New to the forum and pool disaster area. pic heavy

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Thanks wmshay6.

I should have been more clear concerning the steps.

There are several bootleg repairs to what may have been bubbles in the fiberglass.
Someone used, i'm not really sure what, but it was the consistency of hard play-doh.
I'm thinking about fiberglassing over them. New bubbles are forming as well, but they have not
become brittle yet. I may go ahead and grind them down and re-glass them too.
There are also lots of cracks in the steps. I'm almost certain they are going to leak water.

I think if I get the proper "paint" I can seal all of the cracks, but I'm not sure what to use.

And, I am very mechanically inclined. So don't worry about giving me some hard homework.

Thanks.
 
If they are that bad, I would either look into fixing the glass or replacing them entirely.

On the return- you deck looks fairly wide, I'm just thinking out loud, but I would consider digging up the return line and plumbing it to the deep end and adding the return there while blocking off the one at the skimmer. If you're taking the liner out anyway and going to all of the trouble. Might not be too hard to excavate it all and get it re-done while you're tearing it all apart anyway.
 
If you are going with an SWG, cartridge filters are ideal because they don't get backwashed. Sand filters, the routine backwashing uses a lot of water replacement which means your other levels are adjusted more often (CYA and Salt for starters). With a cart, these levels will be more stable.

There is a long-lived debate about which is the best filter...you'll get a ton of opinions on that. Here's a recent thread:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/what-pool-filter-do-you-use-t10831.html
 
Holy smokes captain!

I like the idea of a T waaayy better.

There is not enough room for even a small bobcat on the pool deck.
And, I would be afraid to dig it out from the side. It could cave in..

If you told me there is no way the current skimmer/return placement could properly turn over the water, that would be a different story.
Then I would not have a choice, and I would do it.

But, if we think the current placement can work, I'd rather leave it.


Those cracks in the steps are hairline. I have seen them in other pool steps.
I believe they could be easily sealed with the proper product.
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
If you are going with an SWG, cartridge filters are ideal because they don't get backwashed. Sand filters, the routine backwashing uses a lot of water replacement which means your other levels are adjusted more often (CYA and Salt for starters). With a cart, these levels will be more stable.
Click to expand...

Very good point.
Do cartridge systems work well in the hot climate of the south?
 
Like I said, I was just thinking out loud. . . . . I think the T idea or just a 90 elbow shooting the water towards the deep end to get that clockwise circulation going will work ok. Look at it this way, in my above ground, the skimmer and return are right next to each other. When I angle the return away from the skimmer, I get a strong enough current to spin the solar cover on top of the water. I think a little playing with some PVC fittings will get you what you need.

To fix the steps, maybe check west marine for a product that can be used below the water line- constantly submerged. I am sure people with boats deal with this problem all the time. And since you want a SWG- it'll be just like a boat in the ocean :)

I'm in central MD where it gets hot, humid, and there is LOTS of pollen. Lots of cartridge filters in some areas here because local jurisdictions mandate them due to the fact that they use less water because you don't backwash them. To me, it's a lot like a Ford Vs Chevy debate with filters. They each have their + and -.
 
Sure. Skimmer socks are great to use with any type of filter as they are easy to use and cut down on necessary filter cleanings. It's so much easier to just clean the skimmer sock than open up the filter and clean it, so I've adopted the socks this year... doesn't replace cleaning but certainly means less frequency.

Like said above, +/- with any filter. :goodjob: Sand owners would NEVER :shock: "horrors" want to clean a cartridge. I would never want to deal with sand or DE. Ugh. LOL
 
You might take a look at this post on another forum that considers the possibility of a rolling motion where you would point the return down so water would flow toward the floor and opposite corner where it would bounce up towards the surface and come back into the skimmer that way. This should work if there is no floor drain, but it won't provide much circulation to the sides (ends) of the pool that are away from the skimmer. The T-approach would be better for that.
 
If you are looking at increasing the flow in the pool I would build the "t" on the return so that it blows towards the deep end on one side and on other end I would hook up a Polaris 380. The P380 does a great job circulating water as it runs and it will also keep your pool sparkling. It is like having an additional roving return jet.
 

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Two more things. Obviously if that is the return line running through the skimmer (WTF!), you need to hard plumb it. I can only assume that whoever built it like that left a removable piece in the middle so that they could get a vacuum hose into the bottom of the skimmer? If you use a Polaris 380, you'll never have to vacuum again anyways so you wouldn't need to worry.

In regards to the stairs, I would Gelcoat them. It would be cheap and it is easy to use and it doesn't come off. Ever... I did many sections of my old boat and it worked great. Sand it down well first and clean before gelcoating. You can get a qt of white gelcoat here (http://www.shopmaninc.com/polyesters.html) for $15.00. Play around with the application method before you do the whole thing. Do small sections at a time , roll on or brush. A neat thing to do is sprinkle fine sand on the surface as it is drying and you will get a nice non-slip surface (maybe for the stairs).
 
Just my opinion, so take it or leave it :mrgreen:

You probably got a good deal on the house because of the foreclosure. This also looks like it could be a nice pool. That being said, the money, and time (your time is worth something) MIGHT be worth more to get a professional to fix this problem. Yea, you might be able to DYI and make it work and look great. But, i bet you could spend just a little bit more above the materials and have a pool builder rehab this and make it work great and look even better. You could do the T connector idea, and TRY to make the returns, main suction, and skimmer work right, put in a huge liner and MAYBE get the wrinkles out and make it look right. But a PB could do it, do it right, and do it faster. Wouldnt you rather have it done right than have a "fix" that may or may not work over time?

I'm a big believer in DYI. I finished my entire basement with bathoom, etc, whole nine yards. Took a year! IMO, rehabbing a pool is a tough DYI job. A PB could do a great job, take less than 2 weeks is my guess, and it will look and more importantly, be plumbed up and work the correct way.

Ok, i'm done :blah:

Just some advice, and opinion. But you know what opinions are like, everybody has one :mrgreen:
 
Some very good thoughts and ideas in here.

I have figured out the skimmer.

IMG_1450E.jpg


IMG_1451E.jpg


That slip fitting was just stuck. When both adapters are screwed into the skimmer that center piece closes the gap.
The fittings are Hayward brand. I have looked all over and I can not find this skimmer model. Unless it was modified or something.

The fitting on the right has only a 3/4" id. I'm can hole saw it to almost 1.5" for more flow.
(((unless that is a bad idea)))

These are the fittings for the return, btw.

At this point, I think I want to leave things as they are.
I still have to build a garage onto this house, and I'd like to save some money to fund that.
I'll install a T and see what happens.

I love the idea of the Polaris on one side of the T.
Would I need a booster pump?
Would I need to add plumbing to the side of the pool?
That may be a future option.

I'm going to buy a Hayward S244T Sand filter, and I have not decided what pump yet.
Should I go with a Hayward 2 speed, or just a 3/4 HP standard motor.
I would like something that is energy efficient.

Am I correct that I can only get a max flow rate of 44 GPM from 1.5" plumbing?

If so, I'm on the right track with the pump and filter options.

I don't want to install a pump too large that is constantly strained.

This evening, my friend and I are going to measure for the liner.
I could pull a piece of the side wall plywood off to see how thick the pool deck is.... or is that a hugely bad idea?

I'm not closed to any options either mentioned, or not yet mentioned.

So far, my cost estimate is:

Hayward Filter- $400
Hayward Pump-$360-$500
Circupool SWG-$849
Zeobrite sand?-$115
Salt- $100
Equator 30 mil liner- $899
Misc fittings etc..-$100

Total Approx. $2900

That may not sound like too much, and it really is not, but, if we throw a contractor in the mix that price would probably double. And that is more than I want to spend.

Feel free to recommend other brands and equipment too.
Like I said, I'm open.

Thanks.
 
The Polaris 380 doesn't require a booster pump, it runs off the same pump that your return runs off of. I am running three returns and a Polaris 380 off of a 1.5HP pump. Were it me, I would try to salvage the filter and the pump and the get Polaris instead. Chance are at least one if not both can be used. The P380 is the single best thing I have bought for my pool. The filter is probably fine. It looks crappy inside but wash it out, throw in some new sand and seal it up and it'll look like new after one season. If anything, you may need a gasket for the multiport but they are not that much. And I would certainly try the pump before deciding that you need a new one.
 
I just emailed the order form/dimensions for the liner.

I sure hope I measured correctly!



The pump motor is completely locked up. I will have to replace it.
I'm going to replace both pump and motor.

I want an energy efficient motor. (I don't want my power bill to double because of the pool)
Just guessing, I figure a head of between 20 and 30 feet. It may be less than that.
1.5" piping. Approx 27000 gallons
It looks like I could use a 3/4 hp, but I have no real world experience on this.


Which pump should I get?
Is there a big difference in energy cost for a 2 speed pump?
I like the Hayward line, but I'm not opposed to others.

Thanks.
 
keithw said:
The Polaris 380 doesn't require a booster pump, it runs off the same pump that your return runs off of. I am running three returns and a Polaris 380 off of a 1.5HP pump.
Click to expand...
Whether it requires a booster pump depends on what you have for your main pump. With a 1.5 apparently it's not necessary. My main pump is 3/4 HP with two returns and clearly does not have the oomph to run the Polaris as well. The booster is also 3/4 and runs off a separate timer. A 1/2HP might be adequate for the booster.

Or if you get a 2-speed, run the Polaris when it's on high.
--paulr
 
Thanks for the info.
I think someone turned the pool light on when the water level was low.

IMG_1453R.jpg


All of the brown goo in the can is runny.

The outer chrome ring says Pool Star.
I looked briefly online and the only schematics I saw were a type of can that had a compression ring to seal the lens.

Mine has 6 screws that clamps a flat ring to a gasket which creates the seal.

Is there a way to fix the brown goo, or do I need to replace the housing?
If the housing needs replacing, does anyone know the model of this unit?

Thanks.
 
How are things coming with the remodel soundguy? Haven't had an update in awhile.

Did you get the brown goo out? I would go with a citrus cleaner or something and keep upping the aggressiveness of the cleaner till I found something that removed it.
 
Not sure about your area, but check around on the pool sand. The pool store here in southern Missouri wanted $12 for a 50# bag and i found a plumbing supply that carries pool items and got the same sand for $7 a bag. So check around and ask others in the area... I saved $30 by making two extra phone calls...not bad. You said you were looking to save money, every dime counts.

Good luck with this pool...looks nice, we just installed a similar DIY project (without a return under the skimmer!!!) Hang in there, they are nice!
:goodjob:
 

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