Swamp Opening (Helping the In-Laws)

[UnderWaterVanya]

Our pool cover died and the pool is full of leaves and debris and algae. I get the slam method and just want advice on how to clear the debris effectively. Pool is dark green (haven’t started yet). Is a pool robot worth the effort to help with the debris? I have a pressure side cleaner but it isn’t that effective in large loads like this. Considering an upgrade to a full robot.

Pool is 16x32, tray bottom, vinyl liner (new last year), single speed pump with main drain and skimmer, around 13500 gallons or maybe a bit more. Swg installed last year. Haven’t worked on chemistry yet. Closing last year the CYA was 70, CH 60, TA 60, PH 7.4, SALT 2600 and FC 10 just before close.

 

[C&HSewell]

I'd start with the traditional Pool Leaf Rake

 

[Texas Splash]

Is a pool robot worth the effort to help with the debris?

Not at this point. C&H has the right idea. Carefully go over the surface with a plastic leaf rake. You might get away with a pool brush as well. The more you get out now the better. Depending on your water source and cost, a partial water exchange might also be beneficial and help jump-start the SLAM Process.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Not at this point. C&H has the right idea. Carefully go over the surface with a plastic leaf rake. You might get away with a pool brush as well. The more you get out now the better. Depending on your water source and cost, a partial water exchange might also be beneficial and help jump-start the SLAM Process.

As expensive as liquid chlorine is I’m inclined to consider the water exchange but I’ll need to factor in cost for salt and other amendments. The water is opaque so dredging will all be by feeling not sight. I’ve done it before but my in laws were able to help some. Now I’ll be doing it alone due to their injuries in a car wreck that has them in wheelchairs for a few months.

Given the high cost per unit of bleach and the lack of other alternative liquid chlorine locally I’m considering using calcium hypochlorite as my initial chlorination and augmenting with bleach if CH gets too high (or partial water exchange) I need to see if CYA is back to zero which is normal for this pool in this condition… and if so I’ll get some in there but keep it lower to make slamming more easily accomplished.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Another issue with partial exchange is getting the water to flow as the main drain is buried in debris I’d wager. Is there a filter cage to put on a vacuum hose to allow use of the skimmer after the level is lower? I’ve done that with a clean pool using the vac head upside down to avoid sucking the liner.

 

[PoolStored]

We don't recommend you use your pool equipment to drain or exchange water. Too many things can go wrong and pool equipment is expensive.

We recommend getting an un-switched sump pump. Buy one with a 12' cord. I keep one around for lots of jobs, draining a little when we get lots of rain etc. When you are exchanging, you can match the sump pump output to your hose input.

If you really need to get volumes out we recommend renting a trash pump.

In either case, you will want to get most of the debris out...

This is a great article for you, particularly the no drain exchange section:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

We don't recommend you use your pool equipment to drain or exchange water. Too many things can go wrong and pool equipment is expensive.

We recommend getting an un-switched sump pump. Buy one with a 12' cord. I keep one around for lots of jobs, draining a little when we get lots of rain etc. When you are exchanging, you can match the sump pump output to your hose input.

If you really need to get volumes out we recommend renting a trash pump.

In either case, you will want to get most of the debris out...

This is a great article for you, particularly the no drain exchange section:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Very interesting. I wasn’t planning on a massive water exchange but this idea has merit. I’ll try to report back how I decide to go. Thanks.

 

[PoolStored]

Very interesting. I wasn’t planning on a massive water exchange but this idea has merit. I’ll try to report back how I decide to go. Thanks.

BTW, I bought a sump pump that has a 1.5" threaded outlet I built a pvc extension on top of the threads with a 45" at the top, then one of these (pic). I then can attach a backwash hose to it with a hose clamp. One other idea, since you have vinyl, put the sump in a bucket before you put it in the pool, will protect the liner from the sump.

 

[mknauss]

I need to see if CYA is back to zero which is normal for this pool in this condition

If your CYA is zero, the salt will be close to zero.

If not, you have an ammonia issue. And you need to follow Ammonia - Further Reading

 

[Newdude]

If your CYA is zero, the salt will be close to zero

It's also possible that precipitation cut both values in half but the CYA degraded in the 5(?) months it was closed so the CYA is now almost gone while there is still salt left.

I expect to open soon with no CYA and about half salt and CH.

 

[mknauss]

If one opens to a green pool and no CYA, always best to check for ammonia before adding CYA.

 

[Newdude]

If one opens to a green pool and no CYA, always best to check for ammonia before adding CYA.

Oh yeah. Just adding another possibility.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

If your CYA is zero, the salt will be close to zero.

If not, you have an ammonia issue. And you need to follow Ammonia - Further Reading

Why will the salt be zero? I read the ammonia info that’s helpful to understand.

 

[mknauss]

Water exchange. CYA does not degrade rapidly. So to get to zero, it is either water exchange, which means the salt will be low, or a bacteria that consumes the CYA and results in ammonia.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Water exchange. CYA does not degrade rapidly. So to get to zero, it is either water exchange, which means the salt will be low, or a bacteria that consumes the CYA and results in ammonia.

Thanks. No water exchanges however dilution from rainwater and runoff refilling from partially drained level (10-12 inches of water drained during close, now above that level by 14” or so) The pool was put to bed with north of 2600ppm salt and cya of around 60-70mm. (16x32 pool tray bottom).

Now:
Salt 1200-1400ppm
Cya is 0
Ammonia reading 0.5ppm - 1.0ppm (test strip; unclear if saltwater or freshwater scale schools be applied. Freshwater is my instinct given the low salinity which puts it more at 0.5ppm)
FC 0
TA 50
CH 60
PH 7.8+
Temp TBD (not very likely to be over 70f)

I’m about to hook up plumbing and start working on it. Still have significant leaves to remove. Water is “black”.

Sept 16 2022:
Salt 2600
CYA 70
TA 60
CH 70(? Last measured a month before that)

Oct 10 2022:
FC 10
CC <= 0.5
CYA not measured
TA 60
CH 60
Temp 64f
PH (prior to raising FC 7.4)

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Holding FC finally. This afternoon it started holding. It was 7.5ppm this evening a few hours after I brought it up to 10. I brought it back to 10 for overnight. Getting cya tomorrow. Due to filtration slowing flow fairly rapidly I’m using recirculate while I’m not there to keep the water evenly chlorinated. Will only filter when I’m able to be there and check flow. Too slow and cavitation starts and I’d prefer to avoid killing the pump.


Measured before last CL addition of the night:

Ammonia 0 (test strip)
All other measurements made with TF-100 kit…

Fc 7.5
Cc 2-2.5
Ta 50
Ch 100
Salt 1200+ (previous measurement)
Ph 8.2+ (purple!)
Temp below 65
Water is greenish with white foamy stuff floating on top.

CL source is 65% CalHypo. Will hopefully make it though the SLAM process and get the pool clean before I need to switch sources. SWG is OFF.

Plan is to check in the morning and see how much was lost overnight. Tomorrow I plan to get CYA up to 30 and keep going with SLAM. However I will be at the office all day so tomorrow’s progress will be minimal until evening. It’s also expected to rain so the sun won’t be eating the CL that much but the algae will. Lol.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Still at this. Leaves less full with each plunge. CL being consumed but holding better than expected. 3.5 lbs cya added (30ppm roughly).

Last measured


------------------------------------------
Notes 04-16-2023 @ 08:42 PM
------------------------------------------
Set to recirculate overnight.

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Test Results 04-15-2023 @ 08:33 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 10.5
Combined Chlorine: 2.5
pH: 7.8

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

 

[Texas Splash]

Wow. That is quite the soup. Something is cooking in there. Did you ever do a partial water exchange? I noticed above your CYA was listed a zero or not tested. Did you ever add any? I wouldn't want to have unbuffered chlorine on that liner for a long time is all.

 

[IceShadow]

If your FC is above 0 then ammonia is gone, so that’s good. And the bacteria that makes it from the CYA will be dead. You’re on the right track - follow the SLAM Process and you’ll get it blue quickly, then it’s just a matter of filtering it all out.