A Swamp or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the green

[jblizzle]

I don't see the volume of you pool anywhere. Please add your pool details to your signature and better location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.

I would think 1 bottle would be fine, but doubt it will last 24 hours.

 

[Richard320]

Hooray! Ok. It says I need 3 quarts 8.25 to get to 12. Should I just add almost an entire bottle of Walmart bleach to last 24 hours if I can't get back tonight?

Yes. And expect to see zero when you next test it.

 

[ssmartt]

I'm posting from my phone. 26k gallon vinyl 16x40 I believe. Maybe it'll show up in the 'advanced' quick reply

 

[ssmartt]

Ok, I think my profile/signature is up to spec now. I'm back at my place and in front of a computer. A few non-SLAM questions that may deserve their own thread:

Does anyone replace a pump before it's totally busted? PB suggested replacing it when inspecting it before I bought it, but it seems to function alright, though it is fairly loud. Should there be no air at all at the top of the lid, or is a little bit ok? Should I go ahead and replace the o-ring that might not even be there, or would a missing o-ring prevent the pump from priming at all? Are there inexpensive timers that can control a pump and a booster pump and not get out of sync or would I just have them both run simultaneously? I'm not really interested in automation just yet but a basic timer once I get this thing under control seems like it would pay for itself in one season.

Is LED the way to go for lighting? If I have a 500watt bulb like I think I do, it seems like it wouldn't take long to make my money back if I left the light on a lot. I think the bulb is dead, but I honestly have no idea how the wiring works. There's a 12V DC metal converter box mounted on my house and a switch attached to it though some conduit. I don't know if there is a corresponding inside switch that needs to be on as well, though I do have some mystery switches inside. I haven't been able to get the light to come on. I've got a multimeter but I have no idea how to use it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200442759975 - This looks identical to the skimmer lids I have now that I literally need a crowbar to remove, probably because of the lumber laying on top of it for months (the house was a foreclosure). Are these things fairly standard, or are there a million slightly different lids? If it helps, this looks identical to the skimmer baskets I have: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131167821304



edit: I forgot to mention I found the missing polaris 280 at the bottom of the pool when I got the cover off. It's pretty nasty and has a broken wheel. Before I replace the wheel, can I clean it up and hook it up and make sure everything else is working? I don't want to replace a bunch of parts before I find out the whole thing would be better off being replaced with a new one. I'll try to upload some pictures I have of it later today.

 

[timerguy]

When I bought my house w/pool 2 yrs ago it had 2 manual intermatic timers that were wired in such a way that the boost pump would not turn on unless there was power to the filter pump. They were both 220v pumps; one of my timer boxes had a separate 110v circuit for the pool light. Those manual timers have since been replaced by an intermatic digital timer.

 

[ssmartt]

When I bought my house w/pool 2 yrs ago it had 2 manual intermatic timers that were wired in such a way that the boost pump would not turn on unless there was power to the filter pump. They were both 220v pumps; one of my timer boxes had a separate 110v circuit for the pool light. Those manual timers have since been replaced by an intermatic digital timer.

This is how my switches are wired. Wouldn't that prevent the timer for the booster pump to run while the main pump is off, or are the timers themselves separately powered?

 

[karmabiker]

This is how my switches are wired. Wouldn't that prevent the timer for the booster pump to run while the main pump is off, or are the timers themselves separately powered?

Both timers are usually wired in on the line side. On the Load side the common for the booster is wired to the timer for the main pump. The hot is wired to the load side of the booster timer. If the booster timer tries to turn the pump on without the main on the circuit can't be completed.

- - - Updated - - -

Does anyone replace a pump before it's totally busted?

I Did ... the 2 speed made it a very easy decision from an electrical bill standpoint.

Is LED the way to go for lighting?

This one really depends on how much you want to run your pool light. I would say if you are replacing it ... go LED, if you want to run the light all night every night ... LED, if you turn to pool light on once a month and don't mind the halogen ... leave it be.

 

[ssmartt]

Perfect. I think the manual intermatics timerguy mentioned will suit my needs for now.

edit: I wasn't sure if the 2-speed would make a difference in the electric bill only running it a few hours a day. Then again, you have to open the pool every year and run it 24 hours a day. I guess I'll go ahead and replace it with a 2-speed, I want to get the monthly cost to keep this pool running as low as possible (just like everyone else here, I think).

 

[ssmartt]

Update: Went out this morning and tested, FC down to 9 and CC .5. I'm pretty sure I'm missing an o-ring on the pump basket lid. Is it possible to get a good seal without one? At one point I did have a good seal apparently, which is why I'm asking. I'm going to the LPS to get one in an hour or so. Do I need to buy the special pool lube or can I use the silicon spray lube I use around the house?

 

[Trishanna]

Wow, your questions are so many of the same ones I had.

You're supposed to buy a special lube, is what I was told. I could never find the one that was suggested to me, and I meant to write in again, since they have one at the pool store I saw yesterday that says it's to lube those o-rings.

Are you using Wal-Mart bleach only? Or was it just that one time? You should be buying concentrated bleach in bulk containers, or it's going to cost you a fortune to clear the pool. Our stores here sell 10% bleach refills of 2-1/2 gal. containers for just over $4. It goes a lot further than regular household bleach (sorry if you're already buying that and I missed it).

I used that same leaf gulper you posted the pic of.. A few times it seemed to not work well, but most of the time it was great. Cinch the bag down TIGHT and make sure the little clip is pushed down completely tight, or you risk it coming off and releasing a cloud of leaves into the pool. It doesn't pick up much dirt (I guess it may have a different mesh than mine does though) but it's great for leaves. The trick seems to be to get the right angle on the pole to keep it running along the bottom. And having good water pressure. Empty it often enough, or else the bag is more likely to pop off (ime). And it's really nice if you can have someone else around to turn off the water so you can fish it out and support the bag without water splashing in your face but ... I usually turned it upside down and wedged it at the side of the pool so the bag stayed in the water (too much weight) - upside down to keep it all in, then went and turned off the water. Sometimes I cleaned it and just left the water on, but I usually got a face full of spray every time I tried that. And not knowing what ick the water might pick up, I'd rather not.

Sorry if any of this is already addressed, I was just waiting to see if I'd get an answer on my questions.

 

[Beens]

I use a tube of silicone o ring lubricant that I got from the pool section in Lowe's.

 

[ssmartt]

Wow, your questions are so many of the same ones I had.

You're supposed to buy a special lube, is what I was told. I could never find the one that was suggested to me, and I meant to write in again, since they have one at the pool store I saw yesterday that says it's to lube those o-rings.

Are you using Wal-Mart bleach only? Or was it just that one time? You should be buying concentrated bleach in bulk containers, or it's going to cost you a fortune to clear the pool. Our stores here sell 10% bleach refills of 2-1/2 gal. containers for just over $4. It goes a lot further than regular household bleach (sorry if you're already buying that and I missed it).

I used that same leaf gulper you posted the pic of.. A few times it seemed to not work well, but most of the time it was great. Cinch the bag down TIGHT and make sure the little clip is pushed down completely tight, or you risk it coming off and releasing a cloud of leaves into the pool. It doesn't pick up much dirt (I guess it may have a different mesh than mine does though) but it's great for leaves. The trick seems to be to get the right angle on the pole to keep it running along the bottom. And having good water pressure. Empty it often enough, or else the bag is more likely to pop off (ime). And it's really nice if you can have someone else around to turn off the water so you can fish it out and support the bag without water splashing in your face but ... I usually turned it upside down and wedged it at the side of the pool so the bag stayed in the water (too much weight) - upside down to keep it all in, then went and turned off the water. Sometimes I cleaned it and just left the water on, but I usually got a face full of spray every time I tried that. And not knowing what ick the water might pick up, I'd rather not.

Sorry if any of this is already addressed, I was just waiting to see if I'd get an answer on my questions.

I'll check out home depot and see if they have anything as far as the lube goes, no Lowes here.

Yeah, using walmart bleach exclusively. I called up the One Pool Store In Town and they don't do liquid chlorine. I called my PB who is going to replace my pump and he doesn't know anywhere that stocks it, but suggested that he could get me some cal hypo. I told him I'd get back to him. I tested my CH which I hadn't done yet. 100ppm. I don't want to deviate from the One True Way, but as you said, the bleach is going to get expensive quickly. I'm thinking of maybe switching over for the duration of my SLAM and then going back to the bleach. We also get a lot of rain, May gets 6.32 inches on average. I'm an hour away from Memphis, which probably has some somewhere, but I don't have any other reason to go up there. I don't like the idea of taking a family trip down the interstate with a trunkload of highly concentrated chlorine in the trunk either. What do y'all think?


Also, there IS an o-ring, I wasn't expecting it to be where it is but I bet some lube will fix it right up.


Thanks for the suggestions on the leaf gulper. I'll put them to use as soon as I get another pole, this home depot store brand one didn't last hardly a week!


edit: my water is fairly cheap too, I think? $3.34/1,000 gal, a little more than a bottle of walmart bleach. They charge you for a minimum of 2,000 gallons whether you use all of that or not.

 

[ssmartt]

Can y'all recommend a beefy pool pole that won't snap in half when I try to scoop a full basket of leaves out of the deep end? I have a feeling home depot won't replace the one I bought last week, but I'm going to try.

 

[ssmartt]

Yesterday morning my FC was 9. I added the recommended amount for my 26k gallon pool to get it up to SLAM levels (12). Got back over there around 10:30 last night and my FC was at 11.5. Isn't that unusual for such a green pool? Maybe my pool isn't 26,000 gallons, or maybe I'm adding too much bleach? Later today when I get over there I'll try to test before and then ~30 minutes after adding a precise amount of bleach and see if it responds as expected.

Maybe SLAMming a pool at a house I don't live at yet wasn't such a great idea.

 

[Casey]

It's certainly more manageable when you can be there to SLAM and test accordingly.

 

[ssmartt]

Bumping this thread with the hope that y'all can tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'm dumping about a gallon of 10% in daily to keep FC at 12, it hasn't dropped below 9.5 since I started putting chlorine in except when I let it drop to test pH. It's still so green! I brush every other day or so, I don't live there yet so it's tough to get out there. I got the polaris running, he ate up all the leaves I couldn't get to, and now he's got the all-purpose bag and isn't picking up much at all. I keep it on whirlpool (recirc) for most of the time as the filter PSI jumps up substantially very quickly. I need to try the thigh-highs on the skimmer basket as well. Trying not to lose faith!

Do I need to deep-clean the filter sand? I'm a little nervous about disassembling the drain line as it's not a quick connect.

 

[Richard320]

The more frequently you replenish, the faster the SLAM goes. It even specifies in the instructions, "Test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical, but not more than once per hour, and not less than twice a day. Chlorine additions should be frequent, especially at the beginning." I'm impressed that you're making any progress, really. You're letting the algae regroup every day. This is mortal combat! You need to knock it down and kick it again and again and again until it's dead. Never let it rest a moment or get back up.

And if your CYA is 50 instead of 40 (you were iffy further up when you reported it) then you should be targeting 20 FC.

If you're killing algae and filtering it out, it should be expected that the fiilter will clog up in a matter of hours.

I think that once you're on site and can babysit, you'll see a marked improvement every day. Recheck that CYA.

 

[ssmartt]

Thanks. We will be moving in at the end of the month. The goal was to have it ready to go when we moved in, but yeah, I think that was a little bit lofty. We're waiting on the painters to finish up and the carpet to be put in before we can start moving (the inside of the house was in about the same shape as the pool, but it's looking great with a coat of paint).


I do have an inline chlorinator, would augmenting liquid chlorine with some tabs be a bad idea? (Assuming my CYA is still at 40, I'll try to recheck later tonight). Water's pretty cheap here, the main reason I haven't just drained and refilled is I'm terrified of floating the liner, as the PB told me my ground water table is high, and my inner hippie cringes at 'wasting' ~26,000 gallons of water. Could I drain to waste from the skimmers while simultaneously fill from the bottom with a garden hose? I'm 95% sure my main drain is either capped or clogged.

 

[Richard320]

You could try the simultaneous water replacement. Personally, I wouldn't. You're not going to just suck out the dirty stuff, so the filter will still load up, and you'll be losing a whole lot of water every time you backwash to clean it. You've gotten so much orgaqnic debris out now that once you concentrate on it, it ought to go really fast. Like this one: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/74999-Green-to-Clean-by-Memorial-Day/page2

 

[ssmartt]

I am going to order a bunch of 10% bleach tomorrow. I'm thinking 20 gallons, should I get more? 30 gallons? My options are 2 gallons of 10% for $5 this weekend only, or walmart 8.25 at ~$2.95 for 121oz. They'll have to order as the only have 5-6 gallons in stock, so I should get fresh stuff.