Using a Taylor test kit for several years now for my inground 8700 gal. mercite SWG pool. The last few tests identified low PH readings (6.5-7.0). I like to keep PH between 7.2-7.8. Anyways test results suggest 46 oz. Soda ash to rebalance the PH. But adding just 8-16 oz. of Soda Ash causes the pool to turn milky white. I then need to add muriatic acid to clear the pool. So I’m confused and appreciate any ideas, guidance available. Other stats: FC=4.5, TA =80, CYA = 40, Salt =3200.
thanks in advance.
Rick

Good morning and thanks to all that assist on this great site! I am looking for some ideas on what to put in this run off spot that used to be Bermuda grass please. I am thinking about some gravel with stepping stones or maybe some smaller river rock. This is also the only way to get to that side of the yard and it’s 8’ X 4’. Thank you!

I love looking at the before and after TFP photos. Sadly, it's hard to follow all the threads.
Could we have a permanent thread here, (in the spirit of the pool color and how clear is your TFP threads), where folks post their before and after photos, with a note on how long it took to go from xxxx (swamp, green, cloudy, etc.) to TFP sparkle?

I had a liner pool converted to a shotcrete/stonescape pool and it has been fully completed for about 8 weeks now. My wife and I chose stonescape mini tropic with Puerto Rican blend and added black stone to darken it up a bit. We brushed twice a day religiously for at least the fist month. Took water samples in every few days and besides having to constantly add muriatic acid to keep PH at bay everything remained balanced. Our pool builder recommended we wait 6 weeks to add both salt and use any kind of robot vacuum so we did. Now nearly every time I run the dolphin it gets a little bit of stone or plaster bits in the basket. At first I wasn't to worried because its usually just a little bit in the corner of the basket and I thought maybe it was just settled debris. However, last night the vacuum had a dime size chunk of plaster/shotcrete in the basket. I got worried so I got in the pool to try and see where it had come from. For various reasons this in only the second time I myself have been in the pool and the first time it wasn't for more than 10 mins. I did not find where the chunk came from but did notice something else. In a lot of places I stepped it felt like there was a void or air in between the stonescape and the shotcrete. I'm not sure if its even possible but this is leading me to believe that the plaster didn't completely bond with the concrete. So my questions are this.. is it normal at all to still be getting stones and other plaster debris in my dolphin almost every time I run it after 8 weeks of curing? Also is it possible the stonescape didn't bond with the shotcrete and is this a problem/what are my options here?

Equipment as listed in signature line.

Based on the salt readings on my monitor, last month I had to, or thought I had to, add an unusual amount of salt. But I chalked it up to the unusual number of heavy rains we were experiencing.

Now, we’re in a hot, dry period and I’m still getting a “Low Salt’ reading on my monitor. So I took some salt readings, two methods, one using test strips, the other the Taylor test drops.

Monitor is reporting 2,300 ppm. My test readings indicate >6,000 ppm.

Side note: this is preventing the system from creating chlorine.

Could it be the SWG, or a fault on the board? Or just what…?

Suggested next steps?

Thanks all

I have an aquacal tropical t115 and a 22,000 gallon pool. Last night the pool was 73.9 deg when I turned the heat pump on at 10pm. This morning at 7 am the temp has only risen to 75.4 deg, so that's 1.5 deg in 9 hours. The air temp last night got down to 52 deg. Baes on the spreadsheet from acuacal's website, this heat pump should manage 2 hrs/degree when the air temp is below 60. Is this expected performance?

Dear all,

A peaceful start of pool season did not last for long... my Intex SWG cell is most probably exhausted and my chlorine level dropped to zero with an incipient algae problem that I am trying to contain with bleach.
Finding replacement cells for the Intex SWG is hard and almost as expensive as a new unit... so I am considering whether it is the case to look for something else, given the short life of these Intex devices. I ran across the following: Turbo Salt Electrolyser - Natural treatment for swimming pools
It has a similar price positioning than the Intex, with some extra features (e.g. throttling output). I have already made a search in the forum but I have found nothing about it...
Anyone with experience or opinion about it?

Regards
Guido

Hi

I have tried to get a hold on the test kits recommended here at TFP, but I'm based in the EU and neither are available for purchase.
When asking a local pool store, I got the response that they are not allowed for private use in EU and can only be purchased for professional use....... (And yes, I could buy them from a US website, but besides the heavy tax on import, I also risk getting the package confiscated by customs and a fine)

I can only get the ones with tablets (or drops that works in the same way), a digital one (which they adviced me against) or the strips. None goes higher than 10 ppm.
I know this goes against the general advice here, but can I use either or am I better off using neither and having my water checked at the store?

Hi team,
Thanks for your work as always here on TFP.
I’m wondering if it might be possible to add some alternative options for chemicals.
E.g. sulphuric acid and different percentages don’t seem to be available.
I appreciate that sulphuric acid isn’t generally recommended but occasionally I end up with limited choice for a small quantity and it would be nice to log it.
I’m looking after my pool outside the US so the chemicals available are often of slightly different percentages.
Many thanks!
Saul

New to TFP and a new pool owner. Want to learn more about pool chemistry and maintenance

The new blue stenner pump head has arrows indicating a counter-clockwise spin but the motor only spins clockwise. The older shur-flo pump has the arrows spinning in the clockwise direction so if you upgrade the shur-flo to newer stenner using the stenners arrow flow you will not be feeding acid into the pool water unless you invert the acid tubes going into and out of the pump head. This is what i did but i am a little skeptical. If you look at a picture of the recent intelliph you will see that it looks correct but the motor direction doesnt actually agree. Does anyone else know about this?

So I purchased a TFP recommended pool tester with the fancy spinning bean.

I began to slam my pool about 1-2 weeks ago before acquiring the kit, but have kept the FC at standard levels based off my 14,000 gal vinyl pool.

Anyways I got my test on Friday and measured my FC to be at 5.5 ppm and my CC to be 0. My CYA is 35-40 ppm. This was all after adding 6 gallons of bleach during the week.

My pool remains cloudy and blue as can be like Cool Blue Gatorade. Please help. I don’t believe I have an ammonia problem. My calcium hardness has been measured “in” as well as my alkalinity.

I had a CC of more than 0.5 so I decided to shock the pool using 2 gallons of Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid and turned off the salt generator. 48 hrs later the FC dropped back to 4.6. The salt gen is still at 0%. The pool water looks clear but now has a blue tint to it. Any idea why?

This video honestly doesn't do it justice, but I am having a serious bee issue (I understand they're good, I don't have to kill them. Just don't want them to be here.) - They crawl all inside of these rocks, and swarm people who go near them. They also frequently end up drowning/in the skimmer, and if one is drowning and gets near someone they will get stung every time.

I've tried a lot of misc sprays, planting flowers, 'bee moving traps' (Just got lots of ants), and frequently apple cider spray the area. Anyone have any recommendations? I do not know if there is a hive in these rocks, or near-by, so my local beekeeper won't help. I imagine it's just due to the chlorinated water attracting them in the heat.
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I am preparing my back yard right now to put up the above pool and came here to see if there is an idiots guide to doing this that includes all the information in a single post.

I have landscapers currently leveling a 42 x 24 foot part of my backyard. It required about 2 feet of depth at the house side of the area. I am having retaining wall put all around this area and filling with 4 inches of crushed gravel with a layer of landscaping cloth and then 2 inches of rounded pea gravel. I plan to buy one of those under the pool liners to put on top of the pea gravel. Are there any recommendations on brand that is best? I was looking at Rhino, it is said to be 1/8 inch thick...

I was planning to get the INTEX 26377EH Ultra XTR with saltwater system but reading the forums, it sounds like the filter system is not really big enough to really keep the pool clean? If this is the case, saving several hundred on the pool might be better to get the INTEX 26373EH Ultra XTR and spend the extra money on a different pump/filter/saltwater generator system?

If I end up needing to replace the filter system, what pump/filter/saltwater system setup is preferable?

I have read about ozone generators built into one of the intex saltwater systems, is ozone a good fit with saltwater systems or is it meaningless or detrimental to saltwater? I have read that it destroys chlorine but have not actually found any authoritative statements on this.

I plan to add a heater/chiller to the pool if we end up deciding that having a pool long term is what we want. It will likely be about 140,000 BTU. So, the pump/filter/saltwater system should be compatible with a heater/chiller of this size.

I have read that an above ground pool needs to be both grounded and bonded. I am unfamiliar with what bonding is. Grounding should be doable with a rod driven into the ground. What does bonding require? Does it have to happen before the pool is fully assembled?

Also, the side supports of the pool need to be supported, supposedly some kind of 2 x 12 or something and I have seen people discuss using paving stones such as 16 x 16 x 1-1/2 thick. Would these paving stones work ok with a crushed stone base? Some commenters discussed them breaking and I read one recommend reinforced ones. I have never seen reinforced ones online. Are these home made or something? Does someone have a recommendation for supports? If we keep the pool long term, I think we would want to leave it up overwinter. We have mostly mild winters here, no snow most years. So I would want what ever supports I use to last at least 3 years and preferably 5.

Is the pool cover easy to put on and off and if I leave it tied to one side of the pool does that make it easier?

Sorry for all the questions. It just looks like this is going to be a pretty heavy lift for me, and I want to go in prepared as I doubt my body would be able to put this up, be forced to take it down and then be capable of putting it back up again in short order.

My Quattro cleaner (see sample photo below of what we have) works and picks up leaves, etc... just fine....almost.

However, given we have lots of pine trees behind our back fence so wind blows loose, finer debris into the pool regularly, this is what we really need the cleaner to handle because it accumulates daily, depending on the wind, etc...

Problem is I've noticed when it comes to this finer debris, the Quattro appears to be spewing some of it back out into the pool after sucking it up. If it is spewing this visible debris back into the pool, this means it probably is spewing the sand and finer stuff back in as well. When checking the basket, some stays in the basket, but that is probably because larger debris begins to accumulate and prevent the smaller stuff escaping, but if we start with a clean basket and there is nothing but the small debris stuff in the pool as described above, the job it does is subpar.

The unit is over 2 years old now and I've only noticed this in the last 3-4 months.

Any thoughts on the issue?

Much appreciated!
Pat

After about 25 years my pool light seemed to be getting dimmer and dimmer. I removed the fixture and set it on the deck. Opened it up and could not believe what I found. It is loaded with a tar-like substance (extremely tacky...get it on your hands and it is hard to get off) that covers the inside of the fixture. Like someone painted it on. Seems to be about a cupful of it, covering the whole of the inside. The light was dim because it was beginning to cover the light bulb. I saw a 2009 thread where someone in Kingwood Tx found a similar thing, but there was no solution in the thread.

I attached a photo. Does anyone know what this is, how it got in there, and what I should do next?

I have a Hayward power flo matrix 1HP pool pump and a 16" Hayward multi-port sand filter. i have recently changed the sand, cleaned the laterals and inspected them for any damage. Put everything back and checked for leaks in the line. I back washed and rinsed a few times and turned on the filter. The PSI reads 15 at first and the water pressure from the return jet is great, but after a half hour the PSI goes up to 20 and the pressure at the return jet drops to almost nothing. I also noticed the pool pump is running a little hot, but the prime has no issues. I have tried everything at this point and the same issue persists. Wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar issue and may be able to provide helpful tips.

New here....this forum has been greatly helpful; thankful to the hosts, admins and contributors.

FYI - just replaced my start capacitor on my 2 speed Century pump. Unsure how old the pump is, but the capacitor I replaced had a build date of 2012.

I discovered is was the start capacitor because when turning on the high speed, it just buzzed like an electric chair without starting, but the low speed would run just fine. Here's the diagnostic and replacement video that confirmed if for me (my pump is almost the same one he is working on): Login to view embedded media
Just curious how often these things go out. Very easy and cheap replacement part, but just curious.

Thanks,

Pat

I have had this cleaner for about 2 years now. Lately it seems that it rides on the back 2 wheels. Can some help me troubleshoot?

Mods - please move this thread if it's not in the right spot.

I have not been in a good place in the last year and left my pool in an icky situation - algae world. Last year chemicals was too much and i tried to keep the the pool clear but by the middle of summer (in AZ -- that's 100-110o+ territory) I couldn't prevent the pool from turning (something was eating the chorine) and I ran out of money. The last few months, ducks and ducklings have enjoyed the pool more than we have this season. haha

I am looking to try to restore the pool and when I was talking to my normal pool people here and they said because I have left the pool for basically 10 months, that I should do a bleach wash (and acid wash for stains) but when I called their service they said that they don't do it now because it may cause cracks if they do it and won't do it until the fall. (Personally I'm thinking they don't want to do it in the heat...)

However, is this true? If so, what would cause the cracks? If not, I would be planning to do it during the early morning/late evening when it's cooler.

If I am able to do it, what exactly would I need to do? I assume after draining the pool, I will need to (from what the pool people said) pour bleach on the walls to kill the remaining algae and scrub the walls, then after a while, clean the same way with the acid wash. I suspect I would need to change my sand too, which I was planning on doing anyways as it's been about 5 years since I have done it.

Am I on the right track? Any information would be appreciated and a couple of kiddos will be happy


Couriant

My first slam on opening went fairly smooth (or so I thought), I passed all 3 criteria for 2 days so had let the SWG maintain FCL around 9 most times cya 40) covered pool unless swimming). (Plan to eventually raise to 60)

I tested everyday with tft smart stir. FCL always 7.5-10 range.

Didn’t use the pool for about 5 days (still tested everyday). Went in a couple days ago and the floor and walls were slippery. (I had not brushed the pool for 2 weeks but my Polaris robot is in there 3x per week for about 3 hours).

I started SLAM again after this. FC up to 16 brushed daily everything “feels” better. Decided to open up the light niches. Puff of powder like substance. I’m guessing algae. Scrubbed them out best I could.

Couple questions moving forward

1) I can’t leave the lights out of the pool for slam duration. I’ll try to open them up everyday for a couple days to brush and let water circulate. They are aqauscape so it’s a twist off to expose the niche. Should I try to get more concentrated dose of chlorine in there with a syringe for a quick brush or anything like that? Should I remove and brush in there as part of my weekly brushing from here on out given the ease of removing? Any harm in this? I’ve attached a couple pictures best I could do underwater if the niches. One had a bunch of black spots. I don’t think it’s algae. No amount of brushing or using my nail removes it. The 2nd had a yellowish stain would this be from mustard algae? Though I’ve not seen visible algae anywhere else in the pool and this stain won’t come out.

2) would this alone be responsible for my reslaming? I’m also going to clean my autocover and vault to cover all bases, but I’m really surprised that algae from these light niches would make it over the whole pool and walls even the opposite side of the pool and biofilm without a drop in my FC to minimum or below minimum.

Guys - I'm being advised by Leslie's to partially drain and refill my pool. Apparently I have very high metals and very high Cyanuric acid. Is there anything I should be wary of? Is it a good thing to do?

Appreciate any thoughts, Thanks

We just installed a new pool and I only have experience with old manual chemicals and equipment. Our new pool has a Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 SWG. The system is controlled by a Pentair EasyTouch panel. It was all installed by a pool installation company at the end of last summer and they programmed everything, but then it was winterized and I re-opened it all myself. When I have the panel in Service mode the chlorine generator works just fine and I can press the buttons to control how much chlorine it's generating. When I turn the system to Auto, the SWG doesn't seem to generate any chlorine. There are lights on that show that it's on, but the lights that indicate how much chlorine it's generating are always off and pressing the buttons on the unit does nothing.

I'm sure I just need to do something to turn it on through the EasyTouch panel, but I can't find it anywhere. I'd love any pointers anybody has.
Thanks!

Just let my pool chemical company go.
I have a Taylor pool testing kit.
My chlorine has been very high for 7 days.
I wonder if I am doing something wrong.
They had shocked it for algae problems.
18000 gal pebble deck pool partial shade.
Had been using tablets, now I’ll use 12%
Liquid chlorine by pool essentials.

Joined today but have read the forum a few times searching for answers. I love your philosophy and all of the information I have learned here. My wife and I bought this place in 2020. The house is beautiful, we have a couple acres, I finally have some shop space, and . . . . there's a pool. [ which why I chose "WhatPool" for my user name. ] We weren't really looking for a pool, but thought I could figure it out. I'm feeling pretty good since I have already replaced the Hayward pump and heat exchanger myself, and had the SWG installed. It has taken a little bit but feel pretty good about water testing and keeping things up. However, lately, I feel I've been "pool stored". Yes, I fell for adding Zero Phos and now I have a cloudy mess. It took about four days to clear when I added it two years ago, but now it has been a week. I am starting SLAM tomorrow and see how it goes.

When pool company opened the pool recently they said the filter was very dirty the hoses it off with garden hose but said recommend new filter insert but that is $775 and a whole new filter is $900. Does this make any sense to buy an insert? If someone was buying a new filter altogether would a different one make sense to get - i.e. be better and/or cheaper for the say quality and /or cost less to run?

Thank you for your help! It seems so crazy to me the insert costs this much money!

Went out this morning and checked the cell panel only to see hot. That's a first. Flashing generating light and 'hot'. Cycled off to on and it cleared. Double checked the plates but they were pristine. Guess I need to keep an eye on it.
Edit. Hot warning back on when I came back home tonight. Flashing generating light and 'hot'.
Off back to auto reset it and stayed off. Readings with everything functioning normally.
3300
91
25.5
6.96
40p
AL-0
r 1.59
t15

Hey all, first time pool owner and first season being open. I made the mistake of thinking the PB would hold my hand through the balancing and testing process but he’s essentially long gone. I also made the mistake of going to the pool store like a deer in headlights and got taken deep. Finally got my test kit and ran my first test today here’s what I got:
pH 8.0 (this has been a battle all year I believe due to plaster still curing)
TA 90
CH 140-150
CYA 30
2ppm Free chlorine
0 Combined chlorine
I don’t have a solid routine and am kind of winging it. The weather hasn’t been great for a pool in New England so far this year so there’s days that pass and I don’t maintain anything. I know I need to get better. I have the SWG turned down to 2% because my last “quick” chlorine test was high a few days ago. My question is - should I buy stock in muriatic acid? I feel like every time I add 1/2 gal it drops the ph to a Normal level and the next day it is 8 again. What gives? Is it still just the plaster ? The first weekend my kids went in they got a rash because the ph was so high and now I’m nervous to let them in again. Also- what’s the deal with shock? The pool store I went to gave me the “shock and swim” 15 min stuff from Biogard, but that’s all I currently have. Thanks

I’ve owned a pool since 4/22 and have had a pool company weekly check the chemicals. Their visits are shorter and shorter. I do the skimming, brushing and calcium removal already.

At this point, i want to learn pool chemistry and be independent. I’m a bit nervous I may screw this up. Here goes!