NJ Swamp Revival / Mini Rehab

[dan0788]

I've posted quite a few threads and have received a ton of helpful info so I figured it was as good a time as any to put it all in one place. Last summer I purchased a new home with a pretty neglected pool. It's a steel wall, originally built in 1978 and has more than served its time. There's quite a bit of movement in the pool with both long walls having shifted nearly 2" and the concrete decking is lifting all over the place. In Aug 2019 the liner failed and the previous owners had it replaced but never addressed the structural issues. I spoke to the pool company that did the instal and they told me that the high water table had washed away the original sand bottom over the years. I'm the 2nd house from a pretty large lake so some sort of ground water drainage will need to be addressed in the future. They removed all of the sand, did a brand new vermiculite floor, new foam and liner - pool hasn't been opened since. It hasn't lost a drop of water in the 8 months I've been here so hopefully it will hold up for the time being.

We knew going into this that it would need to be replaced in the very near future so this season is more of an experiment than anything else really. This is our first pool so we're hoping to learn the "lay of the land" and to see what we want out of a full renovation when the time comes. I have no idea what we're going to uncover so just being able to swim this year will be considered a success! I'll be upgrading whatever is necessary for this year with the hopes that it will alleviate some of the pain down the road.

Current state of the pool:

Progress:

• Pool electrical was inspected. The existing fuse box and wiring was deemed unsafe but the walls and coping bonding are all good. The diving board mounts and the deep end ladder anchors are not bonded. I plan on removing the diving board mounts, not sure the best way to approach the ladder mounts just yet.
• Permits submitted for the electrician to replace the existing fuse box with a 60amp sub panel and rewire all the way back to the main panel
• Ordered Calimar 1.5hp VSP. Hoping this will be a cheap alternative to hold me over for a season or two until we make the big jump
• TF-100 in hand
• Planning on refurbishing the DE4820 that was left here. I almost pulled the trigger on the Pentair C&C but the money is better spent elsewhere until I know I can use the pool for sure. The DE will be a pain for the time being but its a $1000 savings at the moment. New grids and o-rings ordered.
• Will re-plumb with hard pvc as far as I can from the concrete deck to the new pad
• On the search for liquid chlorine. Every local pool store and Ace is currently out of stock or not expecting deliveries anytime soon. May just start stocking up on walmart bleach if worse comes to worse.
• As soon as the new sub panel is in i'll start slamming

 

[dan0788]

SLAM PLAN

1. Remove all possible solid material from pool using leaf net
2. Ammonia test
   1. If ammonia, bring FC to 10ppm until it begins to hold
3. PH Test
   1. Dose for PH of to 7.2 pre-SLAM
4. Once ammonia and PH are in order, start pump, recirculating at first
5. Bring CYA to 30 and FC to 12
6. Brush, vacuum and continue to remove solids daily.
7. Test FC as often as possible and keep it at 12
8. Post updates here and hope things go to plan

Questions:

• I leave the pump running 24/7 throughout this process, correct - possibly multiple weeks?
• At what point should I stop recirculating and start filtering. I know I’ll be cleaning the grids and recharging pretty regularly to start but would like to be efficient as possible. Should I plan to vacuum to waste for the first few days and then start vacuuming through filter once I think most large solids are removed
• TA was tested at 0 when we bought the house in May. How important is it to get this up to normal levels during this process?

Shopping List:

• Lots of bleach
• Aquarium ammonia test
• Borax for raising PH (5/2021 test read 6.8)
• CYA (pool math calls for 6.4 lbs to reach 30)
• Baking soda for TA (pool math calls for 18lbs to reach 50 - target low end to start?)

 

[mknauss]

I leave the pump running 24/7 throughout this process, correct - possibly multiple weeks?

Yes. At low rpm as long as the water is circulating.

At what point should I stop recirculating and start filtering. I know I’ll be cleaning the grids and recharging pretty regularly to start but would like to be efficient as possible. Should I plan to vacuum to waste for the first few days and then start vacuuming through filter once I think most large solids are removed

Use Vac to waste at the start. When you switch to filter, you will need to be there as the DE filter will plug up very quickly. So put it on filter when you can be there watching it. It might take minutes or a few hours to plug up.

TA was tested at 0 when we bought the house in May. How important is it to get this up to normal levels during this process?

Do that first. If TA is 0, pH is under 4.5. That destroys liners.

Use baking soda and no borax. Add 30 ppm TA worth of baking soda at a time. When you get a TA reading, start testing pH too. Once you get a pH in the 7's, things should stabilize.

 

[newdude]

+1

And although FC is Job#1, getting the sludge at the bottom is job 1-a. It will literally consume a large part of your FC. When I got the last of mine out, I watched the pool go from green to milky in matter of 10 mins. While you can't see the bottom, go slow and do your best to keep a pattern going so you miss less. It will take several or many attempts blind as even if you hit it all, you will stir up up too. Once it clears a little you can go for the dark spots.

 

[dan0788]

Do that first. If TA is 0, pH is under 4.5. That destroys liners.

Use baking soda and no borax. Add 30 ppm TA worth of baking soda at a time. When you get a TA reading, start testing pH too. Once you get a pH in the 7's, things should stabilize.

Got it. According to pool math it would take 11lbs of baking soda to get me to roughly 30ppm - also slightly raising the ph in the process. Should this be done before any FC is added or it can be done in tandem? My initial research pointed towards getting ph in order before slamming.

 

[newdude]

My initial research pointed towards getting ph in order before slamming

Correct. That is assuming your TA was close enough when you got algae. Yours is so off it will affect the PH also. So in this instance, raise the TA. That will allow the PH to hold in the 7s. (Which you need to adjust to 7.2 before you SLAM)

Once FC us over 10, the PH test is invalid so we start ok to buy us the time that the slam needs. So.

1) fix TA
2) adjust PH to 7.2 (7.4 is ok.too)
3) SLAM. (2-3 hour test/add FC)

You got this !!

 

[V___25]

Good luck! Can't wait to see your final product

 

[MITBeta]

Try Ocean State Job Lot for chlorine.

 

[JoeSelf]

Look at local pool stores. They should have 5 gal & 2 1/2 gal containers. You put a deposit on the container and just get another one when its gone. I'd start with (2) 5's.

You'll want these:

https://www.amazon.com/6-Gallon-Stacker-Storage-Containers-Carboys/dp/B08375JFD7/ref=sr_1_11?crid=3236NT058XR88&keywords=70mm+wrench+for+hedpack&qid=1647956630&s=industrial&sprefix=70+mm+wrench+for+hedpack%2Cindustrial%2C56&sr=1-11

Vented Faucet for Hedpack: Beer Brewing Equipment: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

Vented Faucet for Hedpack: Beer Brewing Equipment: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076WW6SQ1/?coliid=I2HL73CL3GTCL3&colid=1U2AT0M3FF3FR&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[dan0788]

Thanks! The 4 stores closest to me are all out of liquid, only tablets.

I was able to find 10 gallons of Pool Essentials at Walmart so that should cover the beginning stages. Im currently looking at 3 gallons to go from 0-12FC.

 

[wireform]

dan,
Just remember to brush the floor and walls after pouring the chlorine as its's heavier than water and can sit on the liner and cause liner fading.

 

[Verris]

Thanks! The 4 stores closest to me are all out of liquid, only tablets.

I was able to find 10 gallons of Pool Essentials at Walmart so that should cover the beginning stages. Im currently looking at 3 gallons to go from 0-12FC.

Where are you located? If central, Hometown Pools in Old Bridge says they have a ton of liquid chlorine. I'm not opening for a few weeks still so I haven't bought any yet though.

 

[dan0788]

Where are you located? If central, Hometown Pools in Old Bridge says they have a ton of liquid chlorine. I'm not opening for a few weeks still so I haven't bought any yet though.

About 30 mins north but i'll keep that in mind if worse comes to worse, thank you! I'm not opening until the electrical is completed but just wanted to have an initial stockpile since I plan on going through it quickly.

 

[JoeSelf]

The leslies by me hides it in the back. Their jugs are not vented, thats why I linked to the vented spout.

 

[dan0788]

So after a month delay with the permit and electrician, the sub-panel install is set for this week. Ill be moving the equipment pad so I need to extend and replace the plumbing as far back as I can dig to the existing decking. What is the best way to connect new pvc to the existing thin wall pvc that has been here for years? Can I just make a clean cut and use regular pvc cement?

 

[dan0788]

5/21/22
Finally underway! Had lots of delays with the electrician and supplies but finally fired up the pump this morning for the first time. I replaced all of the plumbing back to the pool decking and cleaned up the pad area. Still have lots of cosmetic work to do but just wanted to get started since im about a month behind where I wanted to be. 95 degrees here today so a clean pool wouldve been nice!

I spent the better part of the day familiarizing myself with everything and my tf-100. Had to test and add bleach about 4 times over the course of 8 hours but finally got it up to Slam levels (i think).

Blindly brushed the entire pool about 3 times over to break the algae film and scooped out a wheelbarrows worth of leaves and solids. I attempted to vac to waste but struggled with suction for a while. Come to find out theres two suction inlets about a foot below each skimmer inlet. I took the plugs out of them thinking they were returns but wrong. I ended up plugging them again to help get vacuum suction. Should I be doing anything else with these?



Pool at opening:


Pool at 6pm:


6pm readings:
FC: 10
CC: 1.5
pH: 7.5
TA: 90
CH: 125
CYA: Just started getting a reading. Dosed for 30, but still dissolving.

So many things going on at once so I was a bit all over the place so open to any suggestions of what should be a priority!

I have a new set of grid and orings for the DE filter so hoping to get that running and spend a few hours monitoring it tomorrow. Not the prettiest thing in the world but its a start!

 

[newdude]

So many things going on at once so I was a bit all over the place so open to any suggestions of what should be a priority!

The CYA is coming and takes a minute.

Job 1 is FC 2 hour testing/adding
Job 1-A is removing and gunk / debris
(It will eat your FC almost as fast as you add it)

Job 2 is brush and vac, even blindly
Job 3 is clean filter at 25% PSI increases.

You got this.


The pipe 2 posts above looks like sprinkler pipe and it needs a fitting and clamps to splice / reroute.

 

[dan0788]

8:00am

FC was down to 3 and still no reading on CYA. The mixing bottle has a little cloudiness but the black dot is still fully visible when the vials full.

Expecting thunderstorms all day - hopefully I can get the filter working for a few hours of brushing this afternoon so im not just wasting bleach.

 

[wireform]

Are you sure you have the correct pool volume for your calculations of CYA. If the pool is larger then it won't meet its intended mark and the same would be true for a smaller pool and you'd overshoot.

 

[dan0788]

Are you sure you have the correct pool volume for your calculations of CYA. If the pool is larger then it won't meet its intended mark and the same would be true for a smaller pool and you'd overshoot.

I'm pretty sure im fairly close, its a rectangle pool and I put the dimensions that I know into a volume calculator. If anything I might be a bit over since the deep end walls are pretty dramatically sloped.

Pool math called for 6.5lbs of dry stabilizer to hit 30 CYA. Thats what I put it but still no reading. There was quite a bit of solid that hadn't dissolved last night that I just broadcasted around the pool. Maybe after some brushing today that will get mixed up?