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Jamesgaz

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Jun 2, 2021
5
Arizona
Hello, I am an Arizona pool owner who started out with a "pool guy" but then realized I could save over $1K / year by taking care of my pool myself (and probably do a better job since I am only responsible for one pool). Overall I have been quite successful, but am running into a handful of issues I have not encountered before so I definitely need some help. My pool and spa are built in, around 12,600 gal. total, chlorine control using tablets and our pool gets regular use from April through October. In the "winter" months, I have just been lowering the amount of tablets and monitoring / brushing weekly or so as there is very little else needed. This year, as I open our pool, I need to complete an acid wash (also need the drain and fill to lower CYA) and repair or replace our light. I have a pump to drain the pool but I am on the fence whether to pay $5-600 for the acid wash or to just do it myself as I do not have any real experience. Looking for any recommendations or advice - thanks!
 
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So, I now know I do not need an acid wash (I have no staining and the pool water and surfaces are all clear. Here is my real dilemma:

Using my test kit (Taylor K-2005), I got the following results:

Free Cl 2.5, pH 7.9, Total Alkalinity 160 ppm, CH 1450 ppm, CYA (much) > 100 ppm

So, I need to drain and fill to lower theCH and CYA but it is warming up here (been in the 90s the past couple of days) so a complete drain won't work. Has anyone had success with a sort of "feed and bleed" where you drain some water each day and replace overnight over a series of days? I know I needed to do the drain and fill before the temps climbed but was out of the country on business and just returned.

Also, despite the out of spec chemistry the pool looks great - is it possible to just ride it out until temps ool off next Fall?

Any help will be appreciated, I am fairly new to this.
 
Jamesgaz said:
So, I need to drain and fill to lower theCH and CYA but it is warming up here (been in the 90s the past couple of days) so a complete drain won't work. Has anyone had success with a sort of "feed and bleed" where you drain some water each day and replace overnight over a series of days? I know I needed to do the drain and fill before the temps climbed but was out of the country on business and just returned.

Also, despite the out of spec chemistry the pool looks great - is it possible to just ride it out until temps ool off next Fall?

Any help will be appreciated, I am fairly new to this.
Click to expand...
Sure (on the feed and bleed)...read the section on no-drain water exchange in link below.

I would not ride it out, I'd get the CYA and CH back in line.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
PoolStored said:
Sure (on the feed and bleed)...read the section on no-drain water exchange in link below.

I would not ride it out, I'd get the CYA and CH back in line.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
Thanks! I reviewed the "no-drain" water exchange info and I guess my question is whether I could get away with pumping out as much water as I can with my filter pump running and waste valve open (until just before the pump loses suction) and then make up that volume with fish water and repeat this process over many days? (With my work schedule, I am not sure I can stand by and monitor the other "no-drain" method for sufficient time to get from start to finish uninterrupted.
 
Jamesgaz said:
Thanks! I reviewed the "no-drain" water exchange info and I guess my question is whether I could get away with pumping out as much water as I can with my filter pump running and waste valve open (until just before the pump loses suction) and then make up that volume with fish water and repeat this process over many days? (With my work schedule, I am not sure I can stand by and monitor the other "no-drain" method for sufficient time to get from start to finish uninterrupted.
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First, I would do a diluted CYA test to get an more accurate CYA number, this will tell us how much you need to exchange.
Second, sure, you can do what you are proposing, but of course it will be inefficient and you will end up using more water to do the replacement than necessary, maybe even 30-50% more. Do you know your water rates and restrictions?
Third, please do not use your pool equipment. Too many times we have seen, even careful people, burn up pumps. Better to get a sump pump, or rent a trash pump from HD.
Fourth, do you have any sense of your water table where you live in AZ? If you remove too much water, there is risk of the pool popping up due to hydraulic pressure.
 
PoolStored said:
First, I would do a diluted CYA test to get an more accurate CYA number, this will tell us how much you need to exchange.
Second, sure, you can do what you are proposing, but of course it will be inefficient and you will end up using more water to do the replacement than necessary, maybe even 30-50% more. Do you know your water rates and restrictions?
Third, please do not use your pool equipment. Too many times we have seen, even careful people, burn up pumps. Better to get a sump pump, or rent a trash pump from HD.
Fourth, do you have any sense of your water table where you live in AZ? If you remove too much water, there is risk of the pool popping up due to hydraulic pressure.
Click to expand...
Thanks!

I have a small sump pump and have decided to just get it all set up and do the n-drain process this weekend using that pump and my hose. I came to the same conclusion re: inefficiency and using MUCH more water that way.
 
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