thingy which attaches to the garden hose and 'vacuums' up gunk on the bottom.

I like the sound of this

I honestly have no idea, dh dealt with all that when we had ours. We did have the hoover attachment thing which sucked out crap from the bottom and I also highly recommend the foot bath thing which we were supposed to step in before getting in, just got off any grass etc - worked well until they started launching themselves in over the sides 😂
good luck with it, we had pumps and filters and heaters etc, plus all kinds of chemicals. I tested it with a strip every day and if it was low on something I’d add a slug in.
but Dh did the proper set up and maintenance. They’re really fun once up and running, we got ours during Covid and have blissful memories of it.

Ours is a 3m diameter pool and 1 tablet is usually enough to bring the chlorine up to the right level (unless the starting point is zero)

I can't remember how I did it (it was a long time ago), but I managed to rig up something so that the pool vacuum was operated by the filter - that way you're not introducing cold water. (I had a skimmer in the pool.)
If you're intending to leave it up all summer, you'll definitely need to give all the sides and bottom a good scrub every now and again, so one of the kits is handy.
You could also look into insulting it to retain heat overnight.

I 'shocked' the pool with chlorine when we had one. A big dose when you first fill it (I used chlorine powder but didn't measure it, just poured a load in and swirled it around) (sorry, not massively helpful 😆) then left 2 chlorine tabs in a float & kept them topped up as they dissolved. The pool stayed clean all summer. But keep it skimmed & covered when not in use & have a mat to clean your feet as you get in & out.
If you have a dark colored cover, the sun will heat it nicely 😊

You could also look into insulting it to retain heat overnight.
😂
You useless lump of plastic - can't even keep your water warm.

So these 200g tablets www.covers4pools.co.uk/acatalog/chlorine_.html

Say 1 per 50k litres so sounds like you'd start with 1 20g tablet for the smaller pool.

does seem a weird thing for there not to just be a standard formula for though.

I buy a chlorine float at the beginning of each summer. It already has a big block of chlorine in it and it just dispenses as it floats around. I leave it in unless there is anyone actually using the pool. It saves having to do any measuring or testing.

Other equipment is a hose hoover thingy, a black cover (also warms the water) and a little fishing net for scooping out things.

This is all really helpful, thank you so much everyone. I started with one, and a couple of hours later the test strip wasn't registering it so have put another in and will see what it's like in the morning

Yes we also had to shock ours when we woke up one morning and the water was green! It was incredible, a dose of shock and within about 30 minutes it was crystal clear again!
We bought a solar cover for it which turned out to be a massive waste of money as it was crap for the heat (we ended up spending hundreds on a heater which was fantastic) but useful to keep overnight debris from landing in it.

We are in the same position of first time with this size pool. I got a Clearwater Pool Starter Kit for 19.99 which measures chlorine and ph levels and comes with the chemicals (and very straight forward instructions) to rectify plus algaecide.

We also have the starter set. It comes with instructions on amounts of chemicals etc, by approx water volume.

Chlorine
We use the granules intially, and once the chlorine is about right, switch to tablets in a float. You will need to shock the pool initially (and if you forget to add chlorine for a while). Then it's supposed to be a daily dose, and that's where the tablets come in.

The floats have slits in them, so you can vary how quickly they distribute chlorine. Its trial and error to get it right. Its affected by things like heat, sunlight, and level of water evaporation.

Algaecide
You'll need this or the water will become slimy and gross. Its a once a week job.

Ph+ and pH -.
These don't need to be added in a regular basis, but if your ph balance is off. I've never had to add them yet. I don't know your important it is to have then, but they came in the starter kit.

Blimey, I have a little 6ft pool coming. I was hoping just to chuck a chlorine tablet in every so often and that was it 🥴

Algaecide
You'll need this or the water will become slimy and gross. Its a once a week job.

My tablets are multi functional ones which claim to do algae as well, but I wonder if it's the same effectiveness as eg 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner where everyone knows you need separates!

Combined ones should be ok, but you may need an initial dose, and I'm not sure how shocking the pool works with tablets. They are great for maintenance though.

We have a 12ft one. Algaecide once a week, more on the first go (but very little needed, 50ml to start and about 25ml every week). I used to measure chlorine granules out but now I know how much up my cup to throw in, about 50g a day and then I have a dispensing float that I leave in all the time with tablets in it. I test about every 3-4 days and it’s amazing how quickly chlorine evaporates if you forget for a day. Also have a great net and fish out all the grass etc once a day.

If you're on Facebook come and join us on 'Above ground pools UK tips and advice'. It's a really friendly group. We got our pool last year and have learnt so much from the group.

😂

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@squashyhat - I've only just noticed that!

Ensuring chlorine levels are between 1.0 to 3.0 ppm and adding 20-gram chlorine tablets as needed; adjust the pH to between 7.2 and 7.8; run the filter for 8 to 12 hours each day, possibly longer during the summer; clean the pool's surface and walls regularly; perform routine inspections and maintenance on the filter and pump; maintain the proper water level, use a cover to prevent debris from entering, and limit the number of swimmers to reduce contamination; finally, regularly check water quality and equipment to ensure clean pool water and proper equipment operation.