Once per week maintenance....

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WhoDat?

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Dec 16, 2011
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Ok so I just finished my pool... I plan on maintaining it myself.... I have a test kit that you all recommend.. TF100.... and I have been doing everything under pool school and my water has been very clear...
Now, I have a friend of mine that has a small above ground pool... around 9,500 gallons and she asked me to maintain it for her.... she can't find anyone willing to do it from a pool company around here.. So I told her I'm still learning but I'll help out.... She doesn't want to do anything but swim in it... So, how do the big pool companies do maintenance on a pool once a week? everything I've read says you need a little maintenance everyday.... but I'm not going over to her house everyday.... no way... so how do they keep your water clear only going out once a week?
 
The companies around here jack the CYA up really high 100++ and then once a week put a LOT of FC in (some use CL gas) and hope that there is still some left when they come back. Not sure what they do for pH control (I am guessing not much). {EDIT: they sometimes try to go 2 weeks actually}

So right after they come the FC is really high (maybe not good to swim in) and right before they come the FC may be too low (not safe to swim in?).

Is she willing to invest in a SWG? At least then the FC level should be more stable and you could just verify pH/etc on a weekly basis.
 
I agree that a swg might be good here. I hope this is a really good friend cause hearing her wanting nothing to do with the pool but swim would scare me away from helping her. I like the saying..."Help others, help themselves"...but when that doesn't work, for pools, it is probably best they pay someone else to do it. I am surprised she can't find a pool company.
 
Well she said she tried to find someone... She claims they don't want to deal with a small pool like hers...
What about adding the pucks in the skimmer basket?? I know the CYA would raise over time but at least the FC would be somewhat stable??
Or maybe give her a gallon of bleach and tell her to just pour a cup or 2 per day?? Maybe she would agree to that...
 
Not sure why the size of the pool would matter ... I am sure they would charge the same.

You should not leave pucks in the skimmer unless the pump is left on 24/7. You could use a floater to hold the pucks, but eventually you will not be able to get enough FC from them when the CYA gets too high.

If you could get her to add a couple glugs of bleach in front of a return jet every 1-2 days, that could keep it close if you do a weekly test and adjust.
 
If you test her pool for a week or two and get an idea as to how much chlorine it uses you can estimate how much it needs on most days and figure an amount for when it rains or a lot of sun, etc. Last season (my first with a real test kit) I started guesstimating after 2-3 weeks. Every time I tested the results were exactly what I expected.

Unless she is opposed to adding a bit of liquid daily.

I use a 64 oz cup to measure and even with a CYA @ 85 last year I never had to fill it more than 2x even on super sunny hot days.
 
jblizzle said:
The companies around here jack the CYA up really high 100++ and then once a week put a LOT of FC in (some use CL gas) and hope that there is still some left when they come back. Not sure what they do for pH control (I am guessing not much). {EDIT: they sometimes try to go 2 weeks actually
Click to expand...
If you're talking about a company like Pool Chlor, they typically have the CYA at 100 ppm and raise the chlorine to around 14 ppm which then drops down to around 4 ppm one week later when they add more chlorine. By using a combination of chlorinating liquid and chlorine gas and a somewhat higher TA, they keep the pH from moving around too much. Sometimes they use 50 ppm Borates in the pool which helps with the pH as well (and its also a mild algicide). The FC range for the CYA level is OK. 14 ppm FC with 100 ppm CYA is equivalent in active chlorine level to 7 ppm FC with 50 ppm or 4.3 ppm FC with 30 ppm CYA or 0.13 ppm FC with no CYA. Any algae that might get started in the last day or two before they come gets killed when they add the high chlorine level. It's one of the few ways a service company can visit once a week without using Trichlor tabs (or an automatic system such as a saltwater chlorine generator, The Liquidator, or peristaltic pump).
 
That is the company I was familiar with. I had them for awhile and now my inlaws use them. I am not convinced they keep the csi in check as I have seen white rings start around the tile. In the summer they actually float tablets as well. And tried to go to coming every 2 weeks which quickly did not work out with even a small solar heater.
 

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Most pool co's don't do above ground pools.
It isn't that the chemicals are harder its that it takes MUCH more time. Unless it has a deck around it.
It is also a liability due to tearing.

We just turned down some one in Miami this past week for these reasons. I even called other pool co's closer to her to try and find some one for her and they all said no!

You could always float trichlor until cya hits 50 and start to experiment with the CL addition then. Trichlor is a cheep easy way to raise CYA if you are starting from scratch and with a pool that small it may not be a big deal to drain and refill however you don't say where you are.
Can you pre measure the chemicals and just have her dump em in halfway between your visits?
 
Yes drain and refill would be an option... Actually their pool was green all winter...(like most)... And she just completely drained it, cleaned it out and refilled it... I haven't gone out there yet.. But will probably go Monday... I could pre measure some bleach for her but that will take some time to get to know how much that pool will consume...
When you say liner liability... What exactly do you mean?? Why would they tear easier than an I ground liner pool?? And why does it take longer for ab above ground pool to maintain??
 
Above ground pools with out a deck have no easy way to sweep, vac, get to.
also pool vacs don't work well in them
AND all liner based pools tear easily.

Sorry but down in Florida all in ground pools are concrete, I should have said liner based pools instead of above ground but down here they are one and the same.
 
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