Search results

  1. C

    Connectimg Unions into new pump

    So reading about how to screw in union threads into a new Pentair pump seem to be all over the place. Looking for guidance. We don't want to have leaks and have to redo everything. - Teflon Tape ? - Pool / Spa Lube? - Nothing. Just tighten, then max 1 more turn ? Edit : Can we reuse the...
  2. C

    Converting to SWG

    Been reading and lurking here for our consideration to convert to SWG system. Liquid Chlorine has gone thru the roof and is hard to even get late in the season. 32K Gal IG Pool. Seems fairly straightforward, but I have a few questions - - We don't have a Variable Speed Pump. That should NOT be...
  3. C

    Calcium Hardness Plus - Best price you've found?

    Leslie's is charging an outrageous $43 for 15 LB of this stuff ! (SF BAY AREA). Where are the least expensive places to buy this stuff ? And of good quality/percent ? TIA
  4. C

    Check Valve - 1/2 lb or 2 lb for Solar ?

    We are in the process of replacing a leaking 3-way Pentair Valve after a couple years of replacing diverter & O-rings. Just tired of trying to fix going the "parts" route. In doing so, we have to cut PVC that includes an "inline" check valve that feeds into the Filter. I read on InyoPools.com...
  5. C

    Do you actually fully BALANCE all Chems during cold winter months ? (SF BAY area)

    For years, I seldom check or do anything to our pool water during the colder months (Nov thru March), other than an occasional jug of Chlorine. Water has always looked clear during those months, and leave it uncovered until warmer weather starts around April. So during this time my CYA, CH...
  6. C

    Oxidizing Shock for "Chloramines" ?? Really?

    So I saw this posted on another Pool site (not Leslie's). They recommend this Oxidizing Shock treatment "ONCE PER WEEK". I've never heard of this and would like your opinion(s). is this a real thing? TIA .. "When chlorine breaks down, it forms tiny particles called chloramines. These...
  7. C

    SWG issues for Copper Pipes?

    We are considering switching to a SWG system. I read the posting in POOL SCHOOL re: SWG's .. I have 2 questions: - Our Pool Return is COPPER piping. Buried in the ground & under Cemented patio material. Somewhere I think I read that Copper pipes aren't compatible with SWG's .. Is that true or...
  8. C

    Sodium Carbonate vs BORAX ?

    I am assisting a friend in going toward the tfp method of maintenance. I told him to pick up some 22 MULE TEAM BORAX to adjust his PH. He had previously picked up a bag of "PH UP" at Home Depot ... I looked at the ingredients & it says it is "SODIUM CARBONATE" ... Is this the same stuff as...
  9. C

    Recommendation on Liquid Stablizer? (CYA)

    I have a fresh fill after repairs over last winter. My CYA is 0 right now & I'm going thru the "Sock" method which is taking forever of course. So I've seen there is LIQUID CYA that can get me up and going fast. There are so many products out there, some positive reviews on AMAZON and some...
  10. C

    Pool Cracked - leaking (Plaster vs Fiberglass finish?)

    I'm not sure how old our pool is - could be 20-25 years. We had an issue 8 years ago that caused us to have to totally strip the Fiberglass & have 20 "rebar staples" drilled & epoxied over cracks in the wall. Then re-Fiberglassed. Expensive as you can imagine. So of course any warranty is no...
  11. C

    Small Crack in Fiberglass (in ground)

    Noticed about a 3" hairline crack about 5 feet down along the wall of our in ground Fiberglass Pool (sprayed on, over cement/gunnite). I don't think there's a leak going on. (Haven't noticed any change in needs of water fills). We've clearly had some settlement over the 7 years of having this...
  12. C

    Can't find liquid Chlorine ! COVID19

    Costco is totally out of liquid Chlorine, and when it DOES arrive, they limit to 1 Box (3 pack). Frankly glad we're not in HOT summer months -- YET. So I found this at an Online Pool Supply store & would appreciate any comments on the product. It SAYS that it is unlike the Trichlor stuff that...
  13. C

    Replacing Pentair WhisperFlo EE 0.5HP

    We have an old(er) Pentair pump that has gotten very noisy. Presumably nearing end of life. (We inherited it when we purchased the house - so probably 10-15 years old). Reading thru this forum, I'm not convinced it would be a good idea to move to a Variable Speed pump. It seems like many...
  14. C

    Compool Solar System - how to install a REMOTE Temp Sensor?

    We have a COMPOOL Solar unit. It has 2 sensors - one for up on the roof and one that is inserted into the J-Valve to control when the solar is on or off. It functions perfectly. I'd like to be able to know the Pool Temperature; ideally inside the house. Is there a method or attachment to be...
  15. C

    Stained Walls - how to "clean" ?

    We had a Mustard outbreak earlier this year - I SLAMMED & everything has been very CLEAR since. Seems like we get this issue early season every year. The pool walls however have an obvious 'stain' on them. I can take a sponge and it clearly "streaks" with enough scrubbing. But it is...
  16. C

    Solar cover that doesn't deteriorate over 2 years?

    I'm a little tired of replacing my BLUE SOLAR cover every 2 years after small blue pieces start floating around & ending in my Skimmer basket. And these things aren't inexpensive! Yea, I get it that the SUN & Chlorine suck the life out of them. We actually remove it & store it away from...
  17. C

    Booster Pump replacement recommendation

    We have an old (year unknown) PB4-60 Polaris Booster Pump. We've replaced the seals a year ago, now it's leaking again. We're just going to bite the bullet and replace it. Reading reviews of the pump, a LOT of people just aren't happy with the LIFE of it .. Some say their new-one died withing...
  18. C

    Dolphin Nautilus Plus - if you have one, how long does the Cycle run?

    Just purchased a Dolphin Nautilus PLUS on Amazon. Aside from no option at purchase time to get the correct Brushes for my Fiberglass IG pool, the cleaning cycle seems to be 2 hours and not the 3 as advertised. I initilly thought it was because the Filters clogged - and in fact the 1st run they...
  19. C

    Robotic Cleaner that gets the FINE debris ?

    OK, I'm a bit fed up with my issue of really fine dirt debris in our pool. I've tried the suction Hose attachment method connecting to my skimmer to the filter -- the process is tedious at best and very time consuming, often only capturing 75% of the debris (it mostly just seems to stir things...
  20. C

    After SLAM, my PH is very RED

    I just went through the SLAM process. My FC is still 13.5 and water looks much much better than 4 days ago. And the OLCT is 0.0 .... So I'll just let the CL normalize back to around 4-5.0 I decided to also check my PH this morning and it is very very RED. ( started with around 7.2 before...
  21. C

    Greenish tint & yellowish "debris" on bottom of pool

    Background: We have a couple of large trees close to the pool & they have been dropping leaves since mid-October (and still going on). We put a LEAF NET over the pool mid-October with a blue Solar cover under that. We left it like that for about 4 weeks, not removing it as it continued to catch...
  22. C

    Good Pool Vacuum (for fine debris/dirt) ??

    I've been relying on our filter system, a Polaris pool sweep, & basic brushing to eliminate dirt in the pool ... all in all that alone doesn't work perfectly. So finally got a Skimmer Basket Vacuum Plate to get a hand-held vacuum system. Going down to Lowes to pick up 50' of 1.5" hose. Now to...
  23. C

    Can high chlorine cause staining?

    Split by moderator from HERE. Please start your own thread and not tack on question in a sticky. Thanks, jblizzle. Question : I read in another post in this forum that "too much Chlorine can cause staining" ... Is that TRUE? e.g., Given the subjective nature of the test, my CYA is somewhere...
  24. C

    AA Treatment question(s)

    OK, so as a few of you know, I've had some dark stains of sort on the sides & bottom most of summer -- even though I've maintained really great numbers ! I did the Vitamin C "test" on a couple of areas, and in a matter of seconds it lightened. Sooooo it appears I have some metal staining...
  25. C

    End of Season - good time to SHOCK ?

    I reported earlier this summer about some 'dirty staining' going on in my pool. I am 99.999% certain this is NOT algae, but laziness on my part on not brushing enough. My figures have been solid all summer (see below) & water looks great. All I can say is that regular Brushing of the...
  26. C

    Blue Bubble Cover - leaching plastic pieces after just 2 years !!

    2 years ago we bought one of those Blue Bubble Solar covers from Leslie's Pools for our in-ground pool, replacing the previous owner's same type of cover that was a mess. It came with a "5 year warranty" (of course, read the fine print on THAT). It is already starting to wear out, leaving small...
  27. C

    General "Cleaning" of Dirt Stains ?

    Wasn't sure where to post this, so here ya go. First off, I am 99.9999% sure what we have is NOT Algae .. I am meticulous about maintaining and testing our CL (and all) levels. We have a Polaris 280 Cleaner that I run at least 2 hours a day (Winter) and 4 hours a day (Summer). It does a great...
  28. C

    CYA - testing in "sunlight" vs. "indoors"

    OK, so this issue came up and I'd appreciate any clarification/thoughts on this from you experts. As most know, Leslie's Pools allows a monthly "free" water test, which includes the CYA value. So they don't do the test the same as I would do per the instructions on this site: Outside, back to...
  29. C

    Drain Plug Leaks - Polaris Pump Volute for Cleaner

    We just replaced our Polaris BOOSTER Pump, but not the Volute ... (for the pool cleaner).. At the bottom of the Volute is a cheap plastic Drain Plug (ugh). It drips ! We bought a replacement plug and it ALSO drips ! Should we be putting some "tape" over the threads? Caulking? WHY on earth...
  30. C

    Weather Station & Pool Temperature Sensor

    We're looking for a Weather station (indoor/outdoor temps, humidity, et al) that can allow a Pool Temp sensor device/hookup. Have done some research - found Oregon Scientific that seems to provide these features. Expensive($200+) and the floating Sensor seems to have common complaints of...