Okay, here’s my blog post about filling a pool with well water, written in a casual, first-person style:
So, I finally got around to filling up that above-ground pool I set up last summer. I figured I’d use my well water since, you know, it’s free! Seemed like a no-brainer, right? Well, it turned out to be a bit more involved than I anticipated, but totally doable. Here’s how it all went down.
Getting Started: The Prep Work
First things first, I had to figure out if my well could even handle the job. I mean, we’re talking about thousands of gallons of water here. I did some quick calculations based on the pool’s dimensions, and then did a little test. I ran the hose for a couple of hours, just to make sure my well pump wasn’t going to sputter out and die on me mid-fill.
Important: If you have an older well, it might be good to check the water level before and after doing a test. Some wells don’t recover fast, might affect your daily use.
The Filling Process: Slow and Steady
Once I was confident my well was up to the task, I got the hose ready. I used a regular garden hose. You could probably use a bigger one, but that’s all I had, so it was gonna take longer.
- Connect the Hose: Pretty straightforward – I just screwed the hose onto the outdoor spigot.
- Start the Water: Turned on the water and… waited. And waited. And waited some more. It took a looooong time, like, an entire weekend.
- Monitor the Pump: Made sure to check it every few hours, I did not let it run overnight.
Water Quality Checks: Getting the Chemistry Right
After a day and a half, I finally filled up the pool to the recommended level. But I knew I couldn’t just jump in yet. Well water can be kinda funky sometimes, so I had to make sure the water was safe.
First, I did a visual check. The water looked a little cloudy, which I figured was probably just some sediment from the well. Then, I used a pool testing kit to check the pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels. The kit came with easy-to-follow instructions, so it wasn’t too complicated.
Turned out, the pH was a little low, and the water was a bit “soft” (low calcium hardness). So, I went to the pool supply store and got some chemicals to adjust the levels. I added them in gradually, following the instructions on the packages, and re-tested the water until everything was balanced.
The Final Result: Ready to Swim!
After all that, the pool water was crystal clear and the chemistry was perfect. Took the first dip, and it was glorious! Totally worth the effort.
So, yeah, filling a pool with well water is definitely possible. It just takes some patience, a little bit of know-how, and maybe a trip to the pool supply store. But hey, I saved a bunch of money on my water bill, and that’s always a win in my book!
