Starting the Journey after the Pool Guy spurned me

[maxBR]

Hi,

Let me start off with a pool guy rant. I moved into this house in January, and decided to keep the pool guy on. I have always wanted a pool but never had one. He had been doing this pool for the previous owners for 15-20 years already and it was nice and clean. After a couple months it was getting green, and long story short, he broke up with me over text because I wasn't keeping the path to the back clear for his cart. Well, sorry he couldn't move a couple things out of the way! We were having a lot of work done and contractors did keep leaving sheet rock or whatever in the path. It wasn't that bad, but the pool guy seemed a little off so I let him walk.

The same day he broke up with me, with the pool already slightly green, I hired the pool guy my neighbors across the street use. He promptly went on vacation and came one time for 15 minutes all of March. Then my pool was a lot greener! At least at the start of April he cleaned my filter and has started rehabbing my pool. What is it with pool guys!?!? They show up for 15 minutes a week, get paid $120 a month, and act like they're so put out by their own customers! I think this new guy is going to be more reliable now, but I did order the TF-100 kit and started reading TFP to prepare to take over since apparently you can't count on these guys at all.

I did my first measurements with my new test kit yesterday.

4/6/2022: FC 12, CC .5, pH 7.9, TA 160, CH 500, CYA 55

Since my pool still has algae (see pics) I have decided to start by SLAMing it. Pool guy has already raised the FC as I can tell, but he was last here Monday (measurements above are from Wed)
I added muriatic acid yesterday to get ph down to prep for SLAM.

4/7/2021: FC7.0, CC .5, pH 7.2
I added liquid chlorine to bring FC to 22 and swept the whole pool.

Going to follow the process from here on and may or may not keep the pool guy on. I would rather have someone else do it honestly . Since I've already learned a lot reading this site and am just now putting it into practice I figured why not make a thread to track how I'm doing and be able to call for help when I need it. Many of you in this forum are saints for helping people like me! Thank you all!

Can you guys let me know if the algae in the pics is mustard algae and should I do the extra FC at the end of the SLAM to deal with that?
Anything else I should be looking to fix right away based on the numbers above?

I'm in Socal.

 

[maxBR]

Tested to see how my liquid chlorine addition from a couple hours ago went, and ooooops somehow ended up at 32 instead of 22 for FC. I just followed what Pool Math said. It wanted me to add 2.6 jugs of 10% liquid chlorine. I was not very sure of my CYA measurement since that was my first one, so maybe that's why?

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

You are off to a GREAT start.. You have the run off the mill algae, brush brush brush.. The CYA test is either 50 or 60, so yours is 60 and take your SLAM to 24 FC.. The more you test the faster it will go, so try every 2 hours or so..

*** just saw your second post... Your pool gallons are probably off by too much, try lowering the amount of water in poolmath...

 

[aussieta]

another thing to keep in mind
the ph test reads false high when your fc is over 10
so dont try to lower ph too much

 

[kimkats]

Or the % of the bleach is "hotter" than you put in pool math especially if it is fresh.

We got you! You are going to enjoy your pool more than you ever have before after we get done with it!

Get a toothbrush for you pool...........say WHAT??? LOL This is for scrubbing around the returns, in the skimmer opening, around the lights, etc.

Now brush that bad boy and lets get that algae DEAD!!!

Kim

 

[Newdude]

Hey Max and Welcome !!!!

I know your heart is broken but rest assured, it's not you, it's them.

What is it with pool guys!?!? They show up for 15 minutes a week, get paid $120 a month, and act like they're so put out by their own customers

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You take the merry go round as many times as you need. Guys 3- 20 will be just like 1 and 2 tho. Guess what happens when the pool goes green ? Lots more pricey chemicals, magic potion-y elixirs that only work if you are 5 and believe in magic, and lots more work needed @ $120 an hour. *WHICH*, will make the pool guy even more attitude-y that he has to actually do something for once.

If you follow the SLAM to the letter, to completion, you will be a testing and adding pro. We can take those skills and teach you TA/PH, CYA anf CH easy peasy. Within a very short time you will be at one with your pool and pool care will be a joke. Literally 5 mins every other day, and the chems are the generic versions of fancy bag ones. The exact same stuff, but from Arm and Hammer.

Anywho, gald to have you.

 

[V___25]

Welcome! As stated, you are off to a great start and honestly, once you get the hang of this, you can so do this yourself and save the money you spend on a pool guy.

It doesn't require hours a day maintaining the pool. I don't have a SWG (many do) so I spend maybe 15 minutes in the morning dumping in some LC, throwing in the robot in for a cleaning, and starting up the pump - mine is old, I have to manually prime it a lot. I test every few days.

The pool guy won't follow what you've already learned here - they will all come by once a week (maybe), stick a unreliable test strip in the water, and throw some tablets in the floater and be gone. I see you have some sort of cleaning robot too so you don't even need the pool guy to manually vacuum. They really aren't doing you much of a service.

Seriously, you can do this. We got you. and if you have kids in the house old enough to help, let them be part of the process too.

 

[maxBR]

Thanks everyone! This is the support I need! I should have taken some before pictures when the pool was at its worst. You couldn't even see the bottom of the spa, it was brown and murky. The pump was barely running it needed cleaned so badly.

I wonder if my pool size estimate is off? When I added muriatic acid the amount Pool Math told me hit the 7.2pH I was shooting for exactly, so I was really thrown to be so far off on FC. I'll add half at a time and measure between next time, although I expect this FC will be burning off for the next day or two
The pool is 29'6" long, 13'9" wide, 3'3" deep in the shallow end, 7' 6" deep in the deep end. Estimated 16,300 gallons.
The spa is 7'9" square, 3'7" deep in the middle, and about half that on the ledge boarder. Estimated 1200 gallons.
Total estimate of 17,500 gallons but other than using some online calculators I have no idea if this passes a basic sanity check.

 

[Bperry]

Thanks everyone! This is the support I need! I should have taken some before pictures when the pool was at its worst. You couldn't even see the bottom of the spa, it was brown and murky. The pump was barely running it needed cleaned so badly.

I wonder if my pool size estimate is off? When I added muriatic acid the amount Pool Math told me hit the 7.2pH I was shooting for exactly, so I was really thrown to be so far off on FC. I'll add half at a time and measure between next time, although I expect this FC will be burning off for the next day or two
The pool is 29'6" long, 13'9" wide, 3'3" deep in the shallow end, 7' 6" deep in the deep end. Estimated 16,300 gallons.
The spa is 7'9" square, 3'7" deep in the middle, and about half that on the ledge boarder. Estimated 1200 gallons.
Total estimate of 17,500 gallons but other than using some online calculators I have no idea if this passes a basic sanity check.

The 17k estimate passes a sanity test for the pool if it’s a rectangle. Spa would be extra.

Are you sure you are using the 10ml water sample and dividing the number of drops by 2 to get your FC number? I assume you are but have to ask as that might explain why the big difference.

 

[maxBR]

Things are progressing and getting better. I got a Smart Stir yesterday and measuring with that seems to have cleared up my weird FC results after adding LC. So probably my manual swirling wasn't combining the samples as well as this thing and leading to imprecise measurements.
I've gotten a few extra brushes. I began with the wall whale pool brush which I really like but I wanted to see if a stiffer brush got more algae stains off the sides. I picked up a stiff nylon brush made for pebbletec from Leslie's. I can't really tell if the new brush is doing better. After reading that it's OK on mature pebbletec, I ordered a metal bristle brush from Amazon that's in the mail. So I'm still dealing with how to get all the discoloration off the walls. Picture attached. Is the SLAM going to clear this up? I know I have to brush it too, am I going to have to get in and dive down and brush it??
I got a handbrush and also have been using a toothbrush to attack some areas around the stairs and the waterline. The tiles at the waterline have some weird buildup I want to get off. I'll get a picture of that and post later. I pulled the vacuum out and brushed that all down too since it was hosting some algae. Ordered some new tires for it since the blue rubber was starting to disintegrate.
Leslie's is expensive! LC costs over double what the Pool Essentials brand costs at Walmart! Probably won't be going back there too often.

 

[kimkats]

In time the stains should fade away. I would keep your FC on the higher end to help them along. Keep brushing and SLAMing as you are on the right path!

 

[maxBR]

So to be clear, if I meet all the requirements to end the Slam but still have these stains I am ok end it? I wasn't sure if the stains mean the water is not "clear".

 

[Newdude]

Algae stains can take a loooooooooong time to remove for some. Weeks or months even. The water itself needs to be clear. And we mean TFP clear. Why is my pool empty ???, clear. We redefine people's definition of clear on the regular.

How Clear is TFP Clear? Let's See (Pics Only Please).

How clear should my water be? A very common question. Here is mine on a calm morning where I could finally vacuum. Yes I know, I'm still manually vacuuming. It took me 7 years to finally get an SWG, I'm working on a robot. :) So now let's see your water clarity.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kimkats]

You can end the SLAM but I would keep the FC at the VERY top of the CYA/FC chart aka just under SLAM level for a while to work on those stains.

 

[maxBR]

I need to complain about Pool Guys some more. I asked him about installing a variable speed pump and SWG. Saying that I want the Pentair Intelli-flo VSF 3hp and an IC60 SWG. I know supplies are tight so it looks like all I can get for now is the 2hp version of the pump and if he can't get the IC60 I told him I could make do with an IC40. Quote shows up with an IC30. It looks good but I say "hey, I want at least an IC40 like we already talked about". Instead of "OK" or even "that's all I can get right now" his response was "oh that's the newer updated version of the IC40". Me: "Well it's rated for less and I'd have to run it longer and it won't last as long, so I still want an IC40 or IC60". Then he STILL won't just say "OK" he texts back that it's rated enough for my pool.

I know an IC30 would work, I WANT the upgrade and I still don't know why he's pushing an IC30 instead. This is a service industry, give the customer what they want! Yeah, if I don't know what I'm talking about explain to me why, but he hasn't done that, and I think I do generally know what I'm talking about enough to make my hardware decisions clear.

In other news I completed my SLAM a while ago. Had a great weekend last weekend with the family in the pool for the first time! Also I bought a Dolphin Premier, which I've documented in the Pool Cleaner section of the forum. I bought a little sprinkler on Amazon that hooks up to the water return to help aerate and bring down TA. So far it hasn't worked, but I think the pool guy came and raised my PH the day after I lowered it. I still have an issue with waterline deposits, and in those there are some small areas with black on the deposits which I think could be algae. I keep meaning to take a picture and get some advice on dealing with that.

 

[kul]

Quote shows up with an IC30. It looks good but I say "hey, I want at least an IC40 like we already talked about". Instead of "OK" or even "that's all I can get right now" his response was "oh that's the newer updated version of the IC40". Me: "Well it's rated for less and I'd have to run it longer and it won't last as long, so I still want an IC40 or IC60". Then he STILL won't just say "OK" he texts back that it's rated enough for my pool.

He’s bringing too much drama for this mama! Ditch him and find someone who will install what you want. Also since you’re already doing all the testing and adding of appropriate chemicals you don’t need a pool guy anymore.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Its your money you should get what you want! Order online.

 

[V___25]

I've never personally installed a SWG or new pump but lots of people here have done those as DIY projects. If you're handy enough and motivated, you can probably get those done yourself and save money. But if you want to outsource the work, then definitely find a new pool service. With the way pools are being built lately, he's not hurting for work and clearly has no loyalty to you so you shouldn't either.

 

[maxBR]

I could probably do it, but I'm not that comfortable with pool stuff yet. I want to make sure the warranty is valid and that I have someone to call when it breaks. His quote was MUCH better than one that I got on Yelp from an equipment dealer/installer.

 

[Oly]

Giving someone access to your yard and adding chemicals to your pool without knowing what or how much they added is....well .
Take charge and be Trouble Free.