Novice Pool Owner

[kappadoce]

Hello Everyone!

I just found out about this forum and look forward to learning about Pool Maintenance! I live in Plymouth Meeting, PA (about 20 mi north of Philadelphia). I just moved into a new home that has an in ground pool+spa. The previous owner took very good care of the pool, and I want to do the same.

I took a water sample to Leslie's yesterday and found out that all of the levels are good, except alkalinity was a little low (70). I read on here that Baking Soda is a good adjuster for that, so I plan on putting that in tonight. A question I have is - if using Baking Soda to adjust, can you use the pool as well? I know if you use the chemicals, that you are supposed to stay out of the pool for 24 hours, wasn't sure if it was the same with Baking Soda.

I am really trying to get a hold on the plumbing and figuring out the best valve setup. There is a Spa Suction & Pool Suction. The pool also has a Skimmer & main drain. When I want to just use the Pool, what is the best valve setup? Note - All valves are the Jandy valves.

If I wanted to drain the Spa completely (to make repairs, etc...), what is the best valve setup to do that? What should I do with all the spa water (let it go into the pool?)

The pool & spa is about 30,000 gallons combined, all plaster (gunite). what are the recommended times to run the filter/ vaccum?

I am going to attempt to make a pool diagram and share with everyone tongiht as well.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

There's no need to wait 24 hours after any chem addition to use the pool. 30 minutes is usually plenty as long as the pump is running and hour at the most.

With a TA of 70 ppm I wouldn't do anything to it right now as long as the pH is stable.

Also, please post the rest of the numbers from the tests.

Once you do more reading you'll see that you need a good test kit of your own. I suggest you order the TF-100 now. There's a link in my sig.

Pposting pics of the plumbing would help us visualize the setup and we can probably make better suggestions.

 

[duraleigh]

As bama said, you really need to focus on understanding and keeping your pool chemistry first.....remodel later.

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School....that'll clear up some misconceptions you have.

Time and time again, we find pool store testing to be inadequate. If you want to manage your chemistry and understand what's going on in your pool, you will need to give up the pool store and test your own water.

Where did you read 24 hours after chemistry addition? Just curious because it is so bogus.

 

[kappadoce]

the 24 hours thing i was told by a clerk at Leslies. After doing my test they tried to sell me the Alkaline up product. But I knew from the previous home owner that Baking Soda did the same thing and was cheaper, so I was not interested in it.

I don't want to remodel, I just need to understand the pool flow dynamics. So like, if I want to use the pool and spa at the same time (having a party), what is the best valve settings, etc...

 

[pool mum]

I have to laugh a little; when I first filled my pool I went down to the pool store and of course promptly got "pool stored". They gave me a handout that said you needed to wait 4 hours in between each chemical, and the last one, I believe calcium, it said you couldn't add on the same day that you added the other chemicals. I needed a lot of stuff - at least 4 different things (high ph, low TA, no CH or CYA) so it was two days of torture for my kids looking at the sparkly pool on a hot day and not being able to get in.

Then I found this forum, wisened up, and never went back. I laugh now that I made everyone wait so long after adding chemicals.

 

[kappadoce]

So does that mean you do not need to wait in between adding chemicals?

 

[Richard320]

Hello Everyone!

I just found out about this forum and look forward to learning about Pool Maintenance! I live in Plymouth Meeting, PA (about 20 mi north of Philadelphia). I just moved into a new home that has an in ground pool+spa. The previous owner took very good care of the pool, and I want to do the same.

I took a water sample to Leslie's yesterday and found out that all of the levels are good, except alkalinity was a little low (70). I read on here that Baking Soda is a good adjuster for that, so I plan on putting that in tonight. A question I have is - if using Baking Soda to adjust, can you use the pool as well? I know if you use the chemicals, that you are supposed to stay out of the pool for 24 hours, wasn't sure if it was the same with Baking Soda.

I am really trying to get a hold on the plumbing and figuring out the best valve setup. There is a Spa Suction & Pool Suction. The pool also has a Skimmer & main drain. When I want to just use the Pool, what is the best valve setup? Note - All valves are the Jandy valves.

If I wanted to drain the Spa completely (to make repairs, etc...), what is the best valve setup to do that? What should I do with all the spa water (let it go into the pool?)

The pool & spa is about 30,000 gallons combined, all plaster (gunite). what are the recommended times to run the filter/ vaccum?

I am going to attempt to make a pool diagram and share with everyone tongiht as well.

For Baking Soda, I wouldn't hesitate to jump in and help mix it up. For other chemicals, half an hour is probably overkill, especially if you stire things up by brushing immediately after adding the stuff into the return flow.

I have an overflow spa. I'd guess the skimmer/main drain balance is 80/20 respectively. Normally, I draw only from the pool and return about 20% to the spa.There's no chance of an imbalance that will cause the pump to empty the spa and suck air that way. When I vacuum, I rearrange the valves and empty the spa into the pool, brushing everything to the spa drain as I do it. I don't even have to try vacuuming the spa that way; it works great. Then I reverse the valves and draw 100% from the pool and return 100% to the spa. Then I hook up the vacuum. This way I get no cross currents stirring up the debris while I'm trying to vacuum. And when I'm all done, 100% from the pool, 20% return to the spa.

 

[duraleigh]

So does that mean you do not need to wait in between adding chemicals?

Maybe 30 minutes or so to get each dose time to blend in, but that's it.