ANY ADVISE IS APPRECIATED!!!!

[sumthenspshl]

Hello, please bare with me I have ZERO pool experience. I have just purchased a home from the court system. This house has been in the court system for 6 months and due to cold weather I know it has been longer than that since the pool/spa has been maintained. I have 2 problems, with this house came an inground pool and a hot tub spa. And absolutly no paperwork on these items. I was TOLD that the pool is the kind that does not have a liner. And it is GREEN with algae and wildlife is living in it. Also it does have a tent type cover to help keep the leaves out stuff like that. My question is what is my first step. I have read several internet sites and I understand about the chemicals. But should I drain the pool? Or should I shock the pool? Also does any one have any suggestions on how to clean the tent over the pool? My other problem is the spa, I also have ZERO experience with spa and again I have been reading but it has water in the spa and it has been running this entire time. When I opened the cover it smells like mildew. Now I am not sure if it is the cover that has mildewed or if it is the actual water. Again, do I drain this or do I treat it with something. I personally would like to drain it and clean it but i do not know if that is bad for the machine. PLEASE, ANY ADVISE WOULD BE GREAT!!!! THANK YOU IN ADVAN

[Guest]

I do think the smell of mildew comes from your cover. I bought a above gound pool 4 weeks ago and have had such a hard time getting answers but think I have leaned much more by going to my local chemical supply store, at least in a month I have kept it clean and no one has green hair!!!When I searched for good fourms this was number 1.

[DEPET]

As far as the pool goes, if the pump and filter work, I would clean all the debris out of the pool (leaves, limbs, grass ,dead animals ,etc) by using a handy dandy net on a pole. Then after netting everything that I could possibly net, then I would turn the pump and filter on and vaccuum it. Aftering vaccuuming then I would shock it and after several days of backwashing, shocking, vacuuming and scrubbing, then backwashing, scrubbing, shocking and vacuuming some more...you should be in business, barring no other unforeseen problems. I imagine the same would work for your spa.

[tgr]

Go to the pool company and rent a drain pump. Get all the water out and all the other stuff. Don't turn on the pool pump, you may suck up stuff that may clog the lines!! To be sure change the filter medim (sand if that is what you have). Starting with clean water will asure that you won't waste money on chemicals to clear water that is bad as you say.