So, did you find stuff in the impeller? Or is it really toast?

Haven't looked. I'm not expecting much from a $40 Chinese pump.

[quote="ontherocs"]

Quick question for any California residents. Exactly what are we supposed to do to "winterize" our pools when it doesn't get below freezing? Do we just have a full year of checking and keeping the pool chem levels in check?

[quote]


I think what you said is about right - we have a full year of checking and keeping the pool chem levels in check. This is the first winter that we have to maintain the pool too and I am learning as I go from this forum. I still check the PH and FC every week. PH is staying at 7.5 while FC is down to 10.5 from 11 when I checked it yesterday. It is a lot easier in the winter since I don't have to add chlorine every other day. We get some freezing nights in this area so I was told to run the pump during the coldest part of the morning. It only runs for about 3.5 hours since the water temperature is below 60. That is about all the 'winterizing' that I know of and practice.

Yes.

In my case, the spa and pool share the same water, pump, filter, and heater. So if I want to use the spa, it all has to be maintained. It's not hard, nor especially time-consuming, especially in winter.

You should have a good test kit, so after a few weeks, you'll get a feel for what it takes, and you can get a little lazy, knowing that X cups of chlorine raises FC Y ppm, and you lose Z ppm/day, therefore you can dump in this much and ignore it until next weekend. Once things start warming up, that's all going to change.

They've been predicting this storm for days and it finally hit. Started raining at work about 3, which means probably 3:30 at home. Pool and spa at the same level, over the divide! It's emptying out some as I type.

Nothing better than free, Calcium-free water. Well, for the pool, anyway......

They are predicted an inch or so here from the same storm....save some of that free stuff for us .

Northern California has been getting plastered, but this storm sure took its time reaching us. I finally got enough rainwater added to where I can definitely see a rise in the water level, judging by the tile patterns. And it's supposed to keep raining through the night. Yippee!

is it pretty bad waking up at 4A worried about the hail hitting my car that got accidentally left outside but totally excited my pool was getting FREE CLEAN water?!?!?

Yet another confirmed case of sparklypoolitis

Man this was a real storm here in Nor Cal. I have pumped out about 4 inches of water this year so far. Here is the "lagoon" yesterday

I haven't been on the boards lately so please don't bash me for my upcoming comment. I had problems with CH a couple of years ago, new plaster pool so CH went from 200 to 650. I was able to get it down to 450 with partial drains and was content with that 450 number. After a couple of months went by my CH started to drop by itself. I was baffled, not much rain. During this time there were talks on the forum about the "white stuff" being produced by the Liquidator. I was getting the white stuff. I had to clean out my Liquidator twice that season. I finally check CH 3 months later and I was at 300 then 3 more months I was at 200. (OK, get ready to bring it on) I think my Liquidator was removing the CH from my pool. I also think that when the water is warmer this process happens quicker. (I have solar and my temps are between 86-94 for 6 months out of the year).

My CH got to 150 and I had to add Calcium not long ago. I am wondering if any one else suspects this CH removal with the Liquidator. If so, this would be a good way to reduce/ manage your CH. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with your progress.

Do you happen to have an autofill device on your pool? Does your CYA decrease as well? I'm guessing you may have a leakas that much of a reduction without water replacement sounds odd

My pool had evaporated a little last week but yesterday's rain raised it an inch and then started overflowing. Rain started again about an hour ago. (Kings County, between Bakersfield and Fresno)

Dman, is this question for the OP or for me? If it is for me, then no, I do not have an autofill and my CYA does not decrease at the same rate as CH. I usually replace less than 4 inches of water per season using my garden hose. This method should be increasing my CH due to evaporation of pool water still leaves the CH behind and my fill water has 120ppm of CH. My pool evaporates about 1/4 to 1/2 inch per week, but rain water usually replaces that.

It's had two days to mix now.

pH held at 7.5. Everything else dropped about 10%. Which means..

drumroll...

CH is now 575
CYA is now 40-45

Those numbers are a darn sight better than where they peaked! And there's supposed to be more rain on the way later this week!! This is really exciting for me... it means I have a little breathing room to where I can put a floater in the pool while I'm on vacation in May. I guess that floater is still okay....it kinda got kicked into a patch of weeds in the corner of the yard. At least I didn't toss it out. I just couldn't see buying one of them with what I know now.

JCJR: I'd worry that your Calcium isn't really disappearing, it's just dropping out of suspension and sticking to the walls. Scale isn't gleaming white, nor is it automatically like sandpaper. I have scale that looks more like blue-gray blotches; it looks sorta tan when it's not submerged. It feels smooth. I've been slowly dissolving it back into suspension. It could just as easily be going the other way for you.

Sorry...the question re: autofill was for you. Replacing 4" of water via garden hose per season is really not much. How high is your fill water CH? The evaporation being compensated by rainfall is a net zero, unless, as it is likely possible in FL, does the rain ever overflow your pool. I would imagine you are getting more than 4" of rain per year in Miami, by far offsetting the 4" high CH fill water you are adding each season.

Hopefully I'm not misunderstanding

And it's resuming in a new rainy season. Got enough water today that I had to lower the level. Maybe 3%.

Still, -3% of 725 CH is going to be measurable!