AA Treatment - In Ground Pool - Water Exchange / Replacement

[truthinadv]

For the past few years I've tried the AA treatment to remove my brown stains around my pool. They are most prominent on 1) Steps 2) jet output areas on wall 3) shallow end and 4) where the wall meets the floor. The deep end floor has little staining.

The AA treatment always works in removing all of my stains and making the pool look new.

The challenge has been preventing the stains from coming back.

I've used Jack's Magenta Stuff and that helps, but eventually I am unable to maintain the low PH (7.2-7.4) and the stains come back. They also come back in almost the exact same spots. It's as if they never really left.

I've read about using polyfil- but haven't tried that. I did use the Curaltor thing in the filter basket but that didn't seem to help.

So this year, I want to try a water replacement as I've never done one in the past 11 years. Maybe that will help?

- My pool is about 15,000 gallons
- I am on city water in Dallas
- I have a variable speed pump
- I have an autofill that comes out of my skimmer basket

I've read not to completely drain my in ground pool (but not sure why)

So I assume a water exchange is how i 'replace' my water?

How do I do the exchange?

I was thinking

A) Follow AA steps of lowering FC and PH...
B) Add Polyquat 60
C) Turn off SWG
D) Turn Multiport valve to RECIRCULATE
E) Add AA
F) Wait 30 minutes, add more AA if necessary, wait...
G) Once stain is gone add JACKS MAGENTA
H) add polyfil to the skimmers (goal was to catch iron in the polyfil)
H) Turn multiport to FILTER
I) Run pump XXXX hours (not sure how long to do this, but the waiting would be to get the iron to sequester to the Jacks Magenta Stuff and to catch some of the sequestered iron in the DE Filter and polyfil)
J) Start water exchange

Note - I assume all of the above steps take under 24 hours as FC will be zero


WATER EXCHANGE
1) Set the drain to the just the 'main drain' (turn off the skimmers)
2) Set the variable speed pump to a low setting
3) Turn the multi-port valve to WASTE
4) Turn on the autofill to fill the pool
5) Watch the water level and adjust variable speed pump to ensure I am not draining water to fast
6) How long do I do this? How much water do I try to exchange
7) Once I am done with the water exchange, what next? I assume I will still have some AA and suspended iron in my pool, but hopefully a lot less. Do I need to add more Jack's? When can I raise FC to 3.0 - 5.0 and turn on SWG?

Any advice would be helpful

 

[mknauss]

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

We recommend using a sump pump for an exchange. Using your $1000 pump is not advised.

It also depends on water temperature, salt content, and CH level as to whether you pull water from the top or the bottom of the pool.

In your area, do you have shallow ground water? Nearby creek, river, lake. Does water pond in your area and not readily drain?

 

[truthinadv]

Marty,

Thanks for the quick reply

Pool chemistry today is

FC = 5
PH = 7.6
TA = 80
CYA = 40
Salt = 3500
CH = 500
Water Temp = 60F

I'm in a neighborhood with good drainage and connected to the city sewer

Per your link, it sounds like I need to drain from the deep end and fill in the shallow end.

When I use the sump pump to drain from deep end, I am pulling water from the bottom of the pool, correct?

Also, if the flow rate is only 6-9 gallons per minute, that is only 360-540 gallons per hour. In 10 hours, i'd only replace 20-30% of my pool water. How much water should I try to replace if I am trying to deal with iron in my water?

 

[mguzzy]

Also, if the flow rate is only 6-9 gallons per minute, that is only 360-540 gallons per hour. In 10 hours, i'd only replace 20-30% of my pool water. How much water should I try to replace if I am trying to deal with iron in my water?

All of it. If there is a iron source in your fill water it will start to build again. So its really your call. But a drain-n-refill is the only sure fire way of getting all the iron out. Sequestrants are a temporary solution. AA will work to clean off the stains so drain after the AA treatment. If there is no worry about popping the shell then just drain and refill it. If you have access to rent a sump pump then get two if time is of the essence. If anything this is a better time of the year to do that, since the sun is lower in the sky and it won't bake the plaster.

For some Water is expensive to replace, so treating it is a worthy solution. Many have done the AA followed by a polyfill filter to get it out. MM and JM are supposed help with that.

 

[Texas Splash]

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