Is there anything wrong with low TA if LSI is good?

Okay now that is settled, let's focus on the actual question :cool:

Indoor pools have less CO2 off-gassing (which drives pH up in outdoor pools), so a lower TA can still buffer pH effectively. You are not using lots of products that change pH (acid, CYA etc.), so it is likely you have enough buffering capacity for your pool. If it is stable, leave it.

pH rising super fast

Was that an accurate suggestion? I have been doing the same for a few weeks and my TA is now down to 90. Will it work if I just continue this process and once the TA hits 60 I should and can stop adding MA so frequently?
Correct.

You don't even HAVE to go to 60.
With a TA of 60-80, your pH should be pretty stable between 7.8-8.0...which is just fine.
When you get to 60-80, don't lower pH below 7.8, and don't lower it until you get above 8 (purple hues).
You will be just fine.
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pH rising super fast

I stopped adding MA over the winter (we keep our pool open all year round in Phoenix) and pH stabilized at 8.0, which I think is the pH of my tap water. When I resumed full maintenance in the spring, my TA was at 120. Rather than embark on a TA reduction activity (by adding MA then iterating between running the water fall to raise pH so I can add more MA, I think I read on here somewhere that you can just keep adding MA every couple of days to being pH down to 7.4/7.3 as the pH jumps back up and the TA will eventually reduce to the desired range. Was that an accurate suggestion? I have been doing the same for a few weeks and my TA is now down to 90. Will it work if I just continue this process and once the TA hits 60 I should and can stop adding MA so frequently?

New owner

Welcome to TFP.
Please read
Pool Care Basics

Also, purchase a recommended test kit - hopefully this is one of the kits you have on order.
Test Kits Compared

One of the cornerstone foundations of pool ownership is to test your own pool water and understand the basic chemistry of maintaining a sanitized and clear pool.

Nothing makes our day like adding new members to the club below :
How Clear is TFP Clear? Let's See (Pics Only Please).

We can solve your green pool. Stop going to the pool store for guidance and buying unnecessary products.
See the
SLAM Process

Purchase 10 gals of liquid chlorine (LC) at Home Depot or Walmart.

Plan Review... New Pool Build in Minnesota. First Time Builder, need your awesome advice!

If you go with cartridge filter you’ll likely want 2 sets. That way when one set gets dirty you can just pop a new set in while the first set are soaking in trisodium phosphate. By cleaning the cartridges you can use them for many years. I have an older set of cartridges I use for opening because even with a safety cover on all winter I’m amazed at all of the debris that gets in the pool. Then when those get dirty I put the good set in.
The 2” 90 degree pipe that comes out of my pump to my filter housing is made to accept a fitting. My pool builder put a spigot in there and with a garden hose I can drain the water to wherever I need it to go. On high speed it doesn’t take long to drain a couple inches of water. Good luck on your build!

Is there anything wrong with low TA if LSI is good?

3 drops is very very close to the threshold color, but not quite. 4 drops is definitely there. I'm fairly sure 3.5 drops would achieve the same color. I'm calling that 35, but if we were to adhere to the test strictly, I guess we'd call that 40.
It is 40 if that is the point where you get no further color change.

The fifth drop gives no further color change?

You are not being asked to judge a threshold color.

Not sure...

Welcome to TFP.

Pump run time is dependent on NEED.

You run you pump for a reason:
1) skim
2) add chemicals (dosing pumps, SWCG etc.)
3) Mix chemicals when you are adding to the pool
4) Vacuuming if you have a suction side vacuum or pressure side vacuum
5) Filtering
6) Heating (heater or solar or whatever), or chilling (chiller)
7) to run your spa, jets, waterfall or whatever other feature that is water driven...

Run your pump as long or short as you need to accomplish these tasks to your liking (i.e. skimming clean enough for you, filtering to get the water clarity you want, adding enough chemicals to maintain the pool, etc.)

Pool Build Underway

I'm a little confused how to mount this. I'm actually trying to figure the whole layout for my frame for my switches and and receptacle. I understand I need to bring power into it which. I guess I'll do a liquidtite whip from my j box with the power. Bit it looks like it has holes on the end for screw for it to be mounted to something . Not sure how I'd arrange that. Anyone have pics.
Are the 3 lights for the pool or is 2 for the pool and 1 for a spa? If all are for pool, then 1 switch is needed on your frame. You would add a 4th conduit near the 3 light pipes. connect all 3 lights to one line (in the new 4th conduit) which leads to a switch that has power.

Backwash procedure for pool with 2 filters

Flow rate is typically 120 gpm. 170 gpm is required.
The flow rate is dependent on the system head (think resistance). It’s hard to say whether the current pump is capable or not without knowing the head. It can only do what 5hp can do. Part of the head is determined by static factors like difference in elevation, line diameter, quantity of things like skimmers and drains. Of course things that can change like mechanically like valve settings, plugged lines, dirty filters, etc all get considered too. I’ll let someone else give you more color on that topic, as my explanation in my head isn’t perfectly clear right now.

If you’re getting quotes for solutions from an honest company, I’m guessing they’ve eliminated the simple answers like valve positioning. Pictures wouldn’t hurt. Your vendor probably would appreciate it if you redacted any identifying info before you posted them.

If I place both filters in "Recirculation" mode and the flow rate does not increase at all, then that should rule out any issue with the filters, right? One of the proposals included replacing the filters.
Maybe. Maybe not. It’ll rule out the clogged filter theory. The TR-140 filter comes in residential and commercial models. The commercial models come in a 2” glued fitting and a 3” flanged fitting model. 3” PVC has a cross section that is 2.25 times the size of 2”, so if you have 3” running to 2 x 2” filters you have a restriction by default before you ever get “inside” the filter. Bypassing the filter (the recirculate position) at the multiport valve won’t eliminate that because the valve itself becomes the restriction.

I believe the pump specs a 2.5” inlet on it, which means running 2” PVC (or even 2.5” in this case) from the pump to the filter bank could also increase the head and slow the flow down. Your vendor likely would have already discovered this instead of trying to sell you a new filter.

How is the flow rate being measured and how often?

Aqualink down?

Sunday night update, I got the control panel up and the App working. I turned off all three pool breakers and when everything came back up the control panel lights were operating.

I tried the App and it was working as well.

Then I went to the web interface to set the schedule and everything went down again.

So this time I turned off the breakers and rebooted everything again. That brought the control panel and App up again. So I was able to turn on the cleaner for the first time since Friday.

After the robot runs overnight I’ll give the web interface a try again and see if it kills everything again.

I realize I saw this behavior Saturday when the system came up around 4pm. I went to the web interface then and things went down again and have been down since then.

I mentioned earlier that my iAqua system had just been installed when the system went down for everyone. So at that time nothing had been scheduled. That’s why I kept returning to the Web Interface.

At least I’ve got the cleaner running now. We have a lot of trees and really need it!

Replacing Pentair SunTouch Controller with Something Better

Would Hayward OmniHub or OmniPL also work with my setup?

Sort of. You need to check if OmniHub controls solar.

To control your IntelliPro VS pump you need to the Pump Converter accessory board (HLPMPCONV).

They are significantly cheaper than Pentair IntelliCenter.
When you add all the optional boards needed for Hayward it may not be a big difference.

Just making sure that the controller works for controlling pool and booster pumps with solar and cleaner, and the salt chlorine generator.
I don't think Hayward or Pentair automation controls a Pool Pilot SWG . You need to check with Autopilot.
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New Walls or no?

Is this for a friend/family or a customer ?

At best its on very very borrowed time. How does the bottom rail look ?
This is my dads, they don’t have the money for a new $1,500 + wall.. bottom looks okay but there is a bubble in one spot. I warned that it needs to be a “floater” pool and I pray that you aren’t in it when it fails, hopefully not this year (steel wall installed in 1998). The final result is beautiful.. for now.

I appreciate your feedback!!

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New to TFPC

Thank you! So the cloudiness is the dead algea? I still can't see the bottom of the pool and it is concerning. I will back wash again and continue to work the process but I have never had it last this long without clearing up. Is it possible the filter is not functioning properly? How can I check that?
A DE is a good filter. It just may take more time. Are you running your pump 24/7? Are you keeping your chloinre FC at SLAM level?
Remember, when backwashing a DE filter, only add back 80% of the recommended DE. If you have been adding more, you may need to break down the filter completely and clean the grids and add the proper amount of DE.

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Filter