The husband finally let me take over and I don't want to blow it!!
- Thread starter dakemi
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 25,709
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yes, great link!! User onBalance is an expert in plaster issues. If you can diagnose it as a calcium/plaster problem then I would definitely recommend PM'ing him and asking his advice or comment on this thread.
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Thanks for the praise!!
One note: You should do the air release while the pump is running. It will definitely spray water out from the little spout when you do. That's how I know I my filter is full of water and using all the surface of the cartridges to clean the water.
One note: You should do the air release while the pump is running. It will definitely spray water out from the little spout when you do. That's how I know I my filter is full of water and using all the surface of the cartridges to clean the water.
Wow, that's awesome! Thank you!! I could only peruse it quickly cuz I'm at work, but I thought I noticed that it was mainly for new plaster? I'll PM him at your suggestion and learn more. Again thank you!!
LOL on the hubby jumping in fully clothed, did you get a video of that??
Yes, I've been brushing daily (got a pain in my right shoulder from it, but better biceps and triceps, too, so can't complain). After reading the black algae info, I got out the stainless steel brush (one of my pool owner friends said NEVER to use the stainless steel brush so i had been using the nylon brush) and am brushing 2 times a day.
Gonna ask TH to clean the filters again since we stirred up a bunch of sh....stuff since our last cleaning.
TH made a second trip to the pool store today with the water sample and they were closed....midday! I wonder if they're out of business. Anyway, there's another one in the neighborhood, I'll take it over tomorrow and get some refillable 12.5% chlorine at the same time.
Without rereading this whole thread (geez, I gotta get to bed...) do you know how to check for freshness of your chlorine? If not, there MAY be a recognizable date stamped on the bottle, but more likely a code like 15123. That would be the 123rd day of 2015. Either way, make sure you get the youngest you can find.
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Never mind. I see you are getting refillables. My late night bad.
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Never mind. I see you are getting refillables. My late night bad.
Thanks for that info on how to read the time stamp on the clorox bottles. I asked a clerk once and she didn't know but said they go thru so much so fast that its for sure fresh. (what could I say?) So its nice to check for myself.
No, not using refillables yet. Going to start today.
Failed the OCLT.....AGAIN!!
Again it was the CC (1.0). What do you think is happening? Just still "stuff" in the pool that has to die? Still, I only lose about 1-2 ppm FC during the day and 1 or less ppm at night. Shouldn't I be losing more FC if the CC is high?
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,027
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
you are doing everything correct, it is using less and less and remember that last 10% takes the longest.. just keep doing exactly the same and you will get there... This is where some people stop and the SLAM is not complete and the greenies come back, we dont want that 
You are so close...
You are so close...
Keep at it! It's worth it! Pool owner patience!
[emoji176] Lisa P.
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[emoji176] Lisa P.
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you are doing everything correct, it is using less and less and remember that last 10% takes the longest.. just keep doing exactly the same and you will get there... This is where some people stop and the SLAM is not complete and the greenies come back, we dont want that
You are so close...
Thanks for reminding me about the last 10% and letting me know whats going on is "normal". Nope, not dropping out.
In fact, doubling down, I had TH open up the filters again and I backed washed them all, plus the basket in the pump. (Basket was pretty clean but under it were a lot of leaves and pine needles). I was surprised at how gunky the cartridges were since we just cleaned them pretty thoroghly a week ago. How often should one have to clean those?
I also found a tiny crack along the round plastic ring that secures the glass top over the basket. (hope I didn't to that!) I don't think it will affect air getting in there since the gasket seems to fit snugly. I guess I'll find out when TH puts it all back together and starts it up.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,709
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You clean your filter when the pressure rises 25% above clean pressure. So, if your clean pressure is 10psi, then you clean it when the filter pressure reads 12.5psi.
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Look how far you have come!!!! Keep it up!
Did you ever really scrub out that deep end light niche?
Something I wanted to mention earlier about cleaning lights .... Try this idea next time you clean them (as you should do once a year). Soak the light in a large bucket of pool water placed on the deck. You can periodically scrub it and replace the water or add more chlorine to it. That way you are isolating the algae from the pool water.
When cleaning the light for the first time, a vacuum ready to go is a good idea and I wish we had suggested this!
Did you ever really scrub out that deep end light niche?
Something I wanted to mention earlier about cleaning lights .... Try this idea next time you clean them (as you should do once a year). Soak the light in a large bucket of pool water placed on the deck. You can periodically scrub it and replace the water or add more chlorine to it. That way you are isolating the algae from the pool water.
When cleaning the light for the first time, a vacuum ready to go is a good idea and I wish we had suggested this!
It appears that there are several likely issues that have occurred to discolor your pool plaster.
First, from the pictures, I believe that the plaster has what is known as white soft spots (also called "spot etching") that developed from improper plastering workmanship. They show up a few months after the plastering is completed. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to rectify those white spots, and your plaster is beyond the warranty.
Second, as other TFP members have stated, it also appears that there are calcium scale deposits, which are the gray/blackish stains. Those might be able to be removed by either sanding or an acid wash, or perhaps an acid bath (Zero alkalinity) treatment. But it depends on how severe and how long they have existed in your pool.
Third, since the pool is also six years old, it is possible that those blackish stains could also be copper oxide stains. I think I read somewhere on one of your comments that some dark stains disappeared and then reappeared. If that is true, it is possible that blue/green copper stains can turn "blackish" and then disappear or return to the blue/green or turquoise color. That can happen due to extreme high chlorine levels. Pouring bleach into a pool can result in the chlorine to sink to the bottom of the pool and oxidize the blue/green copper stains and turn them blackish. But this is just a guess on what the dark grey and black stains are. A water analysis can determine whether the water contains too much copper.
Again, it is more likely that they are calcium stains. One way to tell is by touch. Blackish copper stains would be fairly smooth, while calcium deposits should be fairly course and rough like sandpaper. Calcium deposits are white to begin with, but then eventually pick up dirt and other minerals and turn to dark discoloration stains.
Lastly, some gray discolorations can be also from improper plastering. But they are very smooth to the touch, and very grayish, not blackish. Those also cannot be rectified without damaging the plaster surface. The above link given to you briefly explains those new plaster issues. I have posted two older articles on "white spotting" and "gray mottling discoloration" if you wish to understand more about those two new plaster issues.
First, from the pictures, I believe that the plaster has what is known as white soft spots (also called "spot etching") that developed from improper plastering workmanship. They show up a few months after the plastering is completed. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to rectify those white spots, and your plaster is beyond the warranty.
Second, as other TFP members have stated, it also appears that there are calcium scale deposits, which are the gray/blackish stains. Those might be able to be removed by either sanding or an acid wash, or perhaps an acid bath (Zero alkalinity) treatment. But it depends on how severe and how long they have existed in your pool.
Third, since the pool is also six years old, it is possible that those blackish stains could also be copper oxide stains. I think I read somewhere on one of your comments that some dark stains disappeared and then reappeared. If that is true, it is possible that blue/green copper stains can turn "blackish" and then disappear or return to the blue/green or turquoise color. That can happen due to extreme high chlorine levels. Pouring bleach into a pool can result in the chlorine to sink to the bottom of the pool and oxidize the blue/green copper stains and turn them blackish. But this is just a guess on what the dark grey and black stains are. A water analysis can determine whether the water contains too much copper.
Again, it is more likely that they are calcium stains. One way to tell is by touch. Blackish copper stains would be fairly smooth, while calcium deposits should be fairly course and rough like sandpaper. Calcium deposits are white to begin with, but then eventually pick up dirt and other minerals and turn to dark discoloration stains.
Lastly, some gray discolorations can be also from improper plastering. But they are very smooth to the touch, and very grayish, not blackish. Those also cannot be rectified without damaging the plaster surface. The above link given to you briefly explains those new plaster issues. I have posted two older articles on "white spotting" and "gray mottling discoloration" if you wish to understand more about those two new plaster issues.
Next time you turn the pump off, take the pump basket out and reach in the outlet that goes towards the filter to see if there are leaves stuck in there. If there were leaves under the basket, you may have some clogging your impeller.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,709
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
While I have done this myself many times to remove Mesquite needles that make it through the strainer basket and into the impeller, I only do this when I throw the circuit breaker that the pump is hooked up to. You should never stick your fingers anywhere near the impeller unless you are absolutely sure the pump is completely de-energized. While the mechanical switch in the OFF position certainly cuts power to the pump, there is still the potential that the pump can accidentally turn on since the timer is still energized. The safest approach to doing this is to throw the breaker so that the timer and pump are completely de-energized and then reset everything to normal after the pump is closed up.
I learned a scary lesson once where my hand was in the pump and pulling out the strainer basket when the automation system activated the pump. My mistake was working on the pump when it was close to a set point time for the pump to run. I assumed I had more time than I did and I obviously did not. Nowadays, before the pump lid is removed, the breaker that energizes the pump is thrown, no exceptions.
This reply is not meant to scold anyone or to be hysterical. It is simply a reminder to be safe when dealing with high power mechanical equipment. Stored energy in all its form, whether mechanical, electrical or chemical, presents a potential safety hazard to the operator. Being respectful and cautious of that energy is what keeps our body parts intact and attached.
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Oh! Glad you were online and chimed in! I don't have an automated system/timer, so I didn't even think of that!!!! Turning off MY pump IS a circuit breaker...!
Thank you everyone for your input! I love learning all this stuff! To answer your questions, does green PSI I mean with the PSI is right after cleaning the filters? If so, the psi jumped fr 10 thank you everyone for your input! I love learning all this stuff! To answer your questions, does clean PSI mean what the PSI is right after cleaning the filters? If so, our psi jumped from 10 to15 so our clean psi is 15?
Thanks for the suggestion for the lights but our cord is not long enough to get the light on the deck. Yes we did clean out the big niche.
Yes I did reach in past the basket, not much there but I will certainly hit the breaker in the future.
Thank you onBalance for the additional info, I will read it more carefully at home but for now the pool store said copper is .3 so ok, and no iron. The stains seem smooth but being a plaster pool, there is some texture to the finish. I can't tell where the stains leave off just by touch.
BTW FYI pool store also said "chlorine too high. Calcium is really high, reason you are getting scale. Stop shocking with Cal hypo you are adding too much calcium will restrict flow and cause heater issues. Instead use granular chlorine or Oxy shock. ( I am not using Cal hypo. But TH was shocking the pool before I took over.)"
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Meant clean psi
Thanks for the suggestion for the lights but our cord is not long enough to get the light on the deck. Yes we did clean out the big niche.
Yes I did reach in past the basket, not much there but I will certainly hit the breaker in the future.
Thank you onBalance for the additional info, I will read it more carefully at home but for now the pool store said copper is .3 so ok, and no iron. The stains seem smooth but being a plaster pool, there is some texture to the finish. I can't tell where the stains leave off just by touch.
BTW FYI pool store also said "chlorine too high. Calcium is really high, reason you are getting scale. Stop shocking with Cal hypo you are adding too much calcium will restrict flow and cause heater issues. Instead use granular chlorine or Oxy shock. ( I am not using Cal hypo. But TH was shocking the pool before I took over.)"
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Meant clean psi
Glad to hear your pump was ok. Strange how air got in there when you've been running it constantly.
BTW - I purchased a new Hayward 1 hp motor & pump for $425. Pump, motor & filter might get you close to $1,500.
Yes, clean PSI would be the pressure after cleaning. Normally the pressure will go down after cleaning. Your pressure went up to 15 after cleaning?!
BTW - I purchased a new Hayward 1 hp motor & pump for $425. Pump, motor & filter might get you close to $1,500.
Yes, clean PSI would be the pressure after cleaning. Normally the pressure will go down after cleaning. Your pressure went up to 15 after cleaning?!
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,789
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
Ignore anything you are told by a pool store. You won't be using any of the things they are recommending in the future. A properly maintained pool never needs to be "shocked". In 10+ years, I've never shocked my pool, and never had an algae outbreak, never had to SLAM. I just maintain balanced water and it's always clear and safe. Welcome to having a Trouble Free Pool. It all gets so much easier from here on.
RE your stains, we may or may not be able to get rid of them, but now you will know that you have a pool with crystal clear, safe water. As a test I suggest that you pick the darkest stain, take a few vitamin C tablets and put them directly on the surface. Let them dissolve there, and see if it lightens that spot.
RE your stains, we may or may not be able to get rid of them, but now you will know that you have a pool with crystal clear, safe water. As a test I suggest that you pick the darkest stain, take a few vitamin C tablets and put them directly on the surface. Let them dissolve there, and see if it lightens that spot.