Yay, Foreclosure Pool!!!

[katierocks]

Those steps look so much better already! You go!!!! When is your kit coming again?

THAAAANKS to you guys

Interesting you ask. My kit keeps getting pushed back on Amazon. Now the window is next Thursday - Monday. I had already ordered the 2006c and couldn't return it as it was in transit... I'm going out of town Tues-Thurs anyway, so if I don't have it by the time I get back, I'll order the TF-100 XL from this site and return the 2006c if/when I get it. Super frustrating. The more I read, the more I feel so blind without knowing my #s!

And heeeere are my morning pics!

 

[katierocks]

Your plan is a good one. You can be adding water as your vacuum to waste. That is a very good idea. Just know that you will make your water look worse due to stirring up the yuck. That is NO big deal! It is a good thing as it is getting the stuff up where the bleach can get to it.

What I was talking about is really for the future when we teach you how to MAINTAIN your clear pool! There should be some kind of valve on your pipes that allow you to shut off the flow of water coming/going from your pool. These will allow you work on your equipment without water pouring out everywhere.

LOL wasting valuable nap time CUTE. How many and how old? I also saw a doggy in one of the pics. You have your hands FULL!

HUGS! I am already seeing progress. I will go with Lisa on the 2 gals of bleach until your test kit comes in.

Kim

Thanks, Lisa & Kim! I will definitely start adding only 2 gal a night.... I think that's something the hubs can keep up with while I go out of town. And that's more manageable than the 5 gallons... I already bought out my Wal-mart haha.

I have one son and he just turned 2 in June. He is changing so much everyday, it's amazing!!!! He would only take maybe a 20 minute nap until his second birthday. Then all of a sudden I get TWO FULL HOURS! That's crunch time for sure. And now, dedicated pool time :thumbsup:

 

[Divin Dave]

Keep doing what you are doing until you get a test kit. You certainly are working blind without it.
If you are going out of town Tues - Thrus, there is no need to start the slam until you get back. You will just loose any progress you make unless there will be someone there to carry on while you're out of town.

 

[kimkats]

A 2yr old boy!!!!!!!! I bet your do NOT get a moment to yourself when he is awake! BUT oh so worth it!

The pool is getting better every day. I can't wait to see what the vacuum brings up and and out! Go slow and sneak up on the dark spots you can see on the bottom.

Kim

 

[cooljul]

Amazon doesn't take chemicals back, something they don't mention when you're purchasing

 

[katierocks]

Amazon doesn't take chemicals back, something they don't mention when you're purchasing

I wonder how that plays with their A-Z Guarantee.... I will let ya'll know how that turns out. Hopefully I just get it by Thursday so I can start the SLAM!

 

[cooljul]

Yeah I bought a poolmaster test kit before I knew about this site and when I went to try to return it it said it was not returnable, bought it with Prime and everything :/ From what people say the taylor is a good kit so you should be fine Can't wait to see your sparkling oasis!

 

[COBrien]

I noticed a floating chlorine puck dispenser in your last round of pics -- is there anything in it? If so, go ahead and pull it out. You don't want to keep adding trichlor pucks and increasing your CYA, especially since you don't yet know what your CYA level is.

For future reference, since your pool is white gunnite/plaster, you don't have to worry about bleaching the surface out with too much chlorine. Once you find out what your CYA level is, find your SLAM level on the Chlorine/CYA chart, and aim for an FC level about 2 ppm above that. This will give you some room to account for FC drop when you can't babysit your pool every hour.

Another thing I found was this: Once you have started your SLAM, don't worry about being exact with your bleach/chlorine additions. I actually rounded up to the next jug (i.e., if PoolMath recommended 3.2 jugs of bleach to reach my SLAM+2 level, I added 4 full jugs). Once I realized I wasn't able to maintain my SLAM level (only able to test and add before work and at lunch during the day), I started rounding up and adding 1 more full jug. This helped immensely.

Since you will probably be losing FC rather quickly at first, this also gives you more time at or above SLAM level.

For inspiration, this is what I started with (and what led me to TFP in the first place...):

And this is what I ended up with:

BTW, there is no texture to my pool -- just old (but still smooth) white plaster.

You will get there!

 

[katierocks]

A 2yr old boy!!!!!!!! I bet your do NOT get a moment to yourself when he is awake! BUT oh so worth it!

The pool is getting better every day. I can't wait to see what the vacuum brings up and and out! Go slow and sneak up on the dark spots you can see on the bottom.

Kim

I started vacuuming at the far end of my pool (shallow end). It got cloudy quickly. I tweaked a few things near the skimmer, came back after everything settled and saw I had made two streaks! I couldn't believe I could actually see vacuum lines... I am hooked on vacuuming!!!

Two issues, if anyone has any imput:
1) I checked my backwash hose and there was just a small flow coming out (not a gush). Is this just how pumping to waste works or can you suggest how to up the suction/flow?

2) The hose kept popping out of the skimmer (the hole farthest from the pool). Is this just what happens or do you have any suggestions on how to keep that from happening?

Thanks all!!!! I can already see progress. I only had a gallon of bleach left, so that's what I added... I'll have the hubs keep adding a gallon or two every night while I'm gone. Feed the beast!

Annnnnnnd here are my nightly step and pool pics!
Before Vacuuming:

After Vacuuming:


Vacuum:

At least something in my pool is blue! Can't wait to get my kit!

Likely reason why I don't have weir doors...



She's a beaut!

 

[kimkats]

Backwash pressure and hose popping off may be the same problem-low suckuction. You think you have a bottom drain. My bet is that if you close it off using the valve you will increase your pressure and open the valve to the backwash tube.

That will increase your suckuction and you will suck out more stuff instead of just stirring it up.

It will all come with time and playing around with your pool to see what does this and that.

Kim

 

[Pogueld]

Katie! You're learning so much!!!


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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[katierocks]

Thank you, COB! I didn't even realize there was CYA in the pucks! Your pool transformation looks amaaazing!! I can't wait until we clear my baby up!

The second pic down, was that damage done to the bottom of your pool or is that algae?

- - - Updated - - -

Backwash pressure and hose popping off may be the same problem-low suckuction. You think you have a bottom drain. My bet is that if you close it off using the valve you will increase your pressure and open the valve to the backwash tube.

That will increase your suckuction and you will suck out more stuff instead of just stirring it up.

It will all come with time and playing around with your pool to see what does this and that.

Kim

I'm pretty sure I have a bottom drain. Still can't see it. Any ideas of where to look to close it off? Plumbing is really intimidating to me, but I know I just need to own it!!! OK, off to brush (YAY NAPTIME!)

- - - Updated - - -

Katie! You're learning so much!!!


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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Yay! Thanks to you guys! Ah, my friend is going through the same thing in my hometown. And I soooo badly want this to work and show her we can do it! Thanks for holding my hand through all of this!

 

[COBrien]

Thanks, Katie! We'll get yours there soon enough!

The "before" pics don't do it justice. It went from a pretty teal-green to a gorgeous emerald green. Pretty colors, just not for pool water...

I think that stuff in the bottom was a combination of dead algae and what remained of the chemicals that were oxidized during my SLAM. The foam "icebergs" were from adding too much algaecide after opening my pool.

It vacuumed right up, and everything else that "fell" out of the water landed right in there. Must be the place in my pool with the least circulation.

FWIW, it took some 2 and a half weeks and more than 90 jugs of Great Value concentrated bleach to get through my SLAM. But I was oxidizing lots of copper algaecide, some algae, and probably some bacteria. I'd used trichlor pucks and dichlor "shock" for 3 years, and my CYA was only at 20-30 ppm. Realistically, it should have been much higher than that.

 

[jagger2005]

There should be one pipe that goes from the pump to the filter. So the pipe to the other side of the pump is your return side of the pump. It most likely branches into 2 or more pipes. If 2 or more, hopefully each has a valve to shut off flow. You can shut one down at a time and then check skimmers in pool to see if suction has stopped. My guess is you would not want all shut at once because your pump would not have any water to pull.


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[jagger2005]

Katie, I just noticed your equipment pad picture and yours is a lot more complex than mine. I think your return lines from the pool are to the right of your heater, but I am not sure. No heater for me


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[COBrien]

I know you posted a couple of pics of your pool equipment, but I didn't see any valves. Are there any in that closet? Or maybe nearer the pool?

3-Way Diverter Valve:

Ball Valve:

Generally, there should be a 3-way valve (top photo) which is connected to your main drain on one side of the 'T', skimmer(s) on the opposite side, and the pump intake in the middle. Changing the position of this valve dictates where your suction water is coming from. You will want it adjusted almost all the way (if not all the way...) toward the skimmer in order to get the most suction while vacuuming. If you find that valve, it's really easy to figure out which side is which -- turn it all the way to one side and check your skimmer for flow. If water isn't flowing through your skimmer, you have the valve positioned to 100% drain. If there is water flowing, you have it positioned to 100% skimmer.

If your valve(s) is/are inside, just use a Sharpie and mark which pipe leg goes where.

If you have one or more ball valves (second photo), we will have to do a bit more "fooling around" to figure out what each one does.

 

[Yaya]

I've been checking your thread.. Any updates?

 

[katierocks]

HIIIIII!!! I got back into town again last Thursday and still no test kit. Amazon was awesome and honored their A-Z guarantee. I'm ordering the TF-100 XL from this site as we speak. I wish I had more to update. Just wanted to say "hi" and letcha know I'm still here... Green pool and all!

COB, thank you for the pictures! I know nothing about plumbing, but can follow that! I'll check it out during naptime and post pics if I can find a valve. Can't wait for school to start next week!!! And hopefully I'll have my kit by then, so I can go mad scientist on this baby!

 

[kimkats]

Yeah for Amazon!

Let us know when your kit gets there. It is fun and easy to use!

I will be waiting to see the pics you take of the piping and hopefully valves.

Kim

 

[cooljul]

Hi Katie! How has it been going with your pool?