Getting ready to close a pool

[Schurm95]

Hello I’m in Jackson mi, and I’m getting ready to close my pool, never really did all the testing I did, just threw in chlorine pucks and shock every week. Long story short I filled with very hard well water, (awaiting my Taylor k 2006 test kit to arrive) and during that I lost power due to a storm, forgot hose was on when I turned on my home generator, and it ran for a full day . I had this what I imagine is dirt trapped calcium as the guess strips I used showed very high ch, little to no fc, high ta, around 40? Ish cya, and ph where I wanted it. This is after running to local pool stool and being sold stuff I knew wouldn’t work (after reading some threads on here). Anywho I have a 16x32 above ground pool, just wondering if it’s an expensive mistake an replace liner and water. Also don’t know if I should do that, if I should wait til next year opening time to do so. Any help would be appreciated here is a picture of the what I’ll call scaling and the test strip

 

[Newdude]

Hey Schurm and Welcome !!!

First things first. If you want to stand on the pool rail and lose your balance and faceplant, send me a vid, it'd be hysterical.

But never. EVER. Risk falling into the solar cover. It'll suck you up like an underwater burrito and you likely won't be able to budge the 1000 lb you and water burrito. My dog walked across ours and I was lucky his head was above water with how long it took to get him out.

I had this what I imagine is dirt trapped calcium

Ok I see it in the pic. Is it a stain, or loose dirt ? Either way, the calcium has nothing to do with it. Calcium scale is white. If it's stained it's likely iron. Crush up some vitamin C tabs in a sock and rub them on it if it's stains. If they go away, it's an iron issue.

We'd love to get you off the pool store turnip truck and learn how to do it on the cheap and easy. But you need a reliable test kit to manage it yourself.

Test Kits Compared

 

[Schurm95]

Hey new dude, I ordered a Taylor k 2006 kit. Should be here Thursday, I tried vitamin c tablets (like the pill form we take as humans and it didn’t seem to do much) chlorine tablets either. It feels gritty and doesn’t scrub off. And also, I’m a carpenter by trade, walking walls 30ft in the air is part of the job,

 

[Newdude]

, I ordered a Taylor k 2006 kit.

SWEET. When we all use the same stuff, it's like we're there with you.

It feels gritty and doesn’t scrub off

Ok then it does sound like calcium scale. Maybe it's attracting late season dirt ? I dunno. Let's ask @mknauss.

 

[Schurm95]

Thank you sir, I appreciate the quick responses

 

[Schurm95]

Test just showed up, couldn’t get a fc reading so I added a gallon of liquid chlorine.
P.h 7.0-7.2 couldn’t tell they were suppose close
Calcium hardness 760ppm
TA: 160
Cya : 100

@mknauss

 

[Newdude]

While we wait for Marty, do a diluted CYA test. Use 50/50 tap and pool water as the sample, add R0013 and double the result

 

[Schurm95]

Like hose water? Or sink water.

 

[Newdude]

Either is fine. CYA isn't natural in water so it will dilute the sample by 1/2 so that you hopefully get a reading under 100. (It may still be 100 at 200+ CYA. 90 and above are sketchy to read so we dilute it and double the result.

 

[Schurm95]

With hose water, doubled was 110/120. I couldn’t see the dot at 60 but by the time I turned around to see the number and looked to double check, it needed a couple more drops

 

[Newdude]

With hose water, doubled was 110/120

Imagine how high it was before the hose ran in it for 24 hours. Normally we'd recommend draining at least half to make it more manageable but this late in the Michigan season, you might as well let it gradually reduce over the winter and see where you land in the spring.

Marty must be busy elsewhere. Maybe @ajw22, @JoyfulNoise or @proavia have ideas about the dirty scaling and what to do about it.

 

[Schurm95]

That’s my main question, what can I do before closing to minimize the damage in the spring when I open. And is it reversible or should I start from scratch lol

 

[PoolStored]

I did my private pilot checkride in Jackson! Go Blue!

They are likely organic stains, from Algae. They will likely come out over time if you can clear any algae you have, and maintain appropriate FC. (good reading...Link-->FC/CYA Levels)

Do you have a chorine puck? You can try, with gloved hand, to rub a puck lightly over the stains, if they lighten, they are organic. Once you see a change, remove the puck...don't attempt to remove all the stains with the puck as you can cause liner damage. We can fix the stains after we fix the water chemistry by maintaining a higher FC level, and ultimately remove the stains.

Let's do this test. Do this test tonight if you get this message...test again in the morning BEFORE SUNRISE...Link-->Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

If you fail the test, the best thing you can do THIS YEAR is to reduce your CYA by replacing 50-60% of your water. Use the no-drain water exchange:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Then, follow the SLAM process to get your pool rid of any algae. Link-->SLAM Process

Then follow the AGP closing process. I would wait until your water temps fall below 60 degrees to close:

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com

It will be waaaaaay better to deal with algae this fall than wait for spring. Even if you have to wait until spring to fight the stains.

 

[ajw22]

It is hard to say what can loosen that dirt and maybe scale from the liner without damaging the liner.

Now that you have your test kit what is the pH, TA, and CH of your well water you filled it with?

 

[mknauss]

@mknauss

Hello. I am out of pocket off and on for a few days --- you are getting great assistance. Take care.

 

[Schurm95]

It is hard to say what can loosen that dirt and maybe scale from the liner without damaging the liner.

Now that you have your test kit what is the pH, TA, and CH of your well water you filled it with?

I originally filled by truck, but top off with water occasionally.

It is hard to say what can loosen that dirt and maybe scale from the liner without damaging the liner.

Now that you have your test kit what is the pH, TA, and CH of your well water you filled it with?

we’ll check that tonight, I will also post the overnight fc test results tonight

 

[ajw22]

Long story short I filled with very hard well water, ...

I originally filled by truck, but top off with water occasionally.

I don't follow how your pool got to CH 760 ppm unless that water truck delivered you high CH water.

 

[Schurm95]

Water was filled 2 seasons ago by water truck, drained for winter. Filled with hose, drained last year, filled with hose this year, then the hole leaving the hose on and it over flowing didn’t help. I have well water, (very hard) and I assume it’s from that. I will test the hose water tonight

 

[Schurm95]

Hello, I tested the calcium hardness on fill water the other day it was 600ppm I didn’t get a chance to check the rest as it started raining hard! I’ve been doing the slam process the last couple days shooting for around fc of 12 consistently. Overnight fc loss was about 3ppm so I shall continue. Water looks super clear, and burning through chlorine. Will these stains get worse over winter? If I’m not going to be able to remove them should I stop spending so much $ into chlorine and replace liner in spring? Or is it fixable lol

 

[Schurm95]

I don't follow how your pool got to CH 760 ppm unless that water truck delivered you high CH water.

Went to sleep fc was at 13. Woke up 13. Came home from work 13. How long should I continue slam? And is my fc good for my cya reading
.