We had a friend re-gelcoat our VERY old fiberglass pool. He does boat fiberglass for a living, so he does know what he is doing. Finished the pool in early May. We waited over a week before filling. Gelcoat was cured, not tacky at all. Final coat was with wax added. Started having water tested at pool store and followed all their instructions. Needed a lot of calcium as we have soft water, but otherwise nothing too crazy. After about two weeks we noticed that the water was cloudy after we went swimming. Also noticed a white residue (almost like paint) would be on the walls when we wiped it. I added a flocculant and the next day it looked like it had snowed in the bottom of the pool. Vacuumed it to waste and hoped that would be the end of it. It wasn't. We have repeatedly had the water tested and the chemistry is as it should be. Can gelcoat be bad from the start? I can't find ANY info about something like this. Many say calcium, but it does not seem to be that. The water is perfectly clear if you let it settle. I am hoping we do not have to drain and redo again! Any input would be appreciated!

Crude prototype here -
This is an old 5gal sports drink/water dispenser jug sorta thing. Got rid of the push button valve and just rigged a pen tube in there capped with a bit of playdoh.
Works well to slowly dispense a few diluted cups of muriatic acid into the pool right over the return jet. Takes almost 15min to dispense/set it and forget it. Works better for me than trying to slowly pour a 5gal bucket into the pool. Open to copy and critique. Just sharing. Thx all for a great forum-learned a lot lurking.

My twins decided to cover their bodies in black finger paint and jump in the water. My water is black now. I put shock in and filtered it for 4 days now no change. HELP!!!

Thanks to TFP I've had fantastic luck keeping the pool balanced the last several years. honestly no problems but the last 3-4 weeks seeing small random patches of algae. When I say small maybe a strip 3 inch by 6 inch etc, 2-3 of these in random areas every 2-3 days....hit them w/ the brush and all good. Water is and has been completely balanced (measured 2x week), full brush 1x week, no changes to variable speed pump settings or pressure, liquid chlorine daily and poly quat maint. dose 1x/week. Every water reading has been:

FC 6-8 (never drops below 6)
CC: 0 (never above 0)
pH: 7.4-7.5
TA: 60
CYA: 50

The spots never show up in the same place....so odd.

Now the 2 variables this season:
1. I'm in the Northeast and we have had a TON of rain. No overflows but water frequently over skimmers.
2. My pool robot died earlier in the season, and we have lots of trees so def. more sediment at bottom of pool because I hate to vacuum and spoiled by the robot. New one next week

Even though the water has been correctly balanced and proper pumping and brushing could either of the 2 new variables described above be causing the problem? Is there something I'm missing or should I just not worry about it? Not sure what else to check.

20 x50 vinyl inground . pentair IC60 ( set at 20% running 24 hours a day at very low pump rate )
New to the site . Should i worry about every little number or be happy with what i have ? Just switched over to SWG this spring and followed your guidelines to get get where i am today .

FC 5.0
PH 7.6
TA 80
CH 270
CYA 60
SALT 3200
BOR 50

Thanks for the great site that takes the mystery out of pool care

My electric Raypak water heater has been out of order for a few years. Not wanting to spend thousands on a new heater, I’ve been looking at some DIY options including solar heaters.

I came across this website: Wood Fired Stock Tank Hot Tub — Stock Tank Pool Tips, Kits, & Inspiration | How-to DIY | @StockTankPools

What do you guys think of this idea? Basically a solo stove + wort chiller to heat my 17k AGP. I like the idea because it doesn’t require any sort of plumbing or pump.. I just need to burn some woods.

Because my pool is bigger than what they are trying to heat above, I’m thinking maybe I should go with the larger diameter, more efficient chiller with a bigger solo stove.

My only concern is the release of copper into the water. Would this be significant? Has anyone else have tried this? How about the stainless steel wort chiller option? Any chance of unwanted metal getting into the water from SS?

Thanks in advance for any input!

We’ve recently purchased a Bullfrog A7 hot tub, but I’m questioning whether or not the ozone generator is working right. Every time I go into the showroom, the ozone generator is running, but I have yet to actually see a stream of bubbles running from ours. Is there a mode to put the A7 into to see the ozone generator running? Someone told me it only runs during filtering modes, but the pump is running and you never see the stream of bubbles.

I have seen requests over the years for dimensions of the wood pads beneath the uprights. Attached is a dimension plan so that you can place and level them before there is a half assembled pool sitting on top of them.

My routine lately is to test and add liquid chlorine every evening around sunset.

When my CYA was at 20, I noticed that my evening FC was at 3. I added some stabilizer to get to CYA 30 and now my evening FC is at 4.

These FC numbers are at the bottom range of the FC/CYA chart. I'm wondering whether the sun burned through all the available FC during the day and just kind of settles at the low range. At the bottom of the range, am I still getting any chlorination benefits or is bottom range number equivalent of no chlorination?

I'm trying to optimize liquid chlorine usage since liquid chlorine is still expensive compared to a few years ago and I can't go SWCG.

FC 4
CC 0
CYA 30
pH 7.8
CH 250
TA 80

Also, water is crystal clear and I can see right down to the all the cracks in the plaster and the black algae sitting in them.

Quick question. I have a 12,500 inground with a SWG. Since CYA does not evaporate like chlorine, does the level change with evaporation and auto fill. Meaning with water disappearing then being refilled I would assume the CYA level would go lower?

I did a CYA test with a Taylor 2006 and it was around 30, I would like to get it and 60-70. Last year my levels were spot on.

Add more stabilizer?

I'm starting my SLAM for the pool tonight, and need to test for FC and CC. The directions say to use R-0001 and R-0002, but neither tube is in my testing kit.... Do I need to order them separately, or is there another way to test for those?

Just learning

Hello,
We had a saltwater pool built during the summer of 2021. It ended up being a nightmare with too many problems to share. We now have a nice backyard/pool area and are enjoying our pool. We need to continue learning tips and tricks as far as managing/caring for our pool. Thanks in advance for all your advice!

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I am having my pool patio pavers replaced. It's a round gunite (25k Gal) pool and lots of cuts in the paver to fit the shape. So there has been some paver dust in the pool. The install is taking longer than expected. Any ways did have some dirt and sand like material at the bottom of the pool and it freely moved around. Figure I would clean it once they were done with the patio. Anyway the pool was running on schedule every day and for last two weeks it has dumping water into the hot tub and not the main pool. So much of the circulation other than the pump pulling water from the main drain in the pool. I am thinking this is my cause of the problem... Also it has been raining very hard here in northeast.

I added three gallons of shock and it seemed to loosen up a bit and then I had the water tested after and here are the results. Last pic is before I added phosphate remover and muratic acid.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you

I’ve had an Intex above ground pool for 10 years and have had an Intex salt water filter pump with it. Last year I replace the salt water pump with an Intex sand salt water pump.
This year I need to replace the pool. However, the new pools don’t seem to have the same hose connections as my old pool. The one I had the hoses were threaded connections and the new ones seem to be all clamped on.
I’m concerned that I won’t be able to connect my salt water pump to a new pool.
Can anyone tell me what pool has the screw on, threaded hose connections that would work with my pump?
I want to get an Intex ultra pool 16 cx48 or 52.

My dogs love the saltwater in ground. They use it more than we do. There are pavers around the pool embedded in sand so there is always some sand around the pool. The pool has vinyl steps where the dogs and people sometimes go in. (The dogs actually jump in from the sides!) All that being said, sand accumulates on the steps but worse, right where the pool wall meets the bottom. I have a good robotic pool cleaner but it cant get to those spots. I ideally I would vacuum to waste and just use the hose, but I am looking for a way to vacuum that sand out of the corners and steps. Is there some sort of sock I can put in the skimmer and just use the hose like a home vacuum? It makes me nervous because the aluminum pole is sharp and could cut the liner which is new.
I thought about buying an electric pool cleaner but that runs into a lot of money I suppose. I would use it without the cleaning head and just let the plastic tube at the end suck up the sand.
Looking for suggestions on how to proceed.
Thank you in advance for your assistance
Ray

Intex 20110-2 system… Above ground, 8500g, seperate salt test stick says im in the correct range… please see video attached… my unit does not have a clear pipe to see it running. Its opaque plastic. i took it apart and used water right from the pool in the bucket. Itwill run like this for about 1 min, then the low salt 91 error occurs… would appreciate any help. Thank you… (edit: couldn’t figure out how to add video, so i added a screen shot pic of the white foamy LOTS of tiny bubbles, that are being created… and i added a pic with it off, and u will see no foamy white bubbles)

Hello, I have a problem pool on my hands.
here are the chemical levels.

10ppm cl
7.6ph
120cya
120alk
0 phosphates

Pool is clear where you can see the bottom. There is no algae as nothing brushes off the walls or floors. The filter is clean everytime i go to clean it. But the pool water is tinted green.

When I first came here and started doing my pool myself, it seemed so confusing and I was so unsure of myself in regard to testing/adding chemicals and so on.

Here it is, just a few months later and the opposite is true.

Several weeks ago, I posted in regard to my ph level. From the heat, sun and rain, no matter what, it hung out around 7.8. I know that’s not an issue but because we were getting so many afternoon thunderstorms, it would raise a little. I’d lower it to 7.5 and by the end of a day, it was always back to 7.8.

Someone here told me they bet that if and when my alkalinity lowered to about 60, I’d have an easier time getting it to stay at 7.5. So I waited for it to lower on its own. It’s been at 60 for two weeks. And my ph has stayed at 7.5 even with rain!

You do not get such info at the pool store or from a pool company hired to clean your pool!!!! You guys rock.

And my pool is consistent, clear, so clean, no burn of the eyes or weird skin feeling. It’s magic.

My in ground pool ladder is all rusted and keeps getting the vacuum stuck and I want to get rid of it. All the info I can find online says to loosen a bolt but there are no bolts. The ladder is sealed right into the concrete. Is there any way to get this out other than just sawing it off?

Hello TFP Community,

Long time lurker and first-time poster. (This website saved me from my green monster pool last year! ). I am in the process of picking out a new pool pump since the one I currently have is on its last legs. It’s a Hayward Super II 0.75HP. My pool has no spa or special features. The pump is strictly running to clean the pool and disperse chlorine. I have a 16k gallon, in-ground plaster pool. There is 230V of power.

I am leaning towards the Pentair Intelliflo3 VSF w I/O Board and I want to also get a SWCG. Based off the forum posts, the SWCG should be sized for 2x pool size so the IC40 seems appropriate. I want some level of automation but I don’t want to buy a separate automation center like the Intellicenter. It seems like the Intelliflo3 gets me there but it is unclear to what extent it gets me there. Additionally, it’s not clear if I can get away with not having the separate power center for the IC40 (seems possible from a forum thread I read but it’s not straight forward). I’m hoping the community can connect the dots for me on all of this. These are my questions:

-If I get the Intelliflo3 w/ I/O Board and the IC40, will I still need to buy the power center for the IC40 or will the pump be able to power the IC40?

-If I connect the IC40 to one of the relays on the Intelliflo3 with no Intellicenter, what level of control will I have on the Pentair app to control the IC40, if any?

-If there is basically 0 automation or coordination between the Intelliflo3 and the IC40 and they don’t “talk” to each other, should I opt then for a cheaper pump such as the Superflo VST?

-The Intelliflo3 comes in the 1.5HP and the 3HP. It seems the consensus is “bigger is better” so that you can run your pool at the lowest RPM possible so long as I am willing to pay the price difference. Is this understanding correct?

Thank you in advance. Let me know if you need me to provide more info.

I just refilled my pool after it sat empty for over a year. did some repair to decritive rocks, changed the main drain covers, replaced the return jets, replaced the lights with LED lights, new filter cartrages and skimmer basket. Started the pump and primed everything found a leek in the jandy valve. Have not tested the water yet but what should I start with as far as getting it upto speed? According to the pool math app I need 23 bags of salt so I will be adding that little at a time. Is there any chemicals I should start with?

My water is currently clear and levels all in check. However I believe I am battling mustard algae which slowly keeps coming back. I’m planning on cleaning everything and mustard SLAM etc. My filter cartridge is also due for replacement. Should I do the treatment and change the filter after most of the dead algae is off the surface or should I change the cartridge before I shock? Or maybe somewhere in between?

Just curious what some of you have been quoted for your warranty on new pool builds. What is the more common time frame as well as what happens if your pool builder goes out of business before your warranty is period over?

I opened my pool the week end before Memorial day. Water was crystal clear. Added 6 lbs cyanuric acid which brought me to 40PPM. Brought the PH to 7.6PPM from 7.2PPM, total alkalinity to 100PPM from 60PPM, calcium hardness to 240PPM from 180PPM, free chlorine to 3.5PPM from 0. Checked the water for 5 days straight. Everything was fine aside of adding a little chlorine. Put the solar cover on the Friday before Memorial day. It has been on since then. 3 years ago and the 2 years prior was a nightmare with chlorine lock. Took 12 to 16 gallons of 12.5% to get rid of it. Just went out to test the water and it is completely expletative out of wack. Chlorine is non existant an hour after dumping 2 gallons of 12.5%. Normally 42oz brings it up a little less than 1PPM, PH went from 7.6 down to below 7.0. Cyanuric acid is down to 10PPM from 40PPM. 5 days ago everything was fine! The only thing that is ok is the total alkalinity 100PPM. I'm demoralized. The weather the last 4 days has been way below normal temp wise and cloudy damp. There is a lot of pollen on the solar cover. Is it possible the solar cover is causing this? How is this possible?

Will pool in full shade suffice or must the sun have set? I’m guessing full shade works but hate to assume…

Thx

Went on vacation a few weeks back and came back to a green pool.

Immediately brought up to shock (25 FC) and noticed that i was quickly losing chlorine and kept on it for a few days, when i thought that I was in the clear. But can't seem to get the green pool back to clear. Here are my current levels.

Note I've been using the Job Lot Pool Shock (12.5% hypo) as my chlorine/shock..not sure if that would matter.

Here are my current levels:

FC 5.5
CC 1
PH 7.5
TA 40
CH 40
CYA 100

Any advice?

I typically buy Leslie’s Power Powder 70. It’s 70% Calcium Hypochlorite. Price has jumped to over $400. Thought I’d save some money and picked up some SodiumDichloro -s-Triazinetrione Hydrated

Pool has stayed cloudy since the switch. Was/am having issue that algae seems to build up quickly. Yes, it has been hot here in north Texas, but y chlorine leve is well above recommended

Any suggestions, comments, ideas. Thanks in advance

Pool plumbing sprang a new leak and wondering what the best approach might be to fix this. I could just tackle the new leak, image on the left, we have sprung a leak right above the pump. I tried marine epoxy, which worked on the pump on the right last year (see gray mess right above the pump image on right), but it didn't work on this latest leak. Would the best approach be to cut right below the T and simply redo the 10" going down to the pump? The T also has a hose valve on it that's never worked since I've owned it, so could redo the T and remove that if needed.

Option 2 is to redo more plumbing because I have a few band-aids in place as highlighted in image on the right: Pump on the left has this new leak above the pump, a cracked connection holding the check valve pipe to the pump with plumbers tape, and 2 stripped screw holes on the check valve, these other issues have been holding tight for past 2 yrs.

I might need to do the easiest fix first just to get up and running and worry about the rest later. But looking for input and suggestions. I did a quick trip to HomeDepot and they didn't have much in stock, probably going to have to order PVC online somewhere.


D

Now my drive motor went out so I’m back to needing a new bot.

What do you guys like?