I just bought a house with a pool...

[edcard]

Hello everybody, this is my first post. I've been lurking for a few days, absorbing a lot of information, and decided to become a Lifetime Supporter.

We recently purchased a house near to where we live now. This house has a 18,000 gal. gunite pool with waterfall and spa which I believe is about 5-6 yrs. old. There are a total of four pumps, a cartridge filter, a puck chlorinator, a sanitizer, a heater and an AquaLink controller. Here are some pictures:

[attachment=2:1ad1ka2h]IMG_0141.jpg[/attachment:1ad1ka2h]
[attachment=1:1ad1ka2h]IMG_0142.jpg[/attachment:1ad1ka2h]
[attachment=0:1ad1ka2h]IMG_0146.jpg[/attachment:1ad1ka2h]

I haven't spent much time taking care of the pool because we haven't moved yet, and I've been traveling some. I did have a friend come over with a Taylor kit once, and later I purchased the TF-100 test kit and used it once to run the gamut of tests, and a couple of times to measure the pH and chlorine. Here are some results:

Aug. 5 (Taylor kit): pH= 7.2-7.5, Cl= 5+ ppm, Alk.= 80 ppm.

Aug. 9 (TF-100 kit):
pH= 7.5
Cl= 5+ ppm
FC= 8 ppm (FAS/DPD)
CC= 1 ppm (maybe 1.5 ppm)
TC= 9 ppm (maybe 9.5 ppm)
Alk.= 90 ppm
CH= 400 ppm
CYA= 90 ppm (or 70 ppm, depending on "how well" I can see the dot)
NaCl= 800 ppm

Aug. 14: pH= 7.5, Cl= 3-6 ppm

Aug. 17: pH= 7.5, Cl= 0.5 ppm

So it seems to me that I need to add some chlorine. I ordered some 3" tablets from National Pool Wholesalers (are all tablets the same?), but tomorrow I intend to add some bleach to increase the Cl until the tablets get here. I guess I'll use the pool calculator to estimate how much bleach I need to add.

My ultimate goal may be to use BBB (or not, as I do travel a few days a month so I may rely on the tablets) and eliminate dependence on pool service companies. The previous owner was pretty ill and I think the pool service company was taking advantage of his condition to perform substandard work: I found several used jugs of muriatic acid and pails of soda ash in the yard, and I don't think the filter has been cleaned for a long time. On the other hand, it's only now when I find the need to add any chemicals, so maybe they weren't so bad...

The pool has what appears to be several connectors for a hose, but I'm not really sure of what they are and there are no hoses (they might have been discarded before closing on the house). I'm told that there would be a connection for a robot or automatic cleaner if one was intended, but I can't find a place where it would connect. Odd, because I think the previous owners spent some money on that pool, and my guess is that they would have wanted to be able to use the latest.


I'd welcome any suggestions y'all may have for me, regarding my plans to add bleach tomorrow and anything else. I understand that the Nature2 system may be useless and I may get rid of it later, but right now I want to concentrate on learning how to properly maintain the pool. For example, I do not intend to use the heater, do I still need to exercise it from time to time?

Thanks in advance.

 

[edcard]

I'd like to replace what looks like a rectangular net for a filter skimmer, but haven't been able to find it online and the local pool store was no help. It is about 14 in. tall and 7-1/4 in. wide. Here are some pictures:

[attachment=1:3c1o8pra]IMG_0168.jpg[/attachment:3c1o8pra]
[attachment=0:3c1o8pra]IMG_0170.jpg[/attachment:3c1o8pra]

It doen't have any model no. or any other means of identifying it. Can anybody tell me where I can find a replacement and what is the proper name?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Can't help with the skimmer net but if you'll post a picture of the equipment it fits in someone will have a clue.

 

[CUTiger78]

Wowzer! That's a fine looking pool!!

Good luck with that bag - haven't seen anything like it.

BTW, welcome to TFP.

 

[zea3]

Hi, and welcome to TFP! I have added my answers to your post in red.

I haven't spent much time taking care of the pool because we haven't moved yet, and I've been traveling some. I did have a friend come over with a Taylor kit once, and later I purchased the TF-100 test kit and used it once to run the gamut of tests, and a couple of times to measure the pH and chlorine. Here are some results:

Aug. 5 (Taylor kit): pH= 7.2-7.5, Cl= 5+ ppm, Alk.= 80 ppm.

Aug. 9 (TF-100 kit):
pH= 7.5
Cl= 5+ ppm
FC= 8 ppm (FAS/DPD)
CC= 1 ppm (maybe 1.5 ppm)
TC= 9 ppm (maybe 9.5 ppm)
Alk.= 90 ppm
CH= 400 ppm
CYA= 90 ppm (or 70 ppm, depending on "how well" I can see the dot)
NaCl= 800 ppm

Aug. 14: pH= 7.5, Cl= 3-6 ppm

Aug. 17: pH= 7.5, Cl= 0.5 ppm

So it seems to me that I need to add some chlorine. I ordered some 3" tablets from National Pool Wholesalers (are all tablets the same?), but tomorrow I intend to add some bleach to increase the Cl until the tablets get here. I guess I'll use the pool calculator to estimate how much bleach I need to add.

All tablets are not the same. Some contain copper additives, which you do not want. All will usually fall into two types, trichlor or calcium hypochlorite. The trichlor tablets contain stabilizer (CYA). Your stabilizer is already too high for a non-saltwater chlorine generator pool (SWG) The recommended range for CYA is 30-50 ppm.
The calcium hypochlorite tablets will increase your calcium levels. With a CH of 400 you are high enough! I would not add any more calcium to the pool. Too much calcium will lead to scale formation and cloudy water. Both CYA and CH levels can only be lowered by draining water or having a reverse osmosis pool service treat the water. Reverse osmosis pool services are fairly rare and you may not be able to locate one near you, which leaves you with draining a percentage the water when those level become problematic.
Another very important point to remember is that trichlor and other products containing CYA and calcium hypochlorite do not play well together. You cannot put trichlor and cal-hypo tablets in the same floater, ever! The results are potentially explosive!

My ultimate goal may be to use BBB (or not, as I do travel a few days a month so I may rely on the tablets) and eliminate dependence on pool service companies. The previous owner was pretty ill and I think the pool service company was taking advantage of his condition to perform substandard work: I found several used jugs of muriatic acid and pails of soda ash in the yard, and I don't think the filter has been cleaned for a long time. On the other hand, it's only now when I find the need to add any chemicals, so maybe they weren't so bad...

I'd welcome any suggestions y'all may have for me, regarding my plans to add bleach tomorrow and anything else. I understand that the Nature2 system may be useless and I may get rid of it later, but right now I want to concentrate on learning how to properly maintain the pool. For example, I do not intend to use the heater, do I still need to exercise it from time to time?

Since you have a CC of 1.0-1.5 you do need to shock the pool with liquid chlorine until you pass the overnight test. Since you travel from time to time, you may want to consider a SWG system. It is the closest thing to a set and forget system you can get for a pool.

Thanks in advance.

 

[zea3]

As far as the net thing goes, do you have anything that looks like the leaf canister or the poolskim on this page?

 

[Guest]

Great looking pool

It looks like you have good equipment, and I see the pumps. I would assume a circ pump, jet pump and the water feature pump; what is the 4th one for? I see pool and spa suction on the circ pump, but no line or valve for a dedicated cleaner line. I may not be seeing everything, so I could be wrong though!

You have the StaRite Mod Media filter. This "shell" will allow for either a cartridge or DE (maybe even sand, if I remember correctly) and is a great filter. Everything is replaceable for it, no matter what "flavor" you have inside. I know you didn't ask, but I thought I'd bring it up! It's nice to have options!

I would ditch the Nature2 system I see there and turn off the puck feeder. Your CYA is running high, so you don't need to be adding anymore (like zea said!), and the pucks are gonna do that for you, if you want it or not

Stick around here and you will have this down in no time! Congrats on a great looking pool!!!

 

[edcard]

Thanks, all. It's good to know that there's a place to find knowledgeable folks..

Rambler and Zea3, the skimmer net thingy goes into a cylinder with a screw-on top, much like the "Skimmer Below a Deck" shown on
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/visual_encyclopedia.

Zea3, the tablets that I purchased are trichlor, and do not appear to contain any metals, but I'll soon find out. I'll add liquid chlorine today and keep the SWG recommendation in mind, once I become familiar with the whole system.

Thanks for the info on the filter, Simicrintz. There is one pump for the Nature2 system, is that the "water feature pump" you are referring to? I'll try to figure this out asap, but there are no manuals, diagrams, sketches, etc.

BTW, it looks like my "signature" containing my pool/equipment info is showing up, even though I did configure it in my profile. Is there anything else I need to do so that it will appear when I post?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info on the filter, Simicrintz. There is one pump for the Nature2 system, is that the "water feature pump" you are referring to?

The water feature I was thinking about would be that big, beautiful waterfall that I see! I would assume that is using one of the pumps, which is allowing you to run it at anytime, if the pool or spa is running also. That is the correct way to build a project like this

If the 4th pump is running the Nature2, then I am starting to see even bigger savings in your future! When you ditch the Nature2 (and that $100.00 every 6 months cartridge inside ) you can also turn that pump off! If you keep the N2 (which you will learn here that you don't want to ) then there is really no reason that you couldn't plumb that in with the circ pump and have it work its "magic" (or damage, depending on your view!).