Hello TFP!
My wife and I bought a house recently, and are doing a big remodel before we move in. The house has a pool, and my goal is to keep the pool from turning into a swamp during the remodel.
Before the construction started, we enjoyed many pool days, and I learned enough to keep the FC, pH, and TA right on target, which I did religiously, and the water stayed beautiful.
Once construction started, the power was cut from the pool equipment. (The whole garage that housed the pool equipment is gone now, with the pool equipment just sitting there on a small patch of remaining concrete, with no power anywhere near it anymore.) So I added 3 lb of dichlor granules and the pool was covered with a giant plastic sheet. I've been adding 2 lb of dichlor every week or two to try to keep the FC level up, but it stays low at about 0.5ppm. I've probably added about 12lb dichlor total, over the past 2 months.
Yesterday I removed the cover since I was worried it was making the pool too warm, and because I wanted to start running the pool robot since there's now power for the construction crew that I can tap into (although not for the main pool pump yet). There were tons of leaves at the bottom of the pool that had fallen past the cover at the very edge of the pool, and the pool is looking slightly cloudy and green. (I can still see the bottom just fine, but I don't like the green haze.) I scooped out most of the leaves (all I could get to), and ran the robot, which stopped running after just a few minutes when its filter bag was thoroughly sludged. I added 3 lb more dichlor. Today the pool still looks the same, and I was unfortunately unable to test the FC level.
After reading lots on this site tonight, it sounds to me like I should test the CYA and FC, and possibly stop using dichlor if my CYA levels are high, and use bleach instead. Does this sound right? Any other suggestions?
But taking a step back, since I don't plan to use the pool until the construction is done which will realistically be March 2015, how do you recommend I handle this? Should I just let it grow whatever it wants, and then deal with it in the spring? Should I jump on this now to avoid horrible problems like black algae? Should I focus on getting the main pump and filter back online?
Bonus fact: right before closing up the pool for construction, 2 ducks spent a few nights at the pool and pooped in it multiple times.
Thanks very much for your insights and help!
Ben
My wife and I bought a house recently, and are doing a big remodel before we move in. The house has a pool, and my goal is to keep the pool from turning into a swamp during the remodel.
Before the construction started, we enjoyed many pool days, and I learned enough to keep the FC, pH, and TA right on target, which I did religiously, and the water stayed beautiful.
Once construction started, the power was cut from the pool equipment. (The whole garage that housed the pool equipment is gone now, with the pool equipment just sitting there on a small patch of remaining concrete, with no power anywhere near it anymore.) So I added 3 lb of dichlor granules and the pool was covered with a giant plastic sheet. I've been adding 2 lb of dichlor every week or two to try to keep the FC level up, but it stays low at about 0.5ppm. I've probably added about 12lb dichlor total, over the past 2 months.
Yesterday I removed the cover since I was worried it was making the pool too warm, and because I wanted to start running the pool robot since there's now power for the construction crew that I can tap into (although not for the main pool pump yet). There were tons of leaves at the bottom of the pool that had fallen past the cover at the very edge of the pool, and the pool is looking slightly cloudy and green. (I can still see the bottom just fine, but I don't like the green haze.) I scooped out most of the leaves (all I could get to), and ran the robot, which stopped running after just a few minutes when its filter bag was thoroughly sludged. I added 3 lb more dichlor. Today the pool still looks the same, and I was unfortunately unable to test the FC level.
After reading lots on this site tonight, it sounds to me like I should test the CYA and FC, and possibly stop using dichlor if my CYA levels are high, and use bleach instead. Does this sound right? Any other suggestions?
But taking a step back, since I don't plan to use the pool until the construction is done which will realistically be March 2015, how do you recommend I handle this? Should I just let it grow whatever it wants, and then deal with it in the spring? Should I jump on this now to avoid horrible problems like black algae? Should I focus on getting the main pump and filter back online?
Bonus fact: right before closing up the pool for construction, 2 ducks spent a few nights at the pool and pooped in it multiple times.
Thanks very much for your insights and help!
Ben