First post so apologize if it is lengthy. Hello everyone!
First time pool owner. Quick set up.....
New pool completed in Sept 2018 with new house build. Still living in Seattle at time so hired pool builder to also maintain it until we moved in. Finally moved in Mid July 2019 when my husband and I retired. The pool looked clear but we did noticed a lot of scaling on the spillover from spa and around the waterline. Both circulate together until the spa is in use.
Not knowing much about pools and relying on the pool maintenance service we just used the pool until it was too cold to. We left the pool open over the winter to use the spa. In March I tackled the scale on the spillover. On recommendation of pool store supply store and our pool service, I added Scaletec. Initial 64oz dose then 4 weeks later another 32 oz. Have not foloowed up with the monthly dose. Not sure if it worked or not. I still had to scrub the Darn out of the scale to put a dent in it. It looks good now. The only other thing I have put in the pool is Skill-It for the wasps. For the year the pool was open but unused they used it as their personal drinking fountain. They were horrible when we moved in. Skill-It worked great and this season so far there have only been a few. We also added fake nests.
I decided I would first start doing my own testing to see if pool service was worth it. I bought TF-100 test kit and was shocked at the results. Last months results were a little lower in CH and CYA but not much. Todays results.
PH-7.6
FC-7
CC- .5
CH-925
TA- 130
CYA-180 done 50/50 with tap water
ALSO after the second dose of Scaletec when we went to use the Spa, as the water heated up it created this nasty green slime around the water line. After we turned off spa and ran a cleaning cycle it went away. Only to come back again when the spa water was hot. ?????
Pool guy did know what it was and I could not find anything about it online. Pool guy suggested new filters.
So after reading through as much as I could I've concluded my only option for the extremely high CH and CYA are to drain 3/4 of the pool. Regular tap water here tested with a CH of 100. I am a little ****** the pool service let the CH and CYA get so high. I bought new filters too but don't want to install them until the water is refilled.
The pool guy was nice enough to drop off his pump so I could drain the pool. With what I pay them monthly they should do more and taken better care of the levels. I have never seen him add anything other than acid and the tabs to the floater. He olny uses the Chlorine and PH test kit. Never seem him clean the filters.
I am a little intimidated by the required maintenance, hence the pool service, but I know I could do a better job. My hubby doesn't ready directions or measure so I have him do the skimming and brushing of the pool. I am ready to take over the maintenance. I have the test kit, Muriatic acid and the Cyanuric Acid(dry). Still need to get my own bleach. Should I get anything else? Still a little unclear about adding salt. My pool is a non SWG. Don't want Borates as I have dogs.
Once the drain and fill is completed is there a step by step guide on the site for me to follow? I want to get everything set before the pool guys comes to Heck it up. I want him to do one more test before I tell the service to pound sand. We will eventually have an SWG added but until then I will be adding the chlorine.
Really appreciate any advice I can get.
Thanks!
First time pool owner. Quick set up.....
New pool completed in Sept 2018 with new house build. Still living in Seattle at time so hired pool builder to also maintain it until we moved in. Finally moved in Mid July 2019 when my husband and I retired. The pool looked clear but we did noticed a lot of scaling on the spillover from spa and around the waterline. Both circulate together until the spa is in use.
Not knowing much about pools and relying on the pool maintenance service we just used the pool until it was too cold to. We left the pool open over the winter to use the spa. In March I tackled the scale on the spillover. On recommendation of pool store supply store and our pool service, I added Scaletec. Initial 64oz dose then 4 weeks later another 32 oz. Have not foloowed up with the monthly dose. Not sure if it worked or not. I still had to scrub the Darn out of the scale to put a dent in it. It looks good now. The only other thing I have put in the pool is Skill-It for the wasps. For the year the pool was open but unused they used it as their personal drinking fountain. They were horrible when we moved in. Skill-It worked great and this season so far there have only been a few. We also added fake nests.
I decided I would first start doing my own testing to see if pool service was worth it. I bought TF-100 test kit and was shocked at the results. Last months results were a little lower in CH and CYA but not much. Todays results.
PH-7.6
FC-7
CC- .5
CH-925
TA- 130
CYA-180 done 50/50 with tap water
ALSO after the second dose of Scaletec when we went to use the Spa, as the water heated up it created this nasty green slime around the water line. After we turned off spa and ran a cleaning cycle it went away. Only to come back again when the spa water was hot. ?????
Pool guy did know what it was and I could not find anything about it online. Pool guy suggested new filters.
So after reading through as much as I could I've concluded my only option for the extremely high CH and CYA are to drain 3/4 of the pool. Regular tap water here tested with a CH of 100. I am a little ****** the pool service let the CH and CYA get so high. I bought new filters too but don't want to install them until the water is refilled.
The pool guy was nice enough to drop off his pump so I could drain the pool. With what I pay them monthly they should do more and taken better care of the levels. I have never seen him add anything other than acid and the tabs to the floater. He olny uses the Chlorine and PH test kit. Never seem him clean the filters.
I am a little intimidated by the required maintenance, hence the pool service, but I know I could do a better job. My hubby doesn't ready directions or measure so I have him do the skimming and brushing of the pool. I am ready to take over the maintenance. I have the test kit, Muriatic acid and the Cyanuric Acid(dry). Still need to get my own bleach. Should I get anything else? Still a little unclear about adding salt. My pool is a non SWG. Don't want Borates as I have dogs.
Once the drain and fill is completed is there a step by step guide on the site for me to follow? I want to get everything set before the pool guys comes to Heck it up. I want him to do one more test before I tell the service to pound sand. We will eventually have an SWG added but until then I will be adding the chlorine.
Really appreciate any advice I can get.
Thanks!