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I use a Hayward CS200E filter cartridge. I got a genuine Hayward filter with the pool and I bought a Pleatco filter a couple seasons after that. I could not tell any difference. I'm about ready to replace both filters (I like to have two so I can swap one out when they need cleaning.) and I'm...

About ready to close and have a question. I blow out my pipes through my skimmer. I use a pipe and screw it into the intake hole at the bottom of the skimmer. In previous years I’ve used Teflon tape around the threads. I’m wondering if there is a better product to use to seal that connection...

I have a Latham mesh safety cover. I cannot find the recommended water level is at closing. I know I’m not supposed to drain too much because the water is support for the cover if there is a lot of snow. I thought I found the recommended level earlier this year, but now I can’t find it. Any...

I think my pool is in very good shape chemically speaking. A friend came over today and sat by the pool and commented that my pool doesn’t smell like chlorine. My wife opined that it doesn’t because it’s a salt water pool. I explained the salt to chlorine process but I really couldn’t explain...

I’m getting ants in my pool. They’re coming from the space between the top of the fiberglass pool and the cement coping. Is there any product I can use to get rid of them? Obviously, I don’t want to be spraying poisonous chemicals around my pool. I have a call into the bug man but I trying...

I bought a solar cover two years ago and it is already falling apart. I started seeing plastic in the pool a couple days ago. I looked at the site and the cover is warranted for 10 years however it seems to be basically worthless. The first two years they will replace it but after that, the...

I’m not sure what it’s called but it’s where the small strainer basket is connected to the pump. Mine keeps getting air in it. Is this normal? It only gets air when I run the VSP at a lower speed (I usually run at 50%). If I run faster, the air is pushed out and it looks normal again. Hoping...

How sensitive is ph to aeration? I want to bring my ph up just a little without using any chemicals. I’m just over 7.2 and would like to see 7.6. I’m thinking about just turning one of my jets up so it breaks the surface. Can anyone help me with how fast that might raise ph? Would it be...

Among a few other things the pool builder did, the holder for my pool handle was not put in level. Therefore, my handle leans pretty bad to one side. Strange is that the first year when they originally put it in, it either wasn’t that way or I some how just didn’t notice (doubtful). The...

My SWG manual states that salt should be between 2700 and 3400ppm. I tested today and was at 2200 and I just put in a bag of salt which should get me up to about 2500. Another bag should get me to 2800. Is there any reason/benefit to going higher in the range? To get to 3400 would take a...

We opened the pool early (live in Michigan). We had some great weather this week so I went ahead and heated the water and we swam. It was fun and worth it, but now we're going to get at least two weeks where the overnight temps will go into the low 30's. My water temp is at 80 degrees right...

Opened today. Haven’t vacuumed yet, but got the cover off and am draining some water. The water height got pretty close to coping over winter but stayed under. A little disappointing that I have a small amount of algae. I don’t understand why since I still had chlorine in the water. Also, not...

Was thinking of an early open but just read something that said the SWG won’t work until the water temp hits 60 degrees. Is that true? If so, is there a corresponding temp for when algae starts to grow? Looking under the cover, the water looks clear. In S.E. Mich, we still looking at mid...

I just got an e-mail about the test kits going on sale. Wondering if someone could comment on what the differences are between the three different refill kits. I know when I bought my original kit, it came with the salt level test. Is there a particular test kit refill that would be best for...

We had a very nice warm fall so far but tomorrow the bottom drops out and it gets cold here. I have some chlorine left over (two gallons) that I was thinking of adding to the pool which I closed about a month ago at slam level. Probably over kill, but I figured a little extra won’t hurt...

Used a couple new products today. Bungee Plugs - If these hold they will be great. Last year I hooked up the Cyclone and after all the returns were bubbling, I called them off with a plug. I had to reach down into the water, while the air was blowing out and the pool water was being churned...

I was reading another thread about failed anchors use for a safety cover and thought it might be wise to do a little maintenance on mine. Mine go into concrete so I’m not concerned about them coming loose, but I do want to keep the threads clean so they don’t seize. I was thinking about taking...

At the beginning of the season (around May) I bought 2 cases of chlorine and only used 1 so I have four gallons left from then to use to close my pool. Question I have is, does chlorine degrade over that amount of time? If so, does it just get weak, or does something else happen? If it just...

Last year I closed my pool for the first time. To blow out the lines, I used a pipe the PB used the year before. Basically, I blew it out from the skimmer and capped off the jets. That worked pretty well but that last jet was pretty hard to cap off. So, my idea this year is to fabricate an...

I bought this brush and after just a couple months, it’s losing so many bristles that I’m going to have to stop using it. https://www.amazon.com/UMARDOO-Swimming-Reinforced-Curved-Bristles/dp/B08S766BGW Does anyone have a good brush to recommend that will at least last a year, which for me...

I added stabilizer last night and tested this morning and it ‘appears’ that my level went down. The one thing I can think of is that it’s a cloudy day hear. So instead of having a bright sun at my back, it’s basically a gray day. Would that effect the ability to see the black dot? I sure...

Due to a medical situation, I can no longer use my pool - maybe next year. DW and I would get in most evenings, but while she could go in, she is not inclined to do so by herself (understandable). Bottom line is that the pool is not being used much. However, I want the pool to be available...

My pH has been running low since opening the pool. Around 7 but maybe high 6’s, hard to tell from the color bands on the tester at that level. So yesterday I put two pounds of baking soda in the pool. Pool math said that should bring me up to 7.6 (target). However, I saw virtually no increase...

Latest test results. FC 8.5 CC .5 PH 7.0 TA 50 CYA 40 Salt 3200 Things are looking good and weather is going to be nice next week. Time to get the balance right. My question is, where to start. I'm thinking that raising the pH first. My TA is right at target, so I'm...

Been slowly getting my pool ready for swimming. It’s looking pretty good but, it’s been too cold here to swim. I cleaned up the pool yesterday (vacuumed, brushed, . . .) and then I made a bit of a mistake. I dumped a gallon of LC in the pool. That brought the chlorine level to 17 when I did...

I opened yesterday and had some algae so I put in some chlorine and today the pool looks a lot better. Will probably do a SLAM this week. My initial numbers are listed below. I think today I'll focus on getting the stabilizer up and throwing in a bag or two of salt. That's enough for a...

Kind of like that old pilot saying - any landing you can walk away from is a good one. So I guess my first opening was a good one. The good parts are that the air lock seemed to hold and I do not see any cracks from the freeze. That's a big one. Also, my pump came back on with no apparent...

We had a nice day for S.E. Michigan in December so I took a little time to look at my cover. It loosened considerably since I installed it. Probably stretched a bit after the initial installation plus we already had a few inches of snow (which has since melted) and I could see it sagging...

Thank for all the help from this site, I got up the nerve to close my pool on my own this year. Took me a few days getting the chlorine up and hand vacuuming the bottom and waiting for the temp to hit 60, but yesterday was go time. All I have is a skimmer and three outlets. I repeated what...

I'm closing for the first time. My plan is to copy the person's process who closed it last year (first time after pool build). I bought a cyclone and I will be blowing out from the skimmer. My openings are three outlets (jets) and two laminars (water feature). My plan is to blow from the...