New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

I wish the pump manual would just say what gpm you run at each rpms…
RPMs needed to deliver a GPM vary based on how dirty your filter is and what other restrictions there are in your plumbing. It is not a set speed.

Pumps are usually choked down using GPM and you will get more flow at the high end using RPM.
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Horse pool

Good luck with your pool! We use our 20 x 40 SuperPool for dogs. We've found it works best to rinse the dogs before as well as after they're in the pool, be proactive with the chlorine, and be ready to clean the socks on the skimmers frequently if long-coated dogs are in the pool (show Goldens are the worst!). We use a robot vacuum/scrubber that climbs the sides as well as brushing it down once a week as well as a manual cordless stick vacuum. However, our pool is only 4' deep, so we can literally stand in it and manually vacuum the large blobs of hair or dirt to help out the robot.
It is a lot of work but we have enjoyed it, as have our and others' dogs

Tested my two fill water options with Taylor K-2006-SALT - thoughts?

In MY pool, with MY aerator, it probably takes 6 hours to raise pH from 7.0 to 7.4.
I see you areator in the pic in your article. Can you share what's int here? is it connected to a sump pump in the bottom? I see a pipe coming out on the top under the sand bag or whatever that is. I would like to build something similar if I can

Gas vs normal exhaust smell on mastertemp 125 heater

I have a customer that is complaining of a gas smell from the exhaust of a relatively new Mastertemp 125. I'm not quite sure if it's actual gas, or just the smell of the exhaust. I don't know that my nose is sensitive enough. To me, it just smelled like exhaust. The gas pressure reads fine, it's outdoors (well ventilated). What are some other possible explanations for this. Is a gas sniffer the best option to test this out? Is it normal for some minor or minute amount of gas to always come through the exhaust?
It is completely normal for those heaters, at start-up, to smell gas in the exhaust just as the flame lights. Gas is being forced into the combustion chamber by the blower and some will escape before it all lights. Afterward there can be a faint smell of gas, but if the burner is lit it is just the "stuff" (mercaptan) that is put into natural gas so that you do smell it.
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Last minute changes on concrete pool as gunite is being shot

Well, I only have myself to blame I suppose for not making sure everything was accounted for. As stupid as this may sound, I just learned recently that baja shelves can be at different depths. Our architect asked "do you want a shelf?", we said "yeah!", then we agreed on the area, but never discussed depth. In my mind a shelf is whatever it is at that entry height.

A week ago I realized people build baja shelves at all kinds of depths, depending on the step level its in. This is after rebar was already in....

I called the builder and asked, he said the shelf is 6" deep. After actually giving this due thought, I realized I wanted it at 9". Oh well...

Today comes, concrete shoot crew arrives... It turns out there was enough clearance between the beam and the shelf rebar to give us 9 " depth. Great!

So far so good...then we realize the steps down from the shelf to the floor are in the wrong location (on the swim lane, instead of towards the deep end). Again, we are able to change it

As all of this unfolds, I am discussing these changes on one side of the pool with the foreman, as the crew is shooting on the other end...

I then realize the step down to get in the pool after the shelf depth change will be 15". While I can do that no problem, I wonder if my mom and in laws would be able to...So again, we agree to put an entry 18"x18" step on the corner of the shelf...

I go back in, come back after a couple of hours, and notice they shot a 3'x18" bench in the deep end of the pool. I was already anxious with all this, but now I'm really out of my mind. Called the builder, who said "uh, don't know, I think it was in your architect's plans".

Cut story short, I had them cut it off after they had already shot. Good times.

Moral of the story, don't do what I did. Be on top of your plans and make sure you know what you want, and the builder knows what you want.
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iAqualink 3.0 dead....or it seems to be dead

Short history, bought my house in July 2020, installed iAqualink 2.0 at that time. I was always having connection issues and calling Fluidra to get back online. In November 2021 they finally decided to send me a iAqualink 3.0 if I paid a professional company to install, so I did.

Late around February 2025, I started having connection issues again, and Fluidra blamed my internet connection, which was not the issue, and I never could get it to connect. So just let it ride with the settings I had already set. Decided to figure it out yesterday and this iAqualink 3.0 is dead...no lihgts of any kind, can't reset it....I mean DEAD. Are these things just this much junk? I mean, for 500 to 600 dollars, I figured they should last 10 to 12 years easily.

I get it, electronics die, but wow, for that much I can't stomach replacing every 2 to 3 years. I have called them back, but I am sure they will not help this time. Is there another wireless alternative to the iAqualink?
Not without going to a completely different brand, like Pentair.

Omnilogic options ?

Hi Everyone,

I have a 5 year old Omnilogic controller - which I normally love - which is now dead. Back in August we had what I can only assume was a lightning strike (thunderstorms went through and the Omni had no display). I spent $2500 to repair it, including replacing the MSP module and a power supply board. I also added a $400 Siemens surge protector to the panel to prevent it from happening again. When we winterized, we left the breaker off.

Today the guys opened the pool, and the Omni came up briefly (long enough for me to get an email about needing an update) and then it died. The guys said they were going to call out their automation guy to look at it (he's coming on Friday). When I looked, I turned on the breaker and within about 2 minutes I could smell burning electronics. I opened it up (thinking there may be a literal fire) and narrowed the burning to the big power supply in the upper right. (at least I think so)

Anyway - I really don't want to put more money into this thing. I'm frustrated.

Does anyone know if there is a substitute automation system I could install, ideally while using the existing Omnilogic "can" so I don't have to have an electrician re-wire everything? Maybe a different less powerful Hayward controller that would fit in there? I honestly don't have much - VS Pump, booster pump for polaris, salt cell, 1 valve for water feature, led lights and a heat pump. I also am a home automation guy, so I'm cool rolling my own automation with Z-Wave relays if needed. Also am comfortable doing both line voltage and low voltage wiring.

Any creative ideas? I'm tired of keeping my pool guy's BMW shiny. (LOL). Thanks all!
PS: or even a way I could buy Omnilogic parts direct and install myself?
Here is one place that sells parts:

My Water Softener Adventure

Post a full set of current test results from your TF-100.
Don't forget to test the salt content with a drop based test.
Your PoolMath logs are over 7 months old.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

Will do soon! The pool is still essentially closed. The pump and filter are in my basement, the bottom is full of dead worms. I'll probably get it circulating by Memorial Day weekend. Then I can adjust the pH and TA and check the CYA.

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My Water Softener Adventure

Well, I'm a stubborn *******, so at the risk of prematurely destroying the resin beads, I decided to try anyway.

It works!
First, the water coming directly out of the unit has a calcium content less than 25ppm (the drop test starts magenta and goes blue with one drop).
Second, the calcium in the pool has dropped to near 200ppm.

There were some growing pains along the way.
At first it wasn't consuming salt. Oh no! But I also realized that there wasn't any liquid in the recharge drain line. Although my little pump was capable of pulling 2.7GPM through the nearly 200' of 1/2" line, it couldn't do that and recharge. So I started closing the return to the pool when I went to bed, and opening it first thing in the morning. The softener was set to recharge at 2AM, so it got to use all of that pump's output to recharge.
Shortly after that, my $50 Amazon Special pump died. It was probably only rated at a few hundred hours.
I replaced it with a brushless pump rated at 20k hours and 24h duty cycle.

I'm hoping in another week or so to drop below 100ppm, at which point, I'll probably stop.

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