I think I'm doing Okay so far... :)

[itsme_bernie]

Hi Everyone!

With some experience on different message forums, I thought I would introduce myself BEFORE I am in a panic.

I am opening my pool for the first time alone this year. I bought the house two years ago, and kept the pool guy last year. He opened, maintained, and closed the pool last year. But this DARN MILLIVOLT/GAS HEATER was so DARN finicky, and kept me so busy, that I was doing a lot of the work myself, so I am on my own this year.

Quite a few leaves got in under the cover. But the Polaris vacuum is picking them up- I just have to empty it every half hour! ha hah. I "modified" the vacuum with a leaf catching bag from a Polaris 3900- Twice as big, "Butterfly" bag!

I was a little late with the Diatomaceous Earth "pre coating", as I ran the filter for a few hours today, shocked and de-algae'ed the pool BEFORE even knowing to add the Diatomaceous Earth powder to the skimmer (as the instructions said, oops)

So right now, I am just letting the "Shock" and anti-algae do their thing tonight and then take my first measurements for PH and all the others tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!


Bernie

 

[itsme_bernie]

I will tell you one thing though- I AM suffering a pretty bad fiberglass rash on my forearms, much worse than ever working with fiberglass insulation at home, from bear hugging the big DE filter today,mot get the lid off.

Wash with COLD water, in ONE direction. Then Hydrocortizone cream.

 

[BoDarville]

itsme_bernie:

Welcome to TFP

Quite a few leaves got in under the cover. But the Polaris vacuum is picking them up...

Removing debris will reduce chlorine depletion which will make the Shock Process easier.

So right now, I am just letting the "Shock" and anti-algae do their thing tonight and then take my first measurements for PH and all the others tomorrow.

Is the "shock" you refer to a one-time addition of a product labeled "shock" or are you following the Shock Process (see link in my sig)? Tomorrow I would encourage you to post your test results. If your FC is below 10 ppm, then go ahead and test pH. If FC is higher than that, then don't bother testing pH. FC levels > 10 ppm can invalidate the pH test and you don't want to over-compensate on adjusting it until you're done shocking and FC drops below 10 ppm.

 

[Richard320]

I will tell you one thing though- I AM suffering a pretty bad fiberglass rash on my forearms, much worse than ever working with fiberglass insulation at home, from bear hugging the big DE filter today,mot get the lid off.

Wash with COLD water, in ONE direction. Then Hydrocortizone cream.

For future reference... well, you already know now to wear long sleeves next time, but I will share a tip I learned here. Open the air bleed so the tank empties. Then close everything up and remove the ring. Turn the pump on for just a second. It will pressurize the tank and pop it free for you. It goes really fast, so watch out it doesn't start gushing.

Remember, shock is a process. And if you're really on your own, get your own test kit. A good one. Now.


And welcome!

 

[itsme_bernie]

Thank you so much guys- quick response for now- I found out about this forum by buying a pretty deluxe TFP test kit, which I need to learn this weekend! .. I have some science in my background, so I am 5 percent there ha hah

Bernie

 

[itsme_bernie]

Slightly less quick answer- I only threw the shock stuff in, and added the big tabs to the holder in my filtration system. And used anti algae. Oh- some anti-iron stuff while filling the pool today. And an hour after all this, I added the Diatomaceous Earth to the nearest skimmer to the filter.

I can be more specific tomorrow. I have not even read more than the website description of the test kits, so I will be reading and learning this weekend.

I do not have all the leaves out yet. The runaround vac is doing it's best. I emptied it ever half-hour or hour or so. I turned it off for the night. The skimmer-vac-hose-attachment doesn't work for Crud. I must need to block the far skimmer to make the vac work in the first skimmer. They didn't ask me at the store if I needed to block a second skimmer, but I can only imagine that that is the problem. Unless it isn't sealing well enough, with the skimmer basket "retaining rings"(?) aren't perfect.


Bernie

 

[oldtimer]

I will tell you one thing though- I AM suffering a pretty bad fiberglass rash on my forearms, much worse than ever working with fiberglass insulation at home, from bear hugging the big DE filter today,mot get the lid off.

Try duct tape or that clear package packing tape. Stick it to the affected area and just peel it off. It will pull out quite a bit of the pieces stuck in your arms. That made a big improvement last time i had that happen! (lesson learned).

 

[itsme_bernie]

I will tell you one thing though- I AM suffering a pretty bad fiberglass rash on my forearms, much worse than ever working with fiberglass insulation at home, from bear hugging the big DE filter today,mot get the lid off.

Try duct tape or that clear package packing tape. Stick it to the affected area and just peel it off. It will pull out quite a bit of the pieces stuck in your arms. That made a big improvement last time i had that happen! (lesson learned).

WHOH! What a great idea! If there is a next time (I'm sure there will be I will remember that!


Bernie