WOW What a learning experience... so far.

[Oly]

Home Depot has 10% HDX brand. Check the date code printed on box, year + julian date. Example 19275 is October 1, 2019.

 

[mknauss]

Cal hypo will cloud your water due to the calcium. It should clear in time.

 

[edif30]

Cal hypo will cloud your water due to the calcium. It should clear in time.

Thats odd. I mean it makes sense but last week when I added 5lbs it didn't even budge. Water stayed pristine clear. CYA was over 200 but... IDK if that has anything to do with it.

 

[edif30]

Home Depot has 10% HDX brand. Check the date code printed on box, year + julian date. Example 19275 is October 1, 2019.

I was going to ask... Bleach really has Julian dates on it?

 

[edif30]

Update on levels:

Previous:
FC: 23.6
CC: 1

Current:
FC: 17.5
CC: 1

I see dead algae for the first time since I can remember. In 2 years I have not seen it on the bottom of the pool. Pretty awesome.

Target FC was/is 20. According to Pool Math I need 7.8oz of 65% Cal-Hypo. I have 1 bag left so I will dilute half of that and pour. Getting some liquid chlorine from the store in a few hours and that will be used from here on out.

 

[JoeSelf]

If you go to Mantua hit up the pool store. My last 5 gal was still 12.5 or better 2 weeks ago. they keep it in the store. 2 1/2 7 5 gal.

Or try Budds, they treat it like its hazardous there. Plastic bags to return in.

I know the Leslies in Wash Twp keeps it inside too.

 

[mknauss]

I was going to ask... Bleach really has Julian dates on it?

Yes. It is the bottle date. Bleach degraded over time. The higher the concentration the faster it degrades.

 

[edif30]

Yes. It is the bottle date. Bleach degraded over time. The higher the concentration the faster it degrades.

This is quite the education.

 

[edif30]

If you go to Mantua hit up the pool store. My last 5 gal was still 12.5 or better 2 weeks ago. they keep it in the store. 2 1/2 7 5 gal.

Or try Budds, they treat it like its hazardous there. Plastic bags to return in.

I know the Leslies in Wash Twp keeps it inside too.

Thanks will check them out!

 

[edif30]

Update!

Last night:
FC: 21.5
CC: 0.5

This morning:
FC: 21.0
CC: 0
CYA: 30-35
PH: 7.2
TA: 130

Floor is clean! Saw 1 small spot of dead algae but I vac'd that up. Other than that. I'd say this pool is in great shape. FINALLY!

Time to close this SOB! Question... Do I let the FC come down a little bit before closing? If so, to what level? I read that when closing you should close at shock level? Also, I believe the only thing I need to do before the cover goes on is the Algaecide 60 or whatever the winterizing kit has in the bottle. Which is probably Algaecide. I will go out and check what is in it and update the post.

 

[ajw22]

How_To_Use_Polyquat_60_in_Pool_Winterization.3F

 

[edif30]

How_To_Use_Polyquat_60_in_Pool_Winterization.3F

Thank you for that link. I just read it. Now the question is, what in the heck is in this winterizing kit that I have here. I bought it about a month ago in prep before I started this journey because it is what I had always done. So, breaking that trend I want to make sure I have the right stuff. Problem is, the bottle and bag in this kit do not have any info on them as to what is the ingredients.

Is it safe to say the liquid is the polyquat? I also do not see a %.

On their website it says... "Contains winterizing powder and liquid winter stain out"

 

[ajw22]

If it does not say Polyquat it probably is not.

 

[edif30]

If it does not say Polyquat it probably is not.

It definitely doesn't. Soon as stores open, going on a Poly hunt! I guess I add this while filter is running for a couple of hours then close? Dosing instructions on bottle will probably say so but figured I'd ask.

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool - Trouble Free Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[edif30]

It's closed. FC 20, CYA 35-40, and Poly 60.

Man.. What a last three weeks! This site/forum is awesome and thank you to everyone that helped. I hope this thread can help others too.

I also didn't realize how much chlorine I was losing on a daily basis due to the sun. My yard gets DIRECT sun for about 6-7 hours a day. Today about an hour after sunrise and before the sun was beaming direct, the FC was 21. By 330pm it was 14. With CYA of 35-40. I gotta do some reading on here and come up with a method to ensure I stay in the safe zone next year.

Thanks again!!!

 

[kimkats]

Ed, I just read through this thread and have to say I really enjoyed it! You are awesome! It was so nice to see someone who was so quick to learn the ins and outs of great pool care. Well done everyone that helped him out and well done on him following directions and being willing to ask questions! I can't wait to see this pool when you open it. I hope you stick around and see if you can help others. In doing so you will learn even more! Pick some thread and just read them. That is the best way to learn new things!

Kim

 

[edif30]

Ed, I just read through this thread and have to say I really enjoyed it! You are awesome! It was so nice to see someone who was so quick to learn the ins and outs of great pool care. Well done everyone that helped him out and well done on him following directions and being willing to ask questions! I can't wait to see this pool when you open it. I hope you stick around and see if you can help others. In doing so you will learn even more! Pick some thread and just read them. That is the best way to learn new things!

Kim

Thanks Kim. I really appreciate that and very much appreciate all the help and information on this site. I plan on staying and being active because not only will I have this pool for at least 1 or 2 more years but we plan on doing an in ground and thats when I will be having A LOT more questions and fun . Lots to plan and lots to think about.

I didn't post a picture of it closed because I guess I forgot but here it is. I have no doubt this pool will open crystal clear and I was just telling my wife how stress free I will be knowing that opening the pool and taking care of it next year will not be such a burden.

Note the bricks holding the tarp. I have them now tied. It was just to hold it until I picked up more rope.

 

[kimkats]

Okay now we have to talk about that area behind your pool! That looks SO pretty! It is yours? Do you get to seem many critters back there? We have wet lands adjoining our back lot line. We get to see and hear all kinds of neat critters back there!

Kim

 

[edif30]

It's a township water runoff pond. All the properties have slopes which is great, no basement flooding! Might as well be mine though... I'm the only one who takes care of it. (Except this year as I didn't have time.) As much as I can . From Easter until the first freeze there is a fountain in it and its cool to see and pleasant on the ears. Also helps keep the water agitated so theres less mosquitos. We get frogs, blue herons, ducks, geese, theres fish in it (no fishing though), turtles, etc. Tons of critters and things to see. But if something happens to that fountain, you've got trouble. And below you will see why. As you can also imagine every bug and or air that flows near the pool carrying any bacteria or algae and if the conditions are right... BLOOM! My last home was the same way. Runoff pond and I was in the pine barrons in NJ. The amount of wild life at that home was unbelievable. You'd hear things all night long. I miss it sometimes.

So not only does direct sun hurt my pool in regards to chlorine consumption but that water is part of the problem. Don't get me wrong, its awesome. We love it. This year the fountain broke and the township didn't come out to fix it right away. It bloomed so much algae that you will be astonished to see. Check out the pics below.

This is what it looks like right now. Lots of brush I need to clean up so we can see the fountain again .



This is what it looked like a month ago as the fountain was clogged underneath and had a ton of junk in it.

 

[kimkats]

Neat!!! So who and how do they clean it?