Should I replace water and how ? (Vinyl Liner Pool)

[aswetich]

I put in my 20x40 hopper (8.5 Deep) pool about 10 years ago. At that time it was filled with trucks using city water. Since then I have filled the pool using our "Community" well and by-passing the softener in my house. I converted it to a saltwater chlorinating system about 5 years ago. My pool chemistry seems to be getting harder to control each year so I have a few questions:

1. Would it be beneficial to replace all or part of the water ?
2. With a liner pool what would be the best way to replace the water and how much of it ?
3. Since I am on a "community" well and am charged the same amount each month no mater what the water usage could I fill with a hose or would trucked water be significantly better ? If I fill from the community well should I run it thru the softener 1st. How much salt would the softener need and would it remove the metals ? I can get one truckload of water $250.


Thanks

 

[linen]

1. Would it be beneficial to replace all or part of the water ?

Only if there is a reason such as high cya, high CH, or other high metal concentrations.

What problems are you having with the chemistry? Posting test numbers can help us help you.

 

[aswetich]

I haven't opened the pool yet so the water hasn't been tested this year. Last year I had everything within TFP recommended specs that I could test for but metals isn't one of them.

1. I don't have a reputable pool store nearby to test for metals, can you recommend a economical test kit ?
2. How do I test for TDS ? Is that interrelated to the CYA test ? I keep my CYA well under control but never tested for TDS.

 

[linen]

1. I don't have a reputable pool store nearby to test for metals, can you recommend a economical test kit ?

Some water softner companies also test. Also, since you are on a community well, ask around, I bet someone knows. The kits are expensive, so I would try other avenues first. tftestkits has an iron test kit: http://tftestkits.net/K-1716-Taylor-Iron-Test-p30.html

2. How do I test for TDS ? Is that interrelated to the CYA test ? I keep my CYA well under control but never tested for TDS.

It is interrelated to cya since that is one of the many compounds that show up in a TDS test (as is salt etc.) All you really need to test for is cya. Don't worry about TDS.

 

[Isaac-1]

If your community well is regulated by the state they likely have to do regular water testing which probably includes metals, and have to make that information public, this would be a good first start to see if there is a likely metals issue, if your well water is mostly free of metals and you have not done anything to add metals to your water (either through algaecides with copper, or plumbing corrosion in heaters, etc) then you should not have any in your pool.