ajw22 said:

Note the OP is in Thailand.

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Try TR pool, 72 ขนอม 13, Khanom District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80210, Thailand +66 94 215 2595 It's close by...

Also if you get to Koh Samui, I know boat ride...there are several stores that show Calcium available. Might call them?
POOL MART SAMUI

Let us know what you figure out...

jballer said:

maintain FC ≥ 3 (with occasional dropoffs)

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Yeah, too low. I also think your CYA is really low for TX, after SLAM, raise your CYA to 60.

jballer said:

Muriatic acid freaks me out!

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Don't be afraid of MA. Be respectful. Wear eye protection, pour slowly in front of a return. If you get some on you, just dunk in the pool. No worries.

PoolStored said:

It is the one product I buy from the pool store. Too many impurities in snow melt and other products. Well worth the few $$.

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Note the OP is in Thailand.

If you are unhappy with the heat your spa gets from the Rheem heater, talk to your builder. Electric spa heaters are rarely used. They don't have the BTU capacity to heat a spa rapidly like a gas heater, especially in the northern latitudes.

What automation controls do you have?

When you turn on SPA mode the pump should suction from the spa and return to the spa. There should be no flow from the pool suction or returns. I have no diea what the flow is from the marked picture you posted.

In SPILLWAY mode the pump should suction from the pool and return to the spa. I have npo diea how your system does that.

Thanks for the feedback!

PoolStored said:

Please post a full set of test results.

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Whoops -
FC 4.8
CC ≤0.2
pH 7.7
TA 80
CYA 30
CH 575
Temp 79F
CSI 0.32

ajw22 said:

Any indication your heater is scaled up?

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PoolStored said:

Why do you think you need to descale. Have you seen scale?

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I have no reason to suspect heater scaling, aside from some waterline buildup, and the fact that my domestic water fixtures and tankless heaters get mineral scale. The heater's manual mentions annual maintenance and exchanger cleaning; I had assumed that included descaling.

ajw22 said:

Post pics of the spa leak areas if you want to discuss repairs.

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Here you can see the buildup and moisture in the coping and flagstone adjacent to the spillway, along with some mineral buildup at the waterline.

PoolStored said:

Get some chlorinated water on the spillover.

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As you can see in this more recent pic, neither the growth nor the moisture is quite so bad as when I started. But I don't think I've fully addressed it. All I've done is scrub it, maintain FC ≥ 3 (with occasional dropoffs), and lower the pump speed. (I run it 24x7, but keep it quite low.)

ajw22 said:

Can your pool pass a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test? If not you need to follow the SLAM Process.

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I'll probably SLAM again now that we're back in the hot season. I lost track of how quickly I was losing FC and hit 0 in one of my tests.

PoolStored said:

If you get your CH down and run your CSI negative, it should not scale.

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Thanks, I'll target a lower CSI and prioritize a water change.

PoolStored said:

What chemicals are you concerned about and where are you adding?

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Muriatic acid freaks me out!

Get a long piece of a rod or even a coat hanger and put a bend in it to hook under and pull it up. Rod that you can bend will be better than a coat hanger. Most hardware stored have various rods available.

Andrewp said:

Btw, does the CaCl2 have to be bought from a pool store specifically, or would something like this be OK?

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It is the one product I buy from the pool store. Too many impurities in snow melt and other products. Well worth the few $$.

I agree. I feel like someone unboxed things and put it on the pad and they just hooked it up where they sat. Took me awhile to understand most of it. (I am working with them they are just slow to respond, busy opening other pools, etc... and i genuinely want to know these things instead of relying on someone else to fix it - i realize i can't fix everything myself)

Rheem = Spa (checked flow rate on it, it's above the 15 (at 34 gpm)
UltraTemp = Pool - pool heats fine


SPA layout (everything left of actuator [red valve inlet])
I'll focus on this cuz it's really the only problem i'm having

I've marked up the photo let me know if you have other questions:

Pool Flow:
POOL -> MAIN DRAIN/SHALLOW SKIMMER -> POOL PUMP -> SAND FILTER -> Ultra Temp -> SWG -> RETURN TO POOL

Spa Flow:
SPA -> SPA DRAIN -> SPA PUMP -> RHEEM HEATER -> CLEAN AND CLEAR Cartridge Filter -> RETURN TO SPA

ACTUATOR:
Pegged to right unless I have spillway on... then pulls from Deep End Drain (Deep Skimmer/red valve) to help overflow the spa

Andrewp said:

Btw, does the CaCl2 have to be bought from a pool store specifically, or would something like this be OK?

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I have no idea what the other 26% is.

ajw22 said:

Noting serviceable in the transformer unless it is a wire connection problem.

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thanks!

ajw22 said:

These two valves are on the suction side of your pump.

Your picture does not show the return valves or pipes that feed your jets.

Show us complete pictures of your equipment pad.

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This is all the equipment we have. Not sure what else I could show

Btw, does the CaCl2 have to be bought from a pool store specifically, or would something like this be OK?

pH is fine. Leave it alone. The pH test is not valid when FC >10.

Raganbogan said:

wondering if that seems reasonable.

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What is "that?"

SWG is still off, of course. I’m just interested to verify my pH is good. It was 7.8 before I started the SLAM. It’s a great guide and well written.
So also, one of the last things I did at the end was to add some DE to my sand filter to help clear up the stubborn cloudiness. This was effective, but I had to repeat it 4 times because not long after adding it, my pressure would climb and my pump would struggle to maintain prime, resulting in needing to backwash to clear it. So the DE is very effective, but just wondering if that seems reasonable.

Welcome to TFP.

Why aren't you working with your builder to fix your problems? You have some strange plumbing.

What automation controls do you have?

heater not really getting that hot for spa - just cleaned filter (wasn't bad)

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I see an UltraTemp HP and a Rheem electric heater on the spa pump. Which heater is being run and what are the two heaters for?

I cannot clearly see your filter and pipes, the HP water in and where it comes from, or where your return pipes are. You need to post more pictures from various angles.

jballer said:

- Haven't done anything with the heater. It sounds like I should descale annually? Is it worthwhile to aggressively bypass it when not heating? When adding chemicals?

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Where are those sounds coming from? Why do you think you need to descale. Have you seen scale?
If you get your CH down and run your CSI negative, it should not scale.
You should bypass when not heating.
Depends on where you are adding chemicals. What chemicals are you concerned about and where are you adding?

jballer said:

- Calcium level is getting high (550+). Utility has pretty hard water, do people hire tankers for refilling? I'm on septic and along a ravine, I figure I just run a hose and let it run down into the trees?

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Check the tanker water source...ask them for calcium content, iron content and copper content. Hose would be fine if the are can handle that amount of water.

jballer said:

- Apparent leaks and algae growth around the base of spa spillover waterfall.

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Get some chlorinated water on the spillover.

jballer said:

- Spa return jets still bubble a bit while the air blower is off
- Limestone coping is eroding in spots, unsure whether it's worth trying to fill+seal

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Can't comment.


Please post a full set of test results.

Welcome to TFP.

jballer said:

- Haven't done anything with the heater. It sounds like I should descale annually?

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Nope. We don’t recommend that.

Any indication your heater is scaled up?

jballer said:

Is it worthwhile to aggressively bypass it when not heating?

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Bypassing the heater can let the pump be more efficient.

jballer said:

When adding chemicals?

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Nope.

Not unless you are doing something unusual like lowering pH below 7.

jballer said:

- Calcium level is getting high (550+). Utility has pretty hard water, do people hire tankers for refilling?

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Depends on your options for fill water.

jballer said:

I'm on septic and along a ravine, I figure I just run a hose and let it run down into the trees?

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That is fine as long as your jurisdiction has no regulations against it.

jballer said:

- Apparent leaks and algae growth around the base of spa spillover waterfall.

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Can your pool pass a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test? If not you need to follow the SLAM Process.

Post pics of the spa leak areas if you want to discuss repairs.

jballer said:

- Spa return jets still bubble a bit while the air blower is off

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That can be normal.

jballer said:

- Limestone coping is eroding in spots, unsure whether it's worth trying to fill+seal

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Probably low quality limestone.

How thin are the blades on the veins of the impeller? How was the diffuser condition? Warped…worn?