just venting

[keep-it-simple]

I'm so tired of buying chemicals and testing!


New pool owner here - just bought the house that came with the pool. I opened the pool in late March and was frustrated with the cost of chemicals, but I realized that (hopefully) opening the pool is a once-a-year cost and everything else should ideally maintain itself throughout the swim season.

Add in a significant leak and flooding rains - I'm basically starting over with opening the pool.
We've gotten 10 inches of rain over the past 3 weeks and if the level in the pool is an accurate indication, we've gotten an additional 5" of rain in the past 24 hours.
And the two guys who came to check for leaks each came the day before big rains, so I've added approximately 4000 gallons of tap water over the last two weeks. And now I'm going to have to go out (in torrential rains) to back wash / waste a few inches because the water level is flirting with the top of the liner. Of course I just added 6" of tap water on Friday for the diver to be able to troubleshoot around the skimmer and return lines - and it began thundering as he pulled out of the driveway.

I guess the good news is we found 4 small holes and "one heck of a gash" which are all sealed now and the plumbing is all certified in tip top shape.

 

[keep-it-simple]

Upon opening the pool, I added 6 gallons of muriatic acid (in increments over time) with aerating to get my TA down to an acceptable range.
What's the 50/50 spread that now my TA is low and I have to add baking soda? :?

 

[keep-it-simple]

The other good news is (small town) I found the guys who have worked on the pool over the past few years. The liner is 3-4 years old. The pool was dug in the 80s and has a metal frame (starting to rust and the pitting caused the 4 holes). The skimmer and half the pipes were replaced 2 years ago. The spring in the multiport valve is bad, but the added ball joint keeps the water in the filter rather than allowing water to waste, and the water flow was tested to be "ideal" for the pump after the addition of the ball valve - but I forgot what gpm the guy said he measured.

 

[spidey07]

Had similar trouble when I bought our house. Last year was first time opening it and had similar leak trouble and filter problems. kinda comes with the territory there will be things needing fixed. I paid only 400 bucks to replace multiport, filter laterals, new sand and add unions everywhere. Not bad.

To put your mind at ease once you get these things taken care of maintenance and cost are low. Once your pool is dialed on chlorine and the other test levels you'll only need bleach and muratic acid possibly. Keep baking soda and borax on hand.

 

[Richard320]

Unfortunately, the learning curve for pools is rather steep initially. Especially if you start in a pool-store-induced hole.

 

[Smykowski]

Switch to BBB and follow the recommendations here, and your stress levels (and the hit to your wallet) will decrease exponentially.

 

[keep-it-simple]

Thanks, y'all.
There's not a BBB alternative to CYA is there?
I imagine I'll need to add CYA, baking soda, and salt when the clouds dry up this afternoon.

 

[pwrstrk]

No BBB method for CYA.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

 

[Richard320]

Thanks, y'all.
There's not a BBB alternative to CYA is there?
I imagine I'll need to add CYA, baking soda, and salt when the clouds dry up this afternoon.

Nope, CYA is what it is. But it doesn't have to come from the pool store. This time of year especially, you can find "stabilizer" at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware... or the pool store. Read ingredients. Look for something in the high 90s percentage wise and no copper compounds.

Too early to say how much Baking Soda or salt you'll need until it has time to circulate before you test it.

 

[TomAtlanta]

I bought a house with a pool 2 years ago. I didn't particularly want a pool, but it came with the house I wanted. At first it seemed like a lot of trouble and I thought about filling it with dirt and planting a garden. Now I like it. There is a learning curve. Part of the learning curve is learning what things need to be done and what can slide. I have found I don't need to do everything perfect. Most things can slide. No body dies if the chemicals aren't just right. I think this forum is great and has taught me a lot but I also think it tends to be perfectionist. I don't do the weekly testing recommended here. I get by with lots less.

Also, part of the stress of being a new pool owner is not so much the amount of work, but anxiety of not knowing what you are doing. Now the work is kind of relaxing and fun, because I know what I am doing,

 

[duraleigh]

I think this forum is great and has taught me a lot but I also think it tends to be perfectionist. I don't do the weekly testing recommended here. I get by with lots less

The level of management you choose for your pool is entirely up to you. If it works for you, good.

However, I would add that since you learned what you now know from this forum and the practices we teach, I wouldn't suggest to everyone else that less is just fine.