We recently had to empty our pool to make some cosmetic repairs to the plaster. The pool has been filled up for about a month and a family member knowledgeable about pools pointed out that our pump has air in it. We also noticed our water feature on the sunshelf is shooting up much lower than it used to. These are all changes we noticed after we emptied the pool. I notified the pool co who built it and it’s still within the first year of its life. But in the meantime, are we missing something easy/obvious?
Water feature low and air in filter
- Thread starter AJ81
- Start date
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Do you have a varible speed pump? At lower rpms, they can get an air bubble in the pump basket.
Also, when was the last time you cleaned the pump basket O-ring and mating surfaces - and lubed the O-ring?
The water feature on the sundeck will vary in intensity based on the pump rpm.
It can also show reduced flow if the filter is dirty.
How does your water look?
How are you testing the water?
How are you chlorinating?
Fill out your signature with pool, pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in helping you without needing to ask you each time for this important info.
Also, when was the last time you cleaned the pump basket O-ring and mating surfaces - and lubed the O-ring?
The water feature on the sundeck will vary in intensity based on the pump rpm.
It can also show reduced flow if the filter is dirty.
How does your water look?
How are you testing the water?
How are you chlorinating?
Fill out your signature with pool, pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in helping you without needing to ask you each time for this important info.
AJ,
Like Gene, my first guess would be a dirty filter...
But.. that is just a guess, because you told us nothing about your pool...
Show us several pics of your equipment pad and maybe we will be able to spot something..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Like Gene, my first guess would be a dirty filter...
But.. that is just a guess, because you told us nothing about your pool...
Show us several pics of your equipment pad and maybe we will be able to spot something..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Ive attached some pics… I haven’t had a chance to clean filter yet. Now the jets in pool almost appear off - water isn’t moving yet pump is on.AJ,
Like Gene, my first guess would be a dirty filter...
But.. that is just a guess, because you told us nothing about your pool...
Show us several pics of your equipment pad and maybe we will be able to spot something..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Attachments
We haven’t lubricated the oring, the filter was cleaned in December. We chlorinate with liquid bleach primarily (we need to get cyanuric acid levels up so we are rotating with tabs). Water looks clear. We just put acid and chlorine in today as ph was 8 and chlorine was almost zero. Odd though that the alkalinity is low.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
What test kit do you have?
Do you have a variable speed pump? If so, what RPMs is it running at?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water Temperature
Chances are you have a nascent algae bloom as you indicated your chlorine was almost zero.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Clean the filter.
Have a read thru the extended test kit instructions.
www.troublefreepool.com
For the CH and TA tests, did you continue to add drops until the last drop didn't change the color and then subtract the last drop that didn't make a change?
Fill out your signature with info on your pool, all pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in providing you help without having to ask you each time for this important information.
Do you have a variable speed pump? If so, what RPMs is it running at?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water Temperature
Chances are you have a nascent algae bloom as you indicated your chlorine was almost zero.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Clean the filter.
Have a read thru the extended test kit instructions.
Extended Test Kit Directions Archives
www.troublefreepool.com
For the CH and TA tests, did you continue to add drops until the last drop didn't change the color and then subtract the last drop that didn't make a change?
Fill out your signature with info on your pool, all pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in providing you help without having to ask you each time for this important information.
I thought I put it in my signature - I have a Taylor k2006 test kit. We have been putting in chlorine every few days. Acid and chlorine keep getting eaten up. But how would that have anything to do with low pressure throughout the pool? I guess we have a variable speed pump - all I know is it runs at 100% from 8-10am and then 80% from 10-6pm. I don’t know rpms. Alkalinity was 70.What test kit do you have?
Do you have a variable speed pump? If so, what RPMs is it running at?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water Temperature
Chances are you have a nascent algae bloom as you indicated your chlorine was almost zero.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Clean the filter.
Have a read thru the extended test kit instructions.
Extended Test Kit Directions Archives
For the CH and TA tests, did you continue to add drops until the last drop didn't change the color and then subtract the last drop that didn't make a change?
Fill out your signature with info on your pool, all pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in providing you help without having to ask you each time for this important information.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Your signature is blank. Use the link provided above to fill it out. Don't forget to save it.
Chlorine is getting eaten up because you probably have algae - even if you can't see it.
If your return flow is also low (your filter pressure would go up not down if the gauge is working correctly) but was good before, that is also a sign you might have algae. That is why it was recommended to run an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Use your K-2006 to run a full set of tests. Post the results as listed below....
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water temperature
How old are the K-2006 reagents?
How often do you test for chlorine?
What is you CYA level? If it's not at least 30, add enough to get to 30. Use PoolMath to determine how much to add.
If you run at 100% and 80%, you have a variable speed pump. No idea why it's set to percent rather than RPMs. IMO, using RPM on the pump provides a better indication of filter pressure changes at a given setting (RPM).
My husband put in a bag of granular chlorine yesterday late afternoon and this morning we were back to 0 so I just put a gallon of bleach in. PH is 7.4 and TA is 60. Going to pick up baking soda shortly and add that. I didn’t bother testing the CYA because I know it’s 0. Is that sold separately? Last year we got in trouble and after just a few weeks of tabs it went through the roof. So my plan was to double up and put tabs in as well. We are planning to clean the filter this afternoon.What test kit do you have?
Do you have a variable speed pump? If so, what RPMs is it running at?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water Temperature
Chances are you have a nascent algae bloom as you indicated your chlorine was almost zero.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Clean the filter.
Have a read thru the extended test kit instructions.
Extended Test Kit Directions Archives
For the CH and TA tests, did you continue to add drops until the last drop didn't change the color and then subtract the last drop that didn't make a change?
Fill out your signature with info on your pool, all pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info.
This assists us in providing you help without having to ask you each time for this important information.
Update: I put a gallon of liquid beach in a few hours ago and current chlorine is 0! Now I’m really freaking out. Ready to clean the filter but flow is still minimum.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You need to quit "really freaking out" and attempt to reply to our requests for information and test results.
Post a FULL set of test results in the format shown in post #8.
Likewise, fill out your signature in detail and save it.
A pH of 7.4 and TA of 60 is just fine. No need to add baking soda.
Add enough CYA (stabilizer) to get to 30 ppm. Use PoolMath to determine how much CYA based on your pool volume and current CYA test result. Without CYA in the water, the chlorine will burn off FAST - just like you are experiencing. Without CYA, you may have to add chlorine several times DAILY.
Chances are your filter is dirty and needs to be cleaned.
It's possible you may have a nascent algae bloom, but you won't know for sure until you do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Re-read all the replies to your posts above, reply to the specific questions and do as suggested.
Going about pool maintenance all willy-nilly isn't going to end well.
Post a FULL set of test results in the format shown in post #8.
Likewise, fill out your signature in detail and save it.
A pH of 7.4 and TA of 60 is just fine. No need to add baking soda.
Add enough CYA (stabilizer) to get to 30 ppm. Use PoolMath to determine how much CYA based on your pool volume and current CYA test result. Without CYA in the water, the chlorine will burn off FAST - just like you are experiencing. Without CYA, you may have to add chlorine several times DAILY.
Chances are your filter is dirty and needs to be cleaned.
It's possible you may have a nascent algae bloom, but you won't know for sure until you do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Re-read all the replies to your posts above, reply to the specific questions and do as suggested.
Going about pool maintenance all willy-nilly isn't going to end well.
Pool is clear.
FC .5
CC 0
PH 7.4
TA 90
CYA 0
We put in a lot of chlorine yesterday and today. Last night was 6.5, this morning was 6 and then dropped to 2 a few hours later so we added enough to get it back up and here we are back to almost 0. We bought CYA but haven’t added it yet. Before we do, how do we know what’s destroying the chlorine- algae or lack of CYA or both? I don’t want to do anything that’s not in the right order.
Update: we cleaned filters and everything is working smoothly. So now it’s just chemical issues. I don’t think our pool install co got us up and running g with sufficient chems which is why we are here.
FC .5
CC 0
PH 7.4
TA 90
CYA 0
We put in a lot of chlorine yesterday and today. Last night was 6.5, this morning was 6 and then dropped to 2 a few hours later so we added enough to get it back up and here we are back to almost 0. We bought CYA but haven’t added it yet. Before we do, how do we know what’s destroying the chlorine- algae or lack of CYA or both? I don’t want to do anything that’s not in the right order.
Update: we cleaned filters and everything is working smoothly. So now it’s just chemical issues. I don’t think our pool install co got us up and running g with sufficient chems which is why we are here.
With zero CYA, the sun is quickly eating your FC (Chlorine)
You really need to get about 40 ppm of CYA in your pool.
Thanks,
Jim R.
You really need to get about 40 ppm of CYA in your pool.
Thanks,
Jim R.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
What is the CH?
Add 30 ppm of stabilizer (CYA) using the sock method - do it now. The reason I say 30 instead of 40, is you really need to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test and rule out algae and a need to SLAM Process.
If you do need to SLAM Process, it may be a bit easier at CYA 30 instead of CYA 40.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test starting tonight.
Tonight - dose FC to about 6-7 ppm right before sunset.
Test the FC after sunset and record the result.
Test the FC right before sunrise in the morning and record the result.
Also record the CC in the morning and record the result.
If the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test results in a 1 ppm or less FC loss and a 0.5 ppm CC reading, you passed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test - and can proceed with normal maintenance.
If the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test results in greater than 1 ppm FC loss or the CC reading is greater than 0.5 ppm, you will need to SLAM Process.
Let us know the results or the above outlined Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
You also need to clean your filter.
Signature?
Add 30 ppm of stabilizer (CYA) using the sock method - do it now. The reason I say 30 instead of 40, is you really need to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test and rule out algae and a need to SLAM Process.
If you do need to SLAM Process, it may be a bit easier at CYA 30 instead of CYA 40.
Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test starting tonight.
Tonight - dose FC to about 6-7 ppm right before sunset.
Test the FC after sunset and record the result.
Test the FC right before sunrise in the morning and record the result.
Also record the CC in the morning and record the result.
If the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test results in a 1 ppm or less FC loss and a 0.5 ppm CC reading, you passed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test - and can proceed with normal maintenance.
If the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test results in greater than 1 ppm FC loss or the CC reading is greater than 0.5 ppm, you will need to SLAM Process.
Let us know the results or the above outlined Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
You also need to clean your filter.
Signature?
We did that last night and only lost .5 so on one hand thought we didn’t have to slam .
we did clean our filter yesterday.
What is CH?
we did clean our filter yesterday.
What is CH?
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
CH = Calcium - looks like you didn't report it.
Ok - so you passed the OCLT last night.
Increase the CYA to 40-50
Dose the FC based on the CYA you are targeting for now - you can re=test CYA in a few days after the CYA is fully dissolved.
FC/CYA Levels
Your signature is important so we can know what your pool, pool equipment and test kit you have.
Ok - so you passed the OCLT last night.
Increase the CYA to 40-50
Dose the FC based on the CYA you are targeting for now - you can re=test CYA in a few days after the CYA is fully dissolved.
FC/CYA Levels
Your signature is important so we can know what your pool, pool equipment and test kit you have.
Thank you. I saved my pump in there twice, not sure why it’s not there. That’s all I know about our equipment, which is we have a Polaris 280 with booster pump. I don’t know any other info about our equipment…what sorts of things are you looking for?
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,537
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
It still didn't save in the signature block.
Click this link: https://www.troublefreepool.com/account/signature
And fill out the info there.
See my signature for ideas on what to include. If you are on a mobile device, turn the device to landscape mode to be able to see signatures.
Pool volume, year built, surface type, pumps, filter, automation, etc - all the equipment. And include the test kit you are using.
Don't forget to click the save button.
What is your CH reading?
Are you using PoolMath? Link PoolMath to your forum account using the same info as your forum account.
What test kit are you using? Make and model number.
Will do, thank you. I will try to tackle this tomorrow. Appreciate all the advice as always. My husband wanted to run back to Leslie’s and I told him an emphatic NO! We got CYA and chlorine back in the pool so we are on our way to recovery.
In the meantime I noticed small rust marks in the middle of tiles that make up the top of my spa. It’s a spillover edge. These marks are nowhere else in the pool. They are not near the grout, just little specks in center of glossed finish porcelain tile. We have a lot of trees nearby that drop debris which leaves similar marks on our patio and coping. Is that what it is or is something else wrong? Hopefully there’s a way to clean them?
In the meantime I noticed small rust marks in the middle of tiles that make up the top of my spa. It’s a spillover edge. These marks are nowhere else in the pool. They are not near the grout, just little specks in center of glossed finish porcelain tile. We have a lot of trees nearby that drop debris which leaves similar marks on our patio and coping. Is that what it is or is something else wrong? Hopefully there’s a way to clean them?
I am working on what you said and I wrote the company as I am unable to enter pertinent info on my end. I do not find the app user friendly. But I did run a CH test and it’s 130.
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