Question about adding. CH to keep it at the high end for SWG

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JamesW said:
I don't think that he has ever recommended calcium for a SWG pool. I think that you mean CSI for plaster. In that case, I would suggest a higher pH, such as 7.7 to 7.8 to help keep the CSI in a non-corrosive range.
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I guess I should be a bit more specific. In a previous thread, chemgeek and I discussed my CSI being a little in the danger zone to -.5 or .-7 and I was trying to get it closer to 0. He recommended for a SWG pool (we weren't discussing plaster at all) that the better CSI was -.2 or .-1 and not to try and target 0. His first recommendation was to stabilize my Ph and then to get the CSI closer to his recommended range for SWG. There have actually been several posts on this. When I play around with pool math, it is easier for me to stay closer to the -.2 or -.1 if my CH is higher. My recent question was wondering if my CH additions are abnormal. My CH has not risen due to evaporation as would be expected (although I didn't know this), it seems to drop, thus my CSI tends to be closer to the danger zone. Reflecting on it more, it appears that it's just not a good time to be figuring this out due to the abnormal monsoon season we've had. I talked to my husband about a possible leak, but we don't ever need to add water in the winter so that wouldn't make sense with a leak. It's just summer time when we need to fill due to evaporation. My current CH is 300 and I don't plan to add anymore at this time unless it falls below that. By all means I don't want to add anything unnecessary. I would like to get to a stable "sweet spot" before I start back to teaching in a few weeks.

Thank you for looking out for any possible misunderstandings that I might have. I have learned so much here, but truly learn something new EVERY day!
 
JoyfulNoise said:
For pH testing you are doing a color comparison so strong, indirect lighting works best and putting a uniform background color behind the comparator block helps as well. I actually find that standing in the shade and holding the block up to a bright blue sky works really well for me. The trick I found is to use a background color that makes all of the test colors in the comparator look unique/different and then compare the solution (it's not the actual color that matters, just the differences in shade). Some background colors make all the colors in the block blend together and look like the same shade. Blue sky works the best in most cases for me.

It certainly sounds like you'd do better with a cartridge filter but you'd need a fairly large (aka, expensive) one so you're not having to take it apart all the time. Something to save up for, I suppose.

If the husband thinks you're crazy then just offer him the opportunity to take over the pool care :p

Feel free to contact me anytime, I'm always happy to help if I can.


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Thank you! and LOL at the husband taking over. He does compliment me on the beauty of the pool water, but thinks I'm being way too picky. I'm also fascinated with reading the forum and learning more; I try to tell him things and he just doesn't get my excitement - teehee! It's a harmless habit and I'm thankful for the other pool enthusiasts here that will listen :)
 
Pogueld said:
Thank you! and LOL at the husband taking over. He does compliment me on the beauty of the pool water, but thinks I'm being way too picky. I'm also fascinated with reading the forum and learning more; I try to tell him things and he just doesn't get my excitement - teehee! It's a harmless habit and I'm thankful for the other pool enthusiasts here that will listen :)
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With you being a teacher and having dedicated your life to learning and teaching others (bless you if you teach middle school! I just could never teach that age group), I am not at all surprised by your TFP addiction :)


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JoyfulNoise said:
With you being a teacher and having dedicated your life to learning and teaching others (bless you if you teach middle school! I just could never teach that age group), I am not at all surprised by your TFP addiction :)


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Yea - middle schoolers - whew! I've never taught that grade. I've taught elementary school for 22 years, pk, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and a Gifted and Talented Specialist for the last nine years. I am advancing this year and moving up to teach freshman English. It's a welcome new challenge, but I'm a little nervous!
 
Note that calcium is only necessary in pools that need calcium carbonte saturation. Since the pool is known to be plaster and have a rising pH, that is what the higher calcium level was based on. Using a lower ta helps reduce ph rise. Since the pool benefits by getting close to a 0 csi, a lower ta can be offset by a higher CH.
 
JoyfulNoise said:
I have a mesquite tree that is the bane of my existence (there's a chainsaw in that tree's future).
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And then there's a pool party and BBQ @ your house right? :mrgreen: I loves me some mesquite BBQ! ;).

JoyfulNoise said:
but could your filter be undersized for your pool needs.
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I would bet that it's the DE in the sand filter that is the culprit behind the twice-a-week need to backwash. If you add too much, you are effectively creating an undersized filter.

Are you making sure that you are only adding just enough DE to raise filter pressure by 1/2 - 1lb at the most?

After you add DE, filter pressure will continue to rise for several minutes, and can suddenly spike up to an hour after you add it.... So start slow- 1/4 cup or so- and watch for the rise... Then add a little more if there's been no change in 15-20 mins. Continue like that until you get that very small rise. Always start off with a freshly backwashed filter, and if you overshoot and the pressure goes up by more than a pound, do a quick backwash, and start over again.
Make a note of how much it took once you've got it right, and next time start with about 75% of that amount.

Remember the reason for adding the DE in the first place is that sand filters do their job better when they are a little dirty. What you are trying to simulate is a sand bed that's not squeaky-clean. If you're only wanting to "polish" your water by using the DE, then you should probably stick to tiniest amount possible-- it really doesn't take much. In which case, it probably won't increase backwashing frequency much, if at all.

- - - Updated - - -

BTW, couldn't you add the calcium by chlorinating with CalHypo, and then DH wouldn't have any reason to question it? :suspect:
 
AprilsZoo said:
And then there's a pool party and BBQ @ your house right? :mrgreen: I loves me some mesquite BBQ! ;).
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Since you're a fellow Tucsonan, do you know the "BBQ4U" guy? If you have never seen his mobile mesquite BBQ trailer or watched him grille up 40 trip-tip roasts at a time, you are missing out on some serious mesquite BBQ awesomeness! I buy a whole tri-tip roast from him (sometimes two!) every time I see him setup.



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AprilsZoo said:
And then there's a pool party and BBQ @ your house right? :mrgreen: I loves me some mesquite BBQ! ;).



I would bet that it's the DE in the sand filter that is the culprit behind the twice-a-week need to backwash. If you add too much, you are effectively creating an undersized filter.

Are you making sure that you are only adding just enough DE to raise filter pressure by 1/2 - 1lb at the most?

After you add DE, filter pressure will continue to rise for several minutes, and can suddenly spike up to an hour after you add it.... So start slow- 1/4 cup or so- and watch for the rise... Then add a little more if there's been no change in 15-20 mins. Continue like that until you get that very small rise. Always start off with a freshly backwashed filter, and if you overshoot and the pressure goes up by more than a pound, do a quick backwash, and start over again.
Make a note of how much it took once you've got it right, and next time start with about 75% of that amount.

Remember the reason for adding the DE in the first place is that sand filters do their job better when they are a little dirty. What you are trying to simulate is a sand bed that's not squeaky-clean. If you're only wanting to "polish" your water by using the DE, then you should probably stick to tiniest amount possible-- it really doesn't take much. In which case, it probably won't increase backwashing frequency much, if at all.

- - - Updated - - -

BTW, couldn't you add the calcium by chlorinating with CalHypo, and then DH wouldn't have any reason to question it? :suspect:
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Thank you April. I only add 1/4-1/2 cup each time and sometimes I forget to add it at all. I do wash the PSI.
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See the sand on the skimmer ledge . . And then see that ledge there on the pool, well the dog gets in there at least four times a day. She plays on the ledge. After she plays, she goes out and rolls around in the dirt and the process repeats. The ledge will be covered in sand. Our soil is very sandy.

Most of the time it is a once weekly backwash. It's rarely twice, but it happens.

I seriously never paid much attention until becoming TFP and now it just really perturbs me [emoji14]. Suggestions welcome.


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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Put a fence up and keep the dog out of the pool?

(Sorry, I am not a "dog-person" so I take a dim view of aquatic canines. Plus I think I read chemgeek post once that a single dog is the equivalent of 5 person-hours worth of bather waste....yuck!)




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JoyfulNoise said:
Put a fence up and keep the dog out of the pool?

(Sorry, I am not a "dog-person" so I take a dim view of aquatic canines. Plus I think I read chemgeek post once that a single dog is the equivalent of 5 person-hours worth of bather waste....yuck!)




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Ha! I guess that's an option, although an expensive one and we've already fenced in our entire 3 acres. I've actually gotten the sand in the skimmers down significantly . just with the skimmer socks and better cleaning. ( that picture was taken a couple of months ago). They are golden retrievers and we keep them cut short. They are the sweetest dogs. (Maybe hard for a non-dog person to understand). I've thought about getting them a plastic pool, but then that's just one more thing for me to clean - [emoji14]


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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Joy,
Best BBQ I've ever had In.My.Life... is from Guerro Loco a.k.a BubbaQue. His claim to fame is pulled pork.... One sandwich is enough to feed two people .
I am not kidding when I tell you that it is practically org@smic--- topped with a mound of coleslaw... O.M.G.....
I follow his Facebook page and pounce whenever he brings his truck out to the Civano area. It's what barbecue is gonna taste like in heaven, I just know it... :tasty:

I'll have to keep my eye out for bbq4u around town. I just looked at his Facebook page and it does look very, very good. :goodjob:
One thing is certain: I could never be a vegetarian.
"Here an oink... there a moo... yummy, yummy BBQ":laughblue:
​

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Lisa,
You've got a great looking pool! I'd love to have an oasis like that. ?

And I know what you mean about having higher standards now... It is hard to find that happy medium after you learn what perfection would be. After a couple seasons, you'll figure out what you can realistically expect as far as your pool care routine goes.

The sand is probably something you'll just have to live with-- unless you build a bubble around your property... Or figure out some other way to keep the desert at bay.
But maybe keeping something like this handy http://www.amazon.com/Water-Tech-GG..._sbs_86_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FNYEWHXAJ8FDAFWW460 by the pool, would help? Then anytime someone is in the pool, they could take a couple minutes to clean up the skimmer shelves, and the corners of the steps or tanning ledge.
(Truth be told that gadget reminds me of a gigantic booger-sucker that you use on babies...:cyclopsani: )
I've also seen a version of the "grit-getter" that has an extension tube attached so it has a reach of about 3 feet. <= DH was eyeing that "toy" at the pool store while I was trying to find out if they had borate test strips in stock.

Ya know, I wonder if a turkey baster would work? :confused:

As far as the dog hair challenges,you could try brushing them well, before they go in the pool.

Or you could try getting (or making) "bathing suits" for them... http://www.retrieverworld.com/LYCRA-FULL-BODY-SUIT-LBS.htm.
They're made of Lycra-Spandex, and are designed to contain the fur, dander, etc. If you read the FAQ, it says they are safe to wear in the pool.
No doubt, they look silly to us... But fortunately, dogs have no fashion-sense, anyway. :colors:

A few last ideas in no particular order *:

* I didn't make any effort to find the best prices on any of the items above. Before purchasing, make sure to "do your homework" so you can get the best deal.
Additionally, I make no claims as to the effectiveness of the above gadgets... I only present them as possible solutions to the problem... Always do your own research.
 
Thanks so much April and LOL @ the doggie swim suits [emoji14].

I love all of the options for different skimmers. I had looked at once choice before, but had no idea how many other options there are! I will be researching more!


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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