Hello! New to the forum, and new to pool ownership via purchase of a home

[David&Robin]

Let me first say a *HUGE* thanks to everyone that has made this forum available to us. There's so much knowledge here, my head is going to explode LOL.
I've picked up the IOS app, the pool school book, and have been reading forum posts as often as work and life will allow. Doing all this because.....

We purchased a home last year, which has a pool - the first I've ever owned. As part of the buying arrangement, the prior owner closed the pool last year and left "instructions" and information for us. The closing process seems to have been done in a standard manner: all plugs/gauges/etc in the pump basket, pump and filter covered, lines treated with antifreeze, pool covered with a tarp - which didn't let water through over the winter. The pool looked great when we saw it during the home showings.


Pool was uncovered Monday 5/7/18 and to my surprise it wasn't green, and pretty clear. A few leaves and worms, but that was it. Water level was very low, well below the skimmer intake box.



I used the net to remove as much debris from the floor and water as I could. On Tuesday 5/8/18 I got all the fittings back in their proper places, lines flushed of antifreeze, and began filling the pool via our city water supply (hose) - which took 11 hours. As it filled, I continued removing debris with the net. Once the water level got high enough, I started the pump and ran it on filter mode as the pool filled the rest of the way to the indicator lines on the skimmer.



I've order the Taylor K-2006C test kit, which should arrive tomorrow, Thursday 5/10/18. In the mean time curiosity got the best of me, and this morning I did a no-no: I took a water sample to the local pool store for analysis, to see what they would say. I needed a new pressure gauge, so I was going there anyway

Pool store's results, using a "something-360" computerized gizmo:

• Free Available Chlorine: .01 ppm
• Total Chlorine: .01 ppm
• Combined Chlorine: 0 ppm
• pH Level: 6.4
• Total Alkalinity: 10
• Calcium Harness: 100 ppm
• CYA: 99 ppm
• Copper: 0.9 ppm
• Iron: 0 ppm
• Manganese: 0 ppm
• Nitrates: 0 ppm
• Total Dissolved Solids: 600 ppm
• Phosphates: 0 ppb
• Saturation Index: -1.9

Some notes of possible interest from the previous home/pool owner -

1. They "shocked the heck out of the pool" (their words) before closing in order to keep it from being green when we opened it this year.
2. Shock used was Clorox shock plus.
3. They didn't take water samples to a pool store, or use a test kit at home. They felt they had enough experience they could tell by looking at the pool what it needed.
4. They used chlorine tablets in the skimmer, and also added Arm&Hammer baking soda at times - again via the skimmer.

I fully intend to test the water myself with the Taylor kit once it arrives, but hate just sitting and waiting until if there's anything I can do in the mean time that would help our situation.

Thanks again everyone, and a pleasure to be here!!
David&Robin

 

[woodyp]

NICE! Looks like you're in for at LEAST 1 3/ drain and fill due to the CYA #.........then test when your kit comes in. THEN.... throw a gallon of bleach in it after the initial drain and fill and either aerate or use borax to raise that ph to mid 7 range. Use baking soda to raise that TA to 50 or 60.

 

[David&Robin]

Thanks woodyp!

In the time since my original post, my kit was delivered - a full day early. Opened the kit and was greeted with white powder covering everything... one of the DPD Powder bottles came open during shipping.
Going to try to clean everything up and see if I can get salvage enough to get some tests completed. I'm REALLY hoping that CYA number from earlier is wrong.

 

[David&Robin]

I got my wish - the CYA reading from the pool store was off! (No surprise, right?) Unfortunately, it was off in the wrong direction - Taylor test says CYA is closer to 105 or 110 Time to research how much water to drain and replace.

 

[woodyp]

Irregardless... replace water in 1/3 I crements. I'm betting g it's still higher.

 

[David&Robin]

I consulted PoolMath, which says replace 64%.

Some more info that might help: This pool was built in the 70's, and has no drain(s) in the floor. The only intake/drain for the pump and filter is the skimmer (which is so old it uses a stainless steel rectangular basket and has no weir!) Once the water level drops below the skimmer I can't easily pump water out to waste any longer, so I've been calling around looking for pump rentals. I'm in a somewhat rural area, so running a 50 foot discharge line out into the woods to dump 16,500 gal in one shot isn't a big deal. Sunbelt rentals just happens to have a 3-incher that'll do it in under an hour

From a time and $$$ standpoint, I'd rather rent once and do a huge drain and replace. But if there's a reason it's better to do 1/3 a bunch of times (something pertaining to the liner perhaps?), I'll certainly go that route and buy a small pump that I can keep here at the house for the future. I just don't want to still be doing 1/3 drain and replace processes in the middle of June.

This is growing into a thread that isn't quite appropriate for the intro board. Should I ask to have my post moved, or end this one and start another? I don't want to start my friendship here on the wrong foot!

Thanks once again woodyp

 

[woodyp]

On an above ground pool, you can drain it down to a foot remaining. You're new to testing and I wanted to be sure.

 

[David&Robin]

woody - your bet was correct. I did a diluted CYA test (25% pool water, 25% tap water, 50% solution) and got a reading of 70, which means a CYA of 140!

Thanks for the nudge - it made me think more. I'm going to move the discussion to a new post in a more appropriate forum. Thanks again for the warm welcome.

 

[David&Robin]

A followup:

I hated to buy a submersible utility pump that would output via a 3/4" garden hose because a drain of any sizable amount would take FOREVER. So I followed Tim the Toolman's advise and looked for MORE POWER!! Sadly, the cost of renting a 2, 3 or 4 inch pump from the local supply house was.... let's say "cost prohibitive." Especially if I am going to do multiple drain and fill procedures to get the CYA down to a proper level - multiple rentals would be a fortune.

Out of curiosity, I asked if the local rental company had any way to adapt their 2" cam lock discharge hoses to a threaded solution. To my surprise, they did - an aluminum adapter was available for $5.17, and it's mine to keep. For $14, I rented 2 50 foot 2" discharge hoses to run the drained water into the woods instead of on my lawn, making a mess. A quick trip to the hardware store to get a 1 1/2" to 2" PVC adapter, and I'm successfully using my 1HP 5160 gallon per hour pool pump to drain the pool. A process I can easily repeat without breaking the bank. Score one for the good guys!

Now to call the water company and see if I can tie into the fire hydrant to fill it back up quicker

 

[David&Robin]

woodyp, I don't know if you're still following, but if you are, here's an update.

Progress report:

• 5/11/18 - 12:00am - 1st pool drain completed. Shallow end at 18"
• 5/11/18 - 12:05am - 1st pool refill begins. 2 hoses, wide open, out of pool to create splash / aerate. Pump set to filter during fill.
• 5/11/18 - 9:30am - 1st pool refill completed.
• 5/11/18 - 10:10am - CYA test reads 80. An improvement from 140.

Should I immediately begin another drain/refill cycle, or should I let the pool circulate a while and then test again? If so, how long before the next test?

Thanks everyone