From a Basic Lawn to Private Resort - We Have A Pool! Controlling Pollen...

[Newdude]

Start at the lowest RPM and increase 100 RPMs at a time and note where skimming, the SWG, the heater, etc start to work. Add 100 RPMs to those speeds to account for less flow as the filter gets dirty and then that's the speed you need to run for any of those functions. The high one (likely the heater) satisfies all those below it, and so on. Any speed will filter and most of us with SWGs filter enough in the time it takes to produce enough FC for the day.

For many of us, both skimming and SWG works at a low speed around 1200 RPMs and we just leave the dang thing on 24/7 in the neighborhood of $20 a month for electricity. (Unless you need to heat, use water features, etc). Keep in mind, you're already using at least $10 of those bucks for bare minimum so it's really not much more.

SWG doesn't matter when, 4 FC added per 24 hours is fine, but for skimming, when matters alot and the when changes drastically. If it's windy for the 12 hours the pump is off, that's a long time for whatever blew in to get waterlogged and sink. So you can run a schedule and clean more, or just run 24/7 low and need to clean less.

 

[Wolfepack88]

Thanks Wolfepack! We get full sun on our pool from 9am until the sun goes down, so it's usually nicely heated all day. We have 2 skimmers, one in shallow end and one in deep end. We don't have a cover. Overnight temps right now are in the mid 70s to 80s so losing heat isn't a concern for us right now. We do have a heat pump for the spa and it can heat the pool also, but haven't hopped in the spa with the heater on yet as hot as it has been here lately, the urge to sit in with the heat on is not there. I will try lowering it to the speeds you mentioned to see how it does. We have jandy vsp epump. Which reminds me that I need to put our equipment info in my sigi ..

Thanks Wolfepack! We get full sun on our pool from 9am until the sun goes down, so it's usually nicely heated all day. We have 2 skimmers, one in shallow end and one in deep end. We don't have a cover. Overnight temps right now are in the mid 70s to 80s so losing heat isn't a concern for us right now. We do have a heat pump for the spa and it can heat the pool also, but haven't hopped in the spa with the heater on yet as hot as it has been here lately, the urge to sit in with the heat on is not there. I will try lowering it to the speeds you mentioned to see how it does. We have jandy vsp epump. Which reminds me that I need to put our equipment info in my sigi ...

My Steelers are throwing your Falcons an early beating right now!!

 

[HermanTX]

@elleb
Follow what @Newdude stated.
Change Your POOL speed to the lowest speed that operates your SWCG. My pool is 1500rpm. Other pool owners may be able to be set lower.
Then all other speeds on your speed setting page should be higher than the POOL speed.
You want your pump to run mainly at POOL speed and only increase it if needed - such as to run your heater or if yo want a higher skimmer action for a short number of hours.

 

[Newdude]

Other pool owners may be able to be set lower.

My SWG works at 700 RPMs, pulling 35W. . It's so cheap I splurge all the way up to 1500 for more water movement.

 

[Wolfepack88]

My SWG works at 700 RPMs, pulling 35W. . It's so cheap I splurge all the way up to 1500 for more water movement.

Man that means I can go much lower then. Jeez, I'm at 1900.

 

[elleb]

Things are coming along. Finally got all but one piece of furniture unboxed, water sealed, scotch guarded and on the deck. I thought that our outdoor seating set cushions would be white but they were ivory. They still look good since they are in different zones, but I really liked the thought of having white cushions like on our outdoor loungers. It's still giving residential resort vibes!

Today is overcast, but the weather is nice, temps in the 80s. Pool is still TFP Clear! I'm so glad that I found this site. I am maintaining the water quality and I'm proud of the fact that I can do it with ease. I need to add some salt and CH in there today, but other than that levels are pretty stable. The water chemistry is easily my favorite part of pool ownership so far thanks to this site! I hope you all are having an amazing Wednesday. I'll be back soon with sunny day pics!

 

[Wolfepack88]

Things are coming along. Finally got all but one piece of furniture unboxed, water sealed, scotch guarded and on the deck. I thought that our outdoor seating set cushions would be white but they were ivory. They still look good since they are in different zones, but I really liked the thought of having white cushions like on our outdoor loungers. It's still giving residential resort vibes!
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Today is overcast, but the weather is nice, temps in the 80s. Pool is still TFP Clear! I'm so glad that I found this site. I am maintaining the water quality and I'm proud of the fact that I can do it with ease. I need to add some salt and CH in there today, but other than that levels are pretty stable. The water chemistry is easily my favorite part of pool ownership so far thanks to this site! I hope you all are having an amazing Wednesday. I'll be back soon with sunny day pics!

Everything looks amazing and will provide years of enjoyment. Would love to know the longer term review of that surface skimmer if it holds up. Keep that mulch away from the pool, $5 fine everytime somebody uses a blower and gets any on the deck!!

 

[elleb]

Everything looks amazing and will provide years of enjoyment. Would love to know the longer term review of that surface skimmer if it holds up. Keep that mulch away from the pool, $5 fine everytime somebody uses a blower and gets any on the deck!!

We are replacing the mulch with rocks soon! We had an overflowed pool about two weeks ago from Idalia and the mulch the mulch the mulch . I was able to get everything from the water chemistry back in line, to the mulch, and leaves out of the pool, and I had to brush a few days to get some ga clay out too. All in all, I didn't panic, I read here on what to do and I didn't have to slam.

Here's what that storm did:


I had the PB and landscaper out to check that drainage and runoffs were in tact as this was quite the situation after several hours of storms and heavy rain!

 

[elleb]

This afternoon:

 

[Wolfepack88]

This afternoon:

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Ok two trains of thought on stone, some say install landscape fabric underneath but recently I had a landscape pro tell me if you do that the seeds still end up germanating anyway from soil from the stones and then the roots entangle in the fabric. I have fabric underneath and we have kept things at bay with round up here and there but I can see what he says. Don't go pea gravel size or blowers will move those around. Don't go ankle breakers either as they call the big ones, 3/4 works and holds up well but you will have to spray to keep weeds at bay. So if you don't like chems like that you will have a weeding chore.

 

[HermanTX]

I had the PB and landscaper out to check that drainage and runoffs were in tact as this was quite the situation after several hours of storms and heavy rain!

Great!!! It is difficult for any normal drain system to handle a tropical storm. Glad it all got cleaned up.

 

[kimkats]

WOWZER!!!! That all looks SO resort like to the MAX!!! SO pretty and well done!!

Gurrrrrrr on the mulch but on know what to do!!!

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Things are coming along. Finally got all but one piece of furniture unboxed, water sealed, scotch guarded and on the deck. I thought that our outdoor seating set cushions would be white but they were ivory. They still look good since they are in different zones, but I really liked the thought of having white cushions like on our outdoor loungers. It's still giving residential resort vibes!
View attachment 527765View attachment 527766View attachment 527767View attachment 527768View attachment 527769
Today is overcast, but the weather is nice, temps in the 80s. Pool is still TFP Clear! I'm so glad that I found this site. I am maintaining the water quality and I'm proud of the fact that I can do it with ease. I need to add some salt and CH in there today, but other than that levels are pretty stable. The water chemistry is easily my favorite part of pool ownership so far thanks to this site! I hope you all are having an amazing Wednesday. I'll be back soon with sunny day pics!

Such a beautiful space!!! Love this and it definitely screams resort! Very well done!

--Jeff

 

[elleb]

We are keeping our pool open and wanted to know what to do during the fall and winter season as far as chemistry goes? Any tips @kimkats @Newdude @HermanTX ? Thanks in advance!

 

[Newdude]

The chemistry is constant. Do as you've been doing. As the season drags on, daily FC demand drops and you adjust your daily add as necessary. In the late fall, said dose may last a week. In the winter, it may last weeks. Monitor and adapt.

Once it's too cool for the SWG to produce, switch to liquid chlorine.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Also, keep an eye on CSI. As the water temp drops, you may be able to let the pH rise to keep CSI in a good place. I usually can let my pH sit around 8 during the winter.

--Jeff

 

[elleb]

@Newdude check me out, I finally did my signature

 

[HermanTX]

@Newdude and @Turbo1Ton made great recommendations. Also keep an eye on CH, Salt and CYA because if you get lots of rain and you have an autolevel or need to drain excess water then those values will change.
Always keep FC at the recommended level for your CYA regardless if you use SWCG or LC.
You may need to dial back your SWCG % output (assume you are leaving your same pump run time) as Fall and Winter approach and FC demand decreases.
If you maintain your heater on then your SWCG will continue to function as it measure water temperature not air temperature.

Right now is a good time to confirm the position of any drain plugs for the pumps, filter and heater. Have a written plan and show pictures so you know (or your “helper” knows where to look for the plugs). In the worst scenario of sub freezing temperatures and loss of power, you will need to drain your system.

 

[elleb]

@HermanTX now this scares me. I have no issue dialing back the SWCG %. My husband swears ppl will be swimming when it's colder, but it's a hard no for me and the kids and I don't even see him swimming in warm water only to get out in cold temps. I do plan to enjoy the spa as long as the temps are in the mid to upper 60s in the evenings, but I can't see it once it the temps drop. In pool school the maintenance guy told me that the systems is set to automatically stop SWCG when the temps drop below -- I forgot the temp, but I don't know where to look to confirm the position of "drain plugs" for the pumps, filter, and heater. Please advise.

 

[Newdude]

Filter




Pump









Heater



Practice it now in flip flops with a margarita in broad daylight.

At 2AM in the pitch dark and sideways snow, you'll be the margarita and it's a whole different scenario.