Need advice in Missouri City, Texas...

[rkwan1]

We have recently dealt with an extended illness in our family and have not had time to swim or maintain our pool. The pool was incorrectly replastered about 3 years ago as we were told that a "bonding agent" was not applied properly by another pool company. The company that did the replaster has told us that the warranty period has expired. About a year after the replaster, we noticed cracks at the bottom, which they repaired. Two years later, entire pieces started coming up exactly where to cracks were repaired and you could see the grey cement. Now, there is a 2 foot by 1 foot piece of plaster missing at the bottom of the pool. As a result of all this mess, the family illness, and no time to even use the pool, I reduced the time for the filter to 1 hour to save on electricity and was planning to cover the pool (to keep out leaves) when I had time for the remainder of the year. I am hoping in the spring of 2015 to have it replastered as well as have the pool deck redone.

I was planning on covering it this weekend; however, please refer to the pictures that I took this morning (Aug 8, 2014) as there is now a green slime all over it. Question: Will this slime go away in the winter. No one will be swimming in it. And does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do knowing the following facts: Pool needs replastering and I do not have money to do this right now, I do not have time to maintain it, no one will be swimming in it, we are BUDGETING to replaster and redo the decking in the Spring of 2015, I cannot put any money into it now, I just want to cover it and get back to it in in about 8 months. My neighbor told me that I should run the pumps and filter about one hour daily to keep them from locking up so this is what I have done for the past 3 weeks.

Thanks in advance for your replies in this mess, I appreciate it.

Ronnie

 

[karmabiker]

Ronnie,
That's a tough one. Given the current state of the pool it would need work a bit of work to get to a maintainable state, for which you apparently don't have time to spend.

I see 2 options:
SLAM the pool and maintain the chems (way too warm to winterize in Houston).

OR

Drain water to a point below the tile line, drain and rinse the filter and the pump and cover the pool with everything off. Running a limited schedule at this point is just going to destroy your equipment if you don't fix the algae issue and maintain the chemistry. Down side to this is that you will have a mosquito breeding area in your backyard until you address the issues with the pool. I'm sure Harris County Health and Human Services and your neighbors wouldn't be thrilled.

We will be happy to help if you choose to go option 1. I can't endorse option 2 due to the mosquito / potential health ramifications.

 

[mrcarcrazy]

What's the ground water level like out in that part of the state? If it's low enough you could just drain the thing...since plaster is trash anyway...

however if the water level is high enough to pose a risk, that might not be a great idea. But IMO letting it sit like that isn't either.

If the water level is high, I'd drain it then drill/hammer holes in the bottom to prevent a pop-up-pool situation. OR get it back to running and keep maintaining.

 

[karmabiker]

The water level here is VERY high. With a hole punched and left the pool would partially fill during one of the many gully washers, that and the cost to have someone come out to pop a hole in the bottom would exceed the maintenance cost for the entire year using our methods.

 

[rkwan1]

Any idea regarding the time needed to SLAM the pool and maintain the chems? I thought about draining it but your reply regarding that issue leads me to your option 1.

QUOTE=karmabiker;715565]Ronnie,
That's a tough one. Given the current state of the pool it would need work a bit of work to get to a maintainable state, for which you apparently don't have time to spend.

I see 2 options:
SLAM the pool and maintain the chems (way too warm to winterize in Houston).

OR

Drain water to a point below the tile line, drain and rinse the filter and the pump and cover the pool with everything off. Running a limited schedule at this point is just going to destroy your equipment if you don't fix the algae issue and maintain the chemistry. Down side to this is that you will have a mosquito breeding area in your backyard until you address the issues with the pool. I'm sure Harris County Health and Human Services and your neighbors wouldn't be thrilled.

We will be happy to help if you choose to go option 1. I can't endorse option 2 due to the mosquito / potential health ramifications.[/QUOTE]

- - - Updated - - -

The way the pool looks is scary. I had to fish out a dead squirrel that inadvertently fell out of a tree and drowned in the evil green slime mess.

 

[karmabiker]

Time to SLAM really depends on how diligent you are. Some SLAMs take a week, some take 4.

First step is to get a good test kit. (TF-100 with the XL option in my sig line is the best value and has enough reagents to get you through the slam.)

Once you have a good set of numbers we can guide you through.

Regarding pump run time it is going to be 24x7 during the slam. After the slam 4-6 hours (on low if you have a 2 speed or variable speed) is the norm.

Odds are there are only 2 chemicals you will need:
Muriatic acid - 1 bottle
Bleach (Home depot non outdoor 8.25% or Clorox or Lowes house brand ... or Liquid chlorinator from the pool store - it is all the same stuff). - Lots and lots of bottles, start stocking up now.
Start here:

Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis

Then Read:
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
AND
SLAMing Your Pool


There is also a section on CYA/CL relationship - we can hit that later if need be.

No matter how you slice it this will be HUNDREDS less than the pool store way (that may or may not work)

 

[rkwan1]

The previous homeowner left a "Trouble Free Test Kit, TF-100" in the garage. The kit says, "This kit contains 7 pool water tests. All you need to maintain sparkling water all summer". The home that I bought was a foreclosed home so I never asked spoke to the previous owner about it. It has R-007, R-0008, R-0009, R-0010, R-0011L, R-0871, R-0012, R-0013, R-0870,two 40ml clear graduated vials with lids with one saying, "chlorine only", and a CYA Mixing bottle.

I already have 8 bottles of muriatic acid, 2 cases of shock, and 2 containers of chlorine tablets.

I am off from work after today for the next 7 days so I can be very diligent.

I will begin reading the items you mentioned first thing in the morning on Saturday...

Time to SLAM really depends on how diligent you are. Some SLAMs take a week, some take 4.

First step is to get a good test kit. (TF-100 with the XL option in my sig line is the best value and has enough reagents to get you through the slam.)

Once you have a good set of numbers we can guide you through.

Regarding pump run time it is going to be 24x7 during the slam. After the slam 4-6 hours (on low if you have a 2 speed or variable speed) is the norm.

Odds are there are only 2 chemicals you will need:
Muriatic acid - 1 bottle
Bleach (Home depot non outdoor 8.25% or Clorox or Lowes house brand ... or Liquid chlorinator from the pool store - it is all the same stuff). - Lots and lots of bottles, start stocking up now.
Start here:

Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis

Then Read:
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
AND
SLAMing Your Pool


There is also a section on CYA/CL relationship - we can hit that later if need be.

No matter how you slice it this will be HUNDREDS less than the pool store way (that may or may not work)

 

[rkwan1]

Regarding bleach, I am assuming that the home depot option is cheaper than the pool store? Will I be using any of the shock that I already have? The pool is scary.

 

[karmabiker]

You never know what is going to work out to be the cheapest. Pool store liquid is usually a little more expensive ( per unit of active cl) than Home Depot, however it is stronger so you don't have to lug as much. Sometimes it goes on sale and is cheaper...

Let's get a full set of tests - then we can make a determination on using the "shock" ( actually stabilized chlorine - adds either ch or cya )

Great news that someone left behind a tf 100. That is the best kit there is.

Actually if you do a cya test we can determine if hitting the pool with your powered cl is prudent.