First of all, I want to express my gratitude for this site and the folks on it. It has been an invaluable resource as I'm taking over doing pool maintenance myself.

A little backstory: I ditched three different pool cleaning services in less than a year (all with at least a 4.9 out of 5 star rating on Google). I won't go into specifics here, but let's just say in each case, I didn't get what I paid for.

So with pool maintenance in my own hands, I bought a TF-Pro Salt kit and a C-600 pH/salt meter. Some of the numbers made my jaw drop.

FC: 19
CC: undetectable (< 0.5)
Salt: 5300
pH: 8.4
CYA: undetectable (< 30)
TA: 50
CH: 200

The weekly reports I received said FC was 4 or 5, pH was between 7.4 and 7.6, and salt was 3000. (The other numbers were not reported.) I suspect the FC and pH were measured using the OTO kit (unreliable at such a high FC) or cheap test strips (always unreliable). I also suspect the salt number was read straight off the Hayward controller (no secondary test to confirm), and that salt was added every time the reported reading dipped below 3000.

My first course of action was to raise the TA to 80 using baking soda, lower the pH by adding muriatic acid, and turn off the SWG for several weeks while the FC dropped to a more reasonable level. I also replaced my SWG with a new T-9 cell.

Here are my most recent numbers:

FC: 9
CC: undetectable (< 0.5)
Salt: 5300
pH: 7.7
CYA: 70
TA: 80
CH: 425

All of the numbers seem good now, except for the eye-watering salt number. To get the salt number down, I don't see how I have any choice besides draining and refilling about 40 percent of my pool water. I'm sure my new T-9 cell will appreciate that. As others on this site have said, I don't plan to add salt based on the Hayward controller reading alone; I will use the TF salt test to confirm the numbers first.

That's all I have for now. Thanks again for this great resource, and thanks for helping me to open my eyes to the high costs, low value, and significant harm I was getting from my (now former) pool cleaners.

Im about to replace the motherboard on a pentair easy touch system. After connecting all of the inputs to the motherboard, does it need to be reprogrammed? This is my first time tackling this motherboard problem.

Thanks in advance.

The demolition or chipping crew (9 guys) came today and removed the old marcite surface of my pool and spa, as the first stage of the renovation process. The pool is not too big so after three hours of solid and very noisy work, they had finished and cleared up. The foreman mentioned that it looked like there had been a couple of fixtures above the large swimout which had previously been removed and plastered over.

After they left, I took a close look and found that both of the plaster 'plugs' were loose and were only held in place by the waterline tiles. I decided to break these out and clean up the openings, the plan being to plug them permanently with concrete and allow them to cure before the Pebblesheen crew arrives in a few weeks time. The chipping crew were not supposed to come until another three weeks but they had a cancellation so arranged to come early, thank goodness!

I was expecting to see some plumbing once I removed the plugs which consisted of a very sandy mortar covered in thick marcite. However, there was no sign of any pipes so I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the openings may have been for? The base and sides are approximately 5-inches wide by 6.5-inches tall and go right back through the 6-inch concrete to the dirt. The openings are not symetrically aligned with the ends of the shelf so I'm wondering if the previous owner cancelled whatever was planned to go there because of this mistake.

The next thing is that they exposed what looks like some kind of brown fiber board which looks like thick hardboard in the wall of the spa. I don't know if it had been used as a flexible former when the curved wall of the spa was constructed but it will be coming out also.

Finally, I had already decided to have the skimmer replaced, only because it had been there since 1992 and it seemed wise to do it before the new finish was applied. After the demolition was done, a fairly large hole was found just behind the marcite, alongside the skimmer. The dirt behind it was damp and there were the remains of some kind of slender root system growing. That should all be taken care of when the new skimmer is installed.

Now I'm wondering what else remains covered up and unseen.