polyvue
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Posts posted by polyvue
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Hello:
I was wondering what the builders are putting in new salt water pools? I have to replace a chlorine generator system, and want to buy a good one that a lot of people are using. One that pool builders know are good systems.
Thanks,
Mauiwh
Welcome to the forum.
If you're limiting responses to builders, those in the Northern hemisphere are likely to be crazy-busy right now, so it may take a while to get more than one or two to respond to your post.
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We have a new pool (less than 6 months old) and the original (traditional white) plaster had many cracks in it with a sizable crack that ended up being patched with no success. It patched the crack, but left a discolored circle where the patch was - ugly. After three visits from their diver to fix the cracks and an unsuccessful attempt at patching it after draining, we ended up getting it re-plastered (their call, not ours). We opted for the River Rok pebble finish and I can see cracks in it too. We like the way it looks overall, but it doesn't look like the sample we picked. The good news is, the water is at least close to what we wanted.
So, my questions are:
1. Are cracks in new plaster normal?
2. Are cracks in the pebble-type finishes normal?
3. We are supposed to pay for the upgrade ($2K) and want to hold out costs for 2 start-ups and 2 fill-ups of the pool. Is this acceptable practice?
4. How do you know if they even installed what you thought?
5. I have had to clean my filter cartridges every 5-7 days. Several of the bands have broken (I have cleaned them according to the Pentair manual) What is the normal life expectancy of the cartridges and how often should I be cleaning them?
Welcome to the forum. Sorry you've had troubles with your pool build.
I'm a pool owner, not a builder or contractor, but I don't believe new marcite should have cracks in it. Plastering is both an art and a science and there may be any number of reasons for plaster failure, often involving weather/environment and/or installation/materials/skill issues. Material and labor costs for pebble finishes exceed that of regular plaster so the $2K may be justified. Unless you've been in the business or have read up on each of the trades, you're never going to fully know if the contractors performed exactly as they should have. If you specified the equipment (brand names, capacities, model numbers) in your contract you should be able to determine whether these items were indeed installed. Go look at the manufacturing labels (on the filter, pump(s), heaters etc) and create a notebook of specifications to compare to your builder's list of equipment.
RE: filter cleaning. Need more information. How big is your pool? Is the water clear? What model of Pentair filter? Don't worry about the bands breaking... Why are you cleaning it so frequently? What is the normal pressure reading (PSI) at the filter? Unless you're fighting an algae outbreak with an undersized filter, you shouldn't have to clean it that often. (I clean mine once a year... but nevermind.)
This should get the conversation started.
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When my pool was built they pressure tested the system for 36 hours at 50 PSI -- just the pipes from the equipment pad to the capped-off suctions and returns at pool and spa. After inspection, they back-filled the runs and started installing the equipment.
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Hi Folks,
I did change my sand on my Jazuci Model #192 pool pump. However it seems to run at good pressure for an hour then to a lower pressure. After a quick backwash it goes back up to a great pressure again.
My guage is reading around 20, but I don't think its working properly. I will buy a new one tomorrow.
You'll want to determine a baseline reading so you know when to backwash. If you suspect the gauge is faulty, replacing it is a good first move. When the pump is off it should read zero (0) PSI (or bar). How long ago did you change the sand?
In another thread you spoke of having a green pool. If you're fighting algae you may need to backwash frequently. But don't backwash too frequently; wait for 8 or 10 lbs of pressure increase as determined by the gauge.
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Hi Folks,
I have a green pool. I've been circulating the water for an hour or so and the ph is approx 8 (I only have the strips, I couldn't find the better kits today). My pool is 24 feet round above ground - 52 inches high. I purchased Ultra Bleach (6%) to do the shocking. How much do I use and how do I moniter it after the fact? At what levels do I add more?
Any help is appreciated!
Welcome to the forum.
Assuming the most common cause for a green pool (algae), you will want to begin treating it right away. Before you start, lower the pH with muriatic acid. Use care when applying, it has a rather unpleasant smell and should be poured slowly in the pool in front of a return with the filter/pump operating. Good test kits are hard or impossible to find in pool stores. Your best bet is to procure one via an on-line vendor. The Taylor K-2006 is available for less than $60 at the following web sites:
Amatoind.com
PoolCenter.com
Spspools-spas.com
Lincolnaquatics.com
To determine how much bleach you'll need to add, you must know the level of CYA (aka cyanuric acid or stabilizer) present in the pool water. The kit mentioned above will give you an accurate measurement of CYA. Refer to the Best Guess CYA chart to determine shock level. With the pump running 24/7 add as much bleach as needed to achieve shock level and maintain this level until there is less than 1 PPM Free Chlorine lost from dusk to dawn. This requires frequent testing and repeated applications of liquid chlorine or bleach. I use the Pool Calculator to calculate how much of a particular chemical to add. Post back with any questions... there are many folks here capable of helping you through this.
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I am sorry for hijacking this thread but I have a vinyl liner pool and my dealer tests my water and recommends that I add Calcium Chloride when they test my water and see that it is low. I have a partial bag in my garage today. The reason I am told is that it increases the life of the liner. I don't know how I can test it myself but have wondered why test kits don't include it. I use a liquid 5 drop PH and Chlorine test kit today.
Having sufficient calcium ions in pool water is of utmost importance for marcite (gunite/plaster) pool surfaces as well as pools with tile and grout exposure to prevent leaching of calcium from the substrate. My understanding is that manufacturers of fiberglass pools also recommend a specific calcium hardness level to protect the gel coating. There may be discussions on this forum that address calcium levels in vinyl pools. Here's a thread from 2006 that touches on this topic: Low calcium levels, plasticizers in vinyl liners, leaching cobalt from fiberglass?
I've had numerous pool test kits, including 2, 3 and 4-way drop kits but if you perform your own testing I'd recommend the Taylor K-2006 Complete (FAS-DPD Chlorine). Pool stores don't usually stock it but it can be had for less than $60 through a number of on-line purveyors. It measures pH; Free, Combined & Total Chlorine from .2 PPM to 50 PPM; Total Alkalinity; Calcium Hardness; and Cyanuric Acid (CYA).
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really need a power vac as some of the pools I do has poor suction and takes me forever to vac. any suggestions?
Many thanks.
Are you looking for a robot cleaner, Gavin? There are also pressure-side cleaners (that work best with a dedicated supply line and booster pump) that work with the normal pump/filter cycle. The robots are independent, requiring only an electrical connection and someone to drop them into the water and retreive them to clean the debris trap.
This page contains a list of various types of automated cleaners.
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I'm sorry, I'm having trouble understanding. You're recommending the Polaris 380, right?
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Hello. I just got my water tested and it came back saying I need to put 27Lbs of Calcium hardness increaser. They bag they sell is almost $50..... Is there an alternative that is as effective but cheaper outside of the pool store? My PH is 7.8 and I have a salt system....but it does not seem to me that there is nearly enough chlorine in the pool which the test showed. .1ppm..... I recently (4 Months ago) completely cleaned the plate in the saltinator.... All the lights are green.... Help!!! I appreciate any advice someone may have. Thank you.
Hello Gatorman, welcome to the forum.
If you have only a tenth of one part per million Total Chlorine in your pool, then effectively you have NO chlorine. Could you post the rest of the test result numbers?
pH 7.8
FC
CC
TC .1 ppm
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Hardness increaser is predominantly Calcium Chloride but there are various kinds. Sometimes you can get a better price on-line than in your local pool store. What was the Calcium hardness test result? If you have an above-ground pool or an in-ground pool with vinyl liner, you shouldn't need to add calcium.
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I was wondering what the best way to test salt level in the pool was. My Circupool system does a salt test and comes back with 3100-3300 range. At the pool stores 1 place uses an electrical meter and it is around 3000 and another store uses the strips and it reads 2100. Any help?
I think I would trust the results of the store that used a calibrated TDS/Salt meter over a store that relys on test strips. For a recent discussion on this topic, see the following thread: Testing Salt
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OK. My wife and I purchased a Intex Easy Set Pool (Round 18x48) about 3 summers ago. I set the pool up two summers in a row and fought the green water gremlin both years. We were using the shock, clorine, kick and cuss method to TRY and keep the water clear. Kicking and cussing seemed to work just as good as the clorine. So we put the pool up after the second year and I said I would never get it out again. But this year my wife and kids gave the puppy dog eyes and we are looking at putting the pool back up. We put air in the ring yesterday to see if it would still hold air and as much as I was hoping it would have a hole in it, it didn't. So now to my question. Is the shock/clorine the way to go or should I try something else. My wife's father had a pool a few years ago and swears that Baquacil was the way to go. I am also hearing alot about the saltwater systems. I would like to get everyones opinion on which way is the most economical, troublefree, and easiest to maintain. Any help is greatly appreciated. Because if the water turned green this year I am going to make sure it cannot EVER go up again.
Chlorine is still the way to go but there's an art to making sure a temporary pool stays green-free. It basically entails buying and using a good test kit (Taylor K-2006, available via several on-line vendors, including Amatoind.com, for less than $50) and the regular application of chlorine -- 6% bleach works just fine. For an overview of best practices, see the Guide for Seasonal Pools.
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I have an inground swimming pool that is roughly 10 years old. The pool is roughly 25,000 gallons and we have a 2HP pump and 60SF DE filter. The filter has begun leaking at the top of the tank and appears to have some cracks in the top and am ready to replace it. I have been reading about DE versus cartridge filters and am seriously considering using a 425SF cartridge filter instead of my DE filter. Is this an acceptable solution recognizing that the filtration particle size is going from 5 microns on the DE to 10'ish on the cartridge filter? Also, any recommendations on top brands would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Derrick
I suppose you'll receive various answers to this question since most pool owners like the equipment they own. I'm no different and will recommend the Hayward SwimClear C4025 (or better yet, the C5025). I've read posts from DE filter owners that decry consideration of cartridge media, saying that they won't keep the pool clean, but I've never had issues with performance. If you use an automated cleaner, net the pool reasonably often and change the filter/pump baskets, you may find that the cartridges only need cleaning every 3 to 6 months. I clean mine once a year and even then, they don't appear very dirty. No pressure rise, either. I have no complaint about the clarity of the water but I haven't directly compared my pool to others that use a DE filter. In general, install right-size pumps (not too large) and oversize filters.
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The angle cut goes up. The straw is to eliminate an air bubble in the strainer cover.
Interesting. Is this an aftermarket product? When I surveyed a selection of Hayward IG pumps none of them had any sort of mechanism to remove or reduce air bubbles -- my Tristar pump, included. Once the pump is primed, the air bubbles disperse.
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Bioguard Pool Magnet is a sequestrant (google to the rescue!); worthwhile if you have metals in the water, a waste of money otherwise.
Why are they saying to add more Balance Pak 100? That's an alkalinity increaser, has nothing to do with FC. (Incidentally, BP100 is chemically equal to baking soda.)
Clearly you DO need to shock, because you have no FC but you do have elevated CC. Burnout is cal-hypo; if we can trust the pool-store test results, you have some headroom on your hardness so it's okay to keep using that for a while, but ultimately you'd need to switch to liquid chlorine (aka bleach).
--paulr
Thanks Paul...I am adding Balance Pak 100 because total akalinity is low. In fact I just had water tested again this morning and need to add 10 lbs more of Balance Pak 100 ( added 8 lbs Balance Pak 100 yesterday) as the tot akalinity today is 123, Adj. Tot Alk is 78, CYA is 151, Tot Cholorine is 1.4, FREE Chlorine is still 0, PH is 7.3
I was told to add 4 lbs of BioGuard's Super Soluble (FAST Dissolving Di-Chloro Granules ( 97% active ingredients!)Was told that this is better and will take care of the free chlorine.
I have been using the Bioguard Pool Magnet (upon pool opening)for the past six years. Was reccommended because I have large boulder waterfall as part of the pool (this helps take out the metals in the water and has been very effective).
If your CYA is significantly over 80 PPM it's usually advisable to drain some of the pool water.
Dichlor will add to your already over-abundant CYA and make it nearly impossible to effectively shock the water. The Total Alkalinity (TA) is high enough and would not recommend additional dosing with Balance Pak (sodium bicarbonate).
Clearly you DO need to shock, because you have no FC but you do have elevated CC.
I'm in total agreement with Paul.
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I bought the pump on sale a couple of years ago. I actually got the 2 HP pump at the advice of a pool store employee. maybe they needed to get rid of some inventory or something...
is it possible that the pump is too big for my pool? I have your typical 70's style rectangle pool. main drain, skimmer and 2 jets on opposite ends of the pool. I changed the sand in the filter 3 years ago. other than that I had to replace some parts in the valve.
You mentioned that the pool was build in 1970s... what size (approx. inside diameter) is the PVC pipe that connects the pump to the filter? 1.5" 2.0" 2.5" etc ?
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Hi I have a Hayward pump that has a straw in it. I guess to cut down on the bubble problem these strainers have. Just not sure what way up it should be?
Could you post a picture? I've never heard of a pump straw... don't suppose you mean the filter's air relief tube?
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I've worked hard since opening the pool June 1st to get my pool water balanced (ph, total chlorine, alkalinity all good, metals out and filters degreased, washed etc., algaecide in (non copper)) but I've noticed a slight cloudiness that lasted all day-I had recently added 7.5 lbs.of baking soda to raise my alkalinity. Unfortunately it started raining mid afternoon so checking clarity b4 sundown was difficult. I'm leaving home for 4 days tomorrow at 4 am. So I've decided to leave the filtration pump running continuously and set my salt chlorinator to run for 5 hrs. per day. Assuming my Polaris Auto Clear Plus system is all good and salt levels good (they are), is this sufficient for four days. Should I ask my housesitter to add an amount of muriatic acid? I sound like a nervous nelly, but 2 years ago when the pool was new I made some $$$$ mistakes. Oh yeah, I'm a newbie here. Thanks in advance for your help.
Well, since you're probably already gone now, I'll make this short. Please indicate what type of pool you have (in-ground or above-ground, vinyl, fiberglass, plaster, pebbletec) and the test results for
Free Chlorine FC
Combined Chlorine CC
Total Chlorine TC
Total Alkalinity TA
Calcium Hardness CH
Cyanuric Acid CYA (aka stabilizer)
Salt
If the levels are reasonably within range, not much can happen in 4 days that will prove costly.
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For the home pool owner I would recommend the AquaChek strips based on cost, reliability, simplicity, and precision. It's what I use in my own pool (and I do have a meter and a Taylor titration test also!)
Unfortunately, and for reasons that remain unresolved (but not unexplored), AquaChek salt test strips do not invariably produce accurate results. I found this out last summer when the strips consistently reported 800-1000 ppm higher than my Goldline controller. This saga was related on a pool web site that I don't wish to reference here. I don't claim that the AquaChek titrators aren't viable for most people, most of the time (they worked for me, too, during the first year of pool use), only that they're not fool proof. The results of the Taylor drop test, however, seem right on the money and I would assert that the end-point determination is no more challenging than that of the Calcium Hardness titration, especially when using a 10 mL sample -- the salmon color comes on strongly and quickly. Since the Taylor K-1766 drop test can be had for less than $20 (PoolWeb, excluding shipping) it's certainly within reach of the typical pool owner.
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I am new to this forum. I opened my 6 year old hydrazzo finish, DE filter, 24,000 gallon pool on may 26, 2010 Removed solid cover & water was little cloudy and slight green with some leaves on bottom (alot of trees around property. I cleaned pool and put in the usual pool magnet 2 bottles...waited two days then had water tested by my pool builder..readings were CYA 93, Total chlorine 1.3, free chlorine 0, ph 8, tot alk 192, adj tot alk 164, tot hardness 215. They had me add 5.75 lbs of Lo n slo, wait 30 minutes then add 3 bags of Burn-out extreme at night and initial dose of 32oz of algaecide all-60. Had water tested on June 7, 2010 by pool builder...readings were CYA 98, tot chlorine 1.5, free chlorine 0, ph 7.8 tot alk 127, adj tot alk 98 tot hardness 230. They had me add 10.5 lbs of balance pak 100...wait 30 minutes then add 4 bags of burn-out extreme at night and the weekly dose of 10-12 oz of the all-60 algaecide. Had the water tested today, June 10, 2010 and the readings were: CYA 86, tot chlorine 3.6, FREE CHLORINE 0, ph 7.4, tot alk 94,adj tot alk 68, tot hardness 247. Pool company told me to add 8 lbs of Balance Pak 100 and have the water tested again on Sunday, June 13th and to NOT SHOCK until tested. Pool Company said that everybody is having problems with free chlorine this season probably due to the extreme weather changes we have been getting the past month (cold than very hot, then cold then very hot). Any suggestions? Is it safe for kids to swim in the meantime?? Thanks for your help! P.S. I have been running the filter 24 hours a day 7 days a week since pool was opened on May 26th.
That's some history. You've added lots of product into the pool and still ended up with zero chlorine? If your CYA is significantly over 80 PPM it's usually advisable to drain some of the pool water. One reason for this is that it takes a LOT of chlorine just to maintain sanitation/oxidation when the CYA (aka cyanuric acid, stabilizer, conditioner) is that high. See Best Guess CYA chart
I don't know what "pool magnet" is but I suspect it might contain copper. This can be very problematic if/when your pH level varies and you've added chlorine to shock (it can fall out of solution and stain your pool surfaces). May I recommend that you buy and use a good test kit (e.g. Taylor K-2006 or equivalent) and then retire your pool company? Maybe their customers are having problems with maintaining Free Chlorine levels but I assure you that many thousands of other pool owners have no such issues -- in any sort of weather.
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Yes, 1 PPM Free Chlorine is not even close to being a maintenance level when you have a CYA of ~150 PPM. See Best Guess CYA chart
So, after you've followed PaulR's good advice on draining half of the water to reduce CYA and then refilled, ramp up the chlorine - using 6% bleach or 10-12% liquid chlorine - as per the Best Guess chart (linked above) to shock the pool until there is less than a 1 ppm drop in Free Chlorine (FC) from dusk to dawn. At that point, set your SWG to ensure that the minimum chlorine level is held. Target a Free Chlorine level of 5% or more of CYA. (If your CYA = 75 ppm, you may want to aim for 4 PPM FC)
Lastly, don't worry about phospates. Pools have varying amounts; keep your chlorine level good and algae won't have any opportunity to take advantage of them.
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This is my first year with a inground pool. We bought the house this spring, the cover was still on and had ripped resulting in very dark green water. Once I finally got the filter/pump working the way it should, the water turned blue within a couple days. It's now been 5 days and the water is still blue but I cannot see the bottom. I've been running the filter non-stop, and shocking continuously to try and keep the free chlorine up. PH and alkalinity are at normal levels.
My question is, is this a normal time to clear up a pool? It does seem to be getter a little clearer every day, but with the quick turnaround from green to blue, I guess I expected the clearing process to be much quicker. I'm coming from the above ground world, so I'm used to opening the thing up and swimming in a few days.
Someone told me that I should shut off the filter for a while to let the sediment fall to the bottom and then vacuum. Someone else told me to use a floculant. I'm a little confused at this point, and don't want to waste the money if I'm just simply not being patient. If it's still not clear in a couple days, I guess I'll take a sample to the store and let them try to take my money.
Often the key to clearing a pool is having a sufficient amount of chlorine combined with nearly constant filtering. What are you using to shock the water? Though you're better off doing your own testing (recommended kit: Taylor K-2006) you could also have the pool store provide test results -- but best not to buy anything or put chems into the pool until you're able to diagnose the problem. If you've used chlorine compounds in the past the water may have a high level of cyanuric acid (CYA). The higher the CYA, the more chlorine you have to use to acheive good results. See the Best Guess CYA chart.
If you're fighting algae and don't raise the chlorine high enough (and keep it there) it will just keep coming back. For more specific advice, post back with specific test results.
pH
Free Chlorine (FC)
Combined Chlorine (CC)
Total Chlorine (TC)
Total Alkalinity (TA)
Calcium Hardness (CH)
Cyanuric Acid (CYA)
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Good luck with your new setup. Hope you can stick around to provide advice to other Intex pool owners.
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Newbie, here. I have 18'x48" round above ground. Filled the pool last fall 16" of water and did nothing to it. This spring we had 1500 gal. roughly or topped it up. Netted and large material, pumped the rest through a bed sheet filter to get any smaller material. Added a 1L bottle to make material to clump up at the bottom of pool. Pump more through sheet and ran cartridge filter. Found the filters filling with grey like sludge very slimy. White particals floating and then settle to the bottom. This material looks like brown dust when pushed around and clouds water instantly. Then resettles, I've got 6 cartridges that i have been trading and washing running them for 3 to 4 hours at a time. This dust like material is very hard to vac because it stirs it up so easily. We have done this vac many times what is this material can i get rid of it by adding chemicals? Oh i purchased a salt water conditioner added salt but have not run it much. Used test strips and the ph seems fine akly. seems fine and cloreen is fine. Also used test in 2 small villes seemed good.Could someone give me an idea, thanks.
What's the source of your fill water? I suppose you could take a sample to a pool store for a metals test to see if it is iron, but it is more likely dead or dying algae. Recommend posting full test results (Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Total Alkalkinity, CYA (conditioner) and Calcium Hardness) for further diagnosis. What product are you using to chlorinate the pool?
Low Flow - Aquapure 1400
in All Swimming Pools Types
Posted
SWGs are not great at shocking the pool. You'll have much more success using liquid chlorine or 6% bleach. How much CYA (cyanuric acid, stablizer) is in the water?
Others more familiar with the variable speed eFlow pump may be able to assist you in tweaking it so that you can avoid the low-flow condition.