Accidentally Lowered My Water Too Far

[ghall6292]

Due to excessive rainfall over the past three weeks, I have had to lower the water in my AGP several times. It was time for its first of two normal backwashes per year, so my first water drop was accomplished this way. My last two were done via the "waste" function on my multi-port valve. Last night we had warnings for severe thunderstorms with up to 2.5" of rain, followed by more rain before dawn of up to 1". As a precaution against overflowing my skimmer, I set up the waste function, fired up the pump, and drained off about 2" of water. I then shut the pump down and went back into the house just as the "show" was beginning. Boy was I glad I had drained some water out!

Woke up this morning and looked out the window to discover my water level at the bottom of the skimmer opening. What the *#@&!!! Then it hit me... SENIOR MOMENT!... I had never placed the MPV valve back into the filter position, so my backwash hose had spent the night siphoning water and spreading it across the lawn the lawn. We're on a well, so I have to be careful to fill the pool slowly, so as no to overtax the well. That process is underway. I have also placed a utility pump into the pool to keep the remaining water circulating until I get it high enough to fire up the pool pump.

My readings this morning were as follows: CL 5.5, CC 0.5, pH 7.5, TA 80, CYA 50, CH 125 (vinyl pool.) Since I can't run the filter yet, but can circulate the water with the utility pump, I boosted my Cl up to 9.5 to try to avert an algae bloom. It will probably tomorrow evening before I have enough water in the pool to fire up the filter. Does anyone have any other advice or tips for a moron?

 

[Texas Splash]

Oops! Based on your current numbers I think you've done everything you need to at the moment. I would check the FC again in the morning. Of course increasing the FC with iron water always increases the risk of color changes, but you sure don't want algae if you can help it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Newdude]

Does anyone have any other advice or tips for a moron?

I would like to officially welcome you to the 'Gravity is a *female dog* club'. I am the treasurer. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.

I didn't have the MPV, just a 3 way valve with one pipe going to waste, but I left it to waste and killed the pump. A few thousand glug glug glugs later........ yeah. Anyway thanks for joining. There are dozens of us. DOZENS !!!!

 

[apellegrino8]

Just a question as a new TFP member who is pro-phosfree. Is this a case where having 0 phosphates would help avoid or slow down and give more time before an algae bloom?

 

[iadams]

Just a question as a new TFP member who is pro-phosfree. Is this a case where having 0 phosphates would help avoid or slow down and give more time before an algae bloom?

He's planning to maintain FC levels (based on his CYA level) so that doesn't come into play here. As a new member, have you read the info here on phosphates in pools?

 

[ghall6292]

UPDATE
So, since my Wed. morning shocker, here's where I'm at. I have tested my water morning and evening since it happened. I have only added chlorine once to maintain my goal of 8-9 ppm until this is resolved. Today's tests: CL 8.5, CC 0.5 CYA 50, TA 80, pH 7.5, CH 125, and the temp has dropped a bit with the water addition to 81. I forgot to say that the pool remains covered.

I have also s-l-o-w-l-y been adding water. Seems the wife grew up in a household with a weak well and foresees danger anytime I drag the hose out to do anything (except water her horses, LOL.) Actually, a geologist told me years ago that the hill we live on has a large underground lake under it, supplying nearly endless water. Probably why nearly every property has a pond or small lake. So I decided to just go along and add the water painfully s-l-o-w-l-y.

I now have enough water to run the pump, but it is a little starved for water so I shut it down and continue to use the utility pump for circulation. Forecast is for one two inches of rain before Sunday, so I'm fairly certain I'm almost out of the woods. Should be back on the filter by nightfall even without well water being added.

Thanks to all for your comments/concerns! Stay safe, and good swimming!
G.

 

[lager1829]

SENIOR MOMENT!... I had never placed the MPV valve back into the filter position, so my backwash hose had spent the night siphoning water and spreading it across the lawn the lawn.

Been there, done that. Thankfully the pump only ran a few hours with no water before I caught it. Called my PB and he said welcome to the club and no worries the pump is forgiving.

 

[Bperry]

When I closed my pool last winter, I shut the pump speed control off while I purged water from the plumbing but forgot to turn the circuit breaker off. Once the timer turned the pump back on, it had been running dry for hours before I realized it. The pump was warm but seems to be fine so far this summer.

 

[ghall6292]

I'm almost starting to feel better about this bonehead move. So for all you other "members of the club," was once enough to make you double check everything after you've made any plumbing and/or equipment adjustments? If so, I'm worried I may become the only member of a REAL small club, if I'm not careful!

BTW, we got the necessary rain this afternoon and everything is pretty much back to normal, both chemistry and equipment. Nerves.... not so much! LOL
G.

 

[Newdude]

was once enough to make you double check everything after you've made any plumbing and/or equipment adjustments? If so, I'm worried I may become the only member of a REAL small club, if I'm not careful!

Happy to report it was instinctual after the first time. Don’t go starting any new clubs. There’s plenty of other bonehead club you could join instead.

 

[bover907]

I am in the "Forgot to turn off the garden hose and went to bed" club. I did this once in 2019, and once in 2020. Both times I woke up to an overflowing pool, and waited for the super high water bill. Thank god my fill water is pretty balanced. So far so good this year. (knocks on wood)

 

[Mdragger88]

I am in the "Forgot to turn off the garden hose and went to bed" club. I did this once in 2019, and once in 2020. Both times I woke up to an overflowing pool, and waited for the super high water bill. Thank god my fill water is pretty balanced. So far so good this year. (knocks on wood)

Been there, done that! Now I always set a loud timer ⏱ when draining or adding water.

 

[Newdude]

Anything involving water now gets a cellphone alarm on the spot. Just yesterday I turned off my automatic sprinklers expecting the fence people to come. (No show no call…. Gotta love supply/ staff shortages, huh?).

Anywho, upon shutting them off I set a alarm for 7pm to turn them back on. Or the next time it crossed my mind would be 9 days later when everything was going brown. Lalalalala.

 

[ghall6292]

Newdude, apparently I was too busy not thinking about anything, to think about setting an alarm on my phone.

I did come up with this backup visual alarm, though: From the house, I can see my power supply post at the pool pad. I now have a blaze orange bungee hanging from a small hook, just over my kill switch (which I can't quite see from the house.) About 15" above it is the top of the post to hook the bungee to, when doing any work at the pad. Stretched, I can't miss it from the house. I never move the MPV valve without killing the pump, and I can't kill the pump w/o getting the bungee hooked out of the way.

If I forget to hook it before I start.... I'm sure there's a club for that! LOL.

 

[wireform]

Iv'e got a pool which was built into a small hill. As the high side has ground the lower side is higher than grade by about 4.5ft with an attached wooden deck. A few years back in late fall prepping for winter the guy drops a submersible pump into the shallow connected to a typical sump pump hose 20 foot from the big box stores. Pump sitting on the three foot shallow floor, hose goes over the coping and continues over the deck and then drops to the ground below . End of hose is lower then the three foot shallow. Turns on pump for some time and then shuts it off when enough has been pumped out. Here's the kicker, the pump became a siphon at that point and drained the pool to the shallow floor. Lesson be learned, now hose goes over the railing and then down to avoid siphoning when pump is off.