Pool Fire??? Ash in the pool ......

[tjcarothers]

G'Day All,
Well, this last week has been one of testing the patience and fortitude. Last Monday afternoon, a huge windstorm came through the area, and, with gusts between 40 and 70mph, there naturally was a huge fire. It burned about half of my in-laws 25k acre cattle ranch, as well as 20k acres more. Everything will be fine after the fences and corrals are replaced. Now, to my problem......

With this fire came smoke and ash, and with the winds shifting the solar cover on the pool, a BUNCH of ash is now on the bottom of the pool. So, now, please help with the best way to clean it. My cartridge filter will take forever -- the cartridges are not very big anyway. If I vacuum to waste, then I will have a chemistry problem with all the replacement, unless I close it now. Probably not mush chance to use it more now anyway, but.......

What do ya'll think????

TJ.

 

[TizMe]

Since your going to have to deal with it sooner or later I would try to get as much out as you can now. Can it be scooped out by a net at all ?

 

[algaeh8er]

I'm sorry to hear about the fire.

I have a problem with sand getting into my pool since our yard backs up to a junior high track. I use a vacuum with a leaf canister and place skimmer sock into the canister. It is really good at catching the fine debris. Before I got the skimmer socks, I could literally watch the sand blow right back into my pool from the return jets as I vacuumed.

 

[Hotrod30]

Since your going to have to deal with it sooner or later I would try to get as much out as you can now.

I agree. I don't think you should let the ash sit over fall to winter to spring. You're going to have to vacuum and filter. No other way to get rid of the ash.

Try skimmer socks and/or a slime bag.

 

[tjcarothers]

Thank you all for your replies. I can see I didn't do the best job explaining my question, so I'll try again.

No, the ash can't be netted out. It is a fine silt, almost in solution. No, I don't intend to leave the ash there for the winter. If I try to vacuum through the filter cartridges, I will be there 'til spring, as the carts are small (new sand filter coming in spring). So, here are the options as I see them, with their related problems.

1. I can filter to waste, refill, and then leave the pool open for a couple weeks while I adjust the balance again.

2. I can filter to waste, not refill, then close the pool, trying to circulate the closing chems by hand, as the water level will be too low to use the pump.

So, I am not sure of the way to go, to best protect my pool for the winter. Any thoughts as to which would be best?

TJ.

 

[TizMe]

If you vacuum to waste you could throw the hose in the pool while doing it and you wouldnt loose as much water that way. I would try vacuuming it it up over a 2-3 day period. Vacuum some and brush, let it settle again then vacuum it again an brush it etc etc . I dont think your CYA will change that much and with it being this late in the swimming season if its slightly low its not going to matter because your going to loose some CYA over the winter months anyway. Then you can decide if your going to close it or not ......

 

[cubbybeave08]

Do you vaccume into your skimmer basket with the attacment over the basket...if so you can put a skimmer sock on the basket and anything that is ash or soot will be caught by the skimmer basket...THis is much more efficient than vacumming through the filter...You will probably need four or five socks...but that is ok. Try that...I have a pollen problem in my pool it settles on the bottom and that is what I have done...

 

[tjcarothers]

Thanks for the idea.

I have closed the pool now. I disconnected the return hose from the pool and vaccuumed the pool with no filter in place and got it good and clean. The vaccuum job was just enough to lower the water level to the bottom of skimmer, so I didn't have to siphon as much to lower for closing.

Thanks to all for the input.

TJ.