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  1. qbot

    Help me Obi Wan: Pool Store v. TFP

    Disclaimer: I am a new pool owner and am weening myself from pool stores. That being said, my local pool store is pretty legit and I trust them... I went in today to get some new cyanuric acid reagent for my test kit and spoke with my favorite salesman. He asked where I'd been and I told him...
  2. sophie.jpg

    sophie.jpg

  3. qbot

    Does CYA sink?

    The numbers in the OP above are from yesterday. The consensus seems to be that I have to increase my FC. Question: If my FC is currently 4.5 ppm, how much bleach do I need to dump to get a minimum of 6 or target of 9?
  4. qbot

    Does CYA sink?

    Thanks. I now have a test kit and have been testing every couple of days. I got the Leslies FAS DPD.
  5. qbot

    Does CYA sink?

    For reasons I will not get into here, I have no circulation from the main drain. I have just one skimmer and that's how the water circulates. When I opened my pool this summer, my CYA level was 50 (pool store test). Since then, every couple days, I stick the vacuum head underwater and pull...
  6. qbot

    Too Much Vacuum Suction

    I can't. One of the screws holding my diverter valve in place broke off in the skimmer. Rather than try to drill it out and risk a bigger calamity (cracked skimmer), I was told not to bother and just remove the valve altogether. As a result, I haven't been able to regulate the flows from the...
  7. qbot

    Too Much Vacuum Suction

    No bristles on the vacuum. It looks almost identical to this...
  8. lovingHDTV-PlasterVacuum.jpg

    lovingHDTV-PlasterVacuum.jpg

  9. qbot

    Too Much Vacuum Suction

    I've searched the forum and couldn't find any answers... I have a standard vacuum head attached to my hose and telescoping pole. Recently, when I've vacuumed, I get too much suction and cannot move the head. I either have to break the seal at the skimmer or wrench the pole sideways to break...
  10. qbot

    Pergola

    Greetings. We have a W/SW view and get relentless sun. I was thinking a pergola off the side of the house would be just what the doctor ordered. Does anyone here have experience building these? I'm reasonably handy with tools but not a professional by any means. Any plans on the internets...
  11. qbot

    Pin Prick Hole in Vacuum Hose

    Excellent suggestions. Thanks.
  12. qbot

    Pin Prick Hole in Vacuum Hose

    I've noticed that my vacuum hose has a tiny, almost invisible, hole in it. I can hear it hiss when I connect it to the skimmer (its right at the waterline). I'm still getting a good suction. Is there a product that anyone would recommend to fix it?
  13. qbot

    High Chlorine! High CYA?

    Thanks guys. The pool calculator says I should replace 29% of my water to lower the CYA to 50. Is this advisable? Also, based upon what I've read, I am going to refrain from using any more pucks and only use bleach. That should keep my CYA relatively stable, yes?
  14. qbot

    High Chlorine! High CYA?

    Greetings. I'm waiting for my test kit (I got the Leslie's brand FAS-DPD kit) so I've been relying on my local pool shop. These are my levels: FC: 8 TC: 8 pH: 7.9 TA: 140 CH: 290 CYA: 70 I'm trying to do the BBB method but can't do a whole lot without my kit. Used the pool this weekend and...
  15. qbot

    Arenson Pool Sweep?????What is this?

    Recently moved to a house with a pool and trying to figure everything out. I have an old Arneson Pool sweep pump in the pump house. The intake and outflow pipes (I think) are cut and I can see some cut pipes cemented in the floor. I assume that the pipes from the pump were, at one time...
  16. pool2.jpg

    pool2.jpg

  17. qbot

    Introduction and Questions (of course)

    Thanks for the answers. There is a little bubble in the strainer basket compartment, but it's about the size of a silver dollar and appears just to hang out on the top. Is this normal? Is it difficult to replace the bearings (or check to see if needs to be done)?
  18. qbot

    Introduction and Questions (of course)

    Greetings. Last year, the wife and I (and 3 y/o) purchased a home with a circa 1980s in-ground gunite pool. For the most part, the pool is in pretty good shape, although some of the gunite has cracked and the paint is wearing off. Since we didn't move in until summer last year, I didn't open...
  19. pool.jpg

    pool.jpg

  20. qbot

    Do I need the twinkie?

    The other option is to attach the twinkie using silicone and one screw. Do you think this would hold for the summer? If so, what type of silicon bond would you suggest?
  21. qbot

    Do I need the twinkie?

    The pool is inground gunite. I've been running it without the twinkie for about a week and can see no problems but I want to have the optimal flow and, right now, I think I'm only circulating water from the top of the pool.
  22. qbot

    Do I need the twinkie?

    First things first, I am a new homeowner and our house came with a nice pool built in the 1980s sometime. I'm glad I found this forum...I've already answered many of my questions. When opening the pool last weekend, when I tried to put on the diverter valve (aka twinkie), I noticed that one of...
  23. pool.jpg

    pool.jpg