Not Sure What to Fix First

[caryn97]

I put in my pool last summer in Austin, Texas. I didn't have any problems throughout last year's swim season.

Dirt in the Pool
We had a drought last summer and most of the fall. The first big rain (and every one subsequently) dumped a large amount of dirt into my pool. We are currently in the process of putting in a retaining wall, and we currently have a construction fence to keep out most of the dirt. We have been vacuuming and cleaning out the filters but haven't gotten all of the dirt out (from more recent rains). Our cartridges probably need to be replaced, but we are considering changing to a DE filter and do not want to put the money toward new cartridges if we are going to change to a DE filter. Any suggestions on this problem would be greatly appreciated, like the best way to clean out the pool or whether or not it's worth switching to a DE filter.

Green Water
Several days ago, our water started to turn green. Here are the test numbers.

CYA 30
Total and FC 1.0
pH 8.0
TA 130
CH 190

I have read through Pool School and the Algae articles. I'm just not sure which to tackle first.

 

[maxepr1]

I would plug in your numbers to the pool calculator and start shocking! You'll need a good test kit to check for FC & CC. MA to lower your PH also. Sound like a retaining wall is in order. And I would put in some drain pipe to help move the water around the wall.

 

[supertune]

Hi caryn97,
A professional test kit for starters, the TF -100 is the most popular and value priced for the size of the kit! Get one here:
http://tftestkits.net/splash-page.html
You should adjust the pH first, need to get it about 7.2 to 7.5
Use the pool calculator here:
http://www.thepoolcalculator.com/
Test your water for CYA
Make sure you have at least 20-30ppm so when you start the shock process you don't lose a lot of chlorine to sunlight.
Use the CYA/Chlorine chart for your shock level here:
pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

Continue to read and follow instructions in pool school link for pool shocking process.
Post back here and we can help as you go...

Chuck

 

[duraleigh]

caryn,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: The dirt is a seperate problem yet related.

If your pool fills with dirt when it rains, you have to solve that first or you'll never be able to enjoy your pool or get the green algae and cloudiness under control.

It sounds like you are taking some steps so that the dirt does not wash into your pool but that's not completely clear to me. Is the PB fixing the dirt issue or are you working on it?

The type of filter is irrelevant to your problem....the dirt must be stopped from entering the pool.

 

[caryn97]

Our pool builder is replacing part of our deck, and then we will be putting in a retaining wall. We have put up barriers to stop the flow of dirt into the pool when it rains. Now we are just trying to get the dirt out of the pool. I have been vacuuming and cleaning the filters. It has gotten to the point that I have to clean the filters before I have even finished vacuuming the pool. I was told I could vacuum to waste if I had a DE filter, which is enticing when I am having to spend a couple of hours cleaning out the filters every time I vacuum half of the pool. I have four filters in my cartridge filter. The last time I cleaned the filters, I saw that two of the filters have all of the bands broken, but they still stay together. I was happy with my cartridge filter until the dirt problem.

I have the Taylor K-2005 test kit but am planning to purchase the FAS-DPD Chlorine test (since my kit will not record shock levels of chlorine).

Should I not shock my pool to deal with the algae while I am cleaning the dirt? The dirt problem is time-consuming, and I hate for the algae to get out of control (more than it already is). Can I work on both problems at the same time?

Thank you for all of your responses.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You should be able to rig up a way to vac to waste. Post some pics of your equip and we can help. Some people have just removed the drain plug and ran a hose from it.

If you're going to do that, I'd wait till I got the dirt out to start shocking because you'll be wasting a lot of water and therefore a lot of chlorine if you're shocking during the time you're wasting water.

 

[duraleigh]

As bama says, you will lose a lot of effort and time and chlorine IF the dirt gets back into the pool. Do you have it stopped if a 4" rain hits suddenly? If you are comfortable that no more dirt will get in, then, yes, you can start to clear the pool.

Again, bama and I are thinking the same thing that you have to mechanically remove that dirt that is still left. If refill water is pretty cheap, then vacuuming to waste will work.

However, to vacuum to waste you need a multiport valve with a "waste" setting regardless of the filter type. It sounds like you have a push-pull valve and not a multi-port.....is that the case?

PS - if you are changing filters anyway, a sand filter is perhaps by far the best at cleaning up a situation like yours. DE is a fine filter but not for cleaning up the conditions you describe.

 

[caryn97]

Thanks for the advice. Here are some pictures of my pool equipment.

I do not think that I have a multi-port valve. I talked to someone at the pool supply store who told me about a valve, but I thought he said it was with a DE filter. Can I put this valve on my system and vacuum to waste no matter what type of filter I have?

I'm sorry. I can't figure out how to turn my pictures.

Because the deck has been removed next to the pool and the ground level is 5-6 inches below the pool, we are not getting dirt in it now. Our yard also slopes down behind the pool. As soon as the new deck is put in, we will put in a retaining wall (hopefully within days of the deck installment).

 

[caryn97]

Here is the valve attached to the intake from the skimmers and main drains. Kind of difficult to see. It is the valve to close off the pool when I want to run the heater on the spa. Attached to the PVC to the left of the picture is the pump.

 

[caryn97]

My pool today...

 

[caryn97]

My pool last summer...

 

[Bama Rambler]

You're actually in pretty good shape as far as rigging up something to vac to waste. You can add a 3-way valve on the discharge of the pump. You have plenty of room so it won't be a problem. I'd either replace the Tee or plumb it in after the Tee that way you can still use it to fill or drain the pool.