paulsimmons

Hi Squeekers, I'm sorry you are having troubles with your pool pump. Your current pump lid might need to be tightened to help with the suction. Possibly the pump has a closed face impeller or debris has clogged the impeller. It could also need a new o-ring or to be cleaned. Your pump could also just be old and worn out. In this case, there are good inexpensive pumps out there from brands like Hayward and Clear-Tek. I understand that it would be a bit frustrating to not have a pool supply store in town. Doheny's Water Warehouse has an 800 number you can call to speak with someone for more information on the best pool pumps for your pool and budget. Here is their Toll free # 1.866-364-3697 Hope this helps!

If you give it a try I'd be interested to hear about the results. Sounds like it might be a bit more of a pain than it's worth (wonder how it might interact with a sand filter). Curious though!

Hey Lisaa, There are a variety of items that are often used in pool maintenance. Here are a few of the common ones with links to related products or resources: Pool Brush: You'll likely need some sort of brush similar to the pool brushes found here for scrubbing the sides, steps, and bottom of your pool. Pool Cover: It's often a good idea to purchase a pool cover of some kind if you don't already have one. This will help keep out debris as well as keep chemicals from evaporating. A few common types are solar covers, winter covers, or leaf nets. Pool Chemicals: A wide variety of pool chemicals are available to help keep your water balanced and in tip-top shape. What chemicals you need will depend on where your current water balance stands and what system you are using for filtration. There is a thread about pool maintenance articles here with some helpful information on where to get good resources. Pool Vacuum: In order to effectively clean debris out of your pool you'll probably need a vacuum hose and vacuum head. Again what you get will depend on what type of pool you have. Leaf Skimmer Net/Basket: This is an attachment to the common pool handle or rod you need to get. Pool rods are used with your vacuum, skimmer net, and other items you might have Leaf Vacuum: Leaf vacs are used to remove leaves and other debris from the bottom of your pool. If you have a pool surrounded by trees or plants of some kind that lose their leaves, these can be a god send. I'd highly recommend a leaf cover as well if that's your situation. Automatic Pool Cleaner: OK it's not a necessity, but a lot of people like having a robotic pool cleaner. There are a variety of types available for both above ground and in ground pool cleaners. There some more information here about the different types. I hope that helps get you started! If you poke around on this forum and some of the other pool help forums I'm sure you'll get all the info you need. Enjoy the pool!

I agree with chem geek - those resources have proven to be pretty solid. I've also seen various resources at some of the online pool stores that have some decent information as well. I say Google is your friend!

actually, the link you posted is not very useful for the OP since there are no biguanide/peroxide test kits listed. I should have clarified - the link was a suggestion if Donnak takes your advice. It's where I grabbed a tester from awhile ago.

For what it's worth, I'd recommend getting a bit of a better water tester as well. I've found the strips to be rather...odd...in their readings at time and think investing in a good kit is worth the expense. Good Luck!

Most copper algaecides are known as "3 month algaecide" since they are applied every three months since it takes that long for enough of the chelated copper to stain out and need reaaplication. With continued use copper levels can rise if the copper has not stained out. If the copper is not testing in the water after 3 months then it has stained out somewhere since copper does not go away. If the pH rises the chance of staining becomes greater. If the pH drops any copper staining in the plumbing and pool could redissolve and, if the copper based product has been used for any length of time, could cause very high copper levels in the water (which just about assures that there will be either staining of the pool or of the swimmers). If you or anyone in your family is blond or has chemically processed hair (color, perm, relaxer, etc.) I would be VERY cautious about using copper based products. Copper is what causes green hair. IMHO, there are better alternative than playing "copper roulette". If you are having problems with algae blooms (as you stated) then I am going to make a few educated guesses. You chlorinate with trichlor or dichlor and you do not test CYA (and it is way too high), or you use an unstabilized chlorine, do not test CYA and it is too low, and/or you do not maintain your FC level properly and let it fluctuate and drop too low at times so algae can bloom. You probably do not shock to a high enough level to kill the nascent bloom that is always there. (A bag of "shock" and no testing of FC levels, right?) If CYA is in the proper range for your climate, FC is maintained at the proper level for your CYA, and you are keeping tabs on your water (testing it AT LEAST once a week) then you will not (I repeat, will not) have algae blooms. IF you need a bit of extra insurance then either borates to 50 ppm or polyquat are MUCH better alternatives to copper. Actually it all starts with a good test kit. If you do not have a Taylor K-2006. K-2005, LaMotte 7022 or an equivalent kit (strips and the 4 way kit from Ace hardware are not even close) then you need to get yourself a decent test kit so you know what the water needs, how much it needs, and how often it needs it. Great info for me thank you!

I'm in Canada and we see our fair share of ver cold temps. My suggestion would be up the temperature of the water for a few days to make it through the snap. I have mine set to filter for two hours twice a day and to heat during that period. It has worked well for our climate (having said that I just posted with a problem in that the tub won't turn on due to an ice condition. That certainly shouldn't be a problem for your area. We see temps in the -30C range!). This might seem obvious, but don't heat your pool water too much. Heated/closer to boiling water freezes faster than lower temp water. We had some cold days like that as well and I just kept the water moving and wrapped an exposed pump parts with some blankets/insulation I had around. Got through a couple of weeks without issues. Good luck!

I would drain the spa and start with fresh water then start with the floater on a low setting and adjust accordingly. With the floating dispenser, you should be able to maintain a very consistent bromine level even when the spa is not in use.

I don’t know about the advice that you can never drain the pool, not positive on your location in the country, however, people drain their pools all the time to clean/paint/repair. You do want to make sure your water table is low when you drain a pool, you do not want to drain it when there is a lot of hydrostatic pressure, so wait until it has been dry and no snow melt. You also want to fill it back up right away after draining. So my advice to get rid of the sulphur smell is to drain and re-fill with your Culligan filter (if that kind of volume will go through it relatively quickly (or) have water trucked in. As far as heat pump..... Heat pumps will heat the pool/spa water just fine, however, like you said not as quickly as a gas heater. Another fact about heat pumps is the colder the outside air is, the less efficient the heat pump becomes. I've heard positive things about this hayward heat pump if you do go that route.

Sounds like Hillbilly has you on the right track - just wanted to throw in my two-cents that I've had great luck with bromine in my tub. Good luck with the problem!

That source recommends adding copper, which can cause serious stains. I recommend that copper not be used. Have you had trouble with copper algaecide staining? I used it in my pool to deal with swampy green algae when I first got it (after nothing else worked) and didn't have any issues with staining. Curious to hear about your experiences... I have had enough experience with enough pools (more than I could possibly count) to tell you that copper stains. Period. It might not do it with just one application to any noticable degree but with continued use it will stain pools, hair, and nails. I used it intensely for 3 months and have used it to manage algae (as it tends to want to grow like crazy where I live) since (over a year) without any issues. I will definitely be keeping an eye on it though, thanks.

Checking readings for Bromine, pH, and alkalinity is usually all that is required for hot tubs. You could use AquaChek red- bromine test strips and just adjust chemistry based on test results. As far as cleaning the hidden build up of scum and mineral deposits, the industry sells some great products to break these up. The good thing about a spa compared to a pool is that if your chemistry goes completely off and water looks bad, you can always drain and re-fill at a minimum cost. Usually, under normal conditions, since spa’s are hot water, it is recommended to drain and fill up to 4 times yearly.

That source recommends adding copper, which can cause serious stains. I recommend that copper not be used. Have you had trouble with copper algaecide staining? I used it in my pool to deal with swampy green algae when I first got it (after nothing else worked) and didn't have any issues with staining. Curious to hear about your experiences...

I would make sure to take care of the safety issues first - if for some reason it degrades further you could have a nasty issue. I personally cut the heel of my foot on a broken pool light when I was young and had to get stitches. I will say that there are some fun alternatives to pool lights that actually seem to work ok. I have some colored lights that are battery powered that float on the surface of my pool and shine down. They do an excellent job of illuminating the pool (better than my light actually) and create a fun night swimming environment.

Seems like you might be asking for trouble if it's drained between potential issues of vandalism/insurance issues and potential functional issues. I completely agree with TXpoolguy on being absolutely sure about your ground conditions as well. I have a pool in Southern Oregon and I realize we do have different ground conditions and water tables, but a friend of mine drained his and had it crack. Do others in the area drain their pools for extended periods of time? It also seems like 100/month for maintenance is a bit high - perhaps not, but I've had people offer to take care of my pool for about 50/month including the chemicals. Is there another option there that might be a little less? Good Luck no matter which option you choose. I'd love to hear if you do drain it and don't have any issues. -Paul