Pool Maintenance

Depending on how green it is. If you can still see the bottom then you might get away with shocking it once. Long term you will struggle more with it. If you cant see the bottom, then just drain it.

 

Agree...then add algaecide and clean filters add some fresh water it should clear up

 

If only there was a p

And what if it is a vinyl lined pool, you can't exactly drain them or what if it is a gunite where the water table is high you risk popping the entire pool out of the ground, also Sand filters and DE filters need to be cleaned significantly more often than every 6 months.

 

I have a gunite pool and the water table is extremely high here. I have drained my pool to have it re plastered and also had to drain it when the pump failed and was down for a week. My neighbor did tell me that my pool popped out at one time when it was drained before i lived there.

Yes I was being generic. Those specifics could be answered as needed. Still stand by my advice above.

 

Who was the beeber who was our resident “pool guy” some time ago?

 

just moved into a house a few months ago with a pool. PO had converted to salt, and pebbletech. It's got a sand filter. Still learning the ins and outs and ordered a testing kit. Took a sample to a local store (Leslie's, might be a big chain from what I gather) and picked up a bunch of stuff they recommended to get things where they need to be. Hoping that once I get things in order that maintenance will be easier. The only thing left to do now (did most of the stuff the past few days) is to get the Phosphates down and things should be good. Bought a longer hose and a vacuum sweep for manual cleaning (has a polaris sweeper thing already).

No heater, but might look into adding one, the wife (and daughter) would like to use it sooner rather than later (we are in GA).

 

Leslies is trash, they will sell you a lot of stuff you don't need, and don't get me started on their installations. PM me with questions, I own www.aquastaclean.com

 

Troublefreepool.com is your best friend if you own a pool.

 

This guy gets it

 

I wish you lived closer. I need a new liner. Had one done in 2013 for about $4k. Same company just quoted me $9k. 16x32 Roman with vinyl steps.

 

pool liners = lumber

right now

 

err since basically march of last year. Pool Liner guy was like min 6 months for one and that was May/June last year..

 

Walmart/home depot are my choice for chemicals...its seasonal but they typically sell everything you need. Home depot sells muriatic acid. Just make sure you pick up some extra to get you through the winter because wally world doesn't sell them after fall.

We have pool store here called Pretty Pools...they are very nice folks. I take my water sample to be analyzed and I have gotten 5 stars across the board with my salt pool. Once you get the hang of it you can tell when the balance isn't right by looking at the water.

 

Walmart has historically been my go to, but last year they put a limit (during Covid) on bleach purchases (one per person). Actually found a really good deal on liquid shock at Leslies so stocked up (12.5%).

For anyone interested, you really need to learn how to test your water to "master" your pool - this kit has everything you need.

 

I kinda prefer the chlorine tabs versus the liquid. I stock up on those because you can throw them in the skimmers.

I used to use the kit before the pool store moved in down the street with the fancy high tech analysis machine. But agree use the kit and get it down so you know what good pool water looks like.

 

The issue with using the tabs is that they're either trichlor or dichlor, which introduces too much CYA into your water (and makes it so you need crazy high levels of chlorine in order to have enough free chlorine to do the job).

I'll use them at the start of the year to do double duty of both getting chlorine and CYA into my water, but once I've reached the 30-50 sweet spot it's only liquid chlorine.

 

Of course my pool is salt so I only use them in the winter months but I've never had the cya go up above 70. My pool professional recommended me to stay around 70 but I keep it between 50 and 70.

 

They probably drilled though the gunnite on the pool floor to keep it from floating. That's what they did with mine, as I live adjacent to a large river. Still no water came up through the holes; water table around here is all over the map due to bedrock.

Yep. Plus its bad practice to put tabs in the skimmer basket. You are pushing high release fractions through your pipes and filter. Chlorine is a hugely reactive ion and it eats things up. You want to use as little as possible while still functionally sanitizing. My issue with needing copper concerns cultured rock along half the ring of the pool. That surface will grow algae unless very high CL levels are maintained (like 10 ppm), and I don't want that. Not with a brand new gemstone surface, and plastic bits that cost more than motorcycle parts.

 

I kept my commercial account open at Superior Pool Supply after I got rid of my pool cleaning business 20 years ago. I buy supplies for family and friends, and of course myself to keep the account active.

I add Chlorine conditioner after I clean the filters. This helps extend the life of the chlorine. There is a stick test you can buy to test your conditioner levels. If you are blowing through chlorine you might want to check that.

I use a combination of tabs and liquid. I can pretty much get by on tabs in the winter. A tab floater, an inline tab feeder, then occasionally I will put broken up pieces of a tab in the skimmer if I need a boost. The tabs have a little conditioner and acid in them, but you still need to monitor your PH levels with liquid acid also.