New Build in West Houston Area - PB
- Thread starter Backyard_Lap_Pool
- Start date
- Jun 18, 2015
- 712
- Pool Size
- 11000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Thanks for the photos; they are a completely different flavor of amazing than your pool build photos. They remind me of our 2004 here in Florida.
How's your first floor? Remember to turn off the appropriate breakers if water approaches electrical outlet heights.
Safety first and best wishes riding out the aftermath. Looking forward, once water goes down, we get to see your two quad DE filters in action for real! So excited for your SLAM!
How's your first floor? Remember to turn off the appropriate breakers if water approaches electrical outlet heights.
Safety first and best wishes riding out the aftermath. Looking forward, once water goes down, we get to see your two quad DE filters in action for real! So excited for your SLAM!
I think this area is still a mandatory evacuation zone... not sure if they have been allowed back to their property yet. Seeing the photos of some of the areas I imagine they got water into their house and will need significant repairs. Pools posting might be the least of their problems at the moment, but I hope for the best.
Been mucking the house this past week. House is drying out for the next week or two. Pool had schools of fish in it from the bayou. Been netting out ~50 to 60 dead ones so far. Filters are running but we need to vacuum out the layer of mud at the bottom of the pool once we get energy to do so. We can't drain pool and give it a real cleaning for a month or more until the water table drops. So it is going to be a game of keeping it as clean as possible until it can be washed down and disinfected. Lots of nasty stuff in the flood waters (sewage, diesel, etc, etc.).
Maybe in a year or so we will finally finish the pool and have the long awaited pool party.
Maybe in a year or so we will finally finish the pool and have the long awaited pool party.
Keep scooping! I am hoping it does not stink too bad 
Here is hoping the house will not take too long to clean and fix.
Here is hoping the house will not take too long to clean and fix.
Glad your family got through it and wishing you the best possible cleanup and restoration process humanly possible for your property!
jnh896
0
I'm new to TFP and just read your entire thread. There are no words. Glad your family is safe and wishing you strength during the clean up process.
Hi guys - so we have been waiting for the reservoir level to drop so the water table would drop as well and allow for a drain and clean. The reservoir is taking on more rain this week so we decided to try to rehabilitate the water that is in the pool rather than risk a pop-out.
So... I know there are some articles and such regarding this task. Could one of the forum experts reply with links? (I'm operating on phone mode right now.)
I've filtered and backwashed several times and took a commercial width pentair vacuum head and sucked to waste twice. Robot is no longer finding leaves on bottom but the water is still full of dirt. I'm picking up a hundred gallons of 10% bleach to add to the 60 I have in the stenner tank. My rough plan is to drop 40ish? Gallons into the pool all at once tomorrow evening, turn the pumps to recirculate to bypass the filter and let the chlorine work through the night. Then I was planning to drop 4 quarts of superfloc in and circulate it for a few hours, then let the pool sit a couple days and vacuum to waste again. Repeat?
So any comments from green monster slaying experts would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
So... I know there are some articles and such regarding this task. Could one of the forum experts reply with links? (I'm operating on phone mode right now.)
I've filtered and backwashed several times and took a commercial width pentair vacuum head and sucked to waste twice. Robot is no longer finding leaves on bottom but the water is still full of dirt. I'm picking up a hundred gallons of 10% bleach to add to the 60 I have in the stenner tank. My rough plan is to drop 40ish? Gallons into the pool all at once tomorrow evening, turn the pumps to recirculate to bypass the filter and let the chlorine work through the night. Then I was planning to drop 4 quarts of superfloc in and circulate it for a few hours, then let the pool sit a couple days and vacuum to waste again. Repeat?
So any comments from green monster slaying experts would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Make sure to pick up some more DE if you do not have any extra as you will be going through it quite a bit for a while during this time.
If you put in 40 gals you will be WAY above SLAM level. When I put your pool size and a FC of 0 I got 17 gals to raise your FC to SLAM level with a CYA of 30 (Guessed at this one). I just wanted to point that out. Don't want to mess up your new plaster if at all possible.
The floc might be a good idea to get the dirt that is suspended in the water. Use care and follow the directions on the bottle.
I would take pics so you can see how things are going. You will be able to see the progress your eyes will not see from day to day.
Good luck! Here is hoping it clears fast.
Here is the link to the FC/CYA chart so you can have the levels needed to SLAM. I will also include the link to how to SLAM a pool:
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Let me know how it is going.
not a fun time for so many
If you put in 40 gals you will be WAY above SLAM level. When I put your pool size and a FC of 0 I got 17 gals to raise your FC to SLAM level with a CYA of 30 (Guessed at this one). I just wanted to point that out. Don't want to mess up your new plaster if at all possible.
The floc might be a good idea to get the dirt that is suspended in the water. Use care and follow the directions on the bottle.
I would take pics so you can see how things are going. You will be able to see the progress your eyes will not see from day to day.
Good luck! Here is hoping it clears fast.
Here is the link to the FC/CYA chart so you can have the levels needed to SLAM. I will also include the link to how to SLAM a pool:
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Let me know how it is going.
not a fun time for so many
I know you're a full-throttle go-getter, but please listen to Kim's excellent point about not overshooting FC per your CYA. If your CYA is zero, for example, you don't want to send the FC above 4 or so, or you're putting your plaster in undue harm. If your CYA is 30-80, try to stay at or below SLAM shock level. More frequent additions are safer for your plaster than overshooting, even if it spends some time below shock level while you're away.
As soon as you've finished the bulk of your vac to waste and backwashing, you'll probably want to get the PH (and TA) under control too, even before it is clear, again, to protect your finish.
I'll be back in about 30 mins to see if I can find you a thread that would be helpful for post-hurricane/mudslide cleanup.
If you take pictures each day from the same place/lighting - you'll see progress better than with the naked eye and your spirits will usually be higher through the process. You can totally do this, no doubt, but I urge you to do it in a calculated manner to protect your new investment (pool finish) instead of the B-52 (Bleach-52 Stratobleacher FC bomber) approach that could leave a path of devastation behind it.
As soon as you've finished the bulk of your vac to waste and backwashing, you'll probably want to get the PH (and TA) under control too, even before it is clear, again, to protect your finish.
I'll be back in about 30 mins to see if I can find you a thread that would be helpful for post-hurricane/mudslide cleanup.
If you take pictures each day from the same place/lighting - you'll see progress better than with the naked eye and your spirits will usually be higher through the process. You can totally do this, no doubt, but I urge you to do it in a calculated manner to protect your new investment (pool finish) instead of the B-52 (Bleach-52 Stratobleacher FC bomber) approach that could leave a path of devastation behind it.
Another post-Harvey thread here, they do discuss sewage and crypto, so it is worth your time to read it. Also a strong no-drain stance is echoed.
Sorry I couldn't find another thread that really was a home run for you, but here are the most helpful posts I found in my searching and browsing:
Highlights:
- assuming you have the correct amount of DE in the filters, they may reach backwash pressure quickly, so only run the filters when you're able to monitor pressure until time until clean pressure is predictable
- vac to waste until results aren't worth it anymore - letting water settle instead of circulating can help before vac to waste
- once you're done vac to waste, and on filter, frequent vac and brush can speed up filtering
- once done vac to waste, balance ph and cya, then slam
- do not use a clarifier, it makes things way worse
- you do not need to floc, but if you floc, make sure you use a good one that other TFP users can vouch for, like Leslie's and be sure you understand how to handle your DE grids after using it
- be careful about bottom drains being blocked restricting water flow
- leaf baggers can help with mulch and other solids that vac struggles with
- even after you're crystal clear, don't swim until after your shock level has been maintained for long enough to sanitize the nasties
- you need to go into this with lots of POP pool owner patience, no matter how much work you do each day, it is still going to take time, all of these threads tried so hard but still took days or longer with too small of filters, hopefully you're good there with the dual quads and lots of flow
- if you don't have a soft nylon brush, you may want one so you can brush more often without putting undue wear on the plaster with metal brush, wider is better, fin helpful
- depending on the nature of the solids at the bottom, a fine leaf rake (takes a lot of strength and time to use) can be more helpful than a normal leaf rake
- daily vac to filter seems very helpful after you're slamming - nearly all the threads that stick with it to completion and don't abandon to drain it swear by daily vac
nice quotes from other threads:
Also, One short 2013 thread from floodwater wrecked pool that got it back to clear
Lastly, there is a NON-TFP-approved procedure, called the tarp method or sheet-method, which may be an option if you truly wish to drain and fill the pool with fresh water. It is still very much experimental requiring special safety precautions and is only even considerable in an enclosed backyard where children and animals cannot access. It involves using a tarp, plastic sheeting, or other appropriate barrier covering the pool, draining from below the tarp while simultaneously filling above the tarp, at equal rates, with fresh water, until the desired amount of water under the tarp is gone and the tarp is full of fresh water, then you pull out the tarp. The pool never has less water in it than it does right now, so when done correctly, there is no risk of plaster popping out. This method certainly isn't for everyone, but if I were you, I'd want to know about it to investigate whether it is a viable option for my situation. Less than 5 TFP members have attempted it, with 3 or less providing any documentation of it. Here is one success story who used the tarp method to drastically drop his sky high CYA. Link to thread. Link to dropbox photos and videos in day 2 folder, and direct link to tarp removal vid. Your pool presents some shape complexities, but if this route is something you wish to discuss further, we could probably make it work on the primary rectangle, just keeping the side walls vertical above the waterline and still achieve a significant 75%+ water exchange I'd guess. Again, experimental, safety concerns, and not expert advice, not legal advice, may void pool finish warranty, who knows, consult experts, be safe, local laws, not a TFP approved technique, insert other legal disclaimers here. I'd probably do it, but I'm crazy like that.
Sorry I couldn't find another thread that really was a home run for you, but here are the most helpful posts I found in my searching and browsing:
Highlights:
- assuming you have the correct amount of DE in the filters, they may reach backwash pressure quickly, so only run the filters when you're able to monitor pressure until time until clean pressure is predictable
- vac to waste until results aren't worth it anymore - letting water settle instead of circulating can help before vac to waste
- once you're done vac to waste, and on filter, frequent vac and brush can speed up filtering
- once done vac to waste, balance ph and cya, then slam
- do not use a clarifier, it makes things way worse
- you do not need to floc, but if you floc, make sure you use a good one that other TFP users can vouch for, like Leslie's and be sure you understand how to handle your DE grids after using it
- be careful about bottom drains being blocked restricting water flow
- leaf baggers can help with mulch and other solids that vac struggles with
- even after you're crystal clear, don't swim until after your shock level has been maintained for long enough to sanitize the nasties
- you need to go into this with lots of POP pool owner patience, no matter how much work you do each day, it is still going to take time, all of these threads tried so hard but still took days or longer with too small of filters, hopefully you're good there with the dual quads and lots of flow
- if you don't have a soft nylon brush, you may want one so you can brush more often without putting undue wear on the plaster with metal brush, wider is better, fin helpful
- depending on the nature of the solids at the bottom, a fine leaf rake (takes a lot of strength and time to use) can be more helpful than a normal leaf rake
- daily vac to filter seems very helpful after you're slamming - nearly all the threads that stick with it to completion and don't abandon to drain it swear by daily vac
nice quotes from other threads:
Also, One short 2013 thread from floodwater wrecked pool that got it back to clear
Lastly, there is a NON-TFP-approved procedure, called the tarp method or sheet-method, which may be an option if you truly wish to drain and fill the pool with fresh water. It is still very much experimental requiring special safety precautions and is only even considerable in an enclosed backyard where children and animals cannot access. It involves using a tarp, plastic sheeting, or other appropriate barrier covering the pool, draining from below the tarp while simultaneously filling above the tarp, at equal rates, with fresh water, until the desired amount of water under the tarp is gone and the tarp is full of fresh water, then you pull out the tarp. The pool never has less water in it than it does right now, so when done correctly, there is no risk of plaster popping out. This method certainly isn't for everyone, but if I were you, I'd want to know about it to investigate whether it is a viable option for my situation. Less than 5 TFP members have attempted it, with 3 or less providing any documentation of it. Here is one success story who used the tarp method to drastically drop his sky high CYA. Link to thread. Link to dropbox photos and videos in day 2 folder, and direct link to tarp removal vid. Your pool presents some shape complexities, but if this route is something you wish to discuss further, we could probably make it work on the primary rectangle, just keeping the side walls vertical above the waterline and still achieve a significant 75%+ water exchange I'd guess. Again, experimental, safety concerns, and not expert advice, not legal advice, may void pool finish warranty, who knows, consult experts, be safe, local laws, not a TFP approved technique, insert other legal disclaimers here. I'd probably do it, but I'm crazy like that.
DUDE! You rock! What a difference already!!!!! It will not take you long with this kind of progress!
Kim
Kim
I have been following this thread closely because I want that walkdown outdoor kitchen area. What a great idea. Hope the cleanup goes well for you
DUDE! You rock! What a difference already!!!!! It will not take you long with this kind of progress!
Kim
Pictures might be a little bit misleading. First picture was in the evening and 2nd was in the morning... so while there is change, it probably wasn't quite as dramatic as the pictures might lead you to believe.
I am hopeful that the flocculant will allow me to be able to see what I am vacuuming tomorrow morning though! So far, I have had to look over at the ejection hose to see if I was vacuuming mud or not. Being able to see the vacuum head and where I am steering it would be a huge help.
I enlist a 2nd person when I vac to waste/siphon vac. I really thought about setting up my laptop and video calling my cell when I was alone once, instead I just ran back and forth. Next time, I'm totally videocalling/videochating my waste sludge sweetie
If you're comfortable sharing the brand floc you used, and if it worked well, how it treated your grids, how well it backwashed, how well it settled and vac'd up, that'd be great. We don't generally suggest FLOC unless the rare situation is just right, and even then, we only have a couple those of us who have tested can give a good review, like the Leslie's.
Best wishes on the SLAM & clean! Ask all questions, we're here to help as best we can!
If you're comfortable sharing the brand floc you used, and if it worked well, how it treated your grids, how well it backwashed, how well it settled and vac'd up, that'd be great. We don't generally suggest FLOC unless the rare situation is just right, and even then, we only have a couple those of us who have tested can give a good review, like the Leslie's.
Best wishes on the SLAM & clean! Ask all questions, we're here to help as best we can!
