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Seahunt

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Posts posted by Seahunt

  1. I suspect that your CH might be too low if the grout is dissolving. If you could post a full set of test results it would be helpful in figuring out what might be going on. Your CH of 150 wast definitely too low and probably part of the problems and even 250 ppm might be too low but we would need a full set of results to know.

    Also, are you chlorinating with trichlor or another form of chlorine?

    Where do you normally put the TA?

    The pool is closed now but I can tell you what I generally do. I use trichlor pucks until the CYA gets to around 60 then I switch to liquid chlorine. While using trichlor pucks the TA is up around 100 -120. From you guys I understand that the trichlor is acidic so it brings the PH down so the TA a little on the higher end is not bad. (I hope that is right)

    With liquid chlorine the TA was at about 60-70 because, again from you guys, I came to understand the PH would drift up a little. I use muritic acid to bring it down when it gets around 7.8.

    Here is the weird thing, the effluence is really bad when I take the cover off in the spring. The water is kept below the tile all winter to avoid cracking it. However, there is a pretty good amount of crystals on the tile. It was really bad last spring.

  2. I think you may have more than one issue going on in your pool. How often do you check pH and where does it usually fall?

    Your brother can work this tile just like kitchen tile (well, almost) and any of the old tile you can get clean enough is reusable.

    I check the PH at least a few times per month. it's usually around 7.7 and I lower it a little when it gets to 7.8.

  3. My pool tile is suffering from grout effluence. In the spring, when I uncover it, ther are large crystallized "drips" on the tile. I am able to remove them with muriatic acid. However, I am beginning to see gaps behind the tile where the grout is dissapearing. My understanding is this can not be stopped. In the last couple of years I have raised the Calium Hardness from about 150 to 250 in hopes of stopping the grout affluence. It is a plaster pool using chlorine (e.g, not a SWG). As one service tech told me, "they don't build pools like they used to." The pool is coming up to it's 10th year.

    My question is, my brother is really good with tile. Is there any reason we can't re-tile it or is pool tile a different animal then kitchen tile, for example? If we can do it, what recommendations for grout so this doesn't happen again? Can the old tile be re-used?

    Thanks.

  4. Without getting into the ammonia thing and keeping it simple, your CYA is too high. CYA helps keep chlorine from breaking down in sunlight but also reduces chlorine's effectiveness (double edged sword). Again, keeping it simple, FC should be about 10% of CYA (not less then 7.5%). Therefore, your FC needs to be about 10. Yes, that is a high chlorine amount. Unfortunately, the only way to reduce CYA is partial drain and refill. If you don't want to drain you can shock to kill the algae then keep a lower chorine level (maybe 6 or 7) but you will have to use a regular dose of algeacide.

    I recommend a partial drain and refill if possible. Either way, follow these instruction on getting rid of the algae:

    http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/defeating_algae

    As you will see by the above link, if you keep the CYA at the current level, the shock level to kill the algea is going to be around 40ppm.

    Oh, and switch today to regular uncented bleach or liquid chlorine. It does not add CYA which, ideally, should be around 50. You can go to http://www.poolcalculator.com/ to figure out how much liquid chorine to add to get to the correct levels. It can also show you what percentage of water to drain to get the CYA down. Good luck!

  5. Ya know, I'm wondering....when they were building my pool, 8 years ago, the deck guy was grading with a small bob cat. I heard him grousing about something and looked out and it looked like he had nicked the conduit or wires (black looking chords) that go to the light. He proceeded to fix it with duct tape. He was murmuring about "why don't these guys mark this stuff or bury it better." My pool was built by a bunch of independent contractors. At the time I didn't think much about it. However, with age I have started to realize how things like that can come back to bite you. Do you think this is related?

    Before opening the light, test the gfi to see if it works. Then check the switch. If those are OK, open the light junction box and test for power from the house and continuity to the light.

  6. I would say one out of 10 times that I turn the light on, it actually works. Thanks.

    The light is a sealed unit. It fits into a niche. It is held in the niche by one or more screws.

    You have to remove the screw that holds the sealed unit in the niche and bring the unit onto the deck.

    The sealed light fixture will have a power cord wrapped around it. The power cord should be long enough to bring the fixture up to the deck.

    Once you have the light on the deck, you can open the unit and inspect the bulb.

    Intermittent operation is usually the result of overheating. The light contains a thermal safety switch that turns the light off if it begins to overheat.

    Sometimes you can change to a lower wattage bulb that will operate with less heat. However, most of the time the light will have to be replaced.

    Can you be more specific about what you mean by works occasionally? Does it turn on for a while, then turn off, and then turn on again?

    You should replace the rubber seal when you reseal the unit.

  7. I have an 8 year old Whisperflo (1hp) that is making a little more noise then usual. I had a pool company (Leslie's) come out and look at it. He said if it is pumping fine (which it is) and is not leaking water (seal is bad) to let it go. He said the Whisperflo pump shaft often warps as they age. This is the reason for a little more noise. I'm just providing you the info I got for my $90 service call (new pump would have been $750 installed).

    Good luck!

  8. To reach the impellor on my Whisperflow I remove the lid and the strainer basket. Then reach your hand in toward the pump and you will hit the impellor. Mine has been so clogged it has pretty much reduced the pressure to zero. I now regularly reach my hand in and remove anything from the impellor. I also shoot the hose in to get anything I can't get with my hand. Having said that, if it is automatically shutting off, there may be something else going on. How old is the pump?

  9. I think that is your best bet. I add liquid chorine over the winter and stir by hand as the pump is winterized. Hopefully, it will make clean-up when the pump gets going a little easier. Good luck!

    We are waiting on parts for our 20x40 inground pool pump motor. It has been 7 days (we tried one part without luck and have ordered more) and will be another 2-3 days. Is there anything I can do beside sit back and watch the water turn green? I added a case of liquid shock this morning and stir/swept with the broom, but without turning the water over by filter, is there anything else I can do chemically to buy a few more days?

  10. Thanks. It turns out the directions that came with it were very vague and only said "Don't Overtighten." I finally found them on the side of the unit itself and it said to tighten 1-1.5 turns after hand tighening. Turns out it was not tight enough.

    Follow the directions and use the teflon tape that comes with it. It says to put 4 wraps of tape on the threads, wrapping in the direction that the threads go. You will be able to tighten them in until the fitting is flush with the chlorinator body. :D

  11. I am thinking about getting a new pump (22k gal inground plaster). I have an 8 year old Whisperflo and it is starting to make some noise. I would like a quiet one and some have said the efficiency of a new one over the 8 year old Whisperflo (1hp) could pay for itself in 2 years. Several have recommended the Intelliflo. However, they state:

    "So I recommend that you work with a local, well informed, service professional to get you the appropriate pump and controller configuration as well as properly set up the pump so that you are not flowing too much water (unsafe and inefficient)."

    My questions are:

    What do you think of the Intelliflo to replace the Whisperflow?

    How do you find a good service company? I have not been impressed with the pool builder I used or the couple of pool service companies I have worked with. I live in Annapolis Maryland.

    Thanks as always!

  12. You can try a couple different configurations (e.g., an X or Grid pattern). See below:

    http://www.ehow.com/how_2188801_keep-birds-out-swimming-pools.html

    Also, you could also tie streamers to the line. Another good source is to search google for keeping birds of boats. They have all kinds of ideas and products as it is a common problem.

    Good luck!

    Might be worth a try...I would think they would just sit on the wires above the pool though?...

  13. Could it be yellow or mustard algae?

    my steps get an orange-ish stain on them and the pool store sells me a small $30 bottle of hot tub salt which i put in a sock and rub the stain and it

    works great but disolves fast. and stain keeps coming back. does anyone have any clue what is causing it?

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