A big THANK YOU to my friends here at "Trouble Free"

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thepiratemorgan

thepiratemorgan

0
LifeTime Supporter
Aug 16, 2010
185
Central NY
Just wanted to say thanks and share a story.

First off, my pool water looks, feels, and smells (low odor) AMAZING!! My pool water never sparkled so well. My wife even commented last night on how "shiny" the water looked. I just chuckled and said, "Thanks to the pool boy." (Me). But in the back of my mind I thought of this site and the pool calculator, and how it easily made me a chemistry "expert". I quote "expert" because I'm not the expert. I'm the just using the info. and tools provided to me to best sanitize my pool. And with that I will say thanks and I will become a Lifetime Supporter of TFP to help give back.

And secondly I have a quick tale to to tell. While describing my method of sanitization (The BBB Method) of my pool, a coworker with a small (15,000g) in-ground pool with heater and I had a conversation that went like this:

My coworker: "Now I'm all for generic medications and stuff, but I have thousands of dollars invested back there that I have to think about (regarding using household chemicals as sanitizers)."

So I questioned: "Hey ... how often do you test?". The reply, "Test? heck, I bring my water down to the pool store maybe once a month."

I walked away scratching my head thinking, "Really? He's worried about thousands of dollars in equipment but he doesn't know anything about the water in his pool? on at least a weekly basis?".

Let's just say that for him, unfortunately, there will be a day when an algae bloom comes along, or a serious bacteria problem, or increased scaling in his water heater leading to a shorter life. I was also miffed that he didn't mention the health of his family as a worry. A second coworker with a 24ft. above ground also said he takes his water down maybe twice a season, or if it looks cloudy!! Some people just don't care. I feel good that anyone swimming in my pool won't be swimming in a toxic mess and, we won't be visiting these coworkers this summer!

Thanks Again!! Have a great weekend everybody!
 
Forgot to add that the second coworker I mention above said that he had to add 15 gallons (YES ... FIFTEEN, I even had him clarify how it came ... three five gallon containers) of liquid chlorine (that the pool store sold him) to get his pool opened this year. I said, "Fifteen? That seems to be a little crazy." He said the pool guy asked if he fertilizes his lawn and then went on to tell him that if you want to get back at somebody, all you need to do is throw a handful of fertilizer in his / her pool. Anyone care to clarify this statement??

I failed to mention to him that I used 1 1/2 pounds of HTH Super Shock'n'Swim and then bleach at 30 oz. over the next two days, made sure I passed an overnight FC test, and had a CC of 0.5ppm or less, and then let her settle into a 7ppm FC level. Did I mention how much she sparkles? I'm pretty sure I spent less money and had less trouble than he did.
 
Well sounds like your co-worker got the right solution (pun intended) from the pool store - just because he used alot of chlorine doesn't mean it was wrong. Sounds like he had a swamp when he opened. Your experience might be the exception rather than the rule based on what I've read here.

I use the BBB method and I'm not able to check or keep chlorine levels up during the winter; I have a mesh cover and we also opened late because of the cold weather. It took me 24 gallons of bleach over three weeks to keep things at shock levels and get my pool clear on opening because I too had a green pool. I wonder how green the pool would've been if we opened in early April instead of May despite being way cold. I might've been able to use less chlorine on opening, but would've had to maintain it during a month when no one wanted to use it this year in April, so maybe that's somewhat of a wash.

At least the pool store sold him liquid chlorine and not some other crazy compound. Glad you were able to get opened with such a small amount of chemicals, but that may not be the norm.


Enjoy the summer,
Choots
 
Choots, your problem may lie in the use of a mesh winter cover. Maybe letting enough light in to allow for algae growth and allowing other contaminants through? Now I'm not talking the months you may have a foot or more of snow on top of the cover, but before and after the snow ... the time when light can enter the pool. I have only used solid covers for winter closing so I really can't comment much more. I'll let someone with more know-how help on this one. When I took my solid cover off this year my wife commented on how clear the water was then, and it only had 2ppm FC in it, but it was clear.
 
I suspect your co-worker had bacteria convert CYA in the pool into ammonia creating a huge chlorine demand. This can happen if you let the pool go such that the chlorine level gets to zero. The comment about fertilizer makes sense since having more nitrates and phosphates in the pool can help bacteria and algae grow faster, closer to their maximum rates. So it makes it more likely to open up to a swamp or to this high chlorine demand from ammonia. If your friend closed his pool as late as possible with the water < 50ºF, shocked, added PolyQuat, then opened the pool as early as possible with the water still < 50ºF he would have less likely had any problem.
 
Morgan, you are probably right, we have a spring loaded mesh cover. Since we opened so late it would've had plenty of time after snow melt to grow algae. I'd like to look into a solid cover, but it's not on the budget right now. Any idea what the cost range might be for an L-shaped 20x25' pool?

My other question is how to ensure the FC level stays up when the pool is covered through winter? Jason suggested to lift back the cover and put in some chlorine occasionally, but I can only see doing this once winter has passed and most snow has melted (we had snow on the ground and freezing temps until late March in MN this year).

Also I will be trying to do as Richard suggests this coming year to avoid another lengthy (and jug-filled) startup process.

choots
 
chem geek said:
I suspect your co-worker had bacteria convert CYA in the pool into ammonia creating a huge chlorine demand. This can happen if you let the pool go such that the chlorine level gets to zero. The comment about fertilizer makes sense since having more nitrates and phosphates in the pool can help bacteria and algae grow faster, closer to their maximum rates. So it makes it more likely to open up to a swamp or to this high chlorine demand from ammonia. If your friend closed his pool as late as possible with the water < 50ºF, shocked, added PolyQuat, then opened the pool as early as possible with the water still < 50ºF he would have less likely had any problem.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking you nailed it!! I was on that track of thought but not quite exactly as you placed it. I'm positive his CYA level must be sky high because all he has ever used is pucks.
 
choots said:
Morgan, you are probably right, we have a spring loaded mesh cover. Since we opened so late it would've had plenty of time after snow melt to grow algae. I'd like to look into a solid cover, but it's not on the budget right now. Any idea what the cost range might be for an L-shaped 20x25' pool?

My other question is how to ensure the FC level stays up when the pool is covered through winter? Jason suggested to lift back the cover and put in some chlorine occasionally, but I can only see doing this once winter has passed and most snow has melted (we had snow on the ground and freezing temps until late March in MN this year).

Also I will be trying to do as Richard suggests this coming year to avoid another lengthy (and jug-filled) startup process.

choots
Click to expand...

I can't help you with cost of solid cover for in-ground my friend as I don't own one. Hopefully someone can chime in for ya. Or you can always start a new "discussion" thread asking for members to help with a price range.
 

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mynewpool said:
These co workers for yours did you try to tell them about the site are offer your help? That is two more potential members.
Click to expand...

LOL !!! But of course I did. I sent a link to this site to both of them the same week that I found it. And now I'm basking in water so clear you could read a 14 font letter that's 52" deep !!! Them? I suspect not the same !!
 
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