Recent content by Tomolena

I closed this year with #10 expansion plugs in my skimmers (instead of Gizmos). I still used the Gizmos, but I screwed them into the unused threaded holes in the skimmers. Then I chopped up some noodles and crammed them in there as well. I did it this way because I never trusted the "water...

I've owned two robots and without a doubt, the most significant factor is this: How easy is it to remove the filter canister...empty it...and reinsert it for the next cleaning cycle. My Dolphin Dynamic used a bag which took me at least 20 minutes to prep for the next go-round. My Polaris 9550...

I have 2 drain plugs on my Raypak 406A. They're situated pretty much the same way as indicated in Serious1's picture; on the headers on opposite sides of the unit. I remove them after I've blown out the return side of the plumbing. Then I blow air thru the heater to get any remaining water out...

They could have been a tad more competitive on the antifreeze. At this time of year, the big-box stores are selling it for $5/gal in my area. Home Depot was selling it for $3/gal last week, so I picked up 5 gallons. And 10 gallons seems excessive for your setup.

re: "I was just looking at your picture and see that plumbing is only about 1' deep." Perhaps the photo is deceptive. I was standing right over the trench when I took the shot. That flex-pipe is a minimum of 20 inches below the metal surrounding the pool.

Yep. The rubber plugs come out. I opened several years ago only to see one of the return plugs lying on the pool floor under the return. It seems that the ice yanks these things out. That's when I went to threaded plugs for the returns.

Around this time of year, I'm always on the lookout for new Youtube pool closing videos. This one appears to have been posted yesterday. Fun to watch, but they could have spent a little more time describing the line blowing process. Note how they used a makeshift blowout cover on what looks like...

You can let it mix. Pool antifreeze breaks down fairly rapidly once you get your plumbing going. No harmful byproducts left over.

I know what you mean about the leaves coming down. In my area, the surrounding trees often dictate the closing date...not the temps. Let it get away from you and you'll find yourself spending an entire afternoon vacuuming and skimming those leaves out before you can close. Have you thought about...

In my area (Hicksville, Long Island, NY) "Great Value" bleach @ Walmart is the best value I'm aware of. It's 8.25% and sells for $2.94 per 121 oz jug. Dollar store and grocery store brands normally don't indicate their concentrations which tells me it's well below 8%. My local BJs sells Clorox...

I suppose Chemnut's solution is a little more versatile...especially if you're one to help other people out with their closings. I prefer your solution because it's so simple and convenient. Make one connection to the pump and blow out EVERYTHING from there just by working the valves.

Gotter Done! I now have a blowout cover. I used a 2-1/2 inch hole saw to make the hole. In retrospect, 2-3/8 would have been a better fit. The plastic is 3/16 inches thick and you're probably going to experience binding unless you use an impact driver. The cut is not pristine, so I had to smooth...

Maybe a non-sequitor, but 2 liters of Muriatic acid seems like an awful lot for a pool that size. pH Wasn't even out of range at that point.

Re: Did you close your pool with the Cyclone last year, and if so, how? Considering you have not made the modified cover. I closed using the Cyclone for the first time last year. Worked beautifully! Worth every penny I spent on the thing in terms of time spent and peace of mind. I disconnected...