I just took this ladder out of the pool and all kinds of green water poured out of it. This is an incubator for algea. How in the world do I get the inside of this clean?
I'm confused.
- Thread starter Tsudduth
- Start date
I just took this ladder out of the pool and all kinds of green water poured out of it. This is an incubator for algea. How in the world do I get the inside of this clean?
Use whatever it takes to get any algae spores out of it. If you powerwash it, don't do it near the pool. (duh, right???) A toothbrush may come in handy for any small crevices. You can always wipe it down really well with bleach-water and then put it back in the high FC pool to kill off anything still lingering in there.
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Cross-post: we were posting at the same time. So glad you took it out!!!!!! Slam will go A LOT quicker. Let's see if someone with removable steps chimes in soon. (I don't have them, so my advise would be best-guess).
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Cross-post: we were posting at the same time. So glad you took it out!!!!!! Slam will go A LOT quicker. Let's see if someone with removable steps chimes in soon. (I don't have them, so my advise would be best-guess).
What you want to do is take it apart as much as you can. Are there any places it "snaps" together?
IF you cannot take it apart you should make up buckets of bleach water 50/50 and pour it into the holes. You might have to use a funnel to help get it in the holes. If you can have the bleach water set inside the ladder for about 30 mins. then rinse it out GOOD!
Once you have cleaned the inside of it as good as you can look for the manual on line and see what it says about weighing it down. If you put sand in it then fill in the holes with a plug or something that would be the thing to do.
Let us know how the cleaning goes LOL it will be wet and yucky but SO worth it!
IF you cannot take it apart you should make up buckets of bleach water 50/50 and pour it into the holes. You might have to use a funnel to help get it in the holes. If you can have the bleach water set inside the ladder for about 30 mins. then rinse it out GOOD!
Once you have cleaned the inside of it as good as you can look for the manual on line and see what it says about weighing it down. If you put sand in it then fill in the holes with a plug or something that would be the thing to do.
Let us know how the cleaning goes LOL it will be wet and yucky but SO worth it!
Thanks for your advise, Kim! Do you know if there is ANY way to "brush" and break up those interior biofilms? That ladder looks really challenging!
If I fill the ladder cavities with sand, it will be a bear to put in a take out. Does anybody know of a ladder that is not hollow that is made for AG pools. I do plan on building a small platform/deck in the off season that I will attach a ladder to.
Unless she can take it apart I do not have a clue.............maybe an air filter brush??? It has a long handle but would be hard to get in there.
Here is a link to the ladder I have in my pool. I have it filled with sand and do not take it in and out as my pool is open year round.
Amazon.com : Confer Economy Above Ground In-Pool Ladder : Swimming Pool Ladders : Patio, Lawn Garden
It is easy to keep clean. There are little indents in the steps that I do keep an eye on and brush with a toothbrush every once in a while. The water does not get inside the ladder so no worries about a algae farm.
I cant offer much more on the help you're getting but wanted to say hello and welcome from a fellow Midlander. Good to have you here, and welcome to the forum. This will start to turn your way sooner than later now, and Im always thrilled to see this come around for people.
maybe something like this?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/17043436?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227010084448&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=61530161312&wl4=pla-125616697232&wl5=9010837&wl6=&wl7=9010850&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=17043436&wl13=&veh=sem
Trim the brush down until it fits.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/17043436?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227010084448&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=61530161312&wl4=pla-125616697232&wl5=9010837&wl6=&wl7=9010850&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=17043436&wl13=&veh=sem
Trim the brush down until it fits.
Water looked great this morning. Could see the pattern on the liner on the other side of the pool. Slam is working. As of this post, we just got a wicked rain storm. Drove home from the restaurant on Wadley river (formerly known as Wadley Ave). Hopefully I will be able to test in the morning. I hope to start winding down the slam this weekend.
That's great! Keep at that slam until you pass the OCLT. In case it wasn't linked before, here you go: Pool School - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)
I do think taking out that ladder helped!
I do think taking out that ladder helped!
Here's my problem with the ladder. The ladder rails are hollow and have what appear to be fill holes with plugs far enough above the waterline that contamination from the water I filled them with is unlikely. However, the rungs are also hollow and have 2 tiny little holes on the top of each to allow water to fill them. This will be where re-contamination would come from. There is no way to get a brush inside those rungs. I could try to dribble some straight bleach in each rung and then put the ladder back in the pool. The rungs would fill with slam FC level water and mix with whatever bleach I could get in. In essence, I would be super slamming the inside of the rungs.
Does anybody think that this could sufficiently sanitize the insides of the rungs?
Does anybody think that this could sufficiently sanitize the insides of the rungs?
Yes, I would pour straight bleach inside the ladder and allow it to sit there for a day or so. Maybe using some sort of syringe from the pharmacy, unless the holes are that small. Then put the ladder back in the pool and the water will slowly mix with the other parts of the pool.
That is not a very good design as far as algae control for sure!
Lets look at this from all side......
-Are the step holes on both side of the step?
-Are you SURE the steps are not open to the legs?
-How big are the holes? Take a picture and share it.
I have some ideas but need to know what we are working with. I am just glad you found the "farm"!
Lets look at this from all side......
-Are the step holes on both side of the step?
-Are you SURE the steps are not open to the legs?
-How big are the holes? Take a picture and share it.
I have some ideas but need to know what we are working with. I am just glad you found the "farm"!
I would not put that ladder back in the pool until we figure this out. I am glad Kim has some ideas!
Ok, so here is what I decided to do. I have taken the Rungs off the ladder and put them in a 5 gal. bucket with bleach water at around 3000 ppm. Do to the size of the rungs, I will have to turn them occasionally. I will then, soak the ladder extensions in the same solution. After that I will power wash the whole thing.
Ok is there a limit to the number of pictures one can download? The site won't let me download any more pics. It says something about exceeding my quota.
Two ways to add more pics:
-become a supporting member-many reasons to do so, help us keep the lights on, more photo storage, discount on test stuff, discount on Inypool.com, etc. The link is up at the top of the page.
-photo bucket or such. Use the IMG code to put it right in the thread.
-become a supporting member-many reasons to do so, help us keep the lights on, more photo storage, discount on test stuff, discount on Inypool.com, etc. The link is up at the top of the page.
-photo bucket or such. Use the IMG code to put it right in the thread.
So is this quota a one time thing or does it reset once a month? So even when I support the website, which I plan to do, will the extra data be one and done also. It's not very clear.
Most people use a hosting site like Flickr or Photobucket and just post the links here. Then there's no limit to the number of pics you can post.