It's Really Trouble Free!

[Sidecarist]

Sad story... I had to leave my pool for 32 days unattended. I'm new to the area and know no one that could look after the pool. The trip was sudden and no time to hire a service even if I thought I could trust one.

When I left my numbers were:
CC 7.5
CC 0.5
PH 7.6
TA 85
CH 280
CYA 70
Borates 80
Temp 79degF

I installed an auto fill I made from a toilet float, and made a guess at setting the timer to 5hrs a day and the SWG to 100% to allow for expected hotter weather. Dropped in my MX8 Pool cleaner and crossed my fingers.


Happy Story... On my return 32 days later I found A skimmer full of leaves, a leaf canister with lots of bugs and debris. AND:


FC 13
CC 0.5
PH 8.0
TA 90
CH 280
CYA 60
Borates 80
Temp 90degF

Let the FC drift down below 10 and confirmed PH then two small doses of MA per pool math to get the PH to 7.4, installed my fountain to cool the pool a bit, and a little clean up. That's it. I had my pool in swimming condition with full confidence that it was truly safe by noon the next day after 32 days of no attendance, testing, etc. I'm lucky that I don't have a big leaf or debris problem and that helped make this possible.

Thank you all for your help in teaching me a complete beginner how to take a pool that had been closed for quite some time full of tadpoles & frogs to the sparkling oasis that we have now. Everyone's answers have been patient and understanding of my novice pool experience. The small donation to become a supporter is SO worth it!

Thanks again!

Bob (Sidecarist)

 

[Texas Splash]

Wow! 32 days. That's great.

 

[kimkats]

I vote this post "Post of the Day"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is awesome to hear! That is what having a SWG will do for you for sure! I might have to really start looking at one.

 

[JesseSchmidt]

That's awesome! And I want to see a picture of your homemade autofill!

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kimkats, I was just thinking the same thing!

 

[Sidecarist]

That's awesome! And I want to see a picture of your homemade autofill!

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kimkats, I was just thinking the same thing!

Here you go...



This was an idea I found online. There was a how to that showed all the fittings etc. The only hard part is that the toilet float is held into the pipe reducer with a nut on the bottom and sealed with silicone. This makes it non replaceable. If it fails I'll have to build a whole new unit. It is adjustable for height and a bit of measuring was needed to get the vertical 3/4" pipe the right length. The float has a "full" mark on it that helps with this. I measured from my water level to the pool coping and then used that measurement to set the height of the vertical pipe with the adjustment on the float assembly in the middle. (I hope this all makes sense).

This is what it looks like in the pool. I weight it with a couple of rocks when in use.



I see that my Bronze supporter level shows now! Thanks again to all that have helped me! I will do my best to pass on what little i know as opportunities present themselves.

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I vote this post "Post of the Day"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is awesome to hear! That is what having a SWG will do for you for sure! I might have to really start looking at one.

YES! the SWG made all this possible

Thanks for the complements.

 

[pooldv]

Nice work!

Thanks for supporting TFP!

 

[JesseSchmidt]

That's freaking genius! I love that!

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Is that a 3/4" hose hookup on there? Just hook it to the hose bib and leave it on the whole time?

 

[Sidecarist]

That's freaking genius! I love that!

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Is that a 3/4" hose hookup on there? Just hook it to the hose bib and leave it on the whole time?

I don't claim to have thought of it but yes it is Genius. I think I have about $35.00 in it but can't remember...

Yes that's a hose connector. I used a metal one because I've had the nut on the plastic ones split and leak. I wasn't sure if I should trust it, but used it for a week or so while home and had no problems. I was also careful to use a premium hose that was new to avoid that becoming a problem. I wouldn't want the water bill for the hose running for 32 days straight!

 

[pooldv]

When doing that you can leave the hose pretty low, it doesn't need to be wide open. So, if something does happen it isn't running wide open. We do this for the donkey water troughs. Monitor it for a week-ish to make sure it stays full.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

In my neck of the woods we can call the Sheriff when we leave town. They usually make 2x day spins by the house and have even brought unexpected newspapers in to the back yard and put them on the porch and checks to the backyard. They would notice a water leak I'm sure. Perhaps your local Sheriff provides this type of service too?

 

[Dstorm258]

I am going to have to copy that auto fill design! That's great that your pool kept up the whole time you were away. May have to start thinking about a SWG myself.

 

[Sidecarist]

Update... I've seen some threads about TFP methods. While I won't enter the debate about how some posters are handled by the Mods I will say that TFP methods work for me. Since my original post ALL I have done is add some MA twice to adjust the PH rise caused by my SWG, and Pool Cleaner. I may have just gotten lucky and found the sweet spot for my pool easier than some, but It does exist and my pool is essentially trouble free.

For those that may doubt this method I will say it does work. That is not to say that there aren't other alternatives, but I'm not going to fix something that isn't broken. For my family TFP methods work just fine, and I thank those that offered me FREE advice and support in the beginning.

Thanks, Again.

 

[Amail]

Where's my "Like" button?