Our pool came with a mesh safety cover and one of those mesh mate floating and covers as well. Our pool guy said the mesh mate was a pain I'm sure because it was just an extra step but when we did use it I felt the pool did open clearer. We typically close end of September and open end of April, which I know is part of the problem as we are here in New York and tend to have Indian Summers in the fall and spring has been getting hotter earlier. Two years ago we upgraded to What we were told was the better of the loop lock covers (extreme) as it was supposed to block more sunlight. I believe that was BS, as we stopped using the mesh mate because we thought the cover would be better now and the last two years we have opened to a swamp. Now I'm trying to find a new mesh meat cover and can't seem to find one I'm wondering if I should not even bother and just deal with slamming the pool and taking a week to clear it. Anybody else here have a loop lock extreme and feel that they upgraded and it was a waste of money?

Hello,

So I ordered a test kit from the test kit ordering site, and I see the pending charge to my credit card I used, but I can't log in to check status of order, it says my email and password don't match, even though I know they do, but I still clicked forgot password, and im not receiving a password reset email. I also tried to go through setup new account, in case I never did that, and it said my email is already in use. Any body have this issue? Does it take a long time to get the forgot password emails? TIA!

Is there such thing?
We're thinking of "retiring" our pool. We don't want to get rid of it, but we also don't want to keep maintaining it as it costs money and because no one is using it any longer (sad).
How would we do such thing?

Hi, tldr; i screwed up.

We dug the shelf that supports the wall frame for my in-ground pool too deep at one end of the pool. Shallow end is correct, but tapers down by 4 1/2" at the deep end. I was thinking i'd build it back up to the correct elevation using crushed stone and a layer of concrete (there's some undercut below the wall i have to deal with). Question is, can i just level the low end, or should i dig down the correct end as well to get a consistent substrate all the way around the pool. Not sure if ground settlement under the wall is a risk - i.e., it's not like a normal foundation that has to bear high load.
thanks,
steph

So,im no expert but i feel our current pool has come to the end of its life lol ,well the frame has anyway..
I have a replacement frame waiting for the next season..
My question is, where it had rusted the most (is where the deck is,,and where the kids been getting in and out...) wouldn't getting somthing like a top cap, or maybe a over sized pool noodle to go around that top frame, help with the deterioration of the rust from the pool water?

Customer doing a full chip out and wants to update pool lighting. What are the pros and cons to microbrite and globrite. This is for a non automation setup. Thanks in advance,
Allan

I have a Pentair Easy Touch controller and a Pentair Mastertemp 250 gas heater. Everything had previously worked fine, however I went to turn the heater on recently and got nothing at the heater panel.

Tracing it back, it looks like the issue may be at the Easy Touch Controller, as there is no low voltage output at the terminals regardless of whether the controller is in heater mode or off. Everything else is working fine.

Is there a relay or fuse specifically for the heater, or could it be that the programming got screwed up somehow? All the relays appear to be on.

I've been trying to decide what robotic pool cleaner to get. I've never had one. I'm kind of over fighting with the booster pump thing and ready to move on from it.

I've narrowed it down to the Dolphin E20 or E30. My pool's measurements are about 32 or 33 feet in length and about 12 or 13 feet in width. So I'm right at the cut off point for the E20.

I've read so many good reviews about the E20 but there's not much out there about the E30. Maytronics has a good run down on the E30 but I'm looking for reliability. I do not plan to leave the robot in the pool when it's not running. I don't see the advantages of having Wi-Fi except when you're leaving it in the pool. I could be totally wrong but I can't find the purpose.

I would just like the cleaner to be reliable. I get a good bit of leaves in the fall. The E30 basket is larger but I cannot find how much larger. Also, there is a $500 price difference. I'm willing to pay a little extra if the product is worth it but I'm at a loss right now on what's extremely important for a robot. I see the E30 gets the waterline and the E20 does not. Is getting the waterline extremely important?

Some of these pools look TFP clear, some pools have water that looks murky and questionable.

My gauge lasts a year when the window is so damaged by the sun/uv/wind that it is hard to read the pressure. I know the are not very expensive, but wondering the pro's and con's about doing something like slipping a small portion of pvc to protect the front.

I wondered if that might trap too much heat. I could drill a number of holes to allow air to flow.

Thoughts?

I'm in SC. Greenville, specifically. And every year I face the same problem. Walmart is essentially the only place I can get bleach. Both home improvement stores- HD and Lowes have gone literally insane with their pricing the past 2 years. They now want 9$ for a single gallon of bleach. The problem is with Walmart's seasonal stocking. The instant Labor day hits, all of the bleach is whisked away and the Fall and Christmas stuff is put in its place. If I had any sense, I'd stock up with 20 or so gallons while they have it available, but alas I am not a smart man.

Out of necessity, I've been using algaecide from an outlet store since its the cheapest thing available locally. I have not tried local pool stores yet.

Hi all, I've read a few things on calcium scale, but as always wanted to have a conversation before taking action. When I bought my pool the chemistry was off, and we had a bunch of scale at the bottom of the pool (picture below). I have a pumice stone, but I've found that it barely makes a dent in most of these, and it would take me 10 years to actually scratch each one off. Aside from a full drain, is there anything that can be done?

Looking for some input on after market salt cells to replace my 10 year old Hayward T-15. Are there any that stand out as being as good or close to the Hayward brand? The Hayward T-15 is pricey compared to most aftermarket units, but then again is it a case of you get what you pay for. Need some help from the forum. I see where many units are plug and play which is a plus.

Thank you to TFP and everyone whose posts have helped me navigate this full pool season. What a wonderful season.

I was using a gfci 15 amp breaker for the system and it kept tripping. I changed it to non gfi and it started up just fine. Anyone know why that may be?

Hi all, We just had our Pebble Tec plaster done today. The crew arrived this morning at 6:30 am and was finished by noon. I noticed as the plaster was staring to dry that there was an area that didn't seem to want to dry. I noticed the spot at 1:30 and it is still there and it is 10:50pm. There was no sign of leak in the gunite before the plaster was installed. I'm truly baffled and hoping someone has an explanation. Of course I will be speaking to my PM on Monday about this. Thank you.

what is the recommended water temperature to close at (i forgot)

Howdy! I have an Easytouch panel without the app so the interface is challenging. I have a Pentair Mastertemp Heater hooked up to the control panel.

Right now, I have a daily schedule where the pool pump runs 10 hours over night without the pump.

I have a new situation where I need the pool to be 77 degrees by 9am on M-F. This is only 2 degrees warmer than current temp without any heat.

How should I adjust my schedules to get the heater to engage for just a few hours before 9am? I don’t want heater to run all night.

Is it possible to have one pool schedule with Heater On, and one pool schedule with Heater Off?

Thanks!

Hello,

I recently purchased a home with a pool. Previously I had zero experience working with pools. We tried opening the pool ourselves and ended up with algae. Water was green and cloudy with noticeable algae floating on surface.

Couple weeks later, water is now crystal clear but we have brown spots scattered throughout the floor of the pool. When brushing it off it returns (not sure about if it returns to exact spot or not). And when vacuuming it to waste there seems to be an improvement but also seems to return in some places. Or I could just be missing spots. Sometimes they are so small that it is easy to miss at first glance.

After looking at stuff online it kind of sounds like yellow algae due to:
-Brushing causes it to poof up in a cloud
-It returns

But then these aren't happening:
-Doesn't appear to be on walls
-It is all over the pool not just in the more shady areas
-Water chemistry seems to be mostly fine and it is clear. We had high alkalinity that we got down and now pH is a smidge low.
-We are in the midwest and sounds like it is less common outside of the south.

I've tried touching it and seeing what it feels but it was just too hard to tell with 100% certainty because I have to go underwater (since it isn't on walls) and it immediately blows away when touched. There was one spot that maybe felt slimy but I think it felt gritty in other places.

I've tried asking a couple different pool stores about it and neither seemed concerned about it. Just mentioned vacuuming it out. If it is dirt/something that can be vacuumed out does it normally more than one go around?

We don't have a test kit yet but have been utilizing the pool store down the road. I understand that isn't ideal but here's the latest results from them:
FC: 3.86
TC: 3.97
CC: .1
pH: 7.1
Hardness: 197
Alkalinity: 146
CYA: 35
Copper: .3
Iron: .1
Phosphate: 1298

I'll attach some pictures. It is hard to pickup in photos but I'll post one and then another of same spot zoomed in. Would appreciate any suggestions on what it could be.

Hello all.

I just got the screenlogic and Jandy Heater/Chiller installed in my pool Question regarding the setting on the app, should I use "Heater" or H.Pump Pref". Also, the Heater Button flashing white. I appreciate any input and advise.

Thanks!

I have a number of the gray 3 port Jandy valves that were installed in 1992. I have lubed them occasionally and they work fine with no leaks.

As I work out the plan to upgrade all my equipment should I replace them or do they last forever?

Hi all, and thanks for reading my question. I had my pool resurfaced about 5 or 6 years ago and recently noticed the steps were feeling a little rough. I got concerned about pitting (I don't really know what it looks like, so it was the first thing I thought), although I suppose it could just be wear and tear from the very harsh Gulf environment. I'm in the FL panhandle about 1/3 mile from the Gulf.

I got two different kinds of tests for hardness - the rest of my pool chemistry is fine. The two tests yielded wildly different results and am just wondering what other folks do when this happens.

Taylor Ca Hardess Test (the drop kind with 3 vials) = 650ppm
JNW pool & spa strips (which tests "total hardness") = 120ppm

First off, is total hardness different than Calcium hardness? If they're the same, and the results are measuring the same thing, then regardless of which one is more accurate the hardness is way off - but in which direction?

My current plan is to get the rest of the chemistry just PERFECT, wait a few days and then test again. But, any other thoughtswould be appreciated.

I currently have a US Motors C55CXJWN-2193 which needs to be replaced. I have an in ground chlorine based pool.

Any pump recommendations or tips as to selecting which one I should purchase?

New to the forum and really just looking for advice on a new pool install. I hope I've come to the right place! Living in the St. Lous, MO area we are leaning towards a fiberglass pool (for budgetary purposes when compared to a gunite) but would love to learn more. Additionally, knowing next to nothing, I want to see if some of the quotes we've received are in the realm of realistic at this time. They sure seem high to me and I'm sure prices have come up, but I figured people here would be able to tell me! Anyways, looking forward to actively participating in the forum going forward and learning along the way!

Hi! I’m hoping someone has seen this before and can help me.

I just cleaned and refilled my tub yesterday. Added appropriate chems,etc. And I keep noticing these translucent, slimy flakes floating in the tub. ALOT of them.

It’s so gross. And I haven’t even sat in the tub yet!

I clean it thoroughly. Sanitized and even bought new filters on Friday and replaced them thinking it was fiber particles.

It’s backbreaking and costly to continue draining and refilling the tub and I would like to get to the root of the problem.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

It has been years since I’ve posted! TFP helped me keep things running perfectly for years. I was wondering if you all can diagnose my brand new issue with my Pentair Easy Touch Panel. It’s working fine in auto mode, however when I switched it to service mode, set my filter to backwash, then pressed the filter button to flush the filter, it made a clicking noise. Works fine again in auto mode. Any ideas what’s up? Thanks

Based on my current measurements, what is recommended to leave in the pool if gone for 8-9 days?

I am offering parts from a Dolphin S300i that ceased functioning. I'm not offering the motor assembly, the blue cord, rubber parts or gears as they all needed to be replaced. The unit is/was 4.5 years old and the parts show normal wear and fading. The power supply functions well - it's the motors that died. Here's what I have:

For Sale:
Power supply ($120)
Caddy ($60)
Filter basket assembly with both standard mesh and pleated filters ($60)

Give Away (locally):
Plastic frame/chassis/shell parts
Impeller blade
Rollers

If anyone is interested, I have photos. Please PM me. Thanks.

Hello.

I have been using the poolife® Brite Stix® Sanitizer system for years. I finally ran out and went to get more. The pool store said this was discontinued and to go to the NST Prime system. Just another bucket of bricks. Ok so I did.

Now i see that the skimmer where i put the tablet is turning black where the tab sits along with the throat of the skimmer. It can be wiped off but is difficult to remove and seems to build up. The exhaust port in the pool is turning brownish yellow now.

The white cylindrical bright sticks never did this and the pool has been trouble free for years.

Is it the NST tabs?

Update at the top:

So I had my pool returns replaced after they failed a pressure test and the leak is slower, but still happening. I do have a small bubble in the pump I didn't have the last two years, so now we are trying to isolate the skimmer vs the main drain.

My new questions and this was insinuated by the repair team the pool company that installed and closed the pool may have liability here, but do I have a chance in heck in pursuing them and if so how?

-------------
Original -
My pool was opened in 2020. It has been closed by the installer every year and I am less than thrilled overall with their service as a whole. I apparently have a leaking return. The returns are plumbed together so they couldn't isolate it the leak during the pressure test.

My calculation is that I'm losing around just shy of 100 gallons of water a day. I'm putting 500-750 gallons in per week. One is under a patio (with a massive french drain nearby) and one is in the yard. The lawn doesn't seem to be dieing from the chlorine/chemicals. I had borates in the pool last year too but the level tanked from what I expected when I opened so who knows when it started leaking.

Is there any point in a moisture meter/sensor to try to check by the walls or is it just a pure guess?

Any advice for trouble shooting this before having someone guess which line to try to dig up?