Is there a make/model # on the anode? I'd be surprised that there are two o-rings. Try removing one and see what happens...

Not that you would ever notice.

Would there be an advantages if I removed the reducers?

The pool... that's a slide, not a tail.

JPMorgan said:

Would it mean anything if they were replaced and still didn't go to 0?

Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing something, it would mean the new gauges are bad.

Just manage the pH. Wait until pH reaches 8 then lower to 7.6. Any pH in the 7s is good. You may wish to consider using a water softener for your fill to alleviate the CH climbing.

You’ll want to upgrade your test kit for FAS-DPD chlorine testing. Taylor kit K-1515-A as an add-on or otherwise acquire R-0870 and R-0871, or upgrade to another test kit altogether. Speed stir devices are worth it for consistency.

How did you arrive at CYA of 44?

Test Kits Compared

Jimrahbe said:

Brant,

Many here have raised spillover spas, and heaters.. they run between 1500 and 1800 rpm.. Make sure you get a larger (3 HP) VS pump vs. the smaller (1.5 HP) VS pump.. The larger the pump, the slower you can run it and still move a lot of water.. The slower you can run it, the less it costs.. The slower you run it, the quieter it is.. You almost have to touch my pump to make sure it is still running...

Without any 'proof' I personally believe that running 24/7, at a low rpm, is better for the longevity of the pump vs. starting and stopping the pump each day. So far I have been doing this for over 12 years, without any issues.. Only time will tell..

If you are getting an automation system, there is a better way than running your spillover all day.. Automation systems have a 'Spillway' mode.. It sucks water from the pool and sends it all back to the spa.. You just schedule it to run for half an hour, twice a day, and it will keep your spa perfectly sanitized..

Are you going with a Saltwater pool??

Thanks,

Jim R.

Click to expand...

Pool is built, plumbed, etc. I have three 3 hp VS pumps, 2.5" and 3" supply lines. Oversized spa jet plumbing. 10 jets, no blower. Everything is quiet and runs awesome. I also have a designated spillway valve thats automated so I can filter the pool and run the spa overflow (as a visual feature) when guests are over. I plumbed it to be fully automated and controlled from my phone.

I guess the thought of the spa sitting without flow for 23 hrs a day kinda stresses me out. I feel like that water will get stagnant. Maybe this is irrational.

I have a sand filter (using turbidex media) and I have experienced the overflow stop overflowing after about 2 weeks between backflushes. As mentioned, the pool is new (less than 1 month) so I'm sure there is a fair amount of plaster dust still accumulating in the filter. This lack of flow to the spa seemed like a good indicator that the flow had reduced. Looking in the app, flow dropped from around 50 gpm to just over 20 gpm. I hadn't been monitoring it too closely at that point because I figured I would use the pressure gauge on the filter to determine when it was time to backflush. Well according to the gauge, it was not time to clean but based on the flow, it was.

Please don't berate me for using a sand filter. I knew the pros/cons going into this and have been educated plenty of time by people on this forum. We can just agree that we all have differing opinions on the matter.

I also have a salt cell but have not yet added salt or hooked it up. Im currently running a spacer in its place. I intend to switch to salt at some point but right now I'm using liquid and trichlor tabs because I want to see how long I can maintain the pool before my CYA starts climbing. This is for my own knowledge and also to get an understanding of chemical needs/costs so i have a good comparison. Again, please dont berate me.

As far as monitoring chems.... I'm already using a TF-Pro test kit and keeping my LSI/CSI in check.

PoolStored said:

I'm also skeptical of a 35K pool in Mo. What are the L, W, D in shallow and D in deepend...let's get that closer.

Click to expand...

The shape of the pool is oblong basically: not quite kidney bean, rather a figure 8. (To match the street number, I guess.)

I used a laser distance meter to measure the length and two diameters (using the oblong calculator here: Pool Volume Calculator)
I haven't measured depths yet, but I believe it goes from 3 ft shallow end to 10 ft deep end.
Measurements:
Large diam: 25.7 ft
Small diam: 21.2 ft
Length: 39.5 ft

Using that calc, it estimates 40,600 gallons.

I have four large containers of "shock".... basically 10% sodium hypochlorite... which is basically liquid chlorine / bleach? Each is 2.5 gallons, so 10 gallons available at this moment.

I updated PoolMath to use the 40k gallons figure from the calc, and it suggests adding 245 oz. adding 150oz. (EDIT: I had the wrong percent in the app.)
If 2.5 gallon jug is 320 oz, I need about 3/4 jug. 1/2 jug.

Seems legit?

PoolStored said:

2) how are you testing your water? (i.e. what kit do you have?)

Click to expand...

I have some AquaChek strips and a Pentair Pro-11. Both might be a bit old (5yrs?), but what I have at the moment. (I intend to order a better kit.)
Both kits are telling me that I essentially have no FC/CYA.
I also have a digital probe that will measure salt and pH. Using that, for the moment, to measure salt and cross-check the pH measurement of other kits

PoolStored said:

Gauges that do not go to zero should be replaced.

Click to expand...

So you would replace that suction side gauge and one of those filter gauges? Would it mean anything if they were replaced and still didn't go to 0?

Gauges that do not go to zero should be replaced.

Welcome to TFP!!!

Yes. It is better to maintain the pool, than to end up with a SWAMP. It will *likely* take less $ and time to maintain vs. clean up later. Any if they are delayed for any reason and you have a swamp/algae, they will not want to get in to find the leak. Ounce of prevention vs. a pound of cure and all...

Keep your water levels up in the skimmer so that you never starve the pump with water. Fill it so that you are 75% up the skimmer mouth, so if you lose 1.5", you still have water in the right place for your skimmer.

When are they coming out?

711,

If your pool does not have a make-up valve for your spillover spa, then the other option is to offset the Return actuator, so that you are always sending a little water to the spa..

Show us several pics of your equipment pad plumbing..

Also, most automation systems have a 'Spillway' mode.. this mode sucks water from the pool and sends it all to the spa.. When using this mode, most just schedule it to run for half an hour, twice a day, to keep the spa water fresh.. It does not matter if you have a spillover spa, or one that is level with pool, it will work in either case.

Thanks,

Jim R.

mas985 said:

When you turn off the pump do all gauges go to zero?

Click to expand...

Here are pics of the suction side and pressure side guages with the pump off. The suction side did not go to 0. What does that indicate? I also included pics of the pressure guages before and after each filter. Note... one of the filter guages on the return side of the filter did not go to 0. Does that tell me anything?

YippeeSkippy said:

Do you have a sand filter? A bad O ring under a Multiport Valve can let sand in to the pool.
If you want to try to figure out if its calcium- scoop a bit on tp grass and add a few drops of Muriatic Acid. If it fizzes its calcium.

Please fill out a signature line giving us more details about your pool and equipment, and how you test and sanitize.

Maddie

Click to expand...

Thank you and I will!
I have a cartridge filter

mknauss said:

I would load a floater with 5 pucks (I believe that is how many it will hold).

That will be a bunch of acid too. So pH can be an issue. Though you TA is high (odd result).

Install a SWCG when you return.

Click to expand...

Re-checked our TA and it is 80. Going to ask a neighbor to put in SLAM level of chlorine every 3 days while we are out for the week and skip the puck approach.

SS,

Are you wanting to shut off the SWCG, when you using your 'S2' ?? (No clue what S2 is... )

If not, I would schedule Pool Group from 10 am until 7 pm. Leave Sense Read scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30 pm..

The key is that when the pump sees two or more speeds, it will always run the fastest one..

There is just no reason to overlap by 1 minute.

Not sure if that will fix your issue, but worth trying..

Also make sure your egg-timers are set to the default of 12 hours..

Thanks,

Jim R.

email [email protected]

or go to the bottom of this page and select Contact Us.

dereksanders said:

You will be fighting TA because of the fill water. What is the CH of your fill water?

Click to expand...

Hi Derek, sorry for the long time to reply. The CH of my fill water is 130. all testing done using my Taylor K2005. do you think that trying to keep my TA at 90 is a futile effort? My pH constantly climbs usually to about 7.8+ I use pucks and Tricore shock until I get my CYA up. It is currently at 44. Switching to good old liquid chlorine from Walmart. Any thoughts?

Retro,

Do you not 'close' your pool in the winter???

Here in Texas most people run their pools 365.. When my SWCG shuts off due to the cold water temp, I just switch over to Liquid Chlorine and treat the pool just like I do in the summer. The only difference is that when the water is cold, it does not use a lot of chlorine..

I have never used any algaecides...

Thanks,

Jim R.

I also just yesterday purchased the Betta SE Plus. Unlike my normal process, I did zero research and purchased after reading some positive comments in another thread. So far, I have only 1 issue and that’s the Betta getting stuck at the skimmers. It covers the entire skimmer opening and creates a suction that’s too strong for it to pull away from. Betta includes a small piece of a pool noodle that you can cut to size and put in the skimmer opening to supposedly fix this problem, but I haven’t tried it yet. I really need 2 pieces since the one they included isn’t large enough for both skimmers.

Other than that, the Betta SE Plus has exceeded expectations. Hard to remember the last time I could say that about anything I bought. Our pool is surrounded by large trees, which strangely grow so that every piece of debris that falls, however large or small, does so directly into our pool. Probably our neighbors’ trees, as well. I’m constantly scooping stuff out, emptying skimmer baskets and running the Polaris cleaner. I dropped the Betta in the pool yesterday afternoon and there hasn’t been anything floating on the surface since. And today has been very windy. Skimmer baskets are almost empty. The few leaves on the bottom of the pool were probably there before I started using the Betta. Might be the first time in 18 years that it has been this clean. Additionally, I didn’t even charge the device before using it. I pulled it out of the box and turned it on. It had power, so I placed it in the pool. It’s been running ever since, including running all night. It was still running this morning before sunrise.



And I’m not seeing any debris coming out when it reverses, as some others have reported. I even used the remote to reverse at the highest speed possible and nothing came out. Fine debris, like pollen, is also getting picked up, or at least I don’t see it on the surface any longer.

Brant,

Many here have raised spillover spas, and heaters.. they run between 1500 and 1800 rpm.. Make sure you get a larger (3 HP) VS pump vs. the smaller (1.5 HP) VS pump.. The larger the pump, the slower you can run it and still move a lot of water.. The slower you can run it, the less it costs.. The slower you run it, the quieter it is.. You almost have to touch my pump to make sure it is still running...

Without any 'proof' I personally believe that running 24/7, at a low rpm, is better for the longevity of the pump vs. starting and stopping the pump each day. So far I have been doing this for over 12 years, without any issues.. Only time will tell..

If you are getting an automation system, there is a better way than running your spillover all day.. Automation systems have a 'Spillway' mode.. It sucks water from the pool and sends it all back to the spa.. You just schedule it to run for half an hour, twice a day, and it will keep your spa perfectly sanitized..

Are you going with a Saltwater pool??

Thanks,

Jim R.