Looks like we will open some time this week and I want to have everything as ready as possible, both physically (product-wise) and mentally. I think I'm down to only a few questions.
1) CYA (possible loss of)... Last year when we opened, I remember the pool had no CYA left whatsoever. I think the previous year too. If that happens again this year, should I be worried? I don't think we lose an unnatural amount of water and I don't remember having to add much water thru last summer. In fact, I actually remember having to *drain* some water a few times due to extreme rain. That's the only thing that should cause me to lose CYA, correct? We had a crazy snow this winter so I imagine the water will be pretty high, and I hope that a possibly low/non existent CYA level is the only negative result from that. Anyway... reason I worry about the CYA situation is because on one of the threads I read recently, there was something ominous-sounding about CYA disappearing and turning into ammonia or something, and other problems being caused due to that. It all got too confusing at that point though.
2) CYA (methods for adding)... Last year I used the recommended 'sock-in-front-of-the-return' method and it was kind of a pain. Either the sock just sat calmly against the wall above the return, dissolving slowwwwwly, or I had to rig up some crazy contraption (which I did) by attaching about 6' of line to the sock and tying that around a fence post (closest thing I could anchor it to) keeping it dangling 'just-so' in front of the return so that it would get flung all around crazily by the jet. Problem with this method was it would often get flung off course and when I checked it again, it'd be just sitting calmly against the wall BELOW, and to one side of, the return. Most people seem to suggest *against* putting the sock right into the skimmer basket, so does anyone else have a better suggestion than I've been able to come up with? I had to add more once or twice throughout the season and I hated the process so much that I considered switching to the pucks for a while to let them add it in! I don't even have one of those floater things anymore and that's the only thing that kept me from doing it, a matter of principle really.
3) algaecide... some people add it, some people don't. If I have some polyquat 60 leftover in the garage, might I just go ahead and use it up? We bought a bottle for closing, not realizing we had one hidden behind something, so now there's an extra.
4) borates... In a thread last night I mentioned we are going to try adding borates this year and I got some great feedback already about that- thanks to everyone! But I don't know how long it will take for my boric acid and test strips to arrive and I'm wondering if it matters when I add them... if it's not for another couple weeks, will that be ok? It won't change anything I'm doing now, right?
Ok that's all I can think of. One of these seasons I won't have to ask anything about the routine stuff anymore ; )
Thank you all!
-Nicole
1) CYA (possible loss of)... Last year when we opened, I remember the pool had no CYA left whatsoever. I think the previous year too. If that happens again this year, should I be worried? I don't think we lose an unnatural amount of water and I don't remember having to add much water thru last summer. In fact, I actually remember having to *drain* some water a few times due to extreme rain. That's the only thing that should cause me to lose CYA, correct? We had a crazy snow this winter so I imagine the water will be pretty high, and I hope that a possibly low/non existent CYA level is the only negative result from that. Anyway... reason I worry about the CYA situation is because on one of the threads I read recently, there was something ominous-sounding about CYA disappearing and turning into ammonia or something, and other problems being caused due to that. It all got too confusing at that point though.
2) CYA (methods for adding)... Last year I used the recommended 'sock-in-front-of-the-return' method and it was kind of a pain. Either the sock just sat calmly against the wall above the return, dissolving slowwwwwly, or I had to rig up some crazy contraption (which I did) by attaching about 6' of line to the sock and tying that around a fence post (closest thing I could anchor it to) keeping it dangling 'just-so' in front of the return so that it would get flung all around crazily by the jet. Problem with this method was it would often get flung off course and when I checked it again, it'd be just sitting calmly against the wall BELOW, and to one side of, the return. Most people seem to suggest *against* putting the sock right into the skimmer basket, so does anyone else have a better suggestion than I've been able to come up with? I had to add more once or twice throughout the season and I hated the process so much that I considered switching to the pucks for a while to let them add it in! I don't even have one of those floater things anymore and that's the only thing that kept me from doing it, a matter of principle really.
3) algaecide... some people add it, some people don't. If I have some polyquat 60 leftover in the garage, might I just go ahead and use it up? We bought a bottle for closing, not realizing we had one hidden behind something, so now there's an extra.
4) borates... In a thread last night I mentioned we are going to try adding borates this year and I got some great feedback already about that- thanks to everyone! But I don't know how long it will take for my boric acid and test strips to arrive and I'm wondering if it matters when I add them... if it's not for another couple weeks, will that be ok? It won't change anything I'm doing now, right?
Ok that's all I can think of. One of these seasons I won't have to ask anything about the routine stuff anymore ; )
Thank you all!
-Nicole
Last edited:
