What did you do to your pool today?

[Newdude]

I came home to the MOST pleasant of surprises, 48 hours after pulling the cover with 40 degree water. The water has warmed enough. !!!!!!!!! OH HAPPY DAY !!!



Today got warm but yesterday wasn't really and I fully expected to lug jugs for several weeks. Even if it cuts in and out, my love of *cough cough* having enough chlorine for today *cough* will get me through any days it shuts off. Heck. It can probably shut off for a week once I'm running hot with low daily loss still.

But with not expecting SWG production, I hadn't gotten salt yet, so an emergency HD run had been added to the evening schedule.

 

[Newdude]

I can't tell if your joking, or partially joking, or not. I'm not.

I truly need help.

Although I did amazing getting rid of 15 years of accumulated spares and parts when we moved.

Been working on resupplying for about 4 years since. Lol.

 

[Katodude]

Add 2.5lbs of CYA. Working on getting it to an ideal level. Now that the leak is fixed, maybe we can solve the mystery of the disappearing CYA.

 

[JamesW]

Although I did amazing getting rid of 15 years of accumulated spares and parts when we moved.

Been working on resupplying for about 4 years since. Lol.

 

[Dirk]

Ha, ha! I almost choked laughing! That is so me, when I find a use for some piece of junk I've been saving.

I bought a pallet of stone, which I used to create walking paths in various locations around my yard. It wasn't cheap, so I saved every scrap, about eight years ago. Even the tiny chunks that were too small to make a stepping stone. One by one I've been finding their homes. Just yesterday, I used three little broken off chunks to elevate a planter off the dirt. I've only got four stones left. I was chuckling to myself as I put them under the planter, like "Heh, heh, heh, see?"

They're under this planter, to keep the drip line from getting crushed (it runs through the drain hole in the bottom). You can't see them, but I know they're there!

 

[phonedave]

Regarding the hoarding, uh, I mean forward thinking. I have 10s of thousands of screws and nuts and bolts and washers, collected over decades. It's not the retentive organization of all of them that makes me feel bad, it's finding just the one I need that makes me feel good!

Regarding the 12' length of 3" angle iron... have you priced that stuff lately?!? I had to give up on a project because I refuse to pay $30 for a 6' length of 1.25" angle iron!!!! To think of all the metal bed frames I've thrown out!! Yah, I wish I had saved them now!

The cost of some of this stuff is why I keep it around. Like the drawer full of 3/8" aluminum rivets. Or the 4 lb box of copper nails.

I am cleaning out one of the sheds because I need to put in a new floor. I have a case and a half of clay pigeons. I don't shoot trap anymore, and I got rid of my thrower a while ago. I put the clays in the "keep" pile for some reason.

 

[Newdude]

I put the clays in the "keep" pile for some reason.

OTOH, some things are fun to 'throw' out. Pop Pop

 

[Mdragger88]

The cost of some of this stuff is why I keep it around. Like the drawer full of 3/8" aluminum rivets. Or the 4 lb box of copper nails.

I am cleaning out one of the sheds because I need to put in a new floor. I have a case and a half of clay pigeons. I don't shoot trap anymore, and I got rid of my thrower a while ago. I put the clays in the "keep" pile for some reason.

You can see if there are any hunting/shooting clubs nearby that do charity or youth events to give them to. We have some organizations around here that do handicap hunts etc. that are always looking for donations.

 

[Newdude]

Verified the 7 bags of salt did the trick. I was shooting for 3200 and hit 3400, but with lots of rain coming for the spring I'll be adding more soon enough.

We have lift off, she's all yours Houston.

 

[Wolfepack88]

My inability to throw things out is gonna get me *2* extra poles.

My heavy duty pole is still great except the twisty knob thingie is shot. I can wrench it tight with pliers but it was a pain changing lengths to vac. Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty. Much easier to not have change heads.

But then it'll bother me that they don't match so I'll get a protuff for the brush and keep the HD pole for the net.

But then it'll bother me that *that* doesn't match and I'll have 3 protuffs and still not be able to throw out the original pole.

What if I need a closet hanger bar on year 3 ??? What then ? Why did I throw that out ? I could have done 6 closets with the 2 pieces of pole.


I need help.

New you are the folks in this progressive commercial, I laughed so hard at the guy with the crown molding. I have some of that in my garage.

 

[Wolfepack88]

I can't tell if your joking, or partially joking, or not. I'm not. I still have my original pole, and I can still work the adjuster knob, but barely. I hated it before, but despise it now that I have the Pros. I attached a hook to the end of Ol' Joe and now he's the designated xmas-light hanging pole. But he lays in the back of the garden, on some rocks. He doesn't get a place of honor by Pro 1 and Pro 2.

Funny about the "Much easier to not have change heads." That's exactly why I bought Pro 2!

Regarding the hoarding, uh, I mean forward thinking. I have 10s of thousands of screws and nuts and bolts and washers, collected over decades. It's not the retentive organization of all of them that makes me feel bad, it's finding just the one I need that makes me feel good!

Regarding the 12' length of 3" angle iron... have you priced that stuff lately?!? I had to give up on a project because I refuse to pay $30 for a 6' length of 1.25" angle iron!!!! To think of all the metal bed frames I've thrown out!! Yah, I wish I had saved them now!

Other things I hang on to for less reason. I've been tripping over a 6' length of some sort of drainage pipe for at least a decade. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out, though I couldn't ever imagine using it. But here you go, to bring us full circle. Sun shades for my Pro 1 and Pro 2 (I figure if they're going to wear out, it'll be from leaving the rubber handles in the sun all day). Ya just never know when you might need something.

That said, to my "credit," I did manage to summon the strength to throw out, count 'em, two of the cardboard tubes the Pros came in. I know I'll regret that someday...

View attachment 563434

My original pole is what I used to hang my CYA in my skimmer sock in front of the return. That's its function now.

 

[Mdragger88]

New you are the folks in this progressive commercial, I laughed so hard at the guy with the crown molding. I have some of that in my garage.

Seriously funny book - yes it’s real

 

[Katodude]

Now that I have a protuff, I'll end up using it for the vac and keeping the other one for brush duty.

Vac, pfffft. Get yourself some robots baby!!!

 

[Dirk]

New you are the folks in this progressive commercial, I laughed so hard at the guy with the crown molding. I have some of that in my garage.

Bags? BAGS!?! Geez, maybe I'm a hoarder in denial. I have a whole cupboard full of bags. But just one cupboard (does that matter?). I didn't realize that was one of the telltale signs.

Edit: correction! I misspoke. Only half of that cupboard is bags. The lower half is full of old houseplant pots. Which I also keep for no apparent reason! Because I might need one of them someday. So, you see, that's not anywhere near as bad as a cupboard full of bags. Whew, that was a close one.

 

[kul]

Yay! Turned my swg back on yesterday. Looking forward to my first season not having to lug chlorine!!

 

[phonedave]

You can see if there are any hunting/shooting clubs nearby that do charity or youth events to give them to. We have some organizations around here that do handicap hunts etc. that are always looking for donations.

There is a trap club about 15 minutes from my house. I will likely just drop them off there.

 

[SJPoe]

I soft-opened the pool (mesh cover off, solar cover on, filter/pump running etc) a couple weeks ago - my first time opening. Super easy really, and can't believe I've been paying someone to do what I did myself in a couple hours. After a string of 60 and 70 degree days here in the mitten-shaped state, the pool was pushing 50F already, and with more 60-70F weather coming next week, it was time to start moving more toward 'real' open. So, Heater got switched on (just at 70F for now) and the SWG setup to provide a trickle of FC. Levels all look good, and seem pretty stable, but salt and CYA were somewhat low - not surprising given we pumped probably 20% of the water out at closing, and then it refilled with rainwater over the winter.

Spotted a small seep/leak at the outlet of the pump - I have a better fitting to go on there, so that'll be my weekend task #1.
Pool adjacent, but the frost-free outside faucet now no longer turns on or off, just spins, so I'll be relocating and replacing that this weekend, task #2.
Grab some salt and CYA to bring those up to where they should be. Task #3
Refurbish the secondhand set of steps I picked up from Facebook - $200 for 6ft x 3ft plastic steps - they'll need scrubbing, and some sandbags etc, task #4

I'm sure there'll be some extra items on the list before the weekend...

 

[Mdragger88]

I soft-opened the pool (mesh cover off, solar cover on, filter/pump running etc) a couple weeks ago - my first time opening. Super easy really, and can't believe I've been paying someone to do what I did myself in a couple hours. After a string of 60 and 70 degree days here in the mitten-shaped state, the pool was pushing 50F already, and with more 60-70F weather coming next week, it was time to start moving more toward 'real' open. So, Heater got switched on (just at 70F for now) and the SWG setup to provide a trickle of FC. Levels all look good, and seem pretty stable, but salt and CYA were somewhat low - not surprising given we pumped probably 20% of the water out at closing, and then it refilled with rainwater over the winter.

Spotted a small seep/leak at the outlet of the pump - I have a better fitting to go on there, so that'll be my weekend task #1.
Pool adjacent, but the frost-free outside faucet now no longer turns on or off, just spins, so I'll be relocating and replacing that this weekend, task #2.
Grab some salt and CYA to bring those up to where they should be. Task #3
Refurbish the secondhand set of steps I picked up from Facebook - $200 for 6ft x 3ft plastic steps - they'll need scrubbing, and some sandbags etc, task #4

I'm sure there'll be some extra items on the list before the weekend...

Whatever you use to weigh down the steps be sure it is completely sealed so they don’t become algae city. You also want something you can move easily as they may need to be moved & cleaned during the season & at the beginning & end of each season (think several smaller weights vs 1 big one)
They sell big jugs with handles that you can fill (step weights I believe they are called).
Many have used old bleach jugs (seal with tape before putting the lid on) or other jugs without vented caps, filled & sealed/capped pvc pipes, or simply actual weights- the ones that go on a barbell (plastic ones that are completely sealed).
I changed my bleach jugs out for actual weights last year- they are nice because they come in multiple sizes & I happened to already own extra ones. Can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner

 

[SJPoe]

Whatever you use to weigh down the steps be sure it is completely sealed so they don’t become algae city. You also want something you can move easily as they may need to be moved & cleaned during the season & at the beginning & end of each season (think several smaller weights vs 1 big one)
They sell big jugs with handles that you can fill (step weights I believe they are called).
Many have used old bleach jugs (seal with tape before putting the lid on) or other jugs without vented caps, filled & sealed/capped pvc pipes, or simply actual weights- the ones that go on a barbell (plastic ones that are completely sealed).
I changed my bleach jugs out for actual weights last year- they are nice because they come in multiple sizes & I happened to already own extra ones. Can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner

I have some of the jugs-with-handles - the original steps left by the previous owner are filled with sand, so they are next to impossible to get out of the pool once they are in (ask me how I know!!) so we use those for the hot-tub now. I was planning on making some custom PVC pipes filled with sand/gravel at some point during the summer to replace the jugs as a more permanent solution, but the plastic weight thing is a cool idea and probably cheaper.

 

[phonedave]

I have some of the jugs-with-handles - the original steps left by the previous owner are filled with sand, so they are next to impossible to get out of the pool once they are in (ask me how I know!!) so we use those for the hot-tub now. I was planning on making some custom PVC pipes filled with sand/gravel at some point during the summer to replace the jugs as a more permanent solution, but the plastic weight thing is a cool idea and probably cheaper.

Pea gravel is better than sand in case things leak.

If making sure things do not leak at all is an issue, you can go the other route. Make sure they leak a lot. My stair weights have split, but they still hold gravel. They now have enough circulation that they don't grow anything in them.