Hello All. Although I am not new to maintaining pools, I recently moved to a house that has both a pool and attached spa. I have a pentair easy touch system that has a pool setting and spa setting with a variable speed pump. My understanding is the only way to mix the pool and spa is via the spillway between the pool and spa. Before closing, I want to shock the pool and spa and eventually set up a good schedule for the best circulation through the winter and spring. I hope I am not overthinking this. In terms of shocking the pool, is it best to shock the pool and spa separately? In terms of a schedule going forward, is it best to run the pool a certain amount of time without spillway, then pool a certain amount of time with spillway, and the spa a certain amount of time? I am a bit confused on how to do this now that I have a spa. Anyone else have a similar pool setup and can provide any advice?
Pool with Spa Shock and Schedule
- Thread starter gmike09
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Raise the FC to whatever level you want in the pool then run the spillway for 20-30 minutes to refresh the water in the spa. The spa water will then be the same as the pool.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Although this will refresh the water in the spa, how do you handle water that is in between the spa drain and the filter? The only way to actually refresh this is by running in spa only mode. I have concerns if I miss that one part, then issues may come back with turning on spa mode. I am not sure if I am over thinking this part.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
What are you worried about the water between the spa drain and the pump? Your filter is serving both the pool and spa.
I can pour chlorine into one end of my 50 foot pool and even with the pump off the chlorine ions will migrate to the other end water.
The water in the spa drain will be fine.
Mostly concerned that if I never use that drain, then algae can hide and grow there infecting the pool as soon as it is used since the higher FC water would never go there. In the past with a previous pool, my idiot pool builder installed a nicheless light fixture inproperly. It ended up causes an algae problem with a ton of fine looking dirt that took years to resolve. I was able to finally defeat the algae issue only by slaming the the pool and making sure the light fixtures were fully included. I am trying to avoid that same type of scenario with the new pool.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You never had water flow through your light conduit. That is a different situation then your spa drain.
I think it is unnecessary but you can schedule your spa to run for a few minutes once a day or once a week after your spillway runs to flow some new water through your spa drain.
I think it is unnecessary but you can schedule your spa to run for a few minutes once a day or once a week after your spillway runs to flow some new water through your spa drain.