C
cfrench
WOW--wish I had found this site a couple of years ago, quite impressive amount of knowledge and tools for the average owner for sure...
BTW--
Thanks in advance for any help or advice--it is greatly appreciated.
So--heres my story, apologies for length--
About 2 wks ago I was riding the fence as to whether I would pay pool guy to drain my swamp and get pool ready for summer AGAIN, or DIY it.
For the last 2 or 3 years, we have turned pumps off around Sept/Oct, and let the pool just sit all winter. Then around April we have it completely drained, bleach and acid washed, and refilled. Pretty much maintained it myself all summer, w pool guy coming in once or twice to check chems, give a thorough vacuuming etc...
This maintenance "plan" has cost $2-3 grand every year, and I am SICK of it...
So decided to do it myself this year. After spending a couple weeks online, I came across this site and really like the methods you guys have developed. Well done, sirs.
Anyway, after sitting all winter, pool was just gross. It looked and smelled like a swamp. For sure, we had developed a habitat for several types of creatures.
I rented a pump from Home Depot two weeks ago, and drained it. There was no way I would ever convince wife and kids that the water was safe to re-use, as nasty as it was.
Plus I probably wouldn't have found the plastic "dog" pool and missing patio chair cushion that both ended up at the bottom, until it was too late.
After draining, and then scooping out buckets of thick organic material, I washed the bottom and sides w bleach to kill any residual algae.
I was left w a very course tan/off-white deposit on all the vertical faces of the pool and steps. I was told in previous years by pool tech that this was a deposit left by algae, and needed acid washing to remove. I did a basic acid wash, but still had substantial deposits afterwards. Brushing w stainless brush or pumice block removed about 30% of deposits.
By now pool had been empty for almost 2 weeks, we were forecast heavy rains (again) so out of fear of "floating" the pool, I decided to leave it and re-fill.
Pool finally filled last weekend, and decided to test "tap" water before adding anything, and then proceed based on PoolMath and recommended levels for SWG in PoolSchool.
First test was done after filling 7 days ago & returned the following results--NOTHING has been added, no salt, nothing--
FC 0.03
TC 0.43
pH 7.7
TA 79
CH 111
CYA 3
Based on PoolMath, I started by immediately adding 1.5 gal Clorox into return streams, added about 1.5lbs of CYA tied up in a sock into EACH skimmer (3lbs), bought a 50lb bag of calcium (smallest I could find) and added about 2-3lbs into the deep end everyday after work this week-added about 1/2 of 50lb bag this week. Added 1/2 gal of bleach midweek, and have been adding 2 or 3 bags of salt every evening as well. Have been brushing sides and bottom every couple of days to push any dirt to main drain. Very little reduction in wall deposits.
Overall--water looks great, very clear blue.
After 7 days, I took another sample and have the following--
FC 0.13
TC 0.29
pH 8.3
TA 92
CH 182
CYA 22
It literally took all week for the CYA to dissolve -- there was still a small amount left this morning when I check it, after 7 days. I dumped out the residual and added the rest of the CYA to the sock in the skimmer-about 1 lb.
I added another 1.5 gal of bleach, threw another couple of pounds of Ca in deep end, and added about 1/3 gal of muriatic acid to return water flow.
What has driven the pH and TA so high over the week? Other than what was listed--absolutely nothing was added.
Would all the Ca drive up the alkalinity?
Salt level has finally gotten over 3ppm, so I intend to turn on SWG tomorrow.
I was more than a little surprised that there was not more TC as well.
Thanks again for any advice.
BTW--
Thanks in advance for any help or advice--it is greatly appreciated.
So--heres my story, apologies for length--
About 2 wks ago I was riding the fence as to whether I would pay pool guy to drain my swamp and get pool ready for summer AGAIN, or DIY it.
For the last 2 or 3 years, we have turned pumps off around Sept/Oct, and let the pool just sit all winter. Then around April we have it completely drained, bleach and acid washed, and refilled. Pretty much maintained it myself all summer, w pool guy coming in once or twice to check chems, give a thorough vacuuming etc...
This maintenance "plan" has cost $2-3 grand every year, and I am SICK of it...
So decided to do it myself this year. After spending a couple weeks online, I came across this site and really like the methods you guys have developed. Well done, sirs.
Anyway, after sitting all winter, pool was just gross. It looked and smelled like a swamp. For sure, we had developed a habitat for several types of creatures.
I rented a pump from Home Depot two weeks ago, and drained it. There was no way I would ever convince wife and kids that the water was safe to re-use, as nasty as it was.
Plus I probably wouldn't have found the plastic "dog" pool and missing patio chair cushion that both ended up at the bottom, until it was too late.
After draining, and then scooping out buckets of thick organic material, I washed the bottom and sides w bleach to kill any residual algae.
I was left w a very course tan/off-white deposit on all the vertical faces of the pool and steps. I was told in previous years by pool tech that this was a deposit left by algae, and needed acid washing to remove. I did a basic acid wash, but still had substantial deposits afterwards. Brushing w stainless brush or pumice block removed about 30% of deposits.
By now pool had been empty for almost 2 weeks, we were forecast heavy rains (again) so out of fear of "floating" the pool, I decided to leave it and re-fill.
Pool finally filled last weekend, and decided to test "tap" water before adding anything, and then proceed based on PoolMath and recommended levels for SWG in PoolSchool.
First test was done after filling 7 days ago & returned the following results--NOTHING has been added, no salt, nothing--
FC 0.03
TC 0.43
pH 7.7
TA 79
CH 111
CYA 3
Based on PoolMath, I started by immediately adding 1.5 gal Clorox into return streams, added about 1.5lbs of CYA tied up in a sock into EACH skimmer (3lbs), bought a 50lb bag of calcium (smallest I could find) and added about 2-3lbs into the deep end everyday after work this week-added about 1/2 of 50lb bag this week. Added 1/2 gal of bleach midweek, and have been adding 2 or 3 bags of salt every evening as well. Have been brushing sides and bottom every couple of days to push any dirt to main drain. Very little reduction in wall deposits.
Overall--water looks great, very clear blue.
After 7 days, I took another sample and have the following--
FC 0.13
TC 0.29
pH 8.3
TA 92
CH 182
CYA 22
It literally took all week for the CYA to dissolve -- there was still a small amount left this morning when I check it, after 7 days. I dumped out the residual and added the rest of the CYA to the sock in the skimmer-about 1 lb.
I added another 1.5 gal of bleach, threw another couple of pounds of Ca in deep end, and added about 1/3 gal of muriatic acid to return water flow.
What has driven the pH and TA so high over the week? Other than what was listed--absolutely nothing was added.
Would all the Ca drive up the alkalinity?
Salt level has finally gotten over 3ppm, so I intend to turn on SWG tomorrow.
I was more than a little surprised that there was not more TC as well.
Thanks again for any advice.