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First let me say I've read dozens of threads that say don't do it. However, our pool is already painted. It is currently emptied due to extensive repairs to our sinking-on-one-side-patio (the pool is built into a giant retaining wall into a steep hill). While power washing and cleaning up the...

Thank you! It's a 2003 hot tub, according to the label. Our repairman told us it would run us around $2000 for a new circuit board and it wasn't worth it on a 10+ yr old spa. He tried to fiddle with it, rewiring some stuff, then told us it needed a new circuit board. Yeah, we're going to find...

Hello everyone. Some background and a quick question or two. We moved into our current house 2 years ago. It came with a Sundance Optima spa which was in great condition physically/cosmetically but not working. It's clean, no leaks, etc. We had a repairman out to look at it and he said the...

Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better.

How long does it take for water to freeze and damage pipes? I'm in the same boat, pool not closed yet, and it's supposed to get down to 26/28 two nights in a row (but daytime temps coming up to mid 40s).

Re: How does low temp water affect effectiveness of chlorine True that. When we became first time pool owners, I went to leslies and promptly got pool stored. The kid helping me was brand new and telling me about all the products, and when he got to phosphate remover he said "some people use...

Oh right, duh, ha ha. Silly me.

Setting up my hot tub for the first time - please double check my amounts. I want to bring my CYA up to 30. According to the pool calculator, on my 420 gallon tub, I need to add 3 oz dichlor which will give me 27 CYA (close enough), and will bring my FC up to 30. Does this sound right? That...

You may want to check your water rates. Water is pretty cheap here (Virginia). It may be easier going forward to do a partial drain to lower your CYA; then you'll need less bleach. The reason for a separate water meter is that they're billed differently. Part of your water bill includes a bill...

Thank you! Putting those on my list. No, no ozonator. Plan on testing reguarly the first few weeks, then once I get a feel for the chlorine consumption, I hope to be able to dose just 2-3 times a week.

Thank you!! I have read and will continue to reread that thread, lots of great info to absorb.

How do you know if biofilms have formed? We're in the process of cleaning and setting up a neglected hot tub. I plan on using a decontam product plus a super shock afterward to be on the safe side (the hot tub was NASTY when we moved in). I'd like to know for future reference if there's a way...

It's a Hayward. It's also pretty new, we got it installed last spring, and our filter and motor are kept in a shed, so they've been kept out of the elements. Seems strange it would get stuck all of the sudden. I'll try turning it back and forth one more time, then we'll have to resort to taking...

Haha! Yes, I was pressing on the end of it. I've ony had to backwash twice this summer (it's a HUUUUGE sand filter) and didn't remember it being that difficult to turn. Guess I'll have to unscrew those 2 million screws and hope I don't mess it up trying to put it back together :(

I need to turn the lever on my filter from "filter" to "backwash" (pressure up from addition of DE). Am I correct in 1. turning the pump off 2. pressing down on the lever and turning it clockwise? The darn thing won't budge for anything! I even had my husband try. I don't want to break the dang...

Thanks again guys. Good to know about a water change if I change my mind. Fortunately, water is pretty cheap here, I calculated the cost of a hot tub refill and it came out to roughly $5.

Ok, thanks. I suppose I can try it and then switch to chlorine if I can't stand the smell. I don't even know the cost of bromine, but I assume it's higher than chlorine.

Oops, sorry, meant hot tub. Thanks for the link. No, no ozonator. So, besides cost, a major drawback of bromine is the smell?

I have a Sundance Optima. According to the manual, "flo" means "heater is deactivated. Pump may also be deactivated. Proper flow of water is inhibited or a flow switch has malfunctioned. Check for proper water level and check for clogged stage 2 filter. Contact your dealer or service". If you...

We are finally getting around to getting our hot tub repaired. In the meantime, I'm trying to decide between bromine vs. chlorine. I used bleach with great success in our pool all summer long, thanks to you guys. Question 1. Can anyone describe the bromine smell? I see a lot of people saying...

It does take a while to get the fire going and then let it die down to coals - at least an hour if not more. We currently have a weber grill and I sometimes burn chunks of oak in it to cook on, and it takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r for those wood chunks to burn down. I'd use mine more for smoking or slow...

Ah, I see. Yes, yesterday was very warm (90s) and kids wanted to get in the pool after school. I went ahead and let them (like I said, fc was 5), then started the SLAM process when they were done. Yes, they took hot showers afterward :), and they weren't in very long.

Just wondering why I have an algae bloom but am not registering any cc's? I got a bit lazy with the cooler temps and kids going back to school (nobody using the pool) and got a slight algae bloom - water is greenish and cloudy. Of course I am slamming and brushing to take care of it. Yesterday...

I've been trolling that site too; I plan on making a small pizza oven when I can find the time and materials. I plan on constructing a form and using refractory concrete instead of nearly impossible to find, and very expensive, fire bricks. I have a friend who has a pizza oven, and they use...

What he said. I would maintain FC levels and brush and eventually the stains should go away. esp if the pool gets a lot of sun. If it's empty, try scrubbing with a strong bleach solution. If the stains don't go away, then consider other measures.

I had to replace our pool pump and put in a 3/4 HP Pentair, single speed. Works beautifully, no problems. The pressure from the returns seems just as strong as when I had a 1.5 HP. If you look up in pool school, a small no frills pool is fine with a 3/4 HP pump. I got ours off of Amazon for...

Re: Lots of questions for doing it myself first time this we Just to let you know, I'm a new pool owner, and it takes me about 5 min average to do the testing. I test ph only about twice a week, and FC every day. The rest are only tested every two weeks or so. Adding bleach takes just a few...

How about when you're doing laundry and you pour bleach in and you catch yourself wondering "I wonder what the fc level of the water is?'. True story :D

Thinking ahead here... I'm wondering if I need to close the pool? Blow out the drains and all that mysterious stuff? We do get below freezing just a handful of nights in Jan/Feb (sometimes as low as the teens), but generally the winter is mild. It's uncommon to be below freezing during the day...

I keep my CYA on the low side at the beginning of summer (25-30), and add pucks when I'm gone. About to leave for 5 days tomorrow morning and I'll toss some pucks in and bring the FC level up tonight before I leave. Last time we left for 4 days, and I came home to a clear, fairly balanced pool...