Pool place gave up?>?????

[JoyfulNoise]

Pool place gave up?>?????

The manager hung up on me because she said I was arrogant and she will not listen to internet BS derived from people who sit in their PJ's pretending to fix pools or know what works and doesn't. Done with them. I was not arrogant I was polite and explained everything I learned here. She did not like someone contradicting her. Can I see some pictures of everyone's PJs? LOL

She's just angry because I get to sit around in my PJs all day while she has to get dressed for worked. Currently I'm wearing a very fun pair of Batman pajamas that my kids love and we run around before bedtime playing Batman & Joker....I won't bore you with my resume but I assure you that the collective knowledge and experience of the thousands of users here outstrips her experience by orders of magnitude. The fact that she can't see how adding 25lbs of cal-hypo shock to your pool is both dangerous and foolish proves that she is quite ignorant and arrogant...a very bad combination.

Your grids are new, no? They should not need an acid cleaning unless they feel crunchy ("limed up"). When I perform an acid clean for my cartridge-style DE, I use a 6:1 water to acid dilution and I soak for 4 hours.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[aboykin2269]

Matt,
The manager hung up on me because she said I was arrogant and she will not listen to internet BS derived from people who sit in their PJ's pretending to fix pools or know what works and doesn't. Done with them. I was not arrogant I was polite and explained everything I learned here. She did not like someone contradicting her. Can I see some pictures of everyone's PJs? LOL

She was upset because she was counting the dollars her store is going to lose because you don't need them anymore. I started out with my first pool last year. Water turned green within the first few weeks, then I found this site. After learning about water chemistry and how to properly SLAM a pool and then maintain it, my pool stayed crystal clear and clean all summer. It really is easy once you figure it out. Just listen to what the folks here are telling you and following the directions in Pool School. If you have any questions, ask them here and you WILL get good advice. Good Luck!

 

[blenheimfire]

Did you put the floc in? If not do NOT as that will just add to the burden of clearing.

Kim

Kim,

I did add the floc about 1 week ago. I have not added since as it was not doing anything. I added floc after shocking and letting water stir for 24 hours. I put 12 oz of floc and let it stir for 2 hours. I then shutoff pool and let it sit for 24 hours. Water still super cloudy and particulates on top of water.

Thank you,

 

[kimkats]

Hey what is wrong with around in our PJs??? They are SO comfy and warm! She is just jelly haha!

We will get your pool fixed without having to get a new one! Really?? Who can just "get a new pool" when the PS cannot fix their water??? NOT ME!

Kim

 

[blenheimfire]

Re: Pool place gave up?>?????

She's just angry because I get to sit around in my PJs all day while she has to get dressed for worked. Currently I'm wearing a very fun pair of Batman pajamas that my kids love and we run around before bedtime playing Batman & Joker....I won't bore you with my resume but I assure you that the collective knowledge and experience of the thousands of users here outstrips her experience by orders of magnitude. The fact that she can't see how adding 25lbs of cal-hypo shock to your pool is both dangerous and foolish proves that she is quite ignorant and arrogant...a very bad combination.

Your grids are new, no? They should not need an acid cleaning unless they feel crunchy ("limed up"). When I perform an acid clean for my cartridge-style DE, I use a 6:1 water to acid dilution and I soak for 4 hours.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

LOL - Thank you for the laugh haha..

The grids are brand new - However when I first installed the grids and had the pressure problem I decided to test running the filter without adding any DE..I know I know..Bad bad bad. I let it run for several sessions. Maybe 2-3 hours of combined run time without DE. This is why I was soaking in degreaser and MA thinking I may have clogged grids with algae and that is why pressure rises to 30-32 psi within 10-15 minutes of running.


I am still confused by the grid pressure. If I take grids out the pressure stays at 15 psi. This would mean I don't have a suction side air leak. If I install grid completely clean and add DE the full 2.4 lbs it reaches high pressure very quickly. Backwashing/rinsing will bring it down to like 18psi and then it rises back to 30 - 32 psi within 10-15 minutes.

I need my test kit like yesterday. It is shipping today as yesterday was holiday. I should have it by this weekend. It is shipping from NC to FL.

I am reporting the pool store to the BBB. Is there any other place I can report them for this health hazard? I also have a stainless steel tank. Will this much shock cause issues with my tank? Can't believe I feel into the pool store death trap..... SMH

 

[blenheimfire]

Hey what is wrong with around in our PJs??? They are SO comfy and warm! She is just jelly haha!

We will get your pool fixed without having to get a new one! Really?? Who can just "get a new pool" when the PS cannot fix their water??? NOT ME!

Kim

The lady at pool store said something about a chemical residue stuck inside the surface. She said it will be impossible to fix without a resurface something or another. No idea wth that means. She said to resurface the chemical out it would be between 2800 and 6,000. She also said I need to replace DE with a cartridge filter or a sand filter as it would work better.... Everything I read on this site says DE is the best.

I am so foolish for buying from pool store. God I wish I would have found this site weeks ago!

Tapping foot in my PJs I know computers/networking.... Learning about pools is more challenging in my opinion. You all are life savers.

Anyone needing help with computers PM me I will be glad to help free of charge of course! Least I can do for all the responses and time all of you have contributed.

 

[tim5055]

Everything I read on this site says DE is the best.

I am so foolish for buying from pool store. God I wish I would have found this site weeks ago!

"Best" is a very subjective word. Each type of filter has pors & cons. The DE filter can definitely filter smaller particles, but you can add DE to a sand filter to get close. But, right now that "extra" filtering ability is working against you in a way

Don't be too hard on yourself for the purchases at the pool store. Most of us have been there.

 

[Casey]

She's just mad cuz she's charging people thousands of dollars a summer and lost money on you. I mean really, do you want to dump thousands for, at best, a cloudy pool that checks ok on a test strip? Or do you want to invest in a test kit, buy only what you need at Wal-Mart or any other place you can find a good source of liquid chlorine and Have this.... these are 2 pools I've had over the last, going on 8!!! years. I've been here since 2007...

This next picture is of my pool on a clear, sunny day after I cleaned the little bit (very minute collection of dirt from behind my steps.

And the day I covered my pool in September of last year. I promise you, although frozen, it is crystal clear as the day I filled it with the hose in 2013. That's not a misprint.

The only thing we want for our members here at TFP is to protect their investments in their back yards, know what that pool needs and only give it what it needs, save you and thousands if others money and enjoy yourselves and your families. If you would like to help us keep goinf, become a supporter. It helps us keep this wonderful community going and if you're still feeling generous after learningall you can, you can help us help others but we make no money off of struggling pool owners who want what pool stores promise n never deliver. Just ask anyone to see a picture of their pool and it will look just like these.

 

[blenheimfire]

WOW - If my water looks like that I am jumping in with my PJs on! WOW

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The lady at pool store said something about a chemical residue stuck inside the surface. She said it will be impossible to fix without a resurface something or another. No idea wth that means. She said to resurface the chemical out it would be between 2800 and 6,000. She also said I need to replace DE with a cartridge filter or a sand filter as it would work better.... Everything I read on this site says DE is the best.

That is complete and utter rubbish! That person at the pool store (manager, I assume) has no basis from which to draw a conclusion like that (and it's not even a remotely possible explanation either, it's nothing more than BS). So it is clear that they are ignorant of basic chemistry and out to dupe people in order to get their money.

You can certainly lodge a complaint on the BBB and I would also use other online sites if they are available to you such as Yelp! or Angie's List. You can even try a Google review if the store has an online website. If this pool store is a franchise of a regional or national chain (eg, Leslie's Pool Store), then you can even initiate a formal, written complaint to the parent company. In reality, all of that may not get you anywhere so the real way to effect change is to never patron that store again, make sure any of your friends and family never use that store and spread the news about how TFP helped you. Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful drivers of change and your thread here on TFP can help other to break the cycle of addiction to bad pool store advice and poor water quality.

My water has been crystal clear and swimmable for years (that's right, y-e-a-r-s). In all my time here at TFP, I have never once had cloudy water or algae blooms. I have three small children and three adults in my household. We use the pool constantly. I simply follow the methods laid out here and I NEVER worry about my water...

Don't get too hung up on your filter pressure right now. After you re-assemble your grids and put it all back together, only add 2-lbs of DE (not 2.4 lbs). That's about 80% of a full charge and will be more than adequate to filter with. When you backwash, only add back 1-lbs of DE. Be sure to record your clean pressure about an hour after you charge up your filter and let it run. It's ok if you filter pressure is high as long as you can stick your hand in front of a return and feel good water flow. The reason for it being high is that your pump is oversized relative to your filter and your filter is undersized relative to your pool. You can't fix that now, so just deal with it as it is. You pool equipment can handle pressures well in excess of 50psi, so while 30psi is high, it's not going to hurt anything in the short term.

Matt

 

[Casey]

WOW - If my water looks like that I am jumping in with my PJs on! WOW

Your water can look like that if you stay away from the pool stores and follow TFPC. Read the articles in Pool School and ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[kris77]

Its ok, I filled my pool 2 years ago straight from my hose and took my water to the pool place that installed the pool for a "Mandatory" water test. They told my my FC was at 3, CYA was at 30, and I didn't need to do anything to my water except keep 2 pucks in the skimmer at all times and run my pump 24/7. If i had an FC of 3 and CYA of 30 in my tap water, there is something terribly wrong with the water company....lol

They gave (sold) me a starter kit of chemicals with my new pool. I was told to dump a half a bottle of algeacide in the pool every 2 weeks, half a bottle of clairifier every 2 weeks, and a bag of shock every Friday.

A guy i work with got a pool from the same place about two weeks before me (beginning of June). He followed their advice and had a green pool by mid August. Stick to this site...Follow the advice here. You will want to doubt the advice at first, especially when you start dumping 5, 10, 20 gallons of bleach in your pool for a SLAM. But once you get the hard part out of the way, and your water is balanced, its smooth sailing from then on.

Be cautious of which bleach you buy. Some is 6%, some 8%, some 10% and some is even 12%. If you can find the 12% stuff, its usually cheaper to buy gallons of that. But some people don't have access to that. Stay away from the dollar store bleach. Stay away from scented, easy pour, etc....You want just plain ol bleach. If all else fails, Great Value bleach from walmart is awesome.

 

[Defgufman]

Having a crystal clear pool is certainly a reward, but knowing what is in the water your children swim in is priceless.

 

[aussieta]

when you are bored do a search for tfp sparkle and see what the pools look like after switching to tfp
my pool before and after tfp
before and after TFP

 

[Beens]

Subscribed! I haven't been lurking about lately.. (pouting and hating winter)

So glad you found TFP!

Everything will fall into place when you've got the test kit in hand.

For now you're in a holding pattern but it will take off quickly once you get some test results posted.

I'm in my pj's by the way but it's almost 2 am so shouldn't I be? They are fleece and have adorable cats wearing scarves and sweaters and hats because I pride myself in purchasing every set of kitty pj's that I see.

I suppose you could say I can afford all these amazing kitty pj's partly because I'm not spending all my money at the pool store. Of course the pool store lady can't afford them now since we don't shop there so of course she's bitter. She has no kitty pj's.

Welcome to TFP!

Some of us are a little crazy here...
Or... Is it just me? :-/ oh well! Who cares? My pool is clear and it's the middle of winter! LOL

Sent from my pretty nifty brand new LG V10

 

[blenheimfire]

Subscribed! I haven't been lurking about lately.. (pouting and hating winter)

So glad you found TFP!

Everything will fall into place when you've got the test kit in hand.

For now you're in a holding pattern but it will take off quickly once you get some test results posted.

I'm in my pj's by the way but it's almost 2 am so shouldn't I be? They are fleece and have adorable cats wearing scarves and sweaters and hats because I pride myself in purchasing every set of kitty pj's that I see.

I suppose you could say I can afford all these amazing kitty pj's partly because I'm not spending all my money at the pool store. Of course the pool store lady can't afford them now since we don't shop there so of course she's bitter. She has no kitty pj's.

Welcome to TFP!

Some of us are a little crazy here...
Or... Is it just me? :-/ oh well! Who cares? My pool is clear and it's the middle of winter! LOL

Sent from my pretty nifty brand new LG V10

LOL - So if I want kitty PJs I need to stay out of pool store. 10-4 got it. Pool store has been depriving me of kitties... How rude!

Test kit will be in Thursday.

Update: Whatever is floating in water has semi settled to bottom of pool. I can see the bottom of pool now. Last night there was so much particulates in pool it looked like a snow man threw his family in the pool. Is there any type of test I can do to find out what the particulates floating are? I assume dead algae which would make sense considering the following: DE filter clogs within 10-15 minutes and it needs back washing. Pressure returns to 15 PSI and then climbs quickly. With all the particulates in the water it is no surprise considering how well DE filters trap particulates 3-5 microns. <---- Can I get a confirmation on this?

I have added 1/2 container of bleach everyday since I posted. Chlorine is 3 on drop testing kit... Purple on stick. PH is 7.8 according to drop test and stick test.

I have vacuumed to waste 3 times. Every time there is a lot of white material coming from bottom of pool. Would really like to know what it is. What can I do about getting it out? Is there any type of bypass filter I can install when opening pool so the DE filter doesn't get overwhelmed? What do all of you use when opening pool instead of DE filter?

Thanks again everyone for your help!

 

[pooldv]

Last night there was so much particulates in pool it looked like a snow man threw his family in the pool.

LOL! Dead snowman families is probably the number one cause of rapidly clogging filters. That is definitely dead algae. You need to backwash your filter when the pressure rises 25% from clean pressure. I was in the same boat with my cartridge filters. No way to vacuum to waste, had to clean the filters every day.

Once you get your test kit be ready to lower your PH with muriatic acid and SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain your pool.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Your filter is simply too small for your pool. You would be better off just replacing the filter with something better suited for your pool (large cartridge filter or a sand filter). Trying to setup some special filtration for opening a pool is a waste of time and money.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[Isaac-1]

I agree with the others, one of your big problems now is that your DE filter is too small, and replacing it should be on your to do list. Either with another DE filter or some other type. Personally I switched from a sand filter to DE filter about 5 years ago and would never go back, but that is just me, others feel that any type of filter will do fine, it is a very personal decision, although location discharge regulation, etc plays a role. Having said that once you get this messed cleared up chances are you can live with the current filter for a while, and given the current issue you may consider getting some filter bags to go on the returns to help clear up this mess. See The Slime Bag | The Easiest Way To Maintain Crystal Clear Pool Water. and SlimeBag for 1/10 of the price, yes you can!!

 

[COBrien]

The manager hung up on me because she said I was arrogant and she will not listen to internet BS derived from people who sit in their PJ's pretending to fix pools or know what works and doesn't. Done with them. I was not arrogant I was polite and explained everything I learned here. She did not like someone contradicting her. Can I see some pictures of everyone's PJs? LOL

I got the same type of reaction from the local pool store when I told them about TFP. The response was something like this: "OMG! You're chlorinating with BLEACH?! That's unstable [I think she meant "not stabilized," i.e., no CYA added] chlorine! Your Total Alkalinity is going to plummet, your pH will skyrocket, you will destroy your plaster, then your pool water will catch fire!"

Okay, so she didn't actually say the last part... But that was the gist. Just for kicks, I took in a sample for them to test one Saturday morning, after I'd tested a sample drawn at the same time with my TF-100. Their numbers were completely off from mine. They asked if the water was cloudy, because according to their super-specialized, uber-expensive computer, I needed something like 10 lbs. of shock. I shared my test numbers with them and they said, if my numbers were correct, my water was perfect. But they doubted my numbers, because they paid so much for that strip-test machine they're married to it.

For some inspiration...

The day my pool was opened last spring:

The next day, after adding too much algaecide (I didn't think they'd added any when the opened it, so I added a quart. Turned out they'd already added a quart upon opening... Oops!)

Then I discovered TFP. This pic was midway through my SLAM (ignore my finger...):

About a month after my SLAM (it didn't take a month to get it looking like this, it just took me that long to think about taking a picture...):

Same day as the last pic. Toward the bottom of the picture, in the center, you can see my main drain. About 8 feet deep. I tried the "quarter test" that day and passed.