Hi all, it has rained but no more than a couple inches since I tested the CYA level about 2 weeks ago. The measured CYA level seems to have dropped from rounded up 80 to rounded up 60, or even 50 could be justified based on how closely you look. The only chemical addition to pool is a little bit of muriatic acid. It seems odd the measured CYA level has dropped this much (represents a 25% change in volume in the black dot tube). Both measurements were confirmed multiple times, and in fact the level was originally where it is now before I bumped it to about 80. Taylor test kit, fresh bottle of reagent, same bottle used last few weeks during 50 to 80 to 50/60.

Other tests: FC 8.5, CC zero, ph 7.7, TA 50, Calcium 550. I am now going to reduce FC because i dont need it this high if CYA is in the 50 ish range.

I do use two pool robots, Dolphin E70 and a solar powered skimmer. Not sure if these robots could interact with the stabilizer.

Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!

This is a very rough 2D sketch. Reading on this forum it is recommended to have two skimmers with one opposite the prevailing wind and one opposite that (as I read it, let me know if I'm misreading it). In our yard, the wind is always East to West or West to East. The deep end of the pool is in the E-W / W-E wind tunnel and the shallow end receives little wind due to the house side and neighbors house.

Does it matter if both skimmers are in the deep end?

Using the pool math app I want to increase my TA from 37 to 70 by adding baking soda. Next, Increase CH to 350 from 186 by adding calcium chloride. Do I need to turn off the SWG while adding the baking soda and calcium chloride?

We have cold winters but left it up last winter without too much trouble. But our closing cover got pretty torn up.

What does everyone use?
- We can still use our cover but it has holes in it, problem??
- We’ve wondered if a regular tarp is good enough?
- Some on here mentioned auto covers?

Also wondering if it’s necessary to drain below outlet holes or can I just plug them and keep the pool full??

Do you all suggest the winter balls?

Last question?!! Is a pillow necessary? Ours popped after a week last winter

Thanks for any input

Howdy,

Have a quote for an AA IFCS and when asking the PB about it vs others they state Pentair bought AA and they can quote Pentair if desired. The questions are; Is there a difference between the two systems if they are the same owner? One a better quality or is it all all just name recognition?

I've searched the forum and have read the pro vs con and I'm stuck on and IFCS.

Grew up cleaning a vinyl pool (under a 60' cherry tree) in the 70s and any pool I build will have all the automation possible.

Hello,
Pool inheritor/owner of 6-7 years here. I have never worried much about CSI in my pool since it's vinyl but I do have an SWG. Is a below -.6 CSI likely to cause problems in my pool? It says no problem for vinyl unless a CSI of > .6 .

My most recent battery is:

FC 4 CC .5 (need to vacuum)
pH 7.4
TA 60
CH 80
CYA 60
Salt 3400

Hi,

I'm a newbie with this automatic control via Wi-Fi thing. Prior system was Zodiac Z4. The installation by a pool shop went very well, but while looking for a pump serial number, I managed to press an on/off button on the pump which turned it off. Pressing the button again did nothing. When I used the iAqualink app, it showed the pump to be on, and toggling it just caused a relay to flip in the control box. Nothing happened at the pump. When I called the pool shop, they said the connection between iAqualink and the Pentair Intelliflow3 VSF was broken and they would have to set it up again. No big problem, I hope, except they wouldn't tell me how to do it myself. Is there an easy fix, or at least a reasonable one, to reestablish the connection? I have no problem waiting a few days for the pool guys to show up, but it would be nice if I can improve my own pool survival skills just in case.

Hi everyone my pool is scheduled for install in 3 weeks or so...lots of info on this sight glad I found it. Any other CT members here?

I have a Hayward DE filter (EC65A) and I feel no resistance on the handle when I try to bump it. This is a first in our 5 years as pool owner. Closing the pool on October 11th. Can I fix this on my own?

Hello all,

Not sure if anyone has been down this path before, but I am thinking we need to replace our Hydraulic Power Pack for our Aquamatic Hydramatic Pool Cover. I was looking at the part online and I can't believe that it is running about $3k. Link to Part Well, I guess I can believe it; it is a pool part.

The motor trips the break randomly and nothing in tracing back the power indicates any other trip point. It seems to get really hot and I am thinking that is what ends up tripping the breaker. It is 21 years old and probably time for a replacement anyway, but there is the problem. If I were to only replace the electric motor it would be about $600 but the rust on the hydraulic assemble is probably going lead to a replacement to that as well. Has anybody gone down the path of looking at alternatives? I mean an electric motor and hydraulic power pack for any other use would be a lot cheaper.

Just wondering if anyone would have any thoughts or experience doing something else.

Thank you in advance!

Rick

Following my slam, trying to bring my cya from 40 to 80. I’ve added 2.5 1gal bottles of instant conditioner, and its only up to 50. The conditioner adds were two days ago. However, the fluid in the bottles had obviously settled a ton. I mixed them up, but it was still chunky when poured into the pool.

Any reason why my cya would not increase more than it has? Pretty sure it has responded faster than this previously.

Measuring cya via the visual dot method in my k-2006 kit.

Thanks

Hi all - lurker for a while and finally mustered up the courage to create an account! Looking to build a pool/spa and hardscape/landscape our backyard.

Contemplating OB but also talking to a few large PBs here - specifically design/build firms. I’ve spoken to at least seven firms and all of them require design fees, with most of them requiring four digit sum before even setting foot on my property. I suppose it’s a sellers market now still!

Thank you again for having me here.

I've always torn down and stored my Intex or now Coleman (Bestway) AGPs in the past, but I see so many people here saying they just winterize, so think I'm going to go that route starting this year. Found this blog post on here

I have a few questions
1) Does that blog cover everything?
2) Air pillows, good to get or another thing pool supplies stores sell just to make a buck?
3) Are winter pool covers different than the solid pool covers that come including with pools? I have one from my old Intex that's the same size as the Coleman, so wondering if that will work or if I need a special winter cover.
4) Anyone had good results with the "winter closing kit" options you see advertised all the time? The ease of one box with everything I need and no headache is very appealing

Thanks for the help and feedback.

My wife and I have been pool owners for the last 4 years. We absolutely love it, and it is the place to come for the kids and grandkids, We are getting a little older now, so it can become quite a chore. I look forward to learning everything I can to make it as simple as it can be. I will try to help you as well when I can. Glad to be here.

I'm looking for some guidance on any potential upgrade paths from my existing Jandy RS6 automation setup - whether there are in-place upgrades for this particular system or something entirely new. The system itself has been fairly trouble-free, though the PDA I have that is working seems to be dying a slow death. I would prefer something that interfaces with a smart phone. I will be replacing my pump in the very near future with a variable speed unit (Pentair Intelliflow), so the ability to control that would be idea - not certain my current RS4 setup can do that without some kind of upgrade or update.

My setup is a pool/spa combo, heater, pool/spa lights, vac booster and main pump. Ideally I'd love to be able to trigger landscape lighting with the system as well.

Last but not least, I'd really prefer something I can do DIY, if possible. I hadn't planned to make any changes anytime soon, but with the impending need for a new VS pump, I'd like to at least consider a new setup. I'm very knowledgeable about my current pool setup, comfortable and competent with safe electrical work, a tech nerd in general and a fairly accomplished DIY guy - so installing something like this doesn't really phase me too much outside the potential costs.

Appreciate your feedback!

I guess it had to happen eventually... it seems like Hayward T-15 is dying. Unit states "Low Salt", but when checked via 1766 testing shows 4600ppm. Shame on me for just adding bags of salt without recognizing a problem immediately. I replaced my cartridges (unrelated, it was time after 5yrs) today and cleaned SWG as well. No change. Diagnostic on positive side shows 1000-1500ppm, but negative side is 2800ppm. My FC looks good still, but I'm concerned that SWG may not run when needed. So I changed it to a T-9 in settings, increased operating % and now its 4100ppm. With the 500ppm Hayward tolerance, I think I may get a little more out of this cell operating as a T-9.... its a little over 5 years old. Installed with new pool in July 2018.

Any feedback or suggestions why I should not go in this direction, please let me know.
Thanks!

first time pool owner and new to the forum.. following my pool store testing (Leslies.) i went ahead and did a partial drain and fill yesterday to lower cya level .. went from 120 to 102 with a 12 inch drain.

Should I do another foot tonight to bring it down under 100 or just leave it as is.. ive seen in other places that cya of 150 is still ok.. its really only a concern when i gets to 200 plus.. thanks.. hope that explains what iam asking..

I successfully closed by myself.

I vacuumed the pool this morning.

Tested the water and shocked the pool.

I did not buy into the algaecide this year. Just not using it.

Started to drain water off via backwash/rinse/ waste and using 2 sump pumps.

Disconnected the pipe from filter and blew the line as much as I could. I then reversed it and suctiononed the line. Poured antifreeze down skimmer hole and added the gizmo. Went back to pump and removed manifold and SWG. Loosened fittings at heater and blew heater out.

Blew all return lines and capped. So here's my helper... I cut a pool noodle to shove one end in the vac hose and the other in the return line so I could cap while it was still blowing. Worked so well!!!



The only line I cannot blow is the slide line, I suction it and add a gallon of antifreeze to every line.

I finally covered it all by myself.


I pulled the plugs on the pump and put all my eyeball fittings in the pump basket. I started at 10am was finished by 3pm. I'll clean the filter this weekend.

Hi folks. First time turning on the pool heater for our new pool (completed 8/2023).

Just added our salt yesterday and wanted to try out the pool heater. I noticed 1 return jet has tiny micro bubbles coming out while heater is running.

I turned off heater and no more tiny micro bubbles. What would this indicate? We had a small leak at the pad where the PVC pipe from filter connects to the heater, but this was fixed last month and I can't see any more leakage.

Is this possibly a chemical reaction between water Temps? Our water was 69° and I had pool heater set to get it up to 82°.

Thanks!

Having children is great. And then they start to get older and think they are part-owners of our cars, our house, our pool. Needless to say our teenagers and friends found a way to break off the cap of our air intake. We have a pool with connected spa and I am having a heck of a time finding a replacement. Any tips for where to look or even if I am call this part by its wrong name?

Any help would be appreciated.

Rick

I had an existing Merlin IG pool cover with the Merlin brass anchors mounted in the concrete pool deck which I’ve used for years. Last year I had the concrete pool deck demolished and replaced with travertine that looks great. Since pool season is now over I would like to cover my pool, but the original brass anchors went with the old pool deck. I’ve looked online and the Merlin brass anchors seem to be priced at $14-$18 each. There seems to be copy versions at $45 for a pack of 20 on Amazon.
Anybody have any experience with these copied versions and know if the quality is as good?

Hi, I've been reading the forum posts and didn't find the exact answer to the issue I'm seeing and was hoping for some help before I call Pentair tomorrow.

I have a 3HP variable speed pump that has been working fine for the last 3 years (install date 5/1/2020) but all of a sudden it stopped working yesterday; no display at the pump, no signal via Screenlogic/automation. I checked the breakers, and confirmed there is 240v at the pump and the relay is working with I turn it on at the panel. I live in Austin, TX, so no lightning recently and the pump wasn't making any funny noises prior to it going out.

Based on my research, it sounds as if the drive unit went bad, but the pump and LCD are still ok?

If the above is correct, a few questions:

• Given I'm 5 months out of warranty, would Pentair definitely not warranty?
• If they don't warranty, is it possible to repair the drive unit?
• If unable to repair, does getting a used one (1/2 the cost of new) present any major issues?

Thanks in advance!

Rich

Hey,
I'm just starting with pool automation but I want to make a "simple" PH monitor. (I'll be doing ORP in the future).
But I'm confused as to where I should place the probe and if it is fine for it to be placed in flowing water.
Placement meaning before the pump/after the pump & filter and also where should I place the PH injector for automatic ph control I'm guessing that behind the PH probe but I still may be wrong.

We're just about to wrap up our first full summer with our pool. It was completed in the middle of summer last year, so this is our first full summer with me handling all of the maintenance besides open/close. Just now starting to experience some water clarity headaches so I'm hoping to lean on the expertise here. Pool is 18' x 36' with a max depth of 6'6". We have cartridge filters with a heater and ozone system. Right now my biggest issue is white specks floating throughout the pool, even after I've cleaned the filters. I took them out three straight days and hosed them off but they go right back to reading dirty on the gauge again. Seems too early to need to replace them, but what do I know?!

Attempting to install my pool fence and I am debating my configurations. Wanted some advice on this area, I know the skimmer and gutter is here, so not sure if i can just drill holes between the pool edge and skimmer.

I am dealing with a very stealthy leak in my liner which I have searched for hours with the snorkel and used up all my red food coloring bottle. As I am now very frustrated, I am now devising a contraption to go around the edge of the pool with a large amount of green in hopes I might be able to find it. Before I go crazy and accidentally dye my pool for an early St Patrick's Day, will the chlorine kill off the color? The very little I am using with the dropper gets so diluted that it doesn't matter if the FC takes care of it.

I will post a picture of my green pool if it takes that much to that to find the leak.

Pool owner the last several years with 2 kiddos that love to swim. 10,000 gallon fiberglass pool that I decided to take the leap and close this season after prices went from $300 to $550. Will definitely have some technical questions on the interworkings of the filtration system. Looking forward to learning.

Hi there!!
First time pool owner in mississippi. My dogs and I are in the pool every minute we can get. The husband comes out to say hi every once in awhile.
Love owning a pool and wouldn't change a thing.....well, I would change a few things but, it's too late for that.

I’m a new member and just subscribed to the upgraded Pool Math calculator. The calculator is not saving my readings. What should I do?

Hi All,
I am looking to buy or make a lid/locking ring that has an adapter/connector for a cyclone blower. Our pool builder had one when they closed our pool and they basically put this lid that has pvc connector on the clear glass which he can connect directly to his cyclone blower. I have been looking on amazon and all over the web but no one seems to sell this. So i am assuming that this is home made. If anyone has any ideas where i can buy one or how to make one that would help a lot. I already paid them to close my pools and nothing they did was anything special that i could not have done myself. This is mostly for next year. See attached pic

Thank you,
LD