Our first post and I apologize for its length. We've been lurking and LEARNING since early July. Now we have a dilemma. Thank God for TFP!!! Thanks to all of you for sharing your expertise. We have learned a Ton!!! Opened in May with filter running 24/7 and still with very CLOUDY water after clearing algae to blue cloudy water through beginning of July. Two seasons now of this-used to be crystal clear. This while paying for a new 2 speed pump that makes jingling noises since installed in 2011 and fighting with store to cover our 1 year+2 month old out of warranty sand filter when it started spraying water from a SEAM in the molded plastic/resin. That’s when we started really thinking about filling her in.
July week 1 2012, store sells us $612 of chlorine – after discount - along with a bunch pH up. Wanted us to add--all at once-- 90# (yes pounds) of granular shock (17# of CaHypo+quick dissolve trichlor(?)) all at once (yikes!!!!) to fix the huge chlorine demand. Anyway, took the chemicals back after using the first 17# and deciding to fill it in. THEN we found TFP.
We'd just about convinced ourselves that we could again have fun with the pool after passing all 3 parts of the shock test yesterday – have been shocking since 7/11/12.…..and THEN after hearing our water leveler running despite recent rain), shut everything off, plugged 2 skimmers, vacuum, 2 returns to do bucket test and lost 1 cm of water in 2 hours!!! After using pH reagent to detect leaks around the light, returns and skimmers, found a 1cm x 6 cm slit in the deep end trough. Thank you TFP – we are CLEAR so we could actually SEE the slit in the deep end. (The pool slopes from the shallow to the deep end (about 8-8.5’) and has a trough where the vinyl is pretty much bleached out thanks to using granular chlorine which you can’t tell is dissolved (or not) when brushing when the pool is cloudy. We’re waiting on the leak guy (recommended by store) to give us a call today. Dove last night and did a temporary patch but still getting 1 cm loss overnight. ($300 min for 2 hour visit)
Here is our dilemma. We are looking at making a huge decision of spending $$$ to renovate instead of $$ to fill her in. Right now we have to get the leak plugged. Crossing our fingers that the rest of the bleached out trough doesn’t pop open. TFP has us convinced we can actually have a crystal clear pool and keep it that way without going broke on chemicals and resenting the expense. The $ saved will pay for part of the reno costs. We were just talking about getting a Liquidator, then this.
This is what we are thinking and would really appreciate input about any areas of concern or problem. And a couple of reputable and not most wallet breaking companies in the region would be most appreciated. Plan:
1) Deal with the leak(s)
a) Patches to get us through this season– this is a must
b) Pressure test the lines to make sure we don’t have any other hidden problems (earthquake last year increased # of deck cracks)
c) Drain pool at the end of season
2) Reno ideas (get a couple of estimates now and sign for spring work if not too $$$$)
a) Remove light (leaked since installed with new liner in 2002)-no brainer
b) Remove metal (under liner) corner steps company put in without OK for change from requires for #d (below)
c) Concrete to level out pool from 4’6” or 5’ through deep end to increase usable area)-would remove the trough, too
d) Install 2-3 concrete steps along entire shallow end wall-when the pool is swimmable, we have a lot of older relatives who just sit on the steps but there isn't enough room then for others to get in
e) Replace liner
f) Replace worn out Loop loc mesh cover (well over 12 years old) with tight mesh version
g) Consider SWG or Liquidator - SWG sounds $$ and has issues based on some postings
h) Refurbish fiberglass pool slide (we can do this) – is 4’6” or 5’ deep enough?
Sorry for the length of the post, but we've been able to answer/resolve all the other problems the past couple of weeks based on the postings, but still not clear on these. Don't want to throw more $ in the 20'x40' hole in our back yard unless the expense is worth it. Thanks again to everyone who has posted in the many many posts we've read since 7/11/12 that have made us lean more toward keeping it instead of filling it in...
July week 1 2012, store sells us $612 of chlorine – after discount - along with a bunch pH up. Wanted us to add--all at once-- 90# (yes pounds) of granular shock (17# of CaHypo+quick dissolve trichlor(?)) all at once (yikes!!!!) to fix the huge chlorine demand. Anyway, took the chemicals back after using the first 17# and deciding to fill it in. THEN we found TFP.
We'd just about convinced ourselves that we could again have fun with the pool after passing all 3 parts of the shock test yesterday – have been shocking since 7/11/12.…..and THEN after hearing our water leveler running despite recent rain), shut everything off, plugged 2 skimmers, vacuum, 2 returns to do bucket test and lost 1 cm of water in 2 hours!!! After using pH reagent to detect leaks around the light, returns and skimmers, found a 1cm x 6 cm slit in the deep end trough. Thank you TFP – we are CLEAR so we could actually SEE the slit in the deep end. (The pool slopes from the shallow to the deep end (about 8-8.5’) and has a trough where the vinyl is pretty much bleached out thanks to using granular chlorine which you can’t tell is dissolved (or not) when brushing when the pool is cloudy. We’re waiting on the leak guy (recommended by store) to give us a call today. Dove last night and did a temporary patch but still getting 1 cm loss overnight. ($300 min for 2 hour visit)
Here is our dilemma. We are looking at making a huge decision of spending $$$ to renovate instead of $$ to fill her in. Right now we have to get the leak plugged. Crossing our fingers that the rest of the bleached out trough doesn’t pop open. TFP has us convinced we can actually have a crystal clear pool and keep it that way without going broke on chemicals and resenting the expense. The $ saved will pay for part of the reno costs. We were just talking about getting a Liquidator, then this.
This is what we are thinking and would really appreciate input about any areas of concern or problem. And a couple of reputable and not most wallet breaking companies in the region would be most appreciated. Plan:
1) Deal with the leak(s)
a) Patches to get us through this season– this is a must
b) Pressure test the lines to make sure we don’t have any other hidden problems (earthquake last year increased # of deck cracks)
c) Drain pool at the end of season
2) Reno ideas (get a couple of estimates now and sign for spring work if not too $$$$)
a) Remove light (leaked since installed with new liner in 2002)-no brainer
b) Remove metal (under liner) corner steps company put in without OK for change from requires for #d (below)
c) Concrete to level out pool from 4’6” or 5’ through deep end to increase usable area)-would remove the trough, too
d) Install 2-3 concrete steps along entire shallow end wall-when the pool is swimmable, we have a lot of older relatives who just sit on the steps but there isn't enough room then for others to get in
e) Replace liner
f) Replace worn out Loop loc mesh cover (well over 12 years old) with tight mesh version
g) Consider SWG or Liquidator - SWG sounds $$ and has issues based on some postings
h) Refurbish fiberglass pool slide (we can do this) – is 4’6” or 5’ deep enough?
Sorry for the length of the post, but we've been able to answer/resolve all the other problems the past couple of weeks based on the postings, but still not clear on these. Don't want to throw more $ in the 20'x40' hole in our back yard unless the expense is worth it. Thanks again to everyone who has posted in the many many posts we've read since 7/11/12 that have made us lean more toward keeping it instead of filling it in...
Glad you didn't have any plumbing leaks! Great to get those liner leaks found/fixed as well!