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My pool guy used to put 3" pucks into the skimmer so I carried on doing so - he must know what he's doing, right?! Local pool store said I should switch to chlorine sticks instead but I don't understand why. I understand the bit about highly concentrated water in the skimmer rushing into the...

Question: if I'm using the "yellow test tube" dropper test and it comes up around 2.0, am I measuring chlorine or bromine (at a higher value)? FWIW it seems to be holding around this level for the last 72 hours with just the 3" chlorine tablets. Another question: why is sodium thiosulphate not...

24 hours since my OP and the situation is this: no chlorine or anything else added (just a couple of regular 3" tabs floating) and chlorine level was about 2.0 this morning, only a tad below last night. I thought I might have gotten lucky but knew that sunlight would burn off chlorine. Indeed...

Live and learn. Armed with the bromine thing I did some more searching on this site and now know a lot more than before, unfortunately way too late. (And before anybody asks, no it wasn't that nationwide chain of pool suppliers but a local one-location-only store). I'll try a partial drain first...

Eek. Silly question: why did the pool store sell and recommend it (not even their most expensive product) if this happens? Or did I do something (else) wrong? Water is expensive here so is that really the only solution?

United Chemical Yellow Treat (Sodium Bromide)

I forgot to check the chlorine tabs in my pool before we went away for a few days. When we came back the pool had large patches of yellow algae. I've had it before but a quick shock, algicide, and scrub and it's gone. The tabs keep the chlorine level at around 2.5 using the dropper test kits...

Update: the 3-port valve and associated plumbing has been replaced by myself. I think it's okay to say this here: kudos to Temecula Pool & Spa Supply for taking the time to look at my pictures and find the exact parts required, even a small section of pipe thrown in, for less money than I'd...

Not yet: I'd put it back together and turned it on to test, then the pool guy turned up and he noticed I hadn't seated the belt (?!) correctly to join the top and bottom halves together. By this time the wife was asleep from night shift and I couldn't go hammering around the belt to re-tighten...

Thanks again for your help. I found the O ring floating inside the murky water in the bottom of the tank - obviously fell off as I lifted the lid. Cleaned, lubed, restored. I took the grid assembly out but still wasn't able to take it apart (I know its in the manual but time was the issue - I've...

The landlady already offered a discount on the rent if we did it ourselves so after today's discovery I'm even more keen! Ok, lid taken off the filter. Eeek. I've spray washed the grids in place but couldn't get them out. Will try again tomorrow properly. Only thing is, putting it back together...

Thanks. Never backwashed - I thought that was the pool guy's job. Certainly never been told I should do it, wrongly or rightly. Now I know it's a simple 5 minute procedure I can be sure to do it frequently. Because of the volume of water earlier flooding the area and running towards the road...

Right, backwash goes to sanitary sewer, not to storm drains. Makes sense. Not quite sure how to get from the filter to the house sewer connection though - something for another day. Also, reading other threads here, I believe I ought to open up the filter to inspect the contents. I have no idea...

I used 8 yards of duct tape over the fittings I could wrap it around - the 3-way valve being a problem because of its multi concave nature. Didn't seem to affect anything. However, see below. I then read about bypassing the filter. Well, I can't work out how to do that but the tall valve next...

Yesterday it took me half an hour to get the pump to prime - open filter air pressure relief valve, take top off pump dome thing, fill with water, replace, turn on... rinse, repeat over and over again until it finally caught. Today 45 minutes and I've given up. Beyond air leaks, the only thing...

Failed to prime again twice, despite replacing the O-rings in the 3-way valve. I can hear hissing from the valve though I'm not convinced that that alone could be causing the priming issues. Landlady has given me the go-ahead to replace that section of pipe plumbing from the pump to the two...

I replaced the O-rings in the 3-way valve but the existing ones seemed fine though. It seems that to replace the screw ring means cutting in the vertical returns from the pool (horizontal red lines in the picture). The 6" section between the pump and the valve already has two connectors so the...

Sorry, another question. In the earlier picture you can see two black screw rings connecting the pump to the plumbing (one on top, one on the end). If I were to replace those, do I need to re-plumb a short section of pipe? Without dismantling it, I'm trying to think how the rings would work -...

Yes, that's the one. She sent around another repairman today to quote and he admitted he really didn't know why it wouldn't always prime. However, he did give me a set of 3 O-rings (1 large, 2 small) and lube to replace on that valve. He also tightened one ring which I hadn't realized was...

Wow, thanks for the replies. I have no idea on the volume of the pool as it's one of these freeform shapes. If you enclosed the maximum dimensions in a box then 20' x 40'. Now put three circles such that the middle circle overlaps the outer two in a triangular shape, but not those outer two...

Subjective question seeing as you don't know me :D So we moved into this rental property which has a pool. However, the pump fails to prime maybe 1 in 10 times. Today a repair guy came out and pointed out several leaks, plus the pump was very old and rusted. Cost to replumb only was $400; cost...

Thanks but I'm confused why the local stores want to know the make of the hot tub. To me it's like going to Walmart for a new toaster and them asking what brand of electrical socket you have. Amazon also sell control packs though they're not the cheapest.

A couple of years ago we acquired a spa for free from a neighbor but it was missing the electronics/pump/heater. I cobbled together spare parts from other sources and for a grand total of $150 including labor to move it we had ourselves a working hot tub. However, the heater started to give up -...

Well, a little to begin with, but the last few weeks have been relatively stable - just that curious high TA while lowish pH. I have used baking soda - might have been here I read it! But also used pH up. I guess if they do the same thing then I'll stick to baking soda for new purchases! Oh...

We acquired a spa from a neighbor, cobbling together a few bits and pieces to make it work again. I'm slowly getting the hang of things in terms of chemicals but just wanted to check/ask a couple of things please. Firstly my pH level tended to hover around 7.2 until I used pH Up. The alkalinity...

Drawing board, hah, barely even on the back of a napkin at the moment! Ok, looks like I really ought to stick to just managing the thing rather than trying to do it myself. Just trying to save a few pennies and have some fun... but yes it would probably be anything but if I did it! Nice pool...