Fast Pool Opening Without Filter

[Spoanon_2014]

I have a ~35,000 gallon gunnite pool that I'm looking to make swimmable by this weekend (3 days) without the use of a filter. Not sure if this is possible. Here's what I know:

- It has been closed for a year and has a lot of junk in it.
- I don't want to open it permanently - just for a short period. Just enough to swim in it for a couple days.
- I can use an external pump - maybe a 1.5 HP Hayward - to clean out all the muck, but cannot turn on the main system.

I expect there are a couple things I need to do:

- Clean out all the big junk in the pool. Suggestions on how to do this? An external pump I expect is my best bet - correct me if wrong.
- Start a chemical regimen. What recipe of chemicals will clean this baby up as quickly as possible? Doesn't need to look crystal clear, just swimmable. Reminder: it's a gunnite pool, not sure if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

I don't think what you are proposing is likely to be done successfully.

You need water circulation to add chemicals, but that is going to mix the dirt and make the water murky. You need a filter to clear the debris. If you can not clearly see the bottom, it is not safe.

Do you have a recommended test kit to test your water?

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Agreed the likelihood of success is slim. You'd have to scoop out all debris with a leaf rake and pump out pretty much all the water with a trash pump. The fill it and SLAM Process it.

 

[domct203]

I have a ~35,000 gallon gunnite pool that I'm looking to make swimmable by this weekend (3 days) without the use of a filter. Not sure if this is possible. Here's what I know:

- It has been closed for a year and has a lot of junk in it.
- I don't want to open it permanently - just for a short period. Just enough to swim in it for a couple days.
- I can use an external pump - maybe a 1.5 HP Hayward - to clean out all the muck, but cannot turn on the main system.

I expect there are a couple things I need to do:

- Clean out all the big junk in the pool. Suggestions on how to do this? An external pump I expect is my best bet - correct me if wrong.
- Start a chemical regimen. What recipe of chemicals will clean this baby up as quickly as possible? Doesn't need to look crystal clear, just swimmable. Reminder: it's a gunnite pool, not sure if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

Welcome!

As mentioned, without a filter I don't see how this would be possible, even if you could turn the green to blue in 3 days (highly unlikely) you would still have murky, debris filled water that would not be very nice to swim in, and dangerous if you cannot see bottom. You would be struggling to maintain a safe FC level also as the organic debris is being oxidized and consuming the chlorine you are adding. You would pretty much need to empty the pool as much as safely possible and re-fill.

Do you own a FAS/DPD test kit? You will need it to maintain the proper FC levels to clear the pool regardless.