Decoy’s Above Ground Pool Saga

[Decoy205]

Hi all!
Today is the day! We got the pool installed! I’ll post all the details soon with my 2022 pool saga but first have a question!

The water is now filling (from local tap) is it cool if I put the chlorine floater with a few pucks in there while it fills?

I don’t want any critters or the leaves already falling in there to mess up my water before I even get a chance to start the filter!

 

[Newdude]

Up to you. You can go a day or two with fresh fill, but it certainly doesn't hurt to treat a little. Keep the floater off the sides if you do use it.

 

[Decoy205]

Thanks dude! That’s what I was thinking. I
Might wait until tomorrow when it’s a bit deeper. There might be some rain too which could mess me up.

I got 8 bottles of LC yesterday dated 22 175. That’s the newest I could find, I got 4 pounds of CYA as well.

I gotta get a pad for my filter and pump. It’s sitting on some crooked pavers right now.

My work is just beginning!

 

[kul]

Yay!!! You’re gonna have sooo much fun!!

 

[Decoy205]

 

[kul]

I feel this photo caption is “now we wait”

 

[Decoy205]

So here is my 2022 pool saga….

Like so many here I bought a house with the pool already up. We moved in about a year ago and got to use the pool a handful of times before school started. I was using weekly powder shock and liquid chlorine most of the summer. Kept a puck in the floater for some of the time.

It was mostly clear and I think without knowing what I was doing it was ok.

Here is the old pool after I released the cover in April:

Then learned how to close it up for the winter and things were fine until I checked it right after thanksgiving. I noticed the cover was sinking in.

By January the water was only 2’ so I knew there was a leak. It was frozen so there was nothing I could do.

That’s when I joined TFP. I got good advice here and I was going to try and get the liner replaced. I ordered another overlap liner. Then I pulled the permits for the house and saw pool was 34 years old! Then I decided I might as well just get a new pool.

We did some checking and found a local store had some 21’ rounds in stock. I also went to get the permit paper work. This was back in April.

We got the Sharkline Summerfield steel.

We booked June 8th got the town the paperwork by early May. Then we had a tree fall on the old pool during a storm! I posted it about it here. So now I’m glad we decided to go new.

I found out may 23rd that permits were delayed once because I needed to sign something then again when they said my barrier wasn’t specified. Mind you all the previous permits were on file so they knew I had a fence and all that.

Keeping this thing empty has been a pain. Once I knew I wasn’t getting the permits by June 8th I was lucky the Pb let me switch the install date with someone else so I got July 11th.

We also have to upgrade the fence to comply with new code and get the bonding done.

Finally got the permits 2 weeks ago so just had to keep the water outta the old pool.

The builders showed up today at 9am and were done by 12:30.

Tear down:

Leveling and compacting.

 

[Decoy205]

New wall going up:

Old pool:

Good amount of the track was rusted out as well as some of bottoms of the uprights. Overall though it wasn’t terrible but glad I replaced it now.

 

[Decoy205]

I also have a bigger gap between the deck and the pool so I’ll need to get the decking redone as well so we can install the ladder. My buddy is gonna help me with that this week hopefully.

I gotta backfill the trench now. They said wait until it’s about half full or at least a foot and a half.

I’ll work on that tomorrow. I have no idea how to get the dirt separate from pea gravel so I can put some weed fabric back over it.

Back filling and landscaping suggestions welcome!

 

[Newdude]

I have no idea how to get the dirt separate from pea gravel so I can put some weed fabric back over it.

I got rid of some rock garden beds at the old place and being years old with a few bags added on top every year, they went pretty deep. I used 1/4 inch screen / chicken wire that I had laying around over a garbage can. I did one shovel at a time and sifted. Then I dumped the garbage can about half full because dirt is heavy. It went surprisingly quick in hours, not days.

 

[Decoy205]

That’s a great idea! I think I have some 1/4 inch screen from when I was patching the roof of the shed to keep critters out. I can probably use. Bucket as the dirt sifter.

I have so many rock beds on this properly. I think there will be many hours of sifting in my future.

 

[Newdude]

think I have some 1/4 inch screen from when I was patching the roof of the shed to keep critters out. I can probably use

That's exactly why I had some myself.

 

[Decoy205]

Water is almost full. It’s about 1.5” below the return and 2 below the skimmer. We were supposed to get rain so I shut the water off for now.

The filter was on some old pavers and it was way off level so I spent this afternoon setting about 6 pavers to use as an equipment pad.

I set them all up and realized there was no way that filter was budging haha. TFP to the rescue! I searched what to do and it helped. I opened up the multiport valve and used a shop vac to get about half the sand out. Repositioned the filter on the pavers and then added the sand back in. I gotta re open the valve to change the o ring. Hopefully I didn’t do any damage to anything while doing that.

Tomorrow we’re gonna be out in the morning then when I come back I’ll finish filling and hook up the pump.

 

[Decoy205]

Ok got the hoses hooked up. I’m not hard plumbed yet. Got the pump to prime and I got leaks by the stupid hose clamps. The cheap pool hose (brand new) I got last year must be terrible cuz it’s leaking like crazy.

I wanted to get some chlorine in the pool though and run it.

I put about a 3rd of a bottle of old chlorine from Jan, ran the pump for 20-25 mins. Did a test and got 8.2 FC. I didn’t add any cya yet.

I can’t leave the pump running all night with the leaks. Did I over do it with the chlorine? I’m gonna let it run for a few more mins. Then shut it for the night.

Anything else I should do? Is it bad to leave the FC that high without the pump on at night?

 

[Decoy205]

 

[Decoy205]

 

[Stump]

Decoy that new build is great! I can tell it a new young pool because that liner is completely wrinkle free lol.........

 

[Newdude]

The cheap pool hose (brand new) I got last year must be terrible cuz it’s leaking like crazy.

It probably melted in the sun to form to the other pool fittings. These are just a hair different. They will all have the problem eventually. You can only hope to catch the blown off hoses quickly. Put a rigid PVC upgrade on your list of things to do sooner than later. I wouldn't waste another penny on hoses, short PVC runs are cheap enough to just do now.

Anything else I should do?

Get CYA soaking in there in a sock away from the wall, carrot on a stick like.

Is it bad to leave the FC that high without the pump on at night?

The pump doesn't matter, it's all mixed up in 15-20 mins. 8 FC with no CYA is a bit harsh but it's probably fine. And you can't undo it anyway so have a beverage and get that CYA going.

 

[Decoy205]

Decoy that new build is great! I can tell it a new young pool because that liner is completely wrinkle free lol.........

Thanks! The Pb is a pro. He’s been installin for 40 years and knows all the tricks. I don’t think they could’ve done any better with the liner.

It probably melted in the sun to form to the other pool fittings. These are just a hair different. They will all have the problem eventually. You can only hope to catch the blown off hoses quickly. Put a rigid PVC upgrade on your lost of things to do sooner than later. I wouldn't waste another penny on hoses, small PVC runs are cheap enough to just do now.

Get CYA soaking in there in a sock away from the wall, carrot on a stick like.

The pump doesn't matter, it's all mixed up in 15-20 mins. 8 FC with no CYA is a bit harsh but it's probably fine. And you can't undo it anyway so have a beverage and get that CYA going.

The gray and clear and white hoses were brand new! I think the clear hose is good I just didn’t get it deep enough on.

The grey one I got from Leslie’s. I didn’t even use em saved them for start up, but they are junk. I do plan on getting a pvc set up. I need to cap the return and skimmer now. I was hoping to do that in a few weeks.

I’ll get cya going tomorrow am asap. I’ll run the pump only while I’m there to keep an eye on it. The water is 80 degrees it’s hot as heck this week.

What’s the best tool that’s used to loosen the eyeball so I can put the plug in? And neither of my gizmos fit the new skimmer so I gotta get a plug fore that too. Grrr

 

[Newdude]

What’s the best tool that’s used to loosen the eyeball so I can put the plug in?

Is it this one ? If so channel lock pliers work but go gentle or you'll tear up the plastic.