Last year was bad-advice on pool "rehab"

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N

Nazarets

0
Jun 4, 2016
20
Ann Arbor MI
Last year, things were bad with both my health and finances. I was unable to pay to close my pool and physically unable to do it myself. But this year, things have recovered, and now I want to fix the stinking swamp I created.

My pool is a kidney shaped 10 thousand gallon in ground, about 5 feet deep at the deep end. Pool service said I'd need to buy a new pump, all other pipes ok. Pool dealer only sells Hayward pool pumps and says I need a 600 dollar one. That's more than I can do this summer.

Do I have any other options besides closing it and trying again next summer? Pool company will install another pump if I buy it.
 
Welcome to TFP :)

Can you upload a picture of the pump? There are much cheaper pumps out there depending on what type and voltage it is :)

You need a great test kit to hit that swamp, grab the TF100 with XL option as it will help you the most and have the quantity of reagents to test with TFTestkits.net

We can save you major amounts of money if you want using bleach/liquid chlorine and almost everything bought from walmart :)
 
Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

Hi Everyone,
Last year, I was very ill and not physically or financially able to clean my pool. I'm back on my feet this summer, but I have an absolute pool disaster to deal with now. I've been trying since April to work with my pool service, but they have let me down COMPLETELY, so I'm looking for your advice.

This is the current state of my pool, further specifications below.

IMG_4288.jpg

I am in Southeastern Michigan. The pool is a 10 thousand gallon in ground fiberglass pool. The pool company inspected it, and said that everything was in working order, except the pump. I have ordered a Hayward SP1580X15 Power-Flo LX Series 1-1/2-Horsepower Above-Ground Pool Pump with Cord. I realize that it is an above ground pump, but it is almost identical in specs, with the exception of the plug in cord, to the one that came with this pool. I do plan to replace the plug in filter that I just bought with a permanent, better in ground filter next year, when I can afford it (the pool company quoted $600, not including labor?).

I understand that I cannot completely drain the pool because it will pop out of the ground. What I would really appreciate is some advice on how to do most of the work myself. I will need to spend money to fix what I allowed to happen, and I'm ok with that.

So, do I rent a sump pump and pump half out, scoop out debris/chipmunk skeletons/leaves, then fill it------>dump in 10+bottles of chlorine and continue the pump and dump until I can then work on the water? Do I need to also need to have the Hayward sand filter emptied and cleaned out?

I could kick myself, but there were no options last year. Can you help me? Is there a chance this will become usable this year for my children? Any feedback on my temporary pump? Any tools I should purchase, that might make this job any easier?

Thank you so much.

I appreciate your advice.

- - - Updated - - -

In case this is useful, the pool is about 5 feet at the deep end and about 20 feet long. it is right next to the house, there is no place to drain, other than the storm drain (which I understand can be a municipal issue, but the pool company said the water has no chemicals in it, and it could be pumped into the storm drain?).
 
Re: Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

Well, there are a bunch of steps but a short outline would be....

1. Clean as much physical debris from the pool as you can. Don't worry about the algae but you have to get the sludge out. It is safe to drain 2/3 of your pool to help with that.

2. Next get your equipment running. If you drained, you will need to refill so you can test your pump and get your filter operational.

3. Last, you will have to SLAM your Pool to get rid of the tiny debris and the algae.

There is a lot of physical effort involved but we can help you do it without spending too much if you follow the outline above
 
Re: Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

The replacement pump I've purchased should be here tomorrow. I will be able to connect it on Wednesday, as I am off work on that day. I am little nervous about taking off the new pump, and putting on the replacement. I'm hoping it is an somewhat easy job - but nothing with a pool every seems to be easy. I'll scoop as much as I can and will plan to drain 1/2 to 2/3rd's. Thank you for giving me a little hope, Dave.
 
Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

Other pump experts can chime in but the problem with an above-ground pool pump is that they are not usually self-priming as they are designed to work when the pump is below the water level. Inground pumps are self-priming.

So the downside of using your AGP pump is that if it loses prime for any reason, you can easily burn the pump out. I'm not able to say that you absolutely can't use it, it's just not the right pump for the job.

Glad to hear you are feeling better (debilitating illness are just lousy) but sad you have such a mess on your hands. Worse pools than yours have been brought to crystal clear so there is hope!!

Good luck
 
Re: Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

JoyfulNoise said:
Other pump experts can chime in but the problem with an above-ground pool pump is that they are not usually self-priming as they are designed to work when the pump is below the water level. Inground pumps are self-priming.

So the downside of using your AGP pump is that if it loses prime for any reason, you can easily burn the pump out. I'm not able to say that you absolutely can't use it, it's just not the right pump for the job.

Glad to hear you are feeling better (debilitating illness are just lousy) but sad you have such a mess on your hands. Worse pools than yours have been brought to crystal clear so there is hope!!

Good luck
Click to expand...

I didn't think about burning it out, but the last pump I had lasted 8 years and looked exactly like the replacement pump. I just need it to get me through this year, and hopefully a bit next year. I was also thinking it would be good, as it has a cord, so I can bring it into the garage over the winter - maybe it will last. Crossing my fingers. I always keep it full of water.
 
Re: Severe Pool Rehab Advice - Please Help Me Undo What I've Done

Nazarets said:
I didn't think about burning it out, but the last pump I had lasted 8 years and looked exactly like the replacement pump. I just need it to get me through this year, and hopefully a bit next year. I was also thinking it would be good, as it has a cord, so I can bring it into the garage over the winter - maybe it will last. Crossing my fingers. I always keep it full of water.
Click to expand...

I believe most pump manufacturers make in-ground and above-ground pump models that look almost identical except the wet-ends are different and the names are usually different too. Again, I'm not saying you absolutely can't use an above ground pump on an in-ground pool, it's just that you will have to likely check & prime the pump each time you turn it on to ensure that there is adequate water flow. It's just a hassle you'll have to deal with until you can get the right pump for your pool. Certainly taking a pool pump indoors for the winter is always advisable to ensure they remain in proper working conditions.

Good luck with clearing the green swamp.
 
Getting ready to switch out my pump- TOOL IMPAIRED, please educate me.

Ok, my replacement pump has arrived. My old, leaking pump is pictured below.

http://imgur.com/a/lXMKU

Bear with me. Until last year, I basically owned a pink screwdriver, so I'm moving up in the world of home improvement.

I know I will need to replace the pvc that is currently attached to the pump, and replace it with new, but I am not sure what to call these things.
I also don't know exactly where to cut.

I do know I will need a hacksaw, pvc primer and cement. The size of the elbow has a marking that says 1.5 inch, so can you help me by telling me exactly what to buy to join the pump to the pvc, and where to cut?

Links to Amazon would be swell.
Staci
 

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Re: Getting ready to switch out my pump- TOOL IMPAIRED, please educate me.

I did some playing around to make your photo work. You may want to repost.

On the filter side... I would suggest cutting the pipe between your filter and the elbow. That would give you the best flexibility in reconnecting. Make your cut and cut a small section of your old pipe off to carry with you to the local store (Ace, Lowes, Home Depot. You need a join in that size, an elbow in that size and one length of pipe that would be sufficient to connect your new pump to the elbow and the elbow to the join.

On the pool side, make the cut a fair distance from the pump to give you the best flexibility. You will need a join in this pipe size and enough pipe to connect the new pump.

Suggested tools: PVC Pipe Cutter (big enough to use on whatever side pipe you have - preferably ratcheting), PVC Cement, 2 PVC joins and 1 PVC Elbow. It's difficult to know need lengths from your photo, but it isn't too much. Buy 2x-3x the length that you need in the event that some of your cuts aren't square and you need to try again!
 
Re: Getting ready to switch out my pump- TOOL IMPAIRED, please educate me.

txnole said:
I did some playing around to make your photo work. You may want to repost.

One the filter side... I would suggest cutting the pipe between your filter and the elbow. That would give you the best flexibility in reconnecting. Make your cut and cut a small section of your old pipe off to carry with you to the local store (Ace, Lowes, Home Depot. You need a join in that size, an elbow in that size and one length of pipe that would be sufficient to connect your new pump to the elbow and the elbow to the join.

On the pool side, make the cut a fair distance from the pump to give you the best flexibility. You will need a join in this pipe size and enough pipe to connect the new pump.

Suggested tools: PVC Pipe Cutter, PVC Cement, 2 PVC joins and 1 PVC Elbow. It's difficult to know need lengths from your photo, but it isn't too much. Buy 2x-3x the length that you need in the event that some of your cuts aren't square and you need to try again!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! You saved me literally hours of swearing! [emoji41][emoji106]



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Update (It Worked!) and What's My Next Move (Ignore the plastic wrap)

Thank you for the advice on turning my frog swamp into a pool again. I installed a new pump and replumbed it and IT WORKED. I am at the point where I have drained down to the level of the bottom of the skimmer basket, and I want to take out enough water in the pool, so that there is only 1/3 left. But I don't know how to pump it out.

There is a red lever that doesn't seem to do much if I flip it, so I'm not sure I can turn my skimmers off. Could I (theoretically) fill my vacuum hose with water, connect it to the skimmer and put the end of it in the swamp pool?

The pool is set to waste, I've got pics to show what's going on.
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

NOTE: Yes, that is my valve (what is this called?) wrapped in silicone, plastic wrap and electrical tape. I know that I shouldn't do that, and understand it is a temporary fix for the next day or two, while I attempt to drain the swamp water. It is a McGuyver solution, and it got about 6 inches of water out of the swamp already.

Is there a way to pump water to about 1/2 down without renting a submersible pump? There is another hole in my skimmer, but it feels like it is closed/sealed/solid plastic. Advise me, before I screw things up.
 
Re: Update (It Worked!) and What's My Next Move (Ignore the plastic wrap)

If you have a spot close to the pool that your hose can reach and is LOWER than the point you wish todrain down to, just fill the hose with water and put it over the side to the low spot.
 
Re: Update (It Worked!) and What's My Next Move (Ignore the plastic wrap)

woodyp said:
If you have a spot close to the pool that your hose can reach and is LOWER than the point you wish todrain down to, just fill the hose with water and put it over the side to the low spot.
Click to expand...

Lower spot is about 10 feet away. I'd like to know if I can use the existing skimmer hole and pump somehow? (Bear with, I am unsure even what words/terms to use to call stuff).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Update (It Worked!) and What's My Next Move (Ignore the plastic wrap)

Theoretically, you should be able to use the vacuum to pump water out.
But if your vacuum hose lets any air in where it plugs into the skimmer, it wont work very well if at all.

What woody is talking about is siphoning water out of the pool. Like what we used to do in the old days when siphoning gas out of our parents gas tank.
 
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