Acid wash or re-surface

[mknauss]

What is the TA and CH of your fill water?
Rarely do you need anything other than chlorine, CYA, and likely acid.
You will need salt also.

 

[Newdude]

You might as well buy enough CYA to get you to 50 now, you'll need 40+ soon enough in FL. I like Puritech on amazon. In the big bags it's $2 a lb and 100% pure.

A lifetime supply of baking soda (13lbs) is under $10 in the baking aisle at Costco/Sam's. You probably won't need it, but it's also won't break the bank.

 

[william13]

I still have not Vit C'd pool yet because it was noted by one of our members that my drain valve came from the filter instead of before it and I am waiting for the Jandy value to arrive so I can replumb. In the meantime a heavy rain occurred last night after a dryspell. (making me concerned about the pool pop thing). Today I showed my wife how the Vit C works by throwing some on first stair and part of second stair (magic). I have not tested for chlorine today or pH but yesterday pool service came and acknowledged pH of 8.2 and chlorine of 5 (said pH was 7.4 by their employee a few days ago, NOT!!) They added acid. The success of todays cleansing probably means I could dump in all the C and drain right now even with wrong plumbing (will test chemistry in a few) but the pop thing is on my mind and as mentioned before the dilutional method seems complicated to me. My wife asked the following. Why not empty 3/4 of pool. Fill and do again. This is kind of a variation of simultaneous fill and empty. I know I am overthinking but what are your thoughts.

Edit: pH 7.5 (better but not there) Chlorine 3-4 ppm (tentative mission aborted today)

 

[Bperry]

I still have not Vit C'd pool yet because it was noted by one of our members that my drain valve came from the filter instead of before it and I am waiting for the Jandy value to arrive so I can replumb. In the meantime a heavy rain occurred last night after a dryspell. (making me concerned about the pool pop thing). Today I showed my wife how the Vit C works by throwing some on first stair and part of second stair (magic). I have not tested for chlorine today or pH but yesterday pool service came and acknowledged pH of 8.2 and chlorine of 5 (said pH was 7.4 by their employee a few days ago, NOT!!) They added acid. The success of todays cleansing probably means I could dump in all the C and drain right now even with wrong plumbing (will test chemistry in a few) but the pop thing is on my mind and as mentioned before the dilutional method seems complicated to me. My wife asked the following. Why not empty 3/4 of pool. Fill and do again. This is kind of a variation of simultaneous fill and empty. I know I am overthinking but what are your thoughts.

Edit: pH 7.5 (better but not there) Chlorine 3-4 ppm (tentative mission aborted today)

Note that your pH could very well have been 7.4 a few days ago and 8.2 today. pH tends to rise over time depending on how much aeration of the water there is and what the TA is.

The 3/4 draining thing just wastes water when you drain it again because the 1/4 water left is now mixed in with the newer water.

 

[JamesW]

You can add water and drain at the same time and this will dilute the metals assuming the fill water has no metal.

If you fill and drain at the same rate, then the water level will stay the same and that is the safest way.

It is not efficient, but it works.

 

[william13]

You can add water and drain at the same time and this will dilute the metals assuming the fill water has no metal.

If you fill and drain at the same rate, then the water level will stay the same and that is the safest way.

It is not efficient, but it works.

I think my water's iron is not high as the spa is free from stains for some reason. I understand the fill and drain at same time thing. Even without a special drain pump ie using pools own pump, I should be able to figure out how to keep water level level. How do I figure out the timing of it? I may have been told this before. 1 day 3 days??
As far as pH descrepancy. I measured 8.2 when they say they measured 7.4 (was not around when they had a 7.4 but we measured same day) Then when I challanged reading they sent another person who confirmed 8.2.

 

[JamesW]

How do I figure out the timing of it?

Start adding water and then adjust the drain to match as close as possible and then watch the level and adjust as needed.

If the pool water level is going down, decrease the drain.

If the pool water level is going up, increase the drain.

 

[william13]

Start adding water and then adjust the drain to match as close as possible and then watch the level and adjust as needed.

If the pool water level is going down, decrease the drain.

If the pool water level is going up, increase the drain.

I will be draining using my variable speed pump. Water will be going from main drain to pump to filter to street (as my pool was plumbed incorrectly as opposed to the drain before the filter. If I adjust flow using valve could too much pressure build up in filter? Is changing pump speed an option to affect flow. I know these are naive questions and I should use my own logic but so new to this.

 

[mknauss]

We do not recommend using your pool pump to drain. Get a sump pump.

 

[william13]

We do not recommend using your pool pump to drain. Get a sump pump.

That seems to make sense. Can you elaborate on why and wondering if you have a specific pump in mind? I am sure I will see 1000 of choices on amazon and get bogged down

 

[mknauss]

Submersible Pumps - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Bperry]

That seems to make sense. Can you elaborate on why and wondering if you have a specific pump in mind? I am sure I will see 1000 of choices on amazon and get bogged down

If you leave the pump running and it runs dry and overheats, you pool pump costs 10x as much as a $100 sump pump. It’s hard to sit and watch it for 4+ hours straight and so it’s virtually guaranteed you’ll forget to check on it. The sump pump also isn’t depending on your pool plumbing to maintain prime.

 

[william13]

But it still makes sense for general purposes to have a backwash valve and a hose fit to it for other reasons right?
I am in process of adding a valve between my pump and filter just to do things properly as mentioned by others on one of my other threads. I get the reasons mentioned above. Thank you for replying.

 

[Newdude]

But it still makes sense for general purposes to have a backwash valve and a hose fit to it for other reasons right?

Yes. Drain to waste was a non negotiable item on build #2 for me, after having one on the first pool.

It was great to vac to waste at spring opening or after big storms.

It was also great to lower the water a couple inches after big storms.

if you have a specific pump in mind? I am sure I will see 1000 of choices on amazon and get bogged down

I like this 1.6 HP for $83. Paired with a fat hose it approaches 5k GPH. I had the Superior 1/3 HP pump and while it worked great for years, it was slooooooooow and I had to dedicate the bulk of a day, or the entire day to the project.

 

[william13]

Yes. Drain to waste was a non negotiable item on build #2 for me, after having one on the first pool.

It was great to vac to waste at spring opening or after big storms.

It was also great to lower the water a couple inches after big storms.



I like this 1.6 HP for $83. Paired with a fat hose it approaches 5k GPH. I had the Superior 1/3 HP pump and while it worked great for years, it was slooooooooow and I had to dedicate the bulk of a day, or the entire day to the project.

Like 5000 gallons per hour and only 4 hours to drain a 20,000 gallon pool? I wonder how many gallons per hour I can add with outside faucet?

 

[Bperry]

Like 5000 gallons per hour and only 4 hours to drain a 20,000 gallon pool? I wonder how many gallons per hour I can add with outsied faucet?

A lot less than that.

 

[william13]

Yes. Drain to waste was a non negotiable item on build #2 for me, after having one on the first pool.

It was great to vac to waste at spring opening or after big storms.

It was also great to lower the water a couple inches after big storms.



I like this 1.6 HP for $83. Paired with a fat hose it approaches 5k GPH. I had the Superior 1/3 HP pump and while it worked great for years, it was slooooooooow and I had to dedicate the bulk of a day, or the entire day to the project.

Sorry is that a fat hose of flat hose? People like this pump!

 

[william13]

A lot less than that.

So how can I balance Ins=outs to do the vit c dilution protocol? Looks like 5000 gph out and a hose flows 14 gpm or 840 gph ie 1/6th of what goes out. Am I looking then for a weaker pump"

 

[Bperry]

So how can I balance Ins=outs to do the vit c dilution protocol? Looks like 5000 gph out and a hose flows 14 gpm or 840 gph ie 1/6th of what goes out. Am I looking then for a weaker pump"

If you are doing the “no drain exchange”, then you can pick whatever pump you want and then put a valve on the output so it can’t pump as fast.

Or you can just drain the water out and refill at whatever pace your hose will allow.

 

[william13]

If you are doing the “no drain exchange”, then you can pick whatever pump you want and then put a valve on the output so it can’t pump as fast.

Or you can just drain the water out and refill at whatever pace your hose will allow.

I wanted just to drain and fill but people speak about pool popping and thats worse than iron stains.