IceShadow’s pool thread 2022

[IceShadow]

Hey guys, back from off-season! Well, almost. Maybe? It’s unseasonably cool this spring. I have a heater but not sure if anyone will swim when the weather is sub-60. :/ I guess I can open tomorrow. No harm.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome back!

 

[Newdude]

Welcome back !!!!

*skootches over on the couch*

I kept your seat warm for you. Plus, @kimkats is a firm believer in 'shuffle your feet, lose your seat'. So you always gotta watch her as she is sneaky.

 

[kimkats]

Welcome home!! SO glad to see you! Yeah I can't see swimming or even putting my toes in the burrrrrrrrrr water!!! Now saying that there are plenty of pools that are open and warm so get you algae fighting gloves on!

 

[IceShadow]

Ok, so. First things first.



Cover off with some help:







Time to work. Got the plugs out of the pool. The two returns were pretty easy with a channel lock, as usual. The deeper suction port is tougher, since I have to get my whole arm to my shoulder down to get it. And the water is a nice refreshing 47°. >.>

Dropped the channel lock. >.< Had to fish it out with the leaf rake. Got it out, and got the channel lock to take out the plug.

The plug in the skimmer is always the worst. I couldn’t get it with my hand, even with a glove on. The channel lock was too big to get down in and grip it. Luckily I found a smaller channel lock and was able to loosen it so I could turn it with my hand.

Next equipment. Put in the plugs in the heater, plugs in the pump, plug in the filter. Got it to prime first shot, now that I know I have to wait a good 5 minutes for the pump to work. Heater got turned on, got that started too so the water can be warmed up. I need it warmer for the CYA to dissolve later and I want to be sure it’s not too cold for the robot.

Notably I didn’t clean the filter out with a deep clean. I can do that later in the year.

WaterGuru has batteries put in and a new cartridge. Put into the skimmer. Now it’s time to vacuum….

 

[Newdude]

Dropped the channel lock. >

Because I've dropped any tool I've ever used a dozen times each, any sharp edge / end / tip of anything used gets a healthy wrap with duct or electric tape to ease the hit on the bottom. I have used both for the return caps depending on what's closest at the time.

 

[IceShadow]

So I started vacuuming and decided I have a robot for a reason. But first a check on the chem levels.



Yiiiiikes. Low pH. Need to start with that.

 

[IceShadow]

Adding 4 lbs of borax.

 

[IceShadow]

Ok, got that going. Now adding a few pounds of cya and two old gallons of 12.5% liquid shock. Then we’ll get the robot going. I’ll test the water after a bit to see if the FC is any good, since they’ve been in my garage all winter.

 

[IceShadow]

CYA is dissolving.



I also remembered I have a pool robot. I’m letting it vacuum for me.

 

[IceShadow]

Ugh. Pump keeps stopping and throwing a 0002 error. I spin the impeller with an Allen wrench and it can start again. I’m wondering if the pine needles are clogging the impeller.

 

[Julimbo]

CYA is dissolving.

View attachment 405811

I also remembered I have a pool robot. I’m letting it vacuum for me.


View attachment 405809View attachment 405810

“I also remembered I have a pool robot. I’m letting it vacuum for me. “

That made me chuckle.

 

[kimkats]

Skimmer socks just saying.................Amazon hair nets work great at stopping those pesty needles and leaves.

LOL on letting the robot do the work for you!

 

[IceShadow]

Skimmer socks just saying.................Amazon hair nets work great at stopping those pesty needles and leaves.

LOL on letting the robot do the work for you!

The problem now is that I had to replace my basket and the new one has a handle-thing across it. Not sure how to put the sock in

 

[Newdude]

If its the one with a bar across it, squeeze gently on the 2 sides with no bar to make an oval and the bar will fall out. Put the sock on and reinstall the bar. It may poke a small hole in the sock, but so what ? 99.5 % skimmer sock is way better than no skimmer sock.

 

[MITBeta]

Because I've dropped any tool I've ever used a dozen times each, any sharp edge / end / tip of anything used gets a healthy wrap with duct or electric tape to ease the hit on the bottom. I have used both for the return caps depending on what's closest at the time.

When I worked in nuclear power, all our tools used over water were tethered. Some things could not be retrieved. Some things could cause Serious damage. Like screws.

 

[IceShadow]

I stopped the pump to adjust timing and once again it wouldn’t start until I used an Allen wrench to turn the impeller a few times. Time to take it apart and clean out the pine needles, I fear.

 

[IceShadow]

Posted a new thread here about opening my pump and what I might want to do while I'm in there. Hoping to do it tonight, time permitting.

 

[IceShadow]

Chem levels holding well. CSI is pretty low due to the low CH, TA, and water temp. May need to add some calcium due to having a heater.

 

[IceShadow]

Added 8 lbs of calcium chloride. Should bring me close to 200ppm of CH.

I also decided poor Wall-E just wasn’t doing enough to clean the whole pool on his own. He’d gotten a few baskets full of muck out but wasn’t picking up everything along the bottom - mostly pine needles he couldn’t get. Sorry buddy but this just isn’t clean.



So, I broke out the old brush and vacuum and finished up after him.



Still a lot of crud in the light so I’m gonna keep the pump going full tilt for a while more. If it isn’t better tomorrow night I’ll start adding DE.