First-time home & pool-owner with some basic question

[zu1uuu]

Hi everyone - new to the board and the pool .. and really starting from zero learning about pools, pool maintenance etc. Thanks for any input you can provide to help me getting started!!

As I just purchased the home the previous owner is still paying a pool guy to take care of the pool until the end of this month (He has been coming once a week but I haven't been there yet to ask some of the questions below, + I'd like a second opinion from the experts here). Going forward I'd like to DYI the pool maintenance.

There are a few things I noticed about the pool (Images of relevant things I found around the pool attached):

• The water looks a bit cloudy. I'm wondering if there is algea in the pool.
• I have a few plants in the backyard (especially one slightly pool-overhanging palm tree and bushes in close proximity that shed of plant-debris at least at this time of the season). Planning to cut those back a bit.
• I found some old containers with "Xtra blue - Chlorinating tablets" and "Phos free"
• There are a few things connected to the pool that I'm still trying to understand what they really are and if they are actually used. There are
  • 2 "timer-boxes" (not sure what the correct name for these is). I'd guess one was replaced but never removed (?)
  • One control panel "Nature Soft Water Purification System" from Pebble Technology Inc. - it appears to be dead.
  • Pump
  • Filter
  • At least visually I don't see anything else above ground attached to the pool other than a few pipes connecting things..

Questions:

1. Being a complete novice, my take on it thus far has been that this pool maybe used to be an SWG pool but now is operated as a non-SWG pool (Reason: Dead water purification control panel and presence of chlorinating tablets). Am I on the right path from the images attached or is this still an SWG pool? Would it be worth restoring it to be an SWG pool?
2. I've been glancing over the Pool School articles here and am still doing it to learn more. As a first step I'd like to buy a test kit (Taylor 2006-C or TF-100, or those for SWG pools depending on what I have). From there I'd do the relevant testing to determine next steps; Potentially SLAM the pool if that's a recommended step. My wife has been pushing to acid wash the pool but I'm a bit hesitant if it's not really necessary. Are there any test results that would support a decision to acid wash?

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! Let's hit those questions:
- Yes to a TF-series test kit. TF Pro Salt would be outstanding. That's high priority as we already know your chemistry is out of whack.
- Sounds like the SWD isn't working if they had tabs in use. Tabs increase the CYA too high, so I would just remove any tablets and add 5 ppm worth of liquid chlorine each day until you receive your test kit.
- Toss the "Xtra Blue" products (copper) and water-down Phos-Free.
- Those are Intermatic timers. We can come back to those later.
- Cloudy water is generally indicative of algae. Start reading the SLAM Process page and we'll go over it again once your test kit arrives.
- Trim foliage away from the pool. It can make a mess of things,

Be sure to bookmark our Pool Care Basics and we'll have more replies shortly.

 

[Texas Splash]

Some of that equipment appears to be a bit old. We can address each item for you later if you would like. I do foresee some replacements in the future, but if the systems is operating now (pump at least) and no leaks, there's no rush. Even the automation and SWG can wait until things settle down for you.

 

[zu1uuu]

Thanks for the welcome Pat!

I finally ended up getting the k-2006C test kit and got to do fest tests today (The pool guy has since taken care of it every Saturday).

FC: 4.4
CC: 0.4-0.6 (wasn't sure which drop lead to colorless water although it appears that may be critical as I'm reading CC should stay below 0.5 - maybe I'll re-test).
Ph: 7.4
CYA: I couldn't get a reading because I wasn't able to see the black dot half way until the first marker and it appears to be logarithmic (?) scale - so still somewhere way above 100. Maybe multiples.

I'm reading higher CYA levels are not recommended. If that's the case, would the next best step be to drain and replace with fresh water? And if do that - should I beforehand have determined if there was any algae present, i.e. do i need to take any steps before getting fresh water to avoid anything to continue in the fresh water other than making sure the fresh water's chemistry is in shape?

 

[Texas Splash]

would the next best step be to drain and replace with fresh water?

Correct. Adjust the CYA before going into SLAM Process to address the algae. If the CYA is above 100, more than one partial water exchange may be required, but it's important. Try to get the CYA down to at least 70 in preparation for the SLAM Process.

 

[zu1uuu]

Since I cannot really accurately determin the CYA beyond 100 - is there a recommendation documented anywhere on the partial water exchange to drive the CYA down?

Or is the best I can do there a trial and error approach where I drain, say 50% of the water and re-fill to measure CYA, and rinse repeat until I'm below 70?

Are you suggesting a partial instead of full water exchange due to the risk involved with fully draining at high outside temperatures?

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

You can get a better idea of your true CYA level by performing the diluted test.

Water Testing Instructions - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[dfwnoob]

Also, the Taylor instructions have you wasting reagents on the FC test. Use 10mL of water and 1 scoop of powder. In this case, 1 drop = .5 FC. So 10 drops = 5 FC.

 

[sande005]

As a sidebar - I'm a multi-decade pool owner, but a very recent convert to salt water. And YES, you want to convert it back. For my conversion, I did the plumbing install myself (easy), but paid an electrician to redo my rather simple electrical, and install a new timer to control it all. Total investment was about $3500. So something to start saving up for. More, of course, if you have a pool place install it all.
It looks like my chemical costs will drop from $600+ per year to the $200 range per year. Maybe less. The relative savings scale may be the same, but having a longer/different season than me, your amounts will be more.
Longer term, likely a new pump/motor may be in your future someday. Running the salt system will mean you can dial the new back to run at slow speed 24/7, which will be a HUGE savings in energy. But, if the current works, no rush to replace it.
The salt system gives a very consistent addition of CL, so once dialed in there will be a reduction in time spent managing the pool, since there will be almost no algae outbreaks causing cloudy water, and all the work to clear it. I went from about 2-5 hrs per week dealing with mine, to less than 1/2 hr per week. Oh the wasted years!
Being Arizona, I assume water use is a huge issue there. While it looks like your filter is sand, and will need periodic backwashing to clean it, again with the salt system and no (or few) algae outbreaks, that need will drop too, and evaporation loss will be your main water concern. And CYA, after you get through the current struggle, will only be what YOU put in deliberately.

 

[zu1uuu]

Thanks all for the inputs/tips.

Did the diluted CYA with 1parts pool water and 2 parts of tap water and came to 120-150ppm. From that it looks like I may be good with a 50% pool water drain/replacement.

Also did the below which seem to be in an ok range.
TA: 90
CH: 440

 

[zu1uuu]

I was running the pump today I noticed that the sand filter (?) is leaking water through this blue pipe when the pump was running. Is my understanding correct that this is the backwash line? Trying to understand how to fix this.. potentially changing a valve in the filter?

 

[sande005]

Yes, a backwash/pump to waste line. The flexible (destroyed) blue hose is used to route the waste water to somewhere else.
Some places have rules about where you can or cannot dump pool water.
Others will have to chime in on what looks to be a plunger to control the flow to that line or to the filter. A style of "multiport" I'm not familiar with. But undoubtably a bad seal or o-ring in the valve. How to take it apart to replace would be the question....

Took another look at your picture. It does seem like it is a slide type valve setup. You may try the easy thing - turn the pump off and change the valve through its various positions a few times. One would direct water to the filter, one would bypass the filter and go back to the pool, one would send water out of that waste line when backwashing. There may be a fourth that sends water direct out of the waste. After moving the valve a couple of times, put it back in the original spot, and turn the pump on to see if the leak stops. Might be a piece of "stuff" that is allowing the leak, or moving the valve reseats the seals better. Usually it is bad to move that kind of valve while under pump pressure, so only do it when the pump isn't running.