All this time I have been thinking I am battling with an algae problem when they truth is I have a tear in my liner. The brown colored debris that is constantly showing up in the bottom of my pool is dirt from under the pool liner! My husband has searched the whole pool with goggles and cannot locate the tear. What now? This liner is only 3 years old. I am so upset. Any suggestions how to find the hole? I dont want to replace it just yet.
It's not algae after all........help!
- Thread starter kabs996
- Start date
Just curious, if you can't find the tear, how do you know that is the problem?
I had a hole in my liner repaired by the local pool mom & pop shop. It was about ~$100, but I knew exactly where the leak was.
I had a hole in my liner repaired by the local pool mom & pop shop. It was about ~$100, but I knew exactly where the leak was.
I agree with the above. The symptoms don't sound like a hole (underwater holes allow water to escape, not debris to get in) and you didn't find a hole, so how did you determine that the problem is a hole?
How else would the sand that is under the pool liner get into the pool? I am losing water just not a lot.
There is no other sand near the pool. I just keep getting more and more sand type debris daily collecting in the crevices on the bottom of the pool. What else could it be? NObody swims in this pool it just sits.
Can you collect some of this debris and take a picture of it smeared on a paper towel?
Could the fingers in your sand filter be broken; that would possibly allow sand back into the water through your returns?
I do not have a sand filter I have a DE filter. I will try to use something to suck it up to smear on a towel.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Kabs, I went back and looked at your last few postings since July, and it appears you were battling some algae in the past. We can't help but wonder if there is still another chemistry issue happening since any tear in a liner will result in water loss, and generally a substantial amount. The weight and force of the water will go out quickly and not allow debris to enter. With an above ground pool so there is no plumbing underground to suck-in dirt, so it really would seem like whatever is building-up at the bottom is either falling into the water and settling or a chemistry issue.
I see you are going to try the towel smear trick - good. You might also post some new water test results, and perhaps a pic of your pool so we can see the water. Maybe something will help us make sense of it all for you.
I see you are going to try the towel smear trick - good. You might also post some new water test results, and perhaps a pic of your pool so we can see the water. Maybe something will help us make sense of it all for you.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You weren't kidding. Lots of trees. That is also a lot of opportunity for debris to get blown in. I have several tall Italian Cypress that do the same thing.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Those are good numbers. Nothing to indicate an algae problem. You could always do another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test if you wanted, but I doubt you'll have a problem. But, when you did your SLAM before, did you remove the ladder? Did you also clean and chlorinate the ladder poles/steps as well? Junk can get in those as well.
If the ladder and water are good, then I suspect you'll just have to do more housekeeping - vacuuming. (well, you''re already doing it daily). Winds will make a mess of things. My pool gets junk blown-in from my Cypress trees and it looks like I never cleaned the pool.
If the ladder and water are good, then I suspect you'll just have to do more housekeeping - vacuuming. (well, you''re already doing it daily). Winds will make a mess of things. My pool gets junk blown-in from my Cypress trees and it looks like I never cleaned the pool.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Did not get to do that yet. Not sure how to pick any up without getting in. The pool is cold LOL. Any suggestions?
Should I just brush it up and let some go into the filter? I wish I had a robot cleaner. I will use my catfish vaccum and put the skimmer sock in it to show you what i get.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You could. If they are clumps, they may rise close enough to the surface for you to grab. Otherwise just let it go to the filter. Keep an eye on your filter pressure gauge too. If you know your baseline (clean) pressure, then you'll know when it has gone up by 25% indicating it's time to clean.