Coming to the end of the best season ever in the 25years I have had my 24ft. round AGP. I replaced the liner the first of June (3rd liner in 25yrs.) I first releveled and then covered the bottom with the pink 1/2 inch. foam insulation, double taping the seams. New cove also. This time I did the BBB method right from the start. Filled the pool with my well water which has clear water iron very bad, turns rust coloured as soon has the air and bleach hit it. I put in 4 boxes of Borax soon after filling. The Borax seemed to sequester the rust and make it drop to the bottom. I vaccumed to waste 2 times and water has been sparkling clear ever since. To date I have used 26 gal. of 12.5% bleach, 56oz of stabilizer, 4#s of 1inch chlorine tabs., 16oz. of 60% algecide,7 boxes of Borax and almost 4gal. of muratic acid. Absolutly no water problems, always very clear. We have had 18 days of 90 degree heat and very high humidity. While the humidity was high(>75%), I didn't have to add much make up water at all. Now that it is cooler and less humid, I am adding 2" a week. I have a 300 gallon plastic tank that I put my make up water in first, with some bleach. I let it sit for 3 or 4 days and the rust drops to the bottom so I can decant the clear water off of the top so I don't have to vacuum to waste to get rid of the rust.
Best pool year ever!
- Thread starter banjomarsh
- Start date
Well congratulations! Isnt it nice to be in control of your pool? Very interesting about dropping out the Iron. First I heard of it here, but very cool. Nice idea on the "quarantine" tank too. I am confident in saying you can drop the algacide from here out, and bet you didnt even need it this year. Geat job again, and big congrats.
Hey! Glad to hear you had a successful year 
We are new pool owners (24' round ag) as of Monday. Just finished filling ours w/ well water yesterday and planned on using BBB method from the start after lots of research. I haven't noticed an iron problem yet, but we're aware that well water often contains higher levels of metals. Our pool is crystal clear so far (keeping our fingers crossed). So far we've only needed to add some CYA, bleach and baking soda.
Since you've been an AG pool owner for so long, any advice on covers or automated pool cleaners you can give would be helpful. We are looking into a solar cover to help extend the season (we live in Raleigh, NC area and are hoping to swim into October) and have done a little research on mesh covers and Turbo Turtle cleaner.
We are new pool owners (24' round ag) as of Monday. Just finished filling ours w/ well water yesterday and planned on using BBB method from the start after lots of research. I haven't noticed an iron problem yet, but we're aware that well water often contains higher levels of metals. Our pool is crystal clear so far (keeping our fingers crossed). So far we've only needed to add some CYA, bleach and baking soda.
Since you've been an AG pool owner for so long, any advice on covers or automated pool cleaners you can give would be helpful. We are looking into a solar cover to help extend the season (we live in Raleigh, NC area and are hoping to swim into October) and have done a little research on mesh covers and Turbo Turtle cleaner.
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Congrats on enjoying BBB benefits! I am a bit surprised at 2" per week, seems a lot to me. How much of the day is the pool covered? We have only topped off after big swim parties, but ours is covered if we are not in it. The cover will help prevent evaporation and hold temps steady.
We had a great year as well, first year with the pool and what great family weekends we had....best tan I've had since a teenager and I swear all that sun made me a lot healthier - stronger.
The nights are getting colder now and I'm dreading putting the winter cover on.....what are we gonna do for fun now???
Solar covers, on at night to keep heat in and off during the day to maximize heat from the sun - the solar cover does not heat the pool, it prevents heat loss. Know and understand that.
I cut my cover in half to make it easier to get on, I can put the entire thing on easily by myself now that it's 2 pieces. Get a thick cover for better results, I like the clear liner as it puts less shade on the pool if I end up leaving it on during the day.
If you pull your liner off the pool onto the ground, as I do, it will pick up grass clippings, but I find that to be a minor thing to clean - it's something to do while I'm in the pool.
The nights are getting colder now and I'm dreading putting the winter cover on.....what are we gonna do for fun now???
Solar covers, on at night to keep heat in and off during the day to maximize heat from the sun - the solar cover does not heat the pool, it prevents heat loss. Know and understand that.
I cut my cover in half to make it easier to get on, I can put the entire thing on easily by myself now that it's 2 pieces. Get a thick cover for better results, I like the clear liner as it puts less shade on the pool if I end up leaving it on during the day.
If you pull your liner off the pool onto the ground, as I do, it will pick up grass clippings, but I find that to be a minor thing to clean - it's something to do while I'm in the pool.
I forgot to mention, I have had no water bugs either. No boatmen, water striders or any of the other bugs that live in pool water. I guess they don't like the borax. I also put in 150# of salt about mid-July, just to see what would happen. I think I could taste it, but I told no one else, and no one has mentioned it. I am retired now, so I spend almost every day in the pool and brush the sides and bottom more than ever before plus a quick vacuum 2or 3 times a week. I just have a Wal-Mart test kit and I don't think I have really shocked the pool; a couple of times after heavy use by grandkids, I would put a whole gallon of the bleach in, which would put the free CL above what it would read (5ppm), but the next day it would test about 3ppm which is where I try to keep it. In a couple of weeks, I will probably close the pool as no one except myself gets in once the water temp drops below 72. What think happened to the last 2 liners was moles tunneling under the bottom. This would create a depression that after a few years and the liner getting brittle, would break out during the winter when the water almost freezes solid. I try to trap and or poison the moles but it happened. Under the previous liner, I used 1/2 inch white styrofoam which made a soft good feeling bottom for about 4 or 5 years, but gradually smashed flat. This time I used the 1/2 pink stuff which is much firmer and maybe will last longer, but I could see some of the seams/joints right away. They haven't got any deeper, but I am concerned that the winter may make it worse.
