Replacing Pool Water

[CobraDave]

Curious what you all think. My pool is not responding to cleaning and chemicals this year. Doesn't help that the giant Eucalyptus tree and others nearby are dropping like crazy this year along with the heat over the last few weeks. Some algae and general cloudiness persists within a day or so of cleaning.

Been told it may be time to drain and start with fresh water. While empty doing a thorough cleaning and power wash. What is the normal frequency for doing this process? We've been in the house for 8 years and haven't done it.

Well what were the numbers?


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[Halvecto]

Well what were the numbers?


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Free Chlorine: 1.5
pH : 7.8
Alkalinity: 100
Conditioner: 200 This is the CYA that was referenced......


So, seems to be the best route is to drain and start fresh to get the conditioner problem under control. Will do it next month.

 

[rivermobster]

Electronic sources that I’m aware of are mpulse3000 real unit, scale master is a cheapy unit
Chemicals, scaletec, scalefree, mineral out, are a few for reducing calcium levels and more. Ask a Pool store or similar for calcium decreaser
Phosfree and extreme to remove phosphates
Bio-active makes a product to lower cyanauric acid levels
Many floculants under many names to help remove metals etc
Salt is the only one I’m not aware of any product for levels to high
All to be found in Pool stores. Not Home Depot, or Leslie’s. Even if they carried they wouldn’t know what the hell it was or how it works.

Again it’s all relative to what local water costs are, also some peoples minds about helping California’s water versus just dumping it.
For me and you it may cost 70-100 to dump and replace.
Some cities you can not just dump water, it has to be treated or dumped in water trucks
Santa Clarita for instance if you have a salt water pool. It has to be dumped and contained with in your yard or pumped into trucks to be treated else where. Costing thousands
Most cities you HAVE to dump to sewer on houseafter it’s been neutralized, now what if it’s an older home that can’t handle the volume of water pumping down drains. What if an inexperienced homeowner didn’t know any better and dumped in sewer and backed up 40k gallons of water into their home while they left and went shopping. And insurance says screw you for your dumb ass mistake. It can and does happen
How bout in carmel valley water costs are in the thousands. And if you fill a pool with city water you get major league fines. You have to bring in water trucks for filling pools.

Again my point is it’s all in relation to water costs etc. do what’s best for your area and Home.

Understood. Good advice.

It is cheaper for me to just do a partial or complete water change. The most expensive part is renting the pump!

I have a BIG pine tree on one side of my pool, the yellow algae has always been a problem. In the past I would use Yellow Treat to get rid of it, but it always came right back.

This year I changed it up and tried a trio of chemicals from HTH. I added em right after I cleaned my filter in the spring, and this year has been like none other. Zero algae. Water stays crystal clear. I use (as you suggested) just the maintenance levels now. (phosphate remover, algae guard and super clarifier) Just a few ounces a week does the job.

It was just dumb luck that I tried these things. I was out of Yellow Treat, and saw em in the local hardware store and said, wtf, let's give em a shot! This has been the most care free summer I've ever had. These products work like a charm.

 

[rivermobster]

Free Chlorine: 1.5
pH : 7.8
Alkalinity: 100
Conditioner: 200 This is the CYA that was referenced......


So, seems to be the best route is to drain and start fresh to get the conditioner problem under control. Will do it next month.

Add a some acid to get the PH down and shock the living shit outa that thing! lol

Now....

Make sure you are using not stabilized shock! Something you are using is driving your conditioner levels up.

Tabs? Shock? Something you are using has conditioner in it. Figure out what it is and don't use it until you Need to get the conditioner back up.

Bigbore nailed it. If your hardness level is too high too, you're in the same club as me. Water change at the end of this summer!

 

[Halvecto]

Started shock last night. Will nurse it along until a drain/refill happens. Pics are from this morning; the "before".

Thanks for the input!

 

[530RL]

Free Chlorine: 1.5
pH : 7.8
Alkalinity: 100
Conditioner: 200 This is the CYA that was referenced......


So, seems to be the best route is to drain and start fresh to get the conditioner problem under control. Will do it next month.

Add a some acid to get the PH down and shock the living shit outa that thing! lol

Now....

Make sure you are using not stabilized shock! Something you are using is driving your conditioner levels up.

Tabs? Shock? Something you are using has conditioner in it. Figure out what it is and don't use it until you Need to get the conditioner back up.

Bigbore nailed it. If your hardness level is too high too, you're in the same club as me. Water change at the end of this summer!

Not sure if it helps but my chemist guy says to shock with liquid chlorine.

i bought a pool draining pump at harbor freight ten years ago and it still works like a champ.

 

[rivermobster]

Not sure if it helps but my chemist guy says to shock with liquid chlorine.

i bought a pool draining pump at harbor freight ten years ago and it still works like a champ.

I'm not sure it matters? I was told if you maintain with liquid, shock with powder.

I have a liquid chlorine dispenser, so I bought non stabilized packets. One packet works for my pool. I dump one in every week.

Easy easy.

 

[530RL]

I'm not sure it matters? I was told if you maintain with liquid, shock with powder.

I have a liquid chlorine dispenser, so I bought non stabilized packets. One packet works for my pool. I dump one in every week.

Easy easy.

I guess it depends upon if you look at the ingredients on the packet. Pool chemistry is more complex than my diet.....

 

[was thatguy]

Started shock last night. Will nurse it along until a drain/refill happens. Pics are from this morning; the "before".

Thanks for the input!

Did you adjust PH first?

 

[Uncle Dave]

Started shock last night. Will nurse it along until a drain/refill happens. Pics are from this morning; the "before".

Thanks for the input!

Did you brush that all down?

I can see green algea (or what looks like it) all over the place.

If you leave algae on the flat surfaces and try to kill it from the top down rather than brushing it all off it will take twice as many chemicals - if you get it at all.

My pool cleaner has scrubbers built into it that do this for me.

 

[Cindybin]

Roz taught me that new water needs the addition of chlorine conditioner...

AARGGHHH Why do you have that video of the scantily-clad woman bouncing away like that?? Why would you post this???

 

[framer1]

I'm suppose to be emptying my pool to acid wash it on Monday. Last night they sent me a disclosure that my pool could pop up when empty. Has anybody heard of this happening. That would be a expensive water change.

 

[Halvecto]

I'm suppose to be emptying my pool to acid wash it on Monday. Last night they sent me a disclosure that my pool could pop up when empty. Has anybody heard of this happening. That would be a expensive water change.

I have heard that, but seems to be in areas with high water tables (ie, Florida, Midwest, etc.). When I lived in IL, people emptied about 2/3 of their pool in winter. They usually left enough to keep pressure on the sides, since the ground freezing created some pressure. As a kid, I can remember skateboarding in neighborhood pools for a few days, when they emptied them. Never saw this happen. I'm not worried to have it empty for a few days.

 

[Uncle Dave]

I'm suppose to be emptying my pool to acid wash it on Monday. Last night they sent me a disclosure that my pool could pop up when empty. Has anybody heard of this happening. That would be a expensive water change.

yeah CYA 200- its going to take a ton of time and chems to move that water around and you either do drain and fills or RO the thing down. The water coming is probably really hard at end of summer like this so you won't necessarily be moving down your TDS # much where RO will take that down along with TDS.

As Helvecto says - in areas with a high water table its a distinct possibility.

Even if you don't and suddenly get a ton of rain it could happen.

Haven't yet seen that happen in so cal- I was worried about rain possibly doing it when I replastered.

UD

 

[Halvecto]

My son and I completed the drain, powerwash cleaning, check systems, refill. Turned into a good project. Great results. Thanks for the good feedback RDP. Now dialing in chemicals, pH, etc.


Next project is to heavily trim the brutal eucalyptus tree nearby. . May even have it removed. Tree is a mess maker.

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[Halvecto]

New water filled.

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[HNL2LHC]

Looks refreshing!!!

 

[Halvecto]

Looks refreshing!!!

Doesn't get as much use now that kids are older. It's designed with a lap lane, so I want to use this good weather to get some exercise swimming in until winter.

 

[rivermobster]

Doesn't get as much use now that kids are older. It's designed with a lap lane, so I want to use this good weather to get some exercise swimming in until winter.

Wow. Looks awesome!