Leaking pool with incorrect setup! Help

[bvipoolguy]

Hi, i'm going to repost this here as i didn't get a great response before.

I have recently inherited the job of cleaning a pool at a newly completed rental property. The owners are aware that the pool has leaks, but don't seem to want to fix them immediately due to legal action going on with the builder (not me!)

So the details are like this. Its a pool which was built with the intention of being an overflow from one pool to another. The small pool (about 9,000 gallons) does not leak and is suppose to overflow into the basin pool (about 15,000 gallons) which has the leak. The original builder set up the pool with 3 pumps. 1 pump with a Haywood sand filter to circulate the larger pool, 1 pump with haywood sand filter to circulate the smaller pool and a pump with no filter to move over from the large pool to the small pool.

The owners don't like to run the overflow as its to noisy (why have it built in the first place, right!) so i have initially not ran it, although the rental agent turns it on all the time. So one minute its like having two pools with separate chemisty and then its like having two with identical chemistry. It uses one SWG per pool.

So first question, which is quite simple. There is no way i can managed a pool if one minute its two sets of chemisty and then next its one set, right?

The next crazy thing is the small pool doesn't have a skimmer so running as individual pools mean it only has a drain to circulate, add this to the fact the pools are triangles with sharp points, its got Algae in the points of the pools. So as the pool are, it need to be a overflow right? Do you need a skimmer even if it is overflowing?

And lastly, with the large pool leaking, can i realistically manage the chemisty?

I personally would love to drop the contract, but its my boss to make that call. So please feel free to give me your comments and even state if you a pool professional so i can back up what you say (don't worry i won't give your details if you quote as a professional)

Thanks in advance

Andrew

 

[crookm11]

Hi, i'm going to repost this here as i didn't get a great response before.

I have recently inherited the job of cleaning a pool at a newly completed rental property. The owners are aware that the pool has leaks, but don't seem to want to fix them immediately due to legal action going on with the builder (not me!)

So the details are like this. Its a pool which was built with the intention of being an overflow from one pool to another. The small pool (about 9,000 gallons) does not leak and is suppose to overflow into the basin pool (about 15,000 gallons) which has the leak. The original builder set up the pool with 3 pumps. 1 pump with a Haywood sand filter to circulate the larger pool, 1 pump with haywood sand filter to circulate the smaller pool and a pump with no filter to move over from the large pool to the small pool.

The owners don't like to run the overflow as its to noisy (why have it built in the first place, right!) so i have initially not ran it, although the rental agent turns it on all the time. So one minute its like having two pools with separate chemisty and then its like having two with identical chemistry. It uses one SWG per pool.

So first question, which is quite simple. There is no way i can managed a pool if one minute its two sets of chemisty and then next its one set, right?
I don't see why you can't manage each pool separatley. I would think as long as the water chemistry is correct and close to the same with both pools you should be fine if you decide to run the pools together or separately. If you decide to run the pools together the water will mix up together and create the same chemistry anyway.

The next crazy thing is the small pool doesn't have a skimmer so running as individual pools mean it only has a drain to circulate, add this to the fact the pools are triangles with sharp points, its got Algae in the points of the pools. So as the pool are, it need to be a overflow right? Do you need a skimmer even if it is overflowing?
An overflow pool normaly doesn't have a skimmer because the pool is designed to overflo in to another pool. In that sence the overflo section of the pool is the skimmer. The sharp corners in the pool will not promote good water circulation and algae will grow just like you have now. Could you post a diagram of the return system for the pools? Where are the returns located? You may be able to make an attachment at the returns that will point the water towards the corners better.

And lastly, with the large pool leaking, can i realistically manage the chemisty?
The water chemistry can be managed easily with a leak. The only problem is the managing of the leak.

I personally would love to drop the contract, but its my boss to make that call. So please feel free to give me your comments and even state if you a pool professional so i can back up what you say (don't worry i won't give your details if you quote as a professional)

Thanks in advance

Andrew

 

[JasonLion]

It isn't all that bad as long as the overflow is getting run for an hour or two every couple of days. The chemistry will tend to equalize between the pools with only a little running of the overflow. The constant water replacement due to the leak means adding calcium, CYA, and salt constantly. Other then that, you will need a higher than normal FC level to keep the points from getting algae. The only significant issue I expect, with no skimmer, is that more debris than usual will sink in the upper pool. Running the overflow for brief periods three or four times a day could minimize that, but that may not be acceptable.

 

[bvipoolguy]

Thanks for the info guys,

I have been managing the pools separately since i took over and you right, all the debris ends up on the bottom.

I've attached a photo with coloured dots on them to identify areas you asked for crookm11.

Red dots - Floor Drains
Blue dot - Port to attach vac
Skimmer the only one is just on from the arrow
Green dots - problem areas which get algae

I want to personally push the owners to run the overflow during the normal running hours, the last time i went and it had been left on by the rental agent the small pool was beautifully clean. The only worry then is that the one and only skimmer in the large pool wouldn't be able to pull enough out of that pool, its not the busiest skimmer. I think they should have put a skimmer in the other corner too.

Any other info people can give would be great.

Thanks

Andrew

P.S. @ Jason - I have certainly noticed a need to add cya a lot so far, but oddly enough the salt level doesn't seem to drop that much. I've calibrated the pool with a tester and its correct what the SWG says. But the pool definately leaks, not only did a couple of separate test show around a 1/4" loss per day, but you can see the marks on the exterior wall, pump room where water seeps through!!

 

[bvipoolguy]

Hopefully this pool plan identifying the parts of the pool can give you a better idea of what i'm dealing with.

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

16 returns! and 1 skimmer way back in that corner! What were they thinking?

If you haven't already, I would aim a return as directly towards each of the pointed corners as possible, even if that means fighting the main circular water flow.

 

[bvipoolguy]

The house had guests in it this week who decided to run the overflow so the small pool is nice and clean, however the large pool is now rather dirty. Am i right in thinking it would make sense to have a skimmer in the other corner of the large pool?

Thanks