Do I have the right equipment?

[bmtyler89]

Hello everyone,

I purchased a home with an inground pool in April. The first couple months keeping the pool clean seemed to be going fine but as the season went on it became increasingly more difficult and it just didn't seem like the pool was circulating water and filtering as much as it should and by the time September came my pool was a shade of green that nothing I did could get rid of. After doing some research I think my equipment isn't suitable for a pool of my size, my pool is 48K gallons and I have a Sta-Rite System 3 S7M120 cartridge filter which has a max flow of 100GPM which based on what I've read seems about right for a pool of my size. But the pump I have is a pentair superflo 3/4 hp and based on what I've read that is a low amount of hp for a pool of this size. I think my best course of action is to get new cartridges for my filter I've read that the S7M400 cartridges are interchangeable and may provide more cleaning. I also think I need to purchase a pump of at least 1.5 hp. Do you guys think I'm on the right track with these changes?

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[Rocket J Squirrel]

Welcome to TFP.

Algae is a chemical problem, not a filtration problem. It means you don't have enough chlorine in your water.

Please see Pool Care Basics to learn more and SLAM Process to learn how to get rid of the green.

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

Green water is a chemistry issue. Water going green in the late summer is a classic sign of using stabilized chlorine. As the stabilizer builds up, the chlorine becomes less effective, then the hot weather hits and algae takes off.

There is a wide range of acceptable equipment sizes, as you can adjust run time to improve filter performance.

I would suggest you verify your pool capacity before you make any changes. 48,000 gallons is a very large residential pool. The primary issues you'd see with an undersized pump would be debris accumulation and poor skimmer action.

 

[bmtyler89]

Thank you for the fast response! Once I open again in the spring I'll reread the SLAM articles and make sure I have my chemistry correct. My pool is roughly 25x50 in a odd shape with a 10 foot deep end and a 3 foot shallow end so its definitely on the larger side of a residential pool.

 

[Jimrahbe]

89,

I have a VS pump that runs at 1200 RPM most of the time. This is about 1/4 of a HP... Pump size is not your issue.

As other have pointed out, you have a chemistry problem..

Tell us what FC level you normally try to maintain..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bmtyler89]

I tried to keep my free chlorine around 2ppm I use aquacheck test strips to check my levels.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I tried to keep my free chlorine around 2ppm I use aquacheck test strips to check my levels.

2 ppm is very low. See FC/CYA Levels.

You need a better test kit. Strips are both imprecise and inaccurate. See Test Kits Compared.

How are you chlorinating? Tablets perhaps? That's not sustainable. You need to know your CYA (stabilizer) level to set your FC level properly.

 

[Jimrahbe]

89

I suspect your CYA is over 100 due to the use of tablets...

But, let's say I am wrong and your CYA is only 50 ppm.. then your minimum FC has to be 4 ppm and you should be keeping your FC between 6 and 8 ppm..

This is why your pool turned green.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Newdude]

#normalizebigpools
#allpoolsarebeautiful

Hey BM and Welcome !!! As said above, you're doing it wrong. No judgement, because if we had a pool before landing here, we did it wrong too.

We have 18 (?) years and the collective wisdom of hundreds of thousands of members to steer you on the cheap and easy.

The good news is you should have a little time to read up the Pool Care Basics
and hit the ground running when it warms up. Ask away and we'll fill in any blanks.

 

[bmtyler89]

Thanks for all the tips! I appreciate it. My local pool store recommended 2-4 FC so if I need 6-8 that would make a ton of sense why it's green. I'll read all of these articles and ask if I have anymore questions. I'm glad I asked here before I spent a couple thousand dollars on new pool equipment. Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[Newdude]

Step 1 : reliable self testing
Test Kits Compared

Step 2 : run the appropriate FC per CYA level at all times, never sniffing minimum.



You do that, and we have all the time in the world to teach you the rest of it. You won't have a swamp while we get through it all or tweak any of the long term concerns.

 

[Mayorb]

Thank you for the fast response! Once I open again in the spring I'll reread the SLAM articles and make sure I have my chemistry correct. My pool is roughly 25x50 in a odd shape with a 10 foot deep end and a 3 foot shallow end so its definitely on the larger side of a residential pool. View attachment 551454

Hi, just was looking at your pool pic. Hard to tell exactly the setup, but that diving board placement looks precarious to say the least. I'd contact the factory (or S.R. Smith if unknown) to find out what the specs are for width, length, and depth requirements are for your installation.
It looks like it can launch a diver straight into the wall. Those types of incidents end very badly.

 

[1poolman1]

I tried to keep my free chlorine around 2ppm I use aquacheck test strips to check my levels.

You have a gorgeous yard for everything except a pool. Chlorine levels that low, with all the foliage surrounding the pool, continually dropping debris into the pool, will get eaten up very fast. A SWG would be a good investment.
+1 to Mayorb. That spring/dive board installation looks to be very dangerous. There are very specific dimensions and shapes that have to be met, including the area of "run out" after one enters the water that is not usually available on a side-mounted board. It would be too easy to run into the opposite wall when using that board.
The American National Standard for Residential In-Ground Swimming Pools requires that all home pools with a diving board be at least 16 feet wide and 32 feet long.
You do not have 32' in front of that board.
The concern is for the safety of you and your family.