KBreuer15 said:

Ok test kit is here. Is there a max amount of drops that I should do for the free chlorine test? I was at like 60 drops and the water never went clear. Just stayed a dark pink the entire time.

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Were you using 10ml sample size?

Welcome to TFP! Before you start adjusting chemical levels, I would first obtain a proper test kit and test the water yourself. It's easy and much more reliable. Plus, if you have algae, you will require a SLAM Process which requires a specific treatment protocol and frequent testing, something the local stores know nothing about.

A TF-100/Pro-Series or Taylor K-2006C test kit is recommended.

For now, I would just add one gallon of liquid pool chlorine each day until you receive one of those kits. Then you can be sure to have accurate results and reliable results.

Those will work.

sgrubb said:

DWV pipe is drain pipe. Not rated for pressure.

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Its backwards compatible when it's pressure rated.




(And beeeeeeeeeelated Welcome to TFP 15 years after you joined !!! )

Liquid said:

The leak company pressure tested the system and it was not from the inside. They mentioned that it was from the outside of that main drain, likely the screw in compression fitting being the culprit. They did a temporary epoxy repair but never really did much.



@MAPR-Austin, Would you mind sharing a bit more as to why it may not be as easy as replacing that fitting? I'm trying my best to understand what I may be up against. Thanks

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I believe that the compression fitting is tightened from the backside of the wall, so you will need to not only drain the pool but excavate under the deck and down to where the main drain meets the wall. I think it goes: Main Drain Fitting with threaded fitting | gasket | pool wall | gasket | compression nut with slip fitting.

I would say keep the pool full and operating. Pull up some pavers and demo whatever is under them, then dig down to where the main drain goes through the wall. You might be able to just tighten the compression fitting that is there, and visually verify that it stops the leak since the pool will be full. This is a lot of labor but it is doable by anyone who is careful.

If you can't stop the leak and have to drain the pool, see if you have a dewatering line. This would be a pipe that is open down to the gravel bed under the pool. You can use that pipe to constantly remove water from under the pool.

Your trashcans full of water idea is clever, I think that will help a lot. Use wood braces as insurance.

PoolStored said:

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Ok test kit is here. Is there a max amount of drops that I should do for the free chlorine test? I was at like 60 drops and the water never went clear. Just stayed a dark pink the entire time.

Are you trying to increase the CH solely for your heater? If so, what's your minimum for it? 200, 250?

So seems like no reason why this wouldn't work

There are a bunch of people that have done stuff with stenner tanks. Do a quick search and you will find them. I thought about it many times. I just decided it would be easier to manage my water by getting my TA down and then add borates.

Although I am a big fan of automation, acid just scares me. It’s easy enough to add it manually. If I need to go away some pucks in a floater assist in pH control.

Last year was the first year with this pool and we did not last year. I’m not sure about the prior owners however. Last year we used a local pool company to maintain the chemicals (they only used pucks in our chlorinator). I mentioned before but the last report we got from them before they close the “stabilizer” level listed was at 170 in September. I only ever saw them using test strips to test the water so who knows how accurate their readings were.

I don’t plan on going back to that store or using them for closing/opening again.

The prior owners of the pool maintained the pool themselves.

In response to @JoyfulNoise comments.
About the pH rising: If enough soda is added to cause the wholesale precipitation of calcium carbonate, then there is no rising of the pH, nor the alkalinity, and therefore, no acid adjustments are needed. (At least that has been our experience).

About the sodium chloride increasing: It is true that the sodium content increases while the calcium level decreases, but I don't see how the chloride content would increase.

About calcite nucleating and sticking on plaster pool walls. Yes, that is very possible. However, in the few times we have performed this procedure, hard calcium crystals have not stuck on the plaster pool walls. A few service techs have told us that they didn't have that problem either. Just in case, I would always suggest a strong brushing of the pool when/if this procedure is performed.

mknauss said:

It appears you have automation. Program the spillover to only run 20 minutes or so twice a day.
The TA of your fill water I suspect is quite high. With your high evaporation (exasperated by the continuous spillover) you are adding significant fill water volumes and thus increasing the TA via fill water. Thus you will need to add acid often, likely twice a week.

There are acid dosing systems. Not sure if Hayward has one but I suspect they do. DO NOT get a system that attempts to control pH and chlorine. Those fail to produce the results expected.

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Thank you. I don't even dare open the pandora's box of measuring the spa water and see if it differs significantly once it has sat for 24-48 hours without getting mixed with the pool water.

Yes, my TA water coming in is high. I have had to aerate on purpose and add extra acid in order to get the TA down in the past because it creeps upward over time.

It sounds like I can run the spillover a bit less than I do. It currently adds up to about 8 hours per week. I think that would recycle the spa water adequately at 20 minutes twice a day. That would be about 4.6 hours. I have lowered the spa before and it seems it rises about 1/2-3/4 inch per minute when in spillover mode, so if my spa is 36 inches deep, that should be plenty.

So nobody seems to have a fan favorite acid dosing system? I will avoid one that tries to do chlorine at the same time.

I’m sure they were the cheap knock offs. The 2nd thermistor that is in there now is pentair. The motherboard and touchpad are knockoffs.

CMH-CVG said:

I wish to enter a per gal or per oz cost, and each addition of a chemical uses that cost/unit value to calculate the total added cost per each chemical material

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While I can think of a few issues in programing this, I'd like to learn more about your end goal. Can you explain to me in detail what you wish to do with this piece of information and how it would help you in maintaining your pool?

Oh com'n, give us pics of the plumbing and the pad. Use it as the before pics.

So it has been two years since my original post. I thought adding a few comments might help speed up the lerarning curve or give some other new pool owners more confidence that they will figure out the testing procedure. If I did, anyone could.

It did initially take me a few weeks to get comfortable performing all the tests and some are more interpretive than others. Within a few months I had the testing procedures memorized as to how many drops of each agent and testing is pretty efficient. Now, on a normal basis I test pH and Chlorine every few days, TA once a week, CH, CYA & Salt every ten days/two weeks. If there is severe weather or a significant change to the water level I will test more frequently. Now, I think I understand my pool better, anticipate what it needs and when based on usage, temperature, weather and changes in water level.

I changed some of the testing equiptment which made a difference for me. First off, I threw the pH test block in the trash. The colors faded and my pH was way off, which caused me a lot of headache in trying to balance the pool and all along it was a shoddy test block. That story is here. I now use the Taylor pH Test Block, which is also more granular than the block that comes with the TF test kit (.2 v.s .3 if I remember correctly), helping me better interpret the pH level. You have to use R-0004 in the Taylor block and not R-0014 that comes with the TF kit. I also replaced both the test cylinders as the lines faded on them quite quickly. I bought glass beakers, a 25 ml for 10ml tests and a 50 ml for TA. It gives plenty of room to swirl the contents well. I don't use a Speed Stir, though you could find a dozen threads on TFP and the benefits/debates of using one. I opted not to go there.

The one test method I changed around was CYA. Rather than filling with pool water to the bottom of the label and agent to the top of the label, I just measure out equal parts of each and add them individually to the test bottle. For me that works better than using the label as a guide.

I will say it was pretty easy getting initially established but is a constant learning process. I have so much more to learn just about pool chemistry, not to mention all the other aspects of maintaining a pool, but TFP is a HUGE help!

I just did 8 bags of the Diamond Crystals Solar Naturals this weekend with no issues. It dissolves super fast - brush it across the shallow end three times and it's virtually dissolved. No sediments left behind either.

Rick T said:

Complete Set of Components

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Pentair or Cheap Chinese Generics from Amazon?

Link?

Supervised the vacuuming whilst having a frosty beverage.

I bought an all new manifold replacement kit.

• Complete Set of Components: Includes all essential parts such as manifold bypass valve kit (77707-0001), water pressure switch (42001-0060S), automatic gas shutoff switch (42002-0025S), high limit switch (42001-0063S), thermistor (42001-0053S), ensuring the integrity and functionality of the replacement assembly.

I thought possibly the thermistor was bad so got yet another new one. No change. I tested the thermal regulator in the kitchen sink. It worked as it should. I’ve also replaced the mother board and touch pad (non oe part from Amazon).

PoolStored said:

Lewisville lowes has 211 of these 1.5":

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-1-1-2-in-x-10-ft-330-Sch-40-Solidcore-PVC-DWV-Pipe/3133037

and 132 of these 2":

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-2-in-x-10-ft-280-Sch-40-Solidcore-PVC-DWV-Pipe/3133041

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DWV pipe is drain pipe. Not rated for pressure.