I've got absolutely no clue where to start!

[Flying Tivo]

If the mystery pipe is working as suction, and you now can see the bottom and there is no more junk, you can try to attach a hose to the mystery pipe or the skimmer and throw it to the bottom. This might speed things up.

 

[splashpad]

Yeah... every time I backwash the water runs right down into my neighbors area! It is a culdesac type road and I am the second house from the "top", so everything slopes down. I could probably get a hose to the driveway, but I am not sure if we're allowed to drain to the street. Something I need to look up.

OK so, I backwashed and it was filthy (I let it run longer today, didn't want to backwash early and left for several hours for Mothers Day).

And, I can pretty clearly see the bottom of the deep end now with a high powered flashlight! I bet in a day or so I won't need a light at all. There is a teeny bit of leaves. And a huge rock lol.

SO EXCITING!!

Alsooooo, unless it is really well camouflaged, I don't HAVE a main drain! Which means all my filtering is happening from the skimmer, and that mystery pipe! That would explain why this is taking soooo long!

That is entirely possible! I bet that is/was a suction side cleaner port, which you might look into
Also another (more immediate suggestion/improvement) if you guys wanted... might look into somehow increasing the size of that intake (temporarily) to move more water!
With a 45º angle to a "reducing" coupler (I'd get a 4" if available locally) with this on the end = 4" PVC Vent Guard or Atrium Grate

If the mystery pipe is working as suction, and you now can see the bottom and there is no more junk, you can try to attach a hose to the mystery pipe or the skimmer and throw it to the bottom. This might speed things up.

+1, agreed!

 

[kimkats]

I like the idea of the guard for that pipe. It would help keep little hands out of the pipe.

A rock?? at least it wasn't an gator!!!

Kim

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

I’ll see about a hose and definitely want that guard thing sometime. Although, things actually are moving along nicely now!

Can totally see deep end bottom this afternoon with just sunlight.



When standing over the shallow end looking down, it’s almost like there isn’t water there lol.

I’m thinking of letting the deep end get a little bit clearer and then trying the vac - hopefully i can find a way to sneak up on the dead alge piles.

 

[see_feel]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, the good, the bad, the desperate, the perplexing, all of it. For pool owners that may encounter a swamp whether they inherited or through neglect here are the two most important takeaways I have gleaned from this thread.

1. Make sure you have removed all organic matter from the pool. Check, recheck and recheck again. Much time, money and energy will be saved in the long run.
2. Ensure your equipment is functioning properly. Real progress seemed to happen when the pump and filter were replaced.

As a first-time pool owner, I commend you on overcoming these obstacles and staying the course to solve the problem. I look forward to seeing your sparkling oasis!

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Still just going through to motions.
Down to backwashing once per 24 hours, progressively less brown each time
Chlorine drops basically only happening when sun is direct on the pool
Clarity really jumps each day. Here is today. Big difference just from yesterday.
STILL GREEN. Quite a pretty neon green LOL but, greeennnn.
I injured my shoulder somehow, haven't been able to vac now that I can see everything.

 

[Texas Splash]

I injured my shoulder somehow, haven't been able to vac now that I can see everything.

That's a shame. Now we can really see the muck & junk that has settled. Get well soon and keep on maintaining that FC level. This has been a quite a process for you. Hang in there.

 

[HeyEng]

I injured my shoulder somehow, haven't been able to vac now that I can see everything.

Oh No!!! As tempting as it might be, try to not overextend yourself! Shoulder injuries are no fun, but continued use and aggravation of it can make things significantly worse (and longer to heal!)

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Thank you Texas & Eng I am taking it easy. It is really tempting to go out and try to vac... and I was about to... then it started to thunder LOL so I guess something was going to stop me either way ?

I am so happy this is gone. I was prepping dinner and looking outside just now and the pool is actually pretty to look at. THIS was horrid!! ?

 

[kimkats]

Here is hoping you just slept wrong last night and it will work it's way out fast!

 

[Yorkiegirl]

Hi! I’m following your story. You’ve done such a great job and you’re in the home stretch now! We also bought a house with a pool and have been working through the challenges. Mine is nothing like yours though!! Im just fighting the metals battle. Hang in there.

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Maybe I spy a tinge of blue today...?
Hard to tell lol. This pic was later in the day then the others.
I was impressed that I could see the debris in the deep end all the way from my kitchen window today!

Shoulder is still injured; maybe tomorrow!

 

[kimkats]

Well that is on the blue side for sure and so clear! I think you are close to being done.

 

[see_feel]

You are definitely coming down the home stretch!

 

[HeyEng]

Woohoo! It already looks so much better than it did many, many pages ago! Continue to let you shoulder heal, it will thank you when you get back to normal!

 

[splashpad]

Looking great!!! Wow the progress!!

Chlorine drops basically only happening when sun is direct on the pool

It might be time to up the CYA by 10 Let the FC work on the algae, not be degraded by UV

I injured my shoulder somehow, haven't been able to vac now that I can see everything.

Take care of your shoulder! The pool will be there when you feel better!

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

I do think i need to up cya a bit. I lost some with all the backwashing!

My shoulder is still sore buttttt I was impatient and vac’d today. I went super slow like, 2 hours slow lol.

Afternoon pic(before vac, usual time)


Later evening, after the sun set. It looks much bluer at this time frame. Finished vac here; I went really slow but I am sure some of it will be back tomorrow as it seems really difficult to not have it poof away.



I feel like the water is super clear. I no longer see any particles in my test water, etc. I can see the deep end from inside the house (well, when there was debris, that was actually a good indication of clarity haha). I feel like maybe I should try the overnight test this weekend? Perhaps this is as blue as it’s going to look until I remove the orange stain? CCs have been at 0.5 or lower... the color changes barely tinted pink and I think it would resolve with less then 1 drop.

edit:
Also, it is a bit hard to tell but I think the staining of the liner stops halfway down the deep end. I think this might be why that area looks so much bluer then the rest.

 

[kimkats]

So it is time to do the Over Night Chlorine Test as seen here: Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT) - Trouble Free Pool

Once you pass that we will work on the staining. Lets lay some ground work for that.

Where does your water come from? Well? City water? Have you had it tested for metals? If not you can do so at the pool store. They will want to test your water for everything. Just nod and smile then walk out with the printout. Don't bother even looking at anything else other than the metals part.

While you are out and about you can pickup so cheap vitamin C tablets (white ones).

Kim

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

So it is time to do the Over Night Chlorine Test as seen here: Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT) - Trouble Free Pool

Once you pass that we will work on the staining. Lets lay some ground work for that.

Where does your water come from? Well? City water? Have you had it tested for metals? If not you can do so at the pool store. They will want to test your water for everything. Just nod and smile then walk out with the printout. Don't bother even looking at anything else other than the metals part.

While you are out and about you can pickup so cheap vitamin C tablets (white ones).

Kim

Water is from the city, I haven’t had it tested

I have already tested the stains and am pretty sure they are iron! I bought some vitamin c a while ago. I crushed them up and put them in a nylon, holding for a few seconds against the stain removes it completely. Do you think I still need to bother with the pool store testing in that case?

As for where the iron might of came from, I have no idea. It might be in the city water, I guess? In our old house, we had an issue with rusty looking stains in a toilet. Just one of them though. This new place doesn’t have a softener or house filter (neither did our old one).

 

[HeyEng]

Water is from the city, I haven’t had it tested

I have already tested the stains and am pretty sure they are iron! I bought some vitamin c a while ago. I crushed them up and put them in a nylon, holding for a few seconds against the stain removes it completely. Do you think I still need to bother with the pool store testing in that case?

As for where the iron might of came from, I have no idea. It might be in the city water, I guess? In our old house, we had an issue with rusty looking stains in a toilet. Just one of them though. This new place doesn’t have a softener or house filter (neither did our old one).

You are in Hot Springs, correct? A quick search of the water quality report from 2018 doesn't indicate a high level of iron (or any metal) in the water.