What did you do to your pool today?

[needsajet]

Circling back: Calcium Hardness Testing, comparison of Taylor and CCL

Simple average of tests below	263	269
	New Taylor supplies (Hardness buffer and indicator from Mr Pool Man, titrating reagent from PoolVacParts)	New CCL Dedicated Calcium Hardness Test Kit
Oldest pool test 1	225	200
Oldest pool test 2	175	200
8-yr plaster 1	275	250
8-yr plaster 2	250	250
5-year plaster 1	350	350
5-yr plaster 2	325	350
Newest plaster 1	275	250
Newest plaster 2	225	225

 

[dleonard1122]

It's been pretty wet here so it was time to drain again. My trusty little helper never asks why we are flooding the yard, he just gets right to flooding the yard too. He's the best boy.

Yesterday was a pool drain day for me as well. Hopefully the last of the year and we can use whatever rain we get from here on out to fill back up in anticipation of opening. I'm thinking early April to pull the cover off and start the pump back up.

 

[Imageek2]

Heated and used the spa for the first time since buying our new house. Everything worked .

 

[Newdude]

I'm thinking early April to pull the cover off and start the pump back up.

I had the cover 1/3 off to mix it well after draining. I tested after draining and there was 0 FC up top and 8 at the bottom eventhough drainimg stirred it up a little. (Salt was 400/3400).

But with the cover a chunk open, boy did I have the itch. The effort it was going to take to put it back would get another third of the cover off and at THAT point. Pfffffft. What was I even doing closing it up again.

 

[Homebrewale]

Getting a little closer to soft open. I pulled the Gizmos from the skimmers and put in the baskets. The water temperature is up to 58F. I may start up the equipment this weekend.

 

[Newdude]

Getting a little closer to soft open.

I have the itch, BAD.

The extended forecast looks fine and even if a cold snap returns it would be over quickly.




I'm about sick of looking at the trampoline and the dog keeping off safety fence.

 

[phonedave]

Getting a little closer to soft open.

I have a bit of work to do before I can open this season. I put in a new pool last year, just at closing. The skimmer is in a different place now. So before I open I have to.

- Move the electric service
- Move the small concrete slab I sit my filter on
- Install the waterbug, and finish bonding the new pool
- New hard pipe runs
- Rebuild the stairs on the deck that go to the pool stairs (the new pool is taller)
- Make some sort of spiffy deck trim to go around the edge of the pool (it is 6" taller than the old pool)

Then I can do the actual work of opening the pool

It has been rain rain rain for the last few weekends (and weeks).

This weekend is supposed to be OK, but I have to take my dog to the vet.

Next weekend may be OK, but I have taxes, a surprise birthday party, and a charity event I am working at to go to.

The clock is ticking, I need to get moving

 

[needsajet]

Put the pool toys away in the attic
Pool looks great and still warm but as the daytime highs get lower, interest wanes quickly! Reduced pump run time to 6 hours, might change it to 4.

 

[JamesW]

Put the pool toys away in the attic
Pool looks great and still warm but as the daytime highs get lower, interest wanes quickly! Reduced pump run time to 6 hours, might change it to 4.

It's like you live in the Bizarro World.

 

[needsajet]

It's like you live in the Bizarro World.

It never ceases to amaze me that the pool water doesn't fall straight down out of the pool into the sky.

 

[mgtfp]

It never ceases to amaze me that the pool water doesn't fall straight down out of the pool into the sky.

The water has left our pools a long time ago, long before Australia drifted to the southern hemisphere, it went with all the dolphins. It's just an illusion maintained by the mice that makes us think there still is water in our pools and dolphins in the oceans. It's a pretty nifty solution to the upside-down pool situation down under.

 

[Katodude]

it went with all the dolphins

So long, and thanks for all the fish….

 

[Katodude]

It got hot yesterday, and the pool hit 84 degrees. So I went for a swim.

Also filling the pool as I wait for the leak guys tomorrow

 

[Wolfepack88]

I'm thinking of sneaking the robot under the cover to get all the dead creepy crawlers out of there and any leaves that made its way in there.

 

[Wolfepack88]

It never ceases to amaze me that the pool water doesn't fall straight down out of the pool into the sky.

The skimmer water spins backwards as well!!

 

[Divin Dave]

Welp,
Boys and Girls, let me tell ya... I am TICKED OFF ! And the people at HD know it!

I went to HD to buy some calcium chloride, they didn't have any in stock at all, and the HD guy hooked me up with 50 lbs of calcium chloride from their catalog. He ordered it and had it delivered to my house. It showed up late yesterday.

This morning, I go out to put it in the pool.
I fill a bucket of water and pour in 10 lbs of this calcium chloride and started stirring it up with the big stick that I use to beat off the chupacabras and fire ants with. It seemed kind of weird, the water turned only slightly milky color, not white, and it didn't give off any heat at all like calcium chloride does. So I'm like "what the heck?" It just didn't seem right at all. No ingredients on the bag itself, so I came in the house and looked up the SDS for this stuff. Guess what? There's not very much calcium chloride in this product all. It's almost all SALT !!!!

Moral of the story.... well I don't know if there is a moral to the story. Just another labeling trick of a manufacturer being dishonest. IMO, this goes wayyy beyond dishonest to being pure trickery.

Maybe I should have been suspicious of the word "Crystals" on the bag instead of Pellets and done more research, but I didn't really notice it at the time... but even so, I still am putting 100% of the blame on Snow Joe and no one can make me change my mind.

If you're looking for a good deal for some Calcium Chloride, then stay away from this stuff because this ain't it.

Grrrrr !

I'm gonna stop ranting and raving now before I blow out a blood vessel in my forehead.

 

[Newdude]

Yeah. Some of the ice melts are mostly salt. 70something % IIRC. And the manufacturer had zero concerns about pools when they have a dirty batch or decide to change something in the processing. It's not worth the risks / headache IMO. I buy puritech on Amazon for $2/lb in the big bags. It's a happy medium of the ice melts and the fancy pool store stuffs.

 

[Homebrewale]

I started up the pool equipment yesterday. The pool water initially was 60F but after mixing in the colder water from the deep end, the temperature settled at 58F. It took two cycles to get the pump to prime. I may peel back the safety cover to toss in the robot to clean all the worms that somehow get in over the winter. The cover won't come off until mid-May. Water level will need to be lowered. First water tests may be taken later in the day.

 

[Newdude]

The cover won't come off until mid-May. First water tests may be taken later in the day.

Water sample hack

The cover is still on and the skimmer has an oil slick and I don't have any tennis balls yet this season. It's been running for a day and I just want a round about baseline to get an idea where I'm at. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[DaveTheAccountant]

Refreshed CYA today after getting things back to running like normal (12 hours instead of the cold weather 6). Per the TF-100 everything else is pretty much in line. Stocked up on jugs of chlorine for the next month (one per week) to assist the trusty but tiny Truclear.

Added two new deck chairs and a new table this week, too.