Yes ok thanks x
Donât look a day over 45 
Itâs odd though - our place is in 56 where there arenât any restrictions yet only 10 miles away in Redon (44) they are in crisis.
Just out of interest is there a reason why you drained the pool?
When we moved here our pool had been closed for 3 years and it looked like a swamp but we didnt drain it. Just a lot of cleaning and backwashing before adding all the chemicals.
Anyway youâll be in good hands on here. John Withall is brilliant and has helped me a lot.
We decided to drain and start a fresh as it was as you say like a swamp x so it is now clean and ready just need to sort chlorine and filter out x we have a Hayward filter and assume we just put it on filter when we need it to go ??
Yes. I filter my water for 24 hrs minimum when I first turn the pump on but as you have fresh water Iâm not sure. John Withall will know though.
This is our pool this year before and after cleaning and treating. We didnât change the water just topped up a bit.
So when you open up next year donât worry if itâs green. If you look closely you can see the green water is quite clear.
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Yes thankyou we only drained to get us started not something we going to do regularly x we have managed to get the filter going and have added some chlorine as well x we still a bit unsure of how to use all the functions on the filter system my husband wants to ask if there is anyone near that has good knowledge of how to use this who can come give us a lesson obviously we will pay xx 
We are close to vitre near Rennes
You may be best asking neighbours, pool shop or at the Mairie. We live in the Dordogne and I Googled a couple who came and did a brilliant job and started us off. I was lucky though because I didnât really know much about them. We had tried emailing the pool shop but they never replied.
If you put photos of your filter etc on here then John may advise you.
Hi Teresa
Your photos have inspired me!!
How long did it take for your pool to go from slimey swamp to luxury spa???
C
Actually only about a week. Last year we had algae problems and concluded that the sand filter had never had the sand changed in 10 years.
This year a guy was recommended to us and fitted our new filter.
We then spent a few day just netting the pool to remove as much debris as possible. We then vacuumed it. Backwashed. Added chlorine shock and spent a few more days cleaning, backwashing and testing.
I think the good filter made a difference.
Weâve really been diligent about keeping the chlorine level up this year too.
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Hi Nicola,
The reason for me saying buy/use chlorine tablets, the cheaper ones, is when you have a clean refill your pool water does not contain any chlorine stabiliser (cyanuric acid CYA) so any chlorine you add will be reduced by half in as little as 35 minutes in this weather and completely gone in 2 hours.
Cheap chlorine tabs (galets) are usually a compound called dichlor, these add chlorine but also add CYA and more CYA than the more expensive Trichlor. If fact most packaged product contain CYA (choc, lent etc). You need CYA to stabilise the chlorine from being burned up by the sun but not too much (30-50 parts per million PPM) over that and you begin to loose control of the water as CYA bonds to the chlorine and reduces itâs effectiveness, we compensate for this by running with a slightly higher level of chlorine.
CYA controls your pool so it is very important. Thatâs why you should add the cheap chlorine galetts now.
OK with no cost to yourself, this is what the filtration valve (Multiport) does,
Filtration-obviously the setting for pushing water in through the filter to remove dirt and debris.
Waste- This setting bypasses the filtration and just uses the pool pump to push water out of the waste pipe. Most commonly used when vacuuming large amounts of dirt and swamp material out of your pool without it going through and clogging up your filter.
Closed- blocks the filter off.
Backwash- reverses the flow of water through the filter to flush out dirt and debris. There should be a sight glass on the multi port, hold some printed text under the sight glass and when the water runs clear and you can read the text the filter is clean.
Recirculate- by passes the filter and just circulates the water, hardly if ever used, sometimes if chemicals have been added and you want to speed up the mixing.
Rinse- after backwashing for a couple of minutes until the water is clear. then select rinse, this settles the sand but sends the water to waste rather than allowing any remaing dirt back into the pool, roughly a minute on rinse.
VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT. Turn off the pump and let things settle for a few seconds BEFORE moving the handle or you can dislodge the gasket inside the valve.
That should do for tonight.
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Ok great thanks John we have put in some chlorine tablets now I have tested the water and it still saying next to no chlorine and to high ph level at the moment. How long for the tablets to dissolve and how often do we put in more ? Also thanks for the advise on the filter system much appreciated we are now having a problem with it as it seems to have stopped working pump on but no water coming out of jets it was working before so was wondering if maybe we have a blockage or something ? emphasized text
Have you managed to get some air in the system? You may need to bleed the air out if you have, pool pumps donât like air!
Chlorine tablets (slow release) take about a day or 2 to dissolve, depending on water temperature and flow over them. You might be better off shocking the system (Chlore choc), quick to dissolve but either dissolve in a bucket first or put in the skimmer if the pump is working- never put directly into the pool.
If the ph is too high, get some pH- to get it down to somewhere around 7.5. We have quite acidic water (and rain) so only ever need pH+.
Thanks mark I am sure it is air in pump so we are going to have a look and see if we can cure it x we are going to go to a pool place on Monday so will stock up on ph + etc x great to have all the advice we are novices but we are not stupid so online advice is great x
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Sorry away yesterday,
Sounds like you have air in the system. The pump has a pre filter to remove larger debris before it would damage the pump. Using a torch can you see through the clear lid if it is full of water.
Is your pump above or below the normal water line of the pool? If itâs below be very careful before opening as you wonât get the cover back on! Close the valve in front of the pump first if the is one.
If the pump is above the water line the should be a non return valve before the pump to aid maintaining pump prime ( where water is kept in the system) youâll have to fill the pump pre filter chamber, quickly refit the lid and start the pump.
This is without seeing a photo of your setup.
Donât waste your money on pH+ your water is already high in pH so I very much doubt youâll ever need it. pH minus youâll usually need, now you can buy granular pH minus from a shop or use hydrochloric acid from a brico, (buy some eau de Javel for chlorine whilst you are there) just never mix the 2!!!
Hydrochloric acid is a strong chemical so if you are not familiar it will burn skin and eyes and throat so gloves and other safety equipment is strongly recommended. I would also advise buying a plastic measuring jug from a supermarket as well.
To save buying yet another product (chock) which again you donât really need either. You can just smash up a galet itâs exactly the same and only dissolves quicker due to the larger surface area created by breaking the galet up into granules.
Mark what are your Alkalinity and calcium hardness levels?