New member: I'm a landlord taking care of pool in tenant house

[bdm3904]

Hi all, just found TFP and have been reading the basics articles to get ready to learn this. I'm renting out a house that has an IG pool (details in signature), and decided to take care of the pool myself to save money. My first step was I went to Leslie's who sold me a 35-lb bucket of tablets, a bucket of Chlor-brite and a couple jugs of "perfect weekly". I've now learned that my CYA is high, 100+ (again) and have concluded I can't use tablets anymore and can't count on Leslie's to tell me anything that isn't going to screw my water up.... Hence my arrival here.

I've ordered a tf-100 test kit which should be arriving this week.

One question I have is this: From what I've read it sounds like typically the recommendation is to check/add chlorine bleach daily. I'd like to know if there is a way to follow TFP methods, but on a weekly or twice-weekly?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
The way to reduce the daily maintenance requirements is to install a SaltWater Chlorine Generator or a Stenner pump Chlorine Dispenser. Otherwise, yes, you need to add liquid chlorine each day during swim season.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

 

[Arizonarob]

Hi BDM, welcome to TFP.

We’ve got a member that has a couple of rental properties with pools, that could give you some tips. @Jimrahbe

 

[Jimrahbe]

3904,

I take care of a couple of rent houses with pools.. Both of them are saltwater pools, which makes it easy on me.. I only go over there once a week to 10 days...

While I highly recommend the saltwater systems, you can still use pucks if you want. We are not against pucks, we are just against the uneducated use of pucks.. Just monitor the CYA of the pools and when it get high, dump some water and repeat.. It will work, as long as you stay on top of it..

My renters know not to add any chemicals to the pools under penalty of death.. .. I have been doing this for about 8 years on the oldest one, and have never been to the pool store and don't use any of their magic potions... I have never added a single bag of shock to either of them... Just the SWCG, some salt, and Muriatic Acid... Very easy to maintain..

You also need to make sure the renters know it is their responsibility to add water and to clean the skimmers... I do the pump basket and clean the filters. Both pools have DE filters. I used to backwash, but now I just run at a low RPM 24/7 so the filter pressure is only about 4 or 5 lbs.. I open and clean the filters once in the Spring and once in the Fall..

Oh... both pools also have Dolphin Robots, that basically stay in the pools unless the renter takes them out. I clean out the Robots once a week on my visit.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bdm3904]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will research options for a SWG or chlorine injector. In the meantime I will attempt to manage things with tablets and/or bleach.

A couple questions related to tablets, since I will need to live with them a while:

1) At some point trying to keep my chlorine level up between visits to the house I dropped a tablet in the skimmer basket (in addition to the 1 or 2) I had in the floater). That seemed to help keep my chlorine levels up throughout the week, but I keep hearing various sources saying that placing tablets in the skimmer is bad for the pool equipment. What's the consensus on this?

2) Do tablets *without* stabilizer exist?

 

[mknauss]

1. Tablets are acidic. When they sit in the skimmer, and the pump turns off, the water in the skimmer becomes very acidic. Which slowly destroys the plastic parts of the skimmer. Use a floating dispenser.
2. They make cal hypo compressed tablets. They dissolve pretty quickly. And raise your CH.

You can use tablets. When the CYA gets to where the tablets cannot maintain the FC high enough, drain half the pool water and refill.