First time opening!

[Chris.rago64]

Good morning! Here's where we are today.

I'm slightly concerned I stopped slamming too early. Even though I passed (or so I thought) all three criteria, I'm seeing algae collecting in small piles daily anywhere there's a crease or edge to the pool. I think it's algae. It's brown, it poofs if I brush it. It's dead if it falls to the bottom right? But to be seeing some every day means I stopped slamming too quickly doesn't it?

I got my TA up to 60, and then threw a box of 20 mule borax, but I think I did my pool math wrong when I ordered the 4 pound box.. I must have calculated based on my much lower TA, because last night pool math told the 4 pounds was barely going to raise it at all. Which brings me to this morning's test. What would you say that pH is? I'm thinking.. 6.9? 7.0? I don't think it's a 7.2 yet.

Should I get more borax or hope it starts to drift upwards now that TA is at 60?

 

[Chris.rago64]

Phew.. got a estimate from the pool builder for a liner replacement.. $10.5k outch. I am hoping this liner they gave me for free gets me through for this year and heck maybe next year too..

 

[Newdude]

$10.5k outch.

I would imagine this will come down greatly in the off season. I'd order it in Oct/Nov or Feb/March

Right now is like calling a furnace guy in January. He doesn't need your work and you'll pay to command his attention. Lol.

 

[Chris.rago64]

That would be nice, though that was also the price estimate in their little booklet, an he was talking to me about doing it come fall, so I'm not sure

 

[Chris.rago64]

I think we're at the end of the road here. The water seems great! Chlorine loss seems to be what's expected with the high UV we've been getting, chemistry seems balanced, I have TA up to 80, and still need to bring my pH up a little, I'm sitting at about 7.3 or 4.. but I am good for on watch that and see if it comes up a little on its own with my TA where it is.

I need to add a little more stabilizer too, I'd like to get to a solid 50ppm, but am right now somewhere between 30-40.

For fun I'm going to take a sample to the pool builder since they gave me the bottle when I asked about the liner replacement and see what they say. I haven't tested for borates or anything nonessential so I'm prepared for them to try and sell me stuff I don't need.

Thanks for all the advice and discovery provided by those who commented on this thread. I know more about my pool's equipment than I did when I started thanks to the wonderful members of this community.

My next challenge will be closing this fall! If I manage to patch the liner well enough, I'll probably do this myself. If not, I will likely have the pool builder do it for me when they replace the liner.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Darin]

your pH is good. no need to adjust as it will come up on its own. yes to CYA increase at least to 50-60.

enjoy the party.

 

[Newdude]

My next challenge will be closing this fall!

Have a read for the basics

Closing with shop vac.

Today was the day for closing and it went great with a 6HP shop vac. I hooked my blower up for fun after, and there really wasn't much left but some spray. Anywho I wanted to do a write up for all the folks wondering if they could save a chunk of change and tackle their own closing...

www.troublefreepool.com

When it gets time to start thinking of it, get a thread going and post copies pics with everything relevant and we'll hatch a plan. I'm not a fan of compressors, while the larger ones work, any iota of a leak will not build enough pressure to work. A cyclone is money well spent as it lasts a generation and that $15 year makes it SO much easier. Or use what you already have like I did.

 

[PoolStored]

For fun I'm going to take a sample to the pool builder since they gave me the bottle when I asked about the liner replacement and see what they say. I haven't tested for borates or anything nonessential so I'm prepared for them to try and sell me stuff I don't need.

Why? Just...why?

 

[Chris.rago64]

Why? Just...why?

Because my wife took the bottle from them so now I feel obligated to take it back.

They gave me a load of free vinyl samples to try and patch my liner and also some advice with trying to salvage the summer with it. I thought what the heck full the bottle, have them exclaim how perfect my chemistry is already

 

[Chris.rago64]

Have a read for the basics

Closing with shop vac.

Today was the day for closing and it went great with a 6HP shop vac. I hooked my blower up for fun after, and there really wasn't much left but some spray. Anywho I wanted to do a write up for all the folks wondering if they could save a chunk of change and tackle their own closing...

www.troublefreepool.com

When it gets time to start thinking of it, get a thread going and post copies pics with everything relevant and we'll hatch a plan. I'm not a fan of compressors, while the larger ones work, any iota of a leak will not build enough pressure to work. A cyclone is money well spent as it lasts a generation and that $15 year makes it SO much easier. Or use what you already have like I did.

Will do!

 

[Newdude]

I thought what the heck full the bottle, have them exclaim how perfect my chemistry is already

I recently went for funsies myself. With year 3 next to the farm, I watch wave after wave of dirt and organics blowing my way. The phosphates could have been in the stratosphere for all I knew. That test is no better than their rest, but I figured they could at least tell me how many digits the # was. At 4 digits I would have purchased a Talyor kit to prove it. But it came back in the 300 range so even if they're off by 1000, it's not a concern this year.

So for more fun than funsies, I brought 2 samples. One was 'my moms' (Wink Wink). They were off between the 2 immediate tests, but with what I considered reasonable. 10% for salt, .1 for Ph, 50 for Ch, etc.

TA came in way low as expected because they calculate it differently and again they kinda agreed with each other.

But besides being off from each other, were also reasonably close to my tests.

*That day*.

Full stop.

Maybe the machine was just calibrated. Maybe they opened up a brand new box of spin disks that morning. Next week is a spin of the roulette wheel and there's no promises.