Newbie with lots of questions

[Heatherly30]

So many questions...

1. I have been SLAMMING since Friday because I have had very mild algae on the floor of the pool. I passed my OCLT test last night. My target was 16 and this morning it was 15.5. I’m excited BUT, there is still some stuff on the bottom of the pool. I vacuumed this morning so I’ll have to see if it returns. If it returns, what are my next steps?

2. I am attaching a photo of my setup. In order to get to my return area where I pour the chlorine, I have to walk around the entire pool area. I would like to rig up something simple so that I don’t have to make that walk. I am NOT technically minded, so the best I can come up with is a funnel with tubing attached. The tubing would run about a foot or 2 into the pool but in the flow of the return. Gravity would help deliver the chlorine in a slow stream. I know that there are many ideas for other more sophisticated systems. I would be interested in those, but I would need complete dummy instructions, lol.

3. We have a leak, see photo. We added another clamp which has slowed it down, but it is still leaking. It appears to be coming from under the silicone. What should I do?

 

[Texas Splash]

1. Depending on the color of that substance, let's wait to see if it returns. Since you seemed to have passed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test, it's possible you have a filtration issue, but if it's algae you'll want to continue the SLAM Process until it stops returning. Also, if there a ladder or steps still in the pool? If you, you should remove those if possible, inspect, and clean. Have you performed a deep clean on the sand lately?
2. For the chlorine, I can't think of anything else "DIY" other than installing a salt water generator at some point so that you don't have to add chlorine manually anymore. Your pipe method may be okay for now.
3. For the leak, if looks like it's from the outlet adapter connecting to the pump right? If so, you may want to disconnect the hose, unscrew that fitting from the pump, and inspect it carefully. Maybe apply fresh Teflon tape to the threads to see if that helps. If the leak is from under the hose clamp, the hose may be dirty or old where the clamp is located, so you may need to cut the hose back if you can and re-attach for a better (cleaner) connection.

Are you closing the pool this winter? If so, that might be a good time to do all that work as well, or next spring. Hope that helps.

 

[Dirk]

Adding liquid chlorine in a small stream (size of a pencil or less) into the current of your return is a great way to broadcast it into your pool. Like you, I wanted a way to make this easier. My original idea was to strap or screw or otherwise connect a large measuring cup to a board, and weight the board such that it would overhang the coping, right over a return. An 1/8" hole drilled into the measuring cup will "time-release" the chlorine slowly into the water. Freeing you up to go check the skimmer or something else while it is doing its thing. The measuring cup would make it easy to dispense the right amount. I'm not sure this would help with the walk-around, though.

That idea turned into a beast (below), but the original idea should be just as effective and easy to make. You'd modify the idea somewhat to accommodate for not having a deck. This link drops you into the middle of one of my more obnoxious threads. Right around this page we were discussing how best to add chlorine to a pool. So some of that starts a bit before this post:

#87

PS. The gizmo was originally intended for safely adding acid to my pool, but it works equally well for chlorine. I use it for both.

 

[Heatherly30]

Thank you for the reply! I removed the ladder yesterday since we're no longer using the pool (too cold). How do you deep clean the sand besides backwash and rinse?
Just had the pool installed this summer (late June) and I have no idea what that part is, lol. We will close the pool this winter. As long as it can wait, I'm good with waiting.

 

[Texas Splash]

Here you go!

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Texas Splash]

Hopefully with a pool so new, you shouldn't need a deep clean. But if you ever suspect the sand is compacted and not filtering well, this is something good to perform each year.

 

[Heatherly30]

Just vacuumed into a skimmer sock about an hour and a half ago. I am attaching a pic of the sock remnants. Looks like dried out grass that was mowed yesterday. I came back to check the pool just now and Here are some pics of what is on the bottom of the pool. It looks black to me but I suppose it could be dark brown. Fades away when brushed. I am on my last bottle of chlorine. I live outside of Louisville and everything I am hearing points to this city not being a safe place to be beginning tomorrow. So...I need to find some chlorine tonight

 

[Texas Splash]

The stuff in your skimmer sock looks normal. On the bottom, hard to tell. Odd that you are maintaining such a good FC level overnight and passing the OCLT only to find dark stuff on the bottom. But sometimes stuff in the yard gets blown into the pool and settles together in a localized area. You started the SLAM just this past Friday, so about 72 hours is really fast to pass a SLAM, but if you caught it early I suppose you may be alright. The trick nows appears to be chlorine. If you can't get enough to maintain the SLAM level due to local safety concerns, I would ration the chlorine you have or are able to get this evening. Maybe let the FC fall tomorrow after one more OCLT to confirm no excessive FC loss. Then stay safe at home and maintain a normal FC level of around 5-6 once it drops. Monitor the water and any debris you find. Stay safe and let us know if anything about the water gets worse.

 

[Heatherly30]

The local pool store has plenty of chlorine and it’s not too much more than at the box store. So I should be good. But...if this stuff doesn’t go away, I’m at a loss. Maybe I’m being too picky. There isn’t a lot. I have just read you have to get every bit of algae or it’ll grow. So, anywhere I see something on the liner after I just vacuumed that spot a couple hours ago, I question it.

 

[Texas Splash]

So, anywhere I see something on the liner after I just vacuumed that spot a couple hours ago, I question it.

That is odd and very fast for something to reappear with clear water and a successful OCLT. You might try to collect some of it if you can still get in the water. See if you can pinch any of it with your thumb and finger, or if you can scoop any of it. The ladder may have been a culprit since you just removed it yesterday. At some point see if you can examine in each step or the poles. Some of those ladders come apart and you find some crazy algae in them.

 

[Heatherly30]

I have wondered about the ladder. I’ll have to look at it closely. Too cold to get in the water. Wish I could collect some of it.