Hi Guys,

I finally fixed all the issues with my pool in last two season and decided to make a final big investment (hopefully for some time) to buy a solid safety pool cover. I definitely would like to have a solid and not mesh because it will allow me to keep the water almost 100% clear when I am opening it in spring. I do understand that the pump will be required to take our the water from the top of the cover but I did it for two years already and do not think it is a very big deal, simply have your pump to be connected through the smart outlet so you could just on and off that thing from your phone (yes, I am lazy lol).

Now, these covers are crazy expensive. I have a 20x40 pool and the average price for the cover set is around 2-3k. I found only one cheaper option (LINK) for 1.7k but still worried it is a bit too much. Maybe someone have some good verified stores where I can find a better price? I will handle the installation on my own.

Thank you!

Final detail. One builder told me he uses a 7.5” sleeve….current builder said they always use 6”.

Both don’t care which I choose, I just want to make sure I can put any umbrella the Mrs finds into it.

Do all umbrellas fit into the 7.5? Curious if anyone has an opinion on this.

Thanks!

As stated, I'm having issues with the app. Recently upgraded, by USB as OTA would not work, to firmware 4.8.1. Since that time, I can't access the app. I get the "Omni Controller lost connection to router". This system has been working to control pool functions for 1 year.

Some things that are probably important.
1. Started with a WiFi connection. Both the OnmiLogic control panel and my Orbi system showed the antenna connected.
2. Converted to ethernet. Both panel and Orbi show connection.
3. I have installed and uninstalled the app.
4. I have deleted my app account and created a new one with a different email.
5. I tried having my phone on cellular and turning off the wifi, but that didn't work either.
6. In my searches, I've read that the OmniLogic controller and the Orbi don't get along very well. But again, they worked fine for one year.
7. EDIT TO ADD: I can connect to the upgrade server which states I am at the latest firmware.
Nada. I've tried contacting Hayward directly to no avail.

Any helpful hints would be gratefully appreciated.

So I just had to order a new safety cover after 12 seasons. It would have lasted longer, but my mountain pond pool has concrete coping that is very rough. My current two Golden Retrievers have found that running entire length of yard AND on pool cover is a fun way to get rid of the zoomies. Unfortunately that has worn too many spots and an investment of $3300 for a replacement. Prices are simply insane, so I need to increase longevity of the cover.

I had a thought of getting about 20 1/4"x36" rods, and use the safety cover anchor holes fo attach a black snow fence. Would be about $175 investment and would limit their access to pool cover (please note, safety is the job of the cover not the DIY cheap fence).

Anyone ever done this? Tested out fit and strength of rods, and seems solid enough. I am concerned about metal interaction with chlorine, salt, brass and aluminum, but will figure that out.

Thoughts? Thanks!

I have a Pentair MasterTemp 400K BTU Heater that is under warranty (pool startup was Thanksgiving 2021...so ~21 months ago). It recently started leaking, and the technician came out yesterday and confirmed that it is totaled. He pulled off the heater manifold, and the copper tubing had corroded through. He also tested the water, which showed high in copper and an alkalinity level of 50 (I tested when he left and my TFP kit shows between 60 and 70). In general. I have always targeted TA between 60 and 80 (per the TFP app) and a pH of 7.6. The alkalinity level is usually on the money (70ish), and pH (if anything) gets a little high...but it's mostly stable, so I rarely have to add muriatic acid.

I have not heard anything official from Pentair yet, but the tech says that they will likely deny the claim. He says that the ideal alkalinity is 80-100, and low alkalinity would be the reason that my heater failed. Prior to the discussion with the tech, my understanding was that low pH (not low alkalinity) would eat through metal components. Either way though, my pool chemistry has always stayed pretty close to the TFP recommendations. Per page 60 of the Pentair manual, the ideal pH is 7.4 to 7.6. I have definitely stayed in that range or higher. The ideal alkalinity range shows 80-100, but it shows a minimum of 60.

So, I guess my questions are:

1. Anyone had experience with Pentair in this regard? I guess it's my word against theirs on the chemistry...can I fight this with logs?
2. What TA should I really be targeting? 80-100?
3. Can low TA really cause copper to deteriorate and fail? No, right? Should be low pH. Either way, I really wish I had followed the Pentair recommendations rather than TFP...at least until my warranty had expired.
4. Why would there be a discrepancy between the tech's TA test and my TFP TA test?
5. Copper in the water seems bad...do I need to drain/refill?

Hey fellow pool owners! It's been a great summer for our pool using the TFP methods! Haven't had a tinge of anything but bright blue, clear water! Yay! For me, it's been a hard summer because I feel off a ladder picking cherries and smashed my wrist into more than 10 pieces! Had to had a rod put in and It's been a tough journey! Having surgery again on 10/6 to take the rod back out. Anyway, I've searched around for threads about covering a pool in Michigan for the winter. I can't seem to find what I thought I had read before, about some people not bothering with a winter cover and just using a leaf cover for the fall and then again in the spring. My pool is 21x42 ABG. Anyone have experience doing this? Just thought I would eliminate one more thing if that is a reasonable idea in our awful winters!

Hello! New pool owner here. I've been lurking for a number of months--a huge thank you to all the contributors here as I've been able to learn a ton. We finally just finished our pool and 30 day start-up, and I'm looking for some guidance to find the optimal settings for our pump. My general understanding is lower RPMs at longer time = less electricity cost and happier pool, and therefore I'm planning to keep the pump running as low as possible for 24 hours.

What settings would you recommend?

I added my pool details to my signature, but here are as many relevant facts I can come up with:

- pool and spa is 7300 gallons
- SWG
- 3 HP Pentair VSF
- pebble finish
- Dolphin M400 robot
- goal of pump is to keep pool as clean as possible
- we are in Florida and able to swim 365 days
- we have some oak tree cover and will have periods with high leaf fall (will likely get a Betta once the leaves start falling in February)
- no major water features other than two bubblers on shelf and spa waterfall

Photo included, but I will upload some better shots once the landscaping is finished.

Thanks in advance!

I have a 2 year old Polaris Quattro. Noticed that it wasn't doing its job - it is turning in wide right hand circles. I thought it would be just worn out gear or tires. Checked the gears - they're fine. Replaced the rubber tires. No change in behavior. Still doing right hand circles. Took it all apart. Found that the drive shaft was broken. So I got that in the mail today and replaced the drive shaft. And yes...no change! It's still turning in right hand circles. Any thoughts on what my problem could be? Thanks for any help....

Hey everyone,

Looking for some advice on finding the cause of water getting behind our liner. We noticed about midway through the summer that there was water behind the liner. We got a pump and pumped it back into the pool and about a week later we noticed the water coming back. Based on how clear & clean the water is, I'm pretty confident it's coming from inside the pool and it's not groundwater. I went around the pool looking for anything suspicious and didn't notice anything. I then tried the dye test and couldn't find anything that way either. I'm at a bit of a loss on how to find where the water is getting out. The water is behind the liner on all four corners of the pool but seems to be the most in one corner in the deep end. I checked around the light niche but didn't take the light out. I did go down to the bottom and checked around the drain and there is water underneath the liner at the bottom of the deep end also. Any help or ideas is appreciated.

Hello everyone
I have a intellitouch panel with a remote which we (myself and the pool expert) decided to upgrade in spite of spending an exemplary amount on the remote battery.

I bought an intellicenter upgrade kit from epoolsupply.com ( part No: 522046). We put on the board and connected the Ethernet cable to the antenna which stays outside close to the pool. The indoor module was connected to the router using an Ethernet cable.

The pool is running. System says the internet is connected but no wireless networks seem to be connected. Could not connect the app remotely to the pool management. App works when I am in the house on the same network.

I did not connect the long white cable with 4 coloured wires between the antenna and the main board. Just Ethernet is running between. Can you help me to solve this please. Called Pentair and epoolsupply.com. Both were not helpful. My pool guy says it’s electronics and he doesn’t know. Any input appreciated.

Customer profile was set to enabled for wifi

Hi everyone. We did all the install on a used pool with a new liner at the beginning of the season. I noticed, after it’s filled with water, that one of the uprights is too high so my stabilizer bar is not sitting inside the top plate. Does this matter? Or will the pressure of the water pushing the walls out keep everything where it needs to be. Or do I need to dig under the bottom plate to bring the upright down a bit? There’s also the one side of the stabilizer bar thats off the pool wall and just sitting in the top rail, should I push that down so it’s on the pool wall instead? It’s only the one part of the pool that’s like that, the rest are all nested nicely. Thanks!

About ready to close and have a question. I blow out my pipes through my skimmer. I use a pipe and screw it into the intake hole at the bottom of the skimmer. In previous years I’ve used Teflon tape around the threads. I’m wondering if there is a better product to use to seal that connection. The Teflon tape seems to bunch up as I screw the pipe in and I’m worried I’m not getting a good seal.

Hi all! I am introducing myself to the group. I live outside of Portland, OR, and although I grew up with a pool my dad put in when I was a kid back in Minnesota, I consider myself a new pool owner.
We recently moved into a house that has an indoor Endless Pool. I have been reading the forums, using Pool Math app, and getting a good grasp of pool chemistry. I think I finally have all of that figured out and quickly adjusted everything within targets (was never really out of whack to begin with).

I am working through several issues so it is great to have this resource. I appreciate everyone here for the questions asked and answered by others as well as upcoming conversations I will have. Thanks for the honest, down-to-earth support.

To date, I have:
Obtained a new (good) test kit
Stabilized chemicals
replaced my filter timer

Next: Troubleshooting heater!

—Caver01

I know that draining is often dependent on location, type of pool, and weather. It is a very context specific question and answer.

But I am hoping to receive some kind of foundational advice here. I have drained my ~40 year old plaster pool about halfway to make some repairs to the light, diagnose a leak, and attempt to replace the calcium-caked metal return eyelets.

The water table is about 40-50ft underground. It is a 8ft deep pool, rectangular, sloped to 4ft in the shallow end, with a jacuzzi in a corner.

It is my understanding that plaster was often mixed with asbestos 40 years ago, and is therefore a bit stronger than mixes today. Please correct me if I am wrong here.

On close inspection of the plaster, I can see it was mixed with some kind of aggregate. Looks like granules of marble or another shiny/tumbled stone.

Right now it is October, and temperature highs range in the 80s-90s. Relative humidity is around 50%.

Here are my questions:

• If I drain my pool for 7 days, what risks do I need to accept?
• If I drain my pool for 21 days, what risks do I need to accept?
• What physical attributes of gunite/plaster change when it dries out?

Thank you

Hi Everyone. I have a Raypak heater that is not igniting when calling for heat. I can hear the spark, but no flame afterward. My best guess is the pilot orifice is dirty, or there is air stuck in the propane line. The worst part is the display is wrecked so I can't see if there are any error codes displayed. I'm reaching out for help because I am not very familiar with Raypak heaters. Where should I start, and what things should I be checking? Looking forward to hearing from everyone. TIA

Hey everyone, glad to make your acquaintances. So yeah, as the title states, we just had our very first "real" pool installed, about a month ago, down here in southeast AL. Unfortunately, it didn't quite make it in time for the hottest part of summer, but I am hoping that we might still get a little bit more time out of yet, before it just gets too cool down here, as I have a heater/cooler system installed with it.

So far, I have really enjoyed sort of digging into all of the chemistry aspects of being a pool owner, and sometimes I think I've about got a handle on it, and then other times I feel like I am starting all over again! OK, so I know that trichlor tabs = evil, but that is what I have been exclusively using, thus far. Now I know that I want to keep those CYA levels at bay, so after having been through one full container of those tabs, I want to switch over to the unstabilized chlorine. I feel sort of "intimidated" by making the switch, though, if that makes sense? Well, so far I have read that like liquid chlorine is hard to find in the stores, etc., that I will have to pour in like a gallon every day, etc. I know that I will just have to find a routine that works for me, but I still feel like there is just so much more to know, so that I don't mess it all up!

Another thing that I need to mention is that I have one of these UV/ozone generator deals, which is supposed to eliminate the need for as much chlorine, but so far I cannot tell that it really does...anything? I've heard some people say that yes it works, and some have said that it doesn't, etc. I have had to add about 4 of those tablets about every 3-4 days or so, in order to keep FC levels at like 2-3, but it generally stays pretty consistently at around those levels. I have the Taylor K-1005 (I know, it doesn't have the FAS-DPD test, but my reasoning at the time I bought it was that it said that it was geared more towards the homeowner, whereas the K-2006c was more for commercial pros), and with that kit I have found it difficult to really tell where my CYA levels are. 2 out of 3 times, I have measured at or below 30, according to the test, so I am not sure if some of the other testing kits measure CYA more reliably or what. The pool has always been really clear and sparkly, so far, albeit with some dirt that keeps getting in because I have no yet resided around the pool just yet.

So, basically where I am at is that I am now considering my switch from the trichlor tablets to liquid chlorine but am a bit intimidated by the switch and am wondering if I am going to have to take out a home equity line of credit, and buy liquid chlorine by the forklift load once a week from my local store--Pinch-a-Penny! The guy there made it sound like it was like impossible to switch for some reason. Instead, he wound up selling me some shock, which I have on standby (in granular) form, for whenever I need to shock it. Anyway, I can't remember exactly what all he said but basically "blah blah blah...you'll need to keep on buying the trichlor tablets unless you want to do this, and...blah blah blah..."! lol. Sorry, I was just in the midst of feeling bummed, because I had assumed (hoped?) that it was going to be an easy process to switch, but it seemed like he was telling me that it would not be.

Pleased to meet you all, and I hope to learn a lot from the site!

I'm losing about two inches of water every day in a 20k underground pool. I've hired a leak specialist company and they outlined an area to dig. I've hired a separate company for that work. I'm attaching a picture. They stopped digging since they didn't see any moisture and therefore don't believe the leak is in this area. I'd like them to keep digging until they get to the pipes but they stopped to not break the pool's deck. The top part of the picture is the in-floor cleaning system. The bottom of the pic is a rock waterfall fixture. There are two returns/suction lines on the sidewall, three feet deep, which would be on the left side of the hole in the picture.

Any other recommendations? Should they keep digging at an angle in order to not break the pool's concrete deck?

Noob here and just received a TF-Pro kit and did some initial testing and have some questions.

Quick background: we bought a house with a pool a couple years ago and this is our first one. It was in pretty rough shape (replaced pump and filter but still needs to be resurfaced) and knowing nothing about how to maintain it, we've been having someone do it for us since. About a month ago I got an email saying that another company is taking over our weekly maintenance so the company I hired was no longer going to be maintaining it. I was a bit annoyed by this because the original company was great, but it is what it is, so I went along with it. New guy comes in and seems to be doing fine so all is well. There was one time we had a little bit of algae but it was quickly fixed and it's been nothing but clear. Couple weeks later I get a notification that he's upping his prices so I start reading about how to take care of a pool which is how I found this site and the TF testing kits.

So the kit comes in over the weekend and I do some tests, results below:
FC 18.5
CC 1.5
TC 20
CH 700
TA 90
CYA 60
pH 7.2

First thing that jumps out at me is the FC. Either I did the test completely wrong or it's insanely high. My notes for both tests over the weekend were around the same area (19.5 on one, 18.5 on the other) so maybe I'm not following the instructions correctly. Second the CH seems incredibly high along with TA and CYA both being on the high side as well. After seeing my tests, I look back at emails where the readings are noted and what chemicals were added. The one from last week said FC was 10ppm and he added 5 chlorine tabs to the floater. After reading the ABC's of Water Chemistry here last week, I'm thinking this is completely off from what he should be doing but I haven't said anything yet. I'm trying not to be the guy that reads something on the internet then questions everything the guy is doing.

This morning I took a sample to get tested to see how it compared to my tests and results are below:
TC 8
FC 8
CC 0
pH 7
Base Demand 3 drops (no clue what this is honestly)
TA 90
CH 625
Stabilizer 140 (this is CYA, correct?)
Total Dissolved Solids 1300 (no clue what this is either)

Seeing the above tests, I assume that I did screw up my FC tests pretty badly however, the FC is still pretty high and the CH and CYA are both quite high as well. I'm assuming the FC and CYA are both high due to trying to get them back to a happy medium or did CYA get too high so you have to counteract by adding more chlorine and then they'll even out? Then there is the CH which the Pool Math app basically said to drain 1/3 of the water.

At this point, I'm a bit confused on what to do. I had assumed the levels would all be normal so it would be an easier transition, but just throwing the FC and CH numbers into the Pool Math app says I need 204oz of bleach added and 1/3 the pool drained. Any recommendations on how to move forward? Do we really need to drain that much and add that much to get it back on track? Could the condition of the surface of the pool add to the problems? Is our pool guy just throwing chlorine at it to make sure no algae grows?

Hello,

I have an in-ground jacuzzi attached to my 1980's era pool, but with no heater. Jacuzzi is always the same temp as the pool.

I would like to know if there is a cheap (under $300) way I can put some kind of an external pump, Inlet and Outlet hoses hanging in the water, to heat this thing up - similar to a saluspa inflatable heat pump? I'm not trying to make a nice jacuzzi for guests, I just want to sit in hot water on my own.

I prefer electric regardless of how inefficient, as I overproduce solar elec while my gas prices have quadrupled. I would love a 120 volt plugin device. Not really trying to do 240 wiring but I guess my question is, is there any kind of 120 volt solution that could heat this tub up to hot temps? Plugged into a GFI outlet a few feet away?



thank you!!!!

Thread now 16 years old and still proving its worth! I too found some, still sealed jug so clearly brand new (if many years old). Used the same test: Cautious open and small pour on discrete concrete - definite reaction
Friend's pool's pH (found to have drifted high) now being corrected, ready for a little baking soda stabilization.

Hi Guys,
So I have a kidney shaped pool about 18,000 gallons. Plaster. Unheated. It's my favorite place on earth from April-Nov. After Nov It's way too cold. (Austin, Texas...the new frozen tundra!) Anyway, I'm getting a new electric Hayward 100 BKU heater-cooler installed next week. Son says I NEED a cover, too. I'm older and it will be mostly me using just half the pool for aqua aerobics. So, what type of cover to keep heat in? And probably need a roller. Can I just roll half of it up? Thanks for any input!

Just wanted to say thank you to the TFP community! Followed the site numerous years, learning a wealth of information. Never felt a need to post, when all my questions were already answered in Pool School or searching the forums. Once again, thank you for a great resource and letting me have a trouble free pool!

We had a new inground gunite pool installed this year. Our property has a slope to it, so part of the pool at the deep end is above ground by about 2 feet with the rest of the deep end below ground--. It was completed in April. In August we noticed cracked travertine tiles, cracks in the coping, the deck dropping/sloping (or the pool has risen) and a hair line crack in the pool wall leading down the same side of the pool as the cracking.
Our pool contractor sent out their project manager who believes the deep end of the pool is rising and that it has risen about an inch.
The contractor wants to take a "wait and see" approach to see how everything settles before addressing or repairing. We now have moisture on the outside wall of the pool in the area of the cracks. I would assume this means we have water leakage somewhere (probably from the crack in the pool?)
Are we OK to take a wait and see or do I need a second opinion?

Hello, I am shopping around for automatic pool cover motor and found out that a HD motor is less expensive than a STD motor. Could anyone kindly provide more explanation? Thanks a lot

Hah! Well, this is my very first post in this forum. I had a 10.5K gal pool completed in my backyard 4 months ago. It's glorious, perfect timing for the insane summer we had/have here in Austin.

I had the Clear Comfort system installed, by recommendation from my builder. That's how I found this thread...I mentioned Clear Comfort to the folks down at Leslie's the other day and they basically told me that I got sold snake oil.

I was sold the Clear Comfort system under the pretense that it would both lower my pool maintenance burden and allow me to maintain more comfortable, less-chemically water quality. My wife and kid both have sensitive skin, so the idea of less chlorine was appealing. I'm far from an expert in pool maintenance (never had a pool before now) but my initial thoughts on Clear Comfort are, so far so good.

I've had no problems this summer, my water quality has remained super clean, and my chlorine level hasn't been over 1ppm for almost the entire time. Maintenance-wise, I do weekly test strips, and about every other week a trip to Leslie's to get the water tested. I recently switched from chlorine tabs to hypochlorite shock to keep my CYA level in check. Toss a little shock in every week, a little acid from time to time, and occasionally some sodium bicarbonate. When I leave town, I put a bunch of tabs in the chlorinator and they seem to do the job for a week or more.

Anywho, that's my experience thus far, take it with a grain of salt. I haven't turned off the Clear Comfort system so heck, maybe it's making zero difference whatsoever. But just based on research and also from talking to other folks with pools, it seems like my setup is pretty darn low-maintenance.

AquaLogic board. Don't know where to get s/n.

Salt cell is knock off, 2 years old (Circupool W3T-CELL-15). CircuPool® CIR-GEN15 Aftermarket Replacement Cell compatible with Hayward® AquaRite®

Getting "Check System Very Low Salt" error.
Reads 2300 today but was readying "very low salt" over the weekend.
Confirmed w/ Taylor test salt level is at 3000
When starting diags, the reading starts at 4800 and drops really fast down
K1 solder fix a few years ago

Bought a house a year ago here in southwest Florida and I'm a first-time pool owner. Like most people, I just take my water to the local pool store for my water analysis. After stumbling on this site about 3 months ago I realize I needed a better water test kit. While I was waiting for the test kit to arrive (TF Pro Salt), my SWG was showing the dreaded blinking green light (clean the salt cell). Looks like it's dead. After doing my own testing, here are my numbers:
Gunite pool, 13,500 gallons, Intellichlor IC40- Pentair easytouch control system with variable speed pump running 12hrs at 37 gpm. Air temp 87, pool temp 83. I normally brush and vacuum the pool weekly. Pool water looks good and clear.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Salt: 3200
PH: 7.8
FC: 14
CC: 1
TC :15
CH: 225
TA: 70
CYA: 68
There's a lot of new construction going on around me, so my pool store said I have phosphates (500 PPB). I added some liquid chlorine until the new SWG arrives to keep the water from developing algae. I did notice after brushing the pool that it looks like there's some green algae on the bottom, no stains. Should I do the FAS DPD test in order to see how much chloring is being consumed? And then make a decision to slam? Will slamming the pool take care of the phosphates?
Thanks
Jack

Long time lurker first time poster... 2 year old IG plaster pool and thanks to this site I've had good success with liquid chlorine. I'm finally tired of adding the LC and was debating adding a Stenner pump but believe I have decided to go the SWG route. My pool was built with a Hayward Omni-Logic controller. My understanding is almost any SWG is compatible? I see some old posts but I'd like current recommendations on the best setup. Complicating factor is my pool is ~37,000 gallons. Do you all recommend 2X 40,000 gallon cells? What would y'all do in my situation? North Texas DFW area.

Follow-ups:
1. Has anyone had issues with backwashing a saltwater pool onto Bermuda grass lawn? I have the DE filter so backwash every couple of months.
2. For anyone still running liquid chlorine- passing along some of the best advice I ever received here was to check your local pressure washing store for bleach. This is the best I've found in the DFW Metroplex...
Delux Bleach Per Gallon | PowerWash.com
($4.50/Gallon for 12.5%)

Apologies if this has already been asked and answered. I searched and could not find. I have a Dolphin S300 pool robot. About 4 or 5 months ago I had a local pool supply company repair it under warranty. The 2 year warranty has since expired. They replaced the power supply/control unit and the control cable or whatever its called - the 50 foot blue cable. I just recently came to the realization that when they replaced my blue cable, they replaced it with the non swivel type. It originally had a swivel cable. When I got it back the last time I had been noticing that the cable was often tangled up. And by often I mean after every cycle. Then I read somewhere, probably here, that sometimes the swivels can get stuck and periodically need a little maintenance. That is when I realized I no longer had a swivel cable. WTH???? I know I had it before so it didn't take much brain power to figure out what happened. "Flipper" has never been anywhere since it arrived new at our house EXCEPT the repair shop. I am not going back to the company to demand a new cable as too much time has passed and they are not very nice people as it is. (we had a falling out over them wanting to charge me a 60 dollar shop fee for doing warranty repairs) Sorry to take so long to arrive at my question but I thought context was important, perhaps not. What I am wondering is if my non swivel cable can be made into a swivel cable? I see that you can purchase the swivel end but I don't know if its that simple or if the rest of the cable is different also. I know some will say it doesn't really help but I can assure you in my particular case it most certainly made a difference. Any help will be appreciated.

My first time with with heavy storms after converting to salt water generator. Before storm my salt readings were 3400 during the storm as we speak. My salt readings are 2700. I’m sure it is due to the rain at top of the pool pulling from skimmers. Is it best to close the skimmers and use the four main drain, so I can get an accurate salt reading? I’m concerned with the low salt readings as we speak. It could damage the salt water generator.