This flippen mother nature this year has been a struggle. Finally got warm and dry enough to open the pool. Ice finally melted about a week ago and I opened the sucker up today!

My wife even had the day off so it really helped to have her help me pull my mesh meyco cover off this pool, carry it to the front driveway and unroll it to dry out, reroll it up, and put it away nicely. Pool looked a little dirty due to the silt, but fairly no leaves. Just stupid worms and other darn bugs. Hooked everything up, primed up the filter, and away I went. I then put the filter to waste and got right to work with sucking out that mess. Once done, the pool is a little cloudy but I can still make out the deep end fairly good. I then went right to work using the BBB method. Tests came out good on PH/TA so just added CYA in a sock and poured in 3 gallons of bleach to get started. At 10 tonight, I will test using the trusty TF100 test kit and add more.

Liner looks good for 8 years old, with only a few wrinkles at the deep end due to this dang water from a very snowy winter and a wet, flooding spring. Gotta say though that the rock and plastic and overall landscape of my yard helps move the water away from the pool and my sump pump in the house pulls the water away from the ground and pool all the way to the back alley that is graveled 45 feet away from the house.

All in all, it was a good opening. I am tired, but at least the spring/summer season has begun. Even grabbed a few beers to admire my own handywork. AWWWWW summer. Hope that the weather pattern now straitens out so that we can enjoy it sooner rather then later.

Happy swims everyone!

Yay for you guys. Sounds like things went off without a hitch. Doesnt it feel great to get going? Our RRV area weather looks good for the next few days so the water should start warming nicely.

Chad, my friend

I'm glad you've made the first step towards swimming this season!

I hope all is well with you and yours and that you have a very long season with your trouble free pool!!

Ted

Thanks Mom. Ya went really well.

Ted, Glad to hear from ya buddy. Been reading up on some of the posts and glad to see how you have helped so many people on this site. I do appreciate all the advice that TFP offers. I am glad to see you are settled.

Just an update that my wife did find a much better job working for an eyedoctor in town. Things are very good and cant complain. Wouldn't do any good anyway. Weather could be better as the farmers are really getting fed up with trying to plant the crop only to be rained out. Another front is on its way for the weekend.

On another note, my wife and me are running in the Fargo Marathon together this year. Should be fun! She is running the half and I am doing the 5 and 10k.

Hopefully mother nature wakes up from her deep sleep that old man winter put on her up here. Have a wonderful swim season yourself and always good talking to ya.

Later buddy!

Chad

Chad, are you taking advantage of the sunshine??? Yep, that really bright, shiney, warm thing is not just another rumor - it was for real today. It was beautiful today and I took a day off to finish yard/pool/etc for our son's graduation next week and smiled as I noted the pool temp go up 11 degrees today. Apparently someone bought Mother Nature a Tom-Tom so she could find her way to the Red River Valley and bring us spring. Yay, we are on our way!!!

Yep, I sure did. That was until that huge rain system moved in. We got about a half inch of rain and hope that its done now. Next weeks temps looks great MNmom! Pool is close to 60 in temp now and is sparkly clean. Took 50 hours to clean and would of been 36 if it wouldnt of rained yesterday.

My wife and I ran the half marathon in Fargo today. Man are we stiff, but sure was a good time!

Pray that mother nature takes a bit of that heat down south and sends it up here! We sure could use it!

Have a good one everyone!

Well, I broke the nut on my pump lid basket! That sucks.

Luckily I am prepared and have a spare back up pump. I knew there was a reason for me buying 2 pumps at one time. Now I fixed that, I can just order the replacement parts and then I am good to go again.

I was trying to solve a small suction side air leak somewhere. I have had it for a long time and its not huge but does shoot a little air into the pools returns. I have been working on it for the past couple years and I think that one of these springs or fall pool closings, that I will have the pool company pressure test the line to get it solved. I have tried just about everything I can think of. It doesnt bother me much to see a little air comming in by the stairs, but I think when I update the liner, replace the one metal return line, and do a few other updates to the pool, then I will have the system pressure tested at that same time.

For now, all is good. Pressure stays at 14psi and when I turn the pump off, it holds its prime just fine. If we lived in a climate where I was in the pool all year round versus just 5 months, then I would do it now, but for the time being, it can wait. I am also planning to take the multiport valve apart and replace the spider gasket. Its due for a change and I have a new one already to go. I just need to drop it in. Maybe that will help. We will see.

The good news is that the pool is sparkling clear (see photos below) and its at 64 degrees and climbing. The sad think is mother nature up here seems to not understand that its summer. Forecast is calling for better warmer weather next week. Lets sure hope so.

Have a good memorial weekend everyone!

Very nice Chad!!! Yep, gotta love spring in the Red River Valley - calling for frost tonight.

Chad,

How do you like the size of your pool? Is it a decent size for parties, and cook outs? As well how do you like the Liner covered steps? Sorry for the questions but your pool is about exactly what we are putting in, except our back yard is a tad bit smaller! Thanks!!

Clay

Thanks Mom. Appreciate it. Ya, always interesting isnt it.

Clay, I love the size of our pool. Great size for parties as the patio is pretty big comming out of the garage. I like that because then I can back out the vehicles and have food inside to serve and then people can go outside on the chairs and sit all around the pool to eat, mingle, and drink. I would at some time like to install a portable tiki bar on the rocks to the south of the pool at parties. Will come in time. The liner over the stairs is just fine. Has a few wrinkles but I really like the look of it overall. I would do the exact same thing with the liner when I replace it with a few upgrades to it.

Good luck with your install Clay! Just ask if you have any other questions.

Chad

THIS WEATHER IS CRAZY THIS YEAR. Just got smacked by hail. Luckily no damage, but the winds are 50mph! I just cleaned the pool yesterday and now with the rain, hail, & wind; it looks like I will be doing it again either tonight or tomorrow night. At Least I was able to paint the pool coping yesterday in between all this rain. Looks great and really perked up the pool. So far this is not a good memorial day here in ND. I sure hope others are having a better day than I am!

Have a good day everyone!

Wow, I heard it got dicey down there. We had wind, rain AND sun at the same time this morning. go figure. Still windy, but at least the sun is out so the solar panels can do their thing.

Ya, and now the forecast is for more storms later today. CRAZY stuff. Hope that its done. At least the forecast for next week is better. We definitely need some sunshine. Dries things off, warms up the pool water, and most importantly improves peoples attitudes. This winter was a rough one so we now need some decent weather to get everyone out of their bad attitudes.

OK, mother nature decides to finally let summer start and now I have to head to Missouri for work. SIGH! Pool is 72 and climbing. At least the wife and kid can use it while I am away.

Pool is crystal clear baby! Take a look at these pics. Beautiful and relaxing. Beer + Pool + Firepit at night = ONE HAPPY DUDE!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Always good to hear that, despite Ma Nature and your having to go to Missouri, the pool is well and your family will be able to enjoy it

Take care and be well! (and if your wife has any questions about the pool while your gone, leave her your password to this site )

Got it Ted. Appreciate it. Just went over the pool maitenance with her. She found out that its not as hard as she thought it to be. I told her nope. Its pretty easy once you understand a few things. I will definitely leave this site open to her. Showing this post now. She should be fine. You take care to there Ted. Always good visiting with ya man! Later

Well I got back today and my wife did a pretty good job in taking care of the pool. Only had a little algae. Vacuumed the pool, and cleaned it up nice. Sparkly now and holding the FC level. Overall she did a great job.

MAN IT WAS HOT IN MISSOURI! I MEAN REALLY HOT! WOW. And those dang lucust that come once every 13 years is SUPPER CRAZY! Never heard anything that annoying in my life.

Overall it was a great time with SUPER NICE people wherever we went. The University of Missouri treated us FANTASTIC! No bad weather either!

Hey Chad,

thank you so much for your opinion! We started our install last WED and they dropped the liner and we are finishing filling today!!!

Your pool looks GREAT!!! I only hope ours will look that great

tatertot,

great user name by the way.

It will come. Eventually with your TF100 test kit, you will gain the confidence and really start to understand the chemistry within your own pool. I dont even really need to test as often as I used to because I can tell what my pool needs by the touch/smell of it. I still test for PH ect, but I am a deadeye on the chlorine types and using different types of chlorine to help control the PH/TA. If you manage it properly, you really dont need to adjust PH that much except for using acid from time to time to keep PH under control. I only really use the pool store for metal detection and to say hi. Its important to keep a good relation with your "trusted" PB too as you will need them at some point when you need parts or some service work done.

Great to hear that you got that sucker going. Should be GREAT for the 4th tomorrow. Its warm up here and we are suppose to have a great weekend for the holiday weather. Kids are lovin the pool and mom and me are also enjoying the 82 degree water with sunshine! Finally, summer is here in ND.

Good luck and take care! PS, how bout a pic there tater! I love to see your pool!

Chad