Jim's AGP Journey

[bjmsam]

Still SLAMming... chlorine levels were low yesterday when I posted those photos so I added a third gallon, but I am not seeing much of a green tinge in person; here is a shot of the solar heated water discharging into the pool.

Thanks for the solar cover suggestions! After reading this thread (among others), I ordered the following and will post how they work out:

• Blue Wave NS520 14-Mil Solar Blanket, 16-FT x 32-FT, Clear
• VINGLI Above Ground Swimming Pool Cover Reel 16 FT with Tube Set

 

[bjmsam]

SLAMmed! Meanwhile, the solar cover and reel arrived late this afternoon. The cover is too large so needs to be folded or cut to fit on the reel.

 

[kellyfair]

Beautiful!

 

[bjmsam]

That last shot of the pool looking nice and blue followed my inaugural attempt to vacuum the dead algae from the bottom that gave the previous photo a greenish hue. Unfortunately, the sand filter was unable to trap those tiny particles which recirculated back out into the pool along with fine sand ejected after backflushing and rinsing, which subsequently fell out of suspension and accumulated back on the bottom (as seen in last photo below). Drat! So today I unscrewed the cover of the Intex 12355 Large Inlet Air Nozzle and took it to Home Depot in hopes of finding something that would screw on as a sock filter adapter. I ended up using two 3~5-in hose clamps to attach a 1-micron 7-in x 32-in Sock Filter Bag to a 4-in H x FPT female adapter which has compatible threads. For about $20, it is very effective at capturing what the sand filter cannot (it seems to work best with the aeration inlet capped so the sock filters more water and less air). This weekend I hope to trim the solar cover (the reel doesn't like it folded) and vacuum the liner again, weather permitting!

Update: The Pentek BP-420-1 Polypropylene 1 Micron, 4.5" x 20" filter has a plastic rim around the open end that can be trimmed to fit securely against the inner lip of the PVC adapter, eliminating the need for hose clamps!

 

[kellyfair]

You made your own Slime bag!

I think since that sock is definitely showing some green, you might want to SLAM a little bit longer.

 

[bjmsam]

The sock filter as seen in that photo was discolored by 10-15 seconds of discharge from the sand filter after backflushing and rinsing (mostly fine sand with some dead algae) in preparation for round two of vacuuming today. The water is crystal clear, but the chlorine levels were low again, so I added another two gallons of 10% after spending two hours skimming and vacuuming with the equipment provided in the Intex Deluxe Pool Maintenance Kit. The deep mesh skimmer net has holes that are too large to capture much of what was floating on top, and the vacuum is small, has inadequate suction even with the second intake capped, clogs its filter net frequently, and comes apart in the pool regularly. I hope to spend more time swimming than maintaining...

 

[kellyfair]

You can swim up to SLAM level. It’s up to you, but I’d want the additional peace of mind that all my hard work might be undone if there’s still a touch of live algae anywhere.

 

[kellyfair]

There’s enough green in this sediment on the bottom to make me nervous.

 

[bjmsam]

That sediment is the dead algae and fine sand that made it past the sand filter last time I vacuumed without the filter bag. After skimming, vacuuming, backflushing, and rinsing today with the sock filter installed, the pool is completely clean! Too bad the water temperature is only 64°F...

 

[8elle]

Beautiful build! It definitely gives me inspiration to start building next week. All of our quotes for leveling have been going higher and higher, so I think we are just going to bite the bullet and do it ourselves and use our savings for a SWG. Looks like you will be enjoying your pool in no time!

 

[bjmsam]

Thank you, and good luck! FWIW, here is what I used for measuring:
M-BOX-1R Laser Level (works with any standard tripod)
LR-5RG Laser Detector (necessary in bright conditions)

Note that contractors may offer a significant discount on stone (quarry and delivery) that could help offset the cost of leveling professionally. Pool season for our area is right around the corner! Meanwhile, a day after the thorough cleaning, no sediment has accumulated on the liner and levels are stabilizing!

 

[bjmsam]

Water temp in the 70s was deemed swimmable by someone braver than I.

All that's left to do is top it off (now that I've figured out how to vacuum, backflush, rinse, and filter more efficiently).
Thank you very much for helping make this journey successful!

 

[kellyfair]

Brrrrrrr! That’s cold, but she looks happy!

 

[bjmsam]

Just a quick post to report how much we are enjoying the pool. The water levels have been easy to maintain and temps have been in the mid 80s for weeks. We couldn't be happier! Thanks again for the help and encouragement.

 

[bjmsam]

Today ends our first season, which lasted one week shy of five months. We thank TFP, particularly members who offered advice in this thread, for helping make our experience a successful and enjoyable one!

As only cooler temps are forecast and we prepare to be out of town for a few weeks, I took advantage of the 82°F water to thoroughly clean and vacuum the pool before adding my last gallon of chlorine and strapping down the winter cover. I'll keep the pump on for a few days to circulate before plugging the three ports and moving the hoses, filter, and pump into winter storage. With any luck, the pool will survive the winter and be straightforward to open next spring! As always, suggestions appreciated.

 

[Mdragger88]

It is recommended to wait & let the water temp get into the low 60’s before completely winterizing & opening before the water temp gets above the low 60’s.
If u won’t be using the pool but want to prevent debris you can just do the covering part now & continue to chlorinate & circulate until the water temp lowers then do the rest. I often close in stages like that instead of 1 big weekend of work. Be sure to employ a cover pump as water on the cover will displace water in the pool.
Here’s the guide

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[bjmsam]

Thank you! I am following that guide but not planning to lower the water level per the guidance in the To drain or not to drain....winterizing an Intex Ultra Frame XTR thread (among others). Now that my heater system is off, the opaque cover is on, and only cooler temps are forecast, I expect the water temperature to fall into the 60s soon...

 

[bjmsam]

My $20 solar-powered bilge pump contraption has worked well to prevent water from accumulating on the cover.

Today I drained the hoses, filter, and pump, and placed three river tubes (Intex, natch!) upside-down beneath the cover.

 

[bjmsam]

It survived! Today I pulled the winter cover, cleared minimal debris, scrubbed the liner, reconnected the pump, filter, heater, etc., and began the SLAM. Looking forward to season two!

 

[Mdragger88]

It survived! Today I pulled the winter cover, cleared minimal debris, scrubbed the liner, reconnected the pump, filter, heater, etc., and began the SLAM. Looking forward to season two!

Looks great