First test results. Help with raising CYA
- Thread starter LooLooPoolNoob
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- help needed low cya newbie thanks
Ok so I'm keeping up that POP. And FC levels. I have seen some more improvement today. Gonna swap the filters when my husband gets up.
I'm wondering if it would be advisable to vac to the filter now that it's cleared some more. We have been hesitant to do so because of not being able to see what the heck is down there, but, when I brush I get big white flakey buts and big green black guys (I'm thinking bleached out leaves and algae). Is it possible for these things to clog my lines and make a big problem? I don't wanna break anything, but I think if I could get this stuff out with the vac instead if swirling it in the water when I brush and the slowly waiting for the skimmer to grab it, it would move the process.
Basically I terrified to vaccuum, but I feel like I should do it! The pool people put this fear in me that if I vac to the filter before I can see the bottom I will do irreparable damage to something.
Here is this morning pic. Gonna get one a bit later when the sun is higher and you can see the water and not just shadows, but idk if you guys can see it, but that I'd the bottom of my deep end without an iota of cloudiness!
I'm wondering if it would be advisable to vac to the filter now that it's cleared some more. We have been hesitant to do so because of not being able to see what the heck is down there, but, when I brush I get big white flakey buts and big green black guys (I'm thinking bleached out leaves and algae). Is it possible for these things to clog my lines and make a big problem? I don't wanna break anything, but I think if I could get this stuff out with the vac instead if swirling it in the water when I brush and the slowly waiting for the skimmer to grab it, it would move the process.
Basically I terrified to vaccuum, but I feel like I should do it! The pool people put this fear in me that if I vac to the filter before I can see the bottom I will do irreparable damage to something.
Here is this morning pic. Gonna get one a bit later when the sun is higher and you can see the water and not just shadows, but idk if you guys can see it, but that I'd the bottom of my deep end without an iota of cloudiness!
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It should say "big white flakey BITS and big green black BITS"
I am so sorry for not proofreading better
. I'm so embarrassed!
I am so sorry for not proofreading better
. I'm so embarrassed!
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,701
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
For sure you need to get that stuff out of the bottom as that is using up your chlorine too. Do you have a robot, polaris, or any other type of cleaner that could get the debris out? Do you have a way to vacuum to waste to bypass the filter?
I will let the experts chime in on if it is bad to vacuum your black and green butts/bits to your filter.
I will let the experts chime in on if it is bad to vacuum your black and green butts/bits to your filter.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,307
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Do you use a skimmer plate for vacuuming? As long as the material has the skimmer basket to catch the larger debris, you are better off vacuuming to filter. That way your CYA and other parameters are not being changed when you go to waste.
Thank you for leaving the error so that we could have a laugh. In the future hit the 3 dots on the bottom left of the post and there is an edit option.
that gunk needs to come out. The sooner it comes out the sooner you only have to treat water and not the tons of crud. Right now the crud is stealing your chlorine. The downside is you’ll have to clean the filter again, but you’d rather clean the filter than have another 5 days of slam (whenever it *could* have been over).
if you can’t see the bottom just go gentle. You will waste some time not knowing that you are 2 ft away from a pile of crud, But if you go slow and get as many spots as you can, you will still be helping yourself greatly.
that gunk needs to come out. The sooner it comes out the sooner you only have to treat water and not the tons of crud. Right now the crud is stealing your chlorine. The downside is you’ll have to clean the filter again, but you’d rather clean the filter than have another 5 days of slam (whenever it *could* have been over).
if you can’t see the bottom just go gentle. You will waste some time not knowing that you are 2 ft away from a pile of crud, But if you go slow and get as many spots as you can, you will still be helping yourself greatly.
Have you taken a net down to that deep end to see just whats down there? Could there be some really big stuff there that wont come up with the vac?
Clarifying what carnivalday said......do you have a big, sturdy leaf net? Flimsy is worthless but if you have a really solid one with a sturdy net, you should be able to get some, if not all, of that debris out of your pool.
Short of that, vacuuming to filter is just fine. You won't damage a thing as long as you keep an eye on your psi and make sure your pump strainer basket and skimmer basket are in place.
Short of that, vacuuming to filter is just fine. You won't damage a thing as long as you keep an eye on your psi and make sure your pump strainer basket and skimmer basket are in place.
I have a great leaf skimmer. Nice and sturdy. when the pool was still in Shrek swamp territory we would use it to scoop up the gunk from down there. And I mean scoop. We would get a full basket of just green algae and detritus from the bottom of the pool. I don't have a vacuum plate, but I can get one of those at Walmart they're super cheap. I do have a pool vac hose and attachment thing.I know we don't really have to vacuum to waste, but my water level is still pretty high I'd say like there's only a couple centimeters of clearance between the top of the water and the very top of my skimmer, so the skimmer really isn't pulling all that much off I think just because the water is a little too high And I think it's making the skimmer very inefficient. When I say I manually skim my pool every 4 hours when I go check that chlorine level, I sit there for at least a half hour to 45 minutes doing so, and there's just not a whole lot in the skimmer basket. We do have the pool sock on it as well. If we do decide to vacuum to the filter do I have to remove the pool sock? Will that mess with the pressure?
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
You can leave the sock on. Just do a small area where you think the gook is. Shut off the filer and see what is in the skimmer sock. You can then judge how bad the bottom is and how long you think you could vacuum w/o clogging it up.
The sock will keep the stuff from getting to the filter. I vacuum with a hairnet in to catch little things.
The sock will keep the stuff from getting to the filter. I vacuum with a hairnet in to catch little things.
::tapping foot::: And what happened to our afternoon picture, Missy?!?!? 
- Mar 5, 2020
- 2,952
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Always good to check in on your progress reports 
I agree with Dave, best to get as much of the debris out as possible. What kind of leaf rake are you using? There are basically two types around (at least down here...).
There is the standard one:
... and the "upside-down" one:
For large leaf loads at the bottom of the pool, I tend to be a lot more successful with the second type. They look a bit counter-intuitive at first, the opening has to face down. You basically have to drag the plastic blade along the pool bottom and by the current you are creating, the leafs will end up in the net. Important to keep the net moving at all times, or you will just be rearranging the leafs in your pool.
With the first type of net, I tend to just scoop under the leafs and they float up. With the second type, they will end up in your net anyway. It's a bit like catching flies: Just clap your hands right above the the fly, and it will fly right into your closing hands.
When my pool is full of stuff when returning from holidays, I use one of them first, get all the larger debris out before I bother vacuuming. It's of course a lot easier when you can actually see what you are doing. But I think the second type will be easier to use blindfolded.
I agree with Dave, best to get as much of the debris out as possible. What kind of leaf rake are you using? There are basically two types around (at least down here...).
There is the standard one:
... and the "upside-down" one:
For large leaf loads at the bottom of the pool, I tend to be a lot more successful with the second type. They look a bit counter-intuitive at first, the opening has to face down. You basically have to drag the plastic blade along the pool bottom and by the current you are creating, the leafs will end up in the net. Important to keep the net moving at all times, or you will just be rearranging the leafs in your pool.
With the first type of net, I tend to just scoop under the leafs and they float up. With the second type, they will end up in your net anyway. It's a bit like catching flies: Just clap your hands right above the the fly, and it will fly right into your closing hands.
When my pool is full of stuff when returning from holidays, I use one of them first, get all the larger debris out before I bother vacuuming. It's of course a lot easier when you can actually see what you are doing. But I think the second type will be easier to use blindfolded.
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Keep up the good work! I’m no expert but I don’t hesitate to vacuum all the leaves and gook from the bottom with my setup. The slimmer basket or worst case the pump basket catches all the big stuff. I just make sure I clean every thing after vacuuming. Sounds like that slimmer plate would do the trick.
Good luck!
Good luck!
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,701
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
So... hows it going LooLoo?
We get scared when we dont hear from people during this part of the SLAM. Did you find a body at the bottom? Did the husband tie you up and dump a bunch of algecide in?
We get scared when we dont hear from people during this part of the SLAM. Did you find a body at the bottom? Did the husband tie you up and dump a bunch of algecide in?
Omggg! This has been exhaustinggggg. Had to work a lil extra last night do the hubby failed to get me my pic! Guy, guy G U Y S. THE junk I pulled outta this pool! Idk how it's still there. I don't get it. So much crud. UGH . No worries though I've been keeping up with the chlorine levels and brushing. I'm not going to lie I don't even feel like posting pictures of it because it doesn't look any different at all. The clarity hasn't changed but probably because I have a full ecosystem so at the bottom of my pool that I just sucked out. I just want to cry! my kids are chomping at the bit to get into this thing and it's just going to be at least another 4 days I can see it!
Attached are pics of the Crud I pulled up
Attached are pics of the Crud I pulled up
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I feel like I've hit a plateau but I'm pushing thru. My morale is falling. I know this will work. I do. But seeing my kids disappointed faces when I tell them no pool yet it KILLING me
- May 20, 2020
- 1,000
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
Think positive! You now know what’s been consuming a lot of your FC, and you’re getting it out. And you can show the muck to your husband and ask how algecide was going to get that out. Oh and just imagine if you were trying to suck that out along with some floc.
Trust the process!
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,701
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
We get it and are all waiting to see you post your pics of a clear pool. Can they help with the vacuuming?
The 8 and 15 to do help, a lot. They're good boys. The 15 to (I lovingly call stretch because he's 6'4) is my right hand man. He asked today if I want him to go in the water with a brush and "really get the corners to make sure it's clean". Lol. I think he just wants in the water. He promised me his head would stay above the water. I told him idk.
I did get some pics today. And stretch lifted my sprits by saying "wow mom, like 2 weeks ago you couldn't even see down one inch and now we can almost see the bottom of the deep end!"
I posted them on order of shallow to deep end
Last pic is day 1 slam
I did get some pics today. And stretch lifted my sprits by saying "wow mom, like 2 weeks ago you couldn't even see down one inch and now we can almost see the bottom of the deep end!"
I posted them on order of shallow to deep end
Last pic is day 1 slam
