🏡 Better Homes Aquatic crew assemble: All things pool...

v6buicks

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Oct 22, 2018
6,262
15,458
Franklin, IN
Real Name
Jon
It's far from perfect, but we should at least get our money's worth! Now I get to run a new circuit for the filter.
PXL_20210617_232222399.jpg


Oh yeah. Here's some of the stuff I collected while digging out this tiny area. Believe it or not, there's a lot more that didn't make it into the pile. The green thing is one of those rope dog bones.
PXL_20210616_203501264.MP.jpg
 

v6buicks

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Oct 22, 2018
6,262
15,458
Franklin, IN
Real Name
Jon
We had our first pool party on Saturday despite the crazy storms/flash floods the previous night. I siphoned a bunch of water out with the shop vac hose in the morning and had 76 degree water by 4:00. (y) Good times.

By the time we were ready to jump in, we had a game changing package arrive on our door step. If you have a white trash pool like me, then you don't have anywhere to put a drink besides your raft or your hand. These were a big help. We have an oval tube pool witch means the cup holders don't fit as nice. However, they still worked just fine.
1624276683518.png


 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,206
87,807
Niche score of 2,363
so i have the kit Shawn1112 Shawn1112 recommended to test the water but it only came with like half of the instructions i think or whatever... so i use the strips and i have read from you guys that they might not be the most accurate soooo i took a sample of my water into novotony because they test for free there... they have a thing where it does a print out and then they give you advice, dude said all my levels looked good except my cyanuric acid was high and to turn off my chlorine tablet thingamajigger for a bit and to shock the pool when we were done using it soooo that's where i'm at. also said for now to run my pump 24/7 for a bit as well, i was running just 8am-8pm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SaturdaysGS

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,880
104,495
Streamwood
so i have the kit Shawn1112 Shawn1112 recommended to test the water but it only came with like half of the instructions i think or whatever... so i use the strips and i have read from you guys that they might not be the most accurate soooo i took a sample of my water into novotony because they test for free there... they have a thing where it does a print out and then they give you advice, dude said all my levels looked good except my cyanuric acid was high and to turn off my chlorine tablet thingamajigger for a bit and to shock the pool when we were done using it soooo that's where i'm at. also said for now to run my pump 24/7 for a bit as well, i was running just 8am-8pm.
If I remember today, I'll send you a pic of the instructions. Did he say why you should run your pump 24/7?
I have never did that, but you have an inground so very possible thats why.
Pretty sure the only way to get the acid level down is drain some water and refill with fresh water. Once its to high, it starts effecting your chlorine effectiveness.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SaturdaysGS

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,206
87,807
Niche score of 2,363
If I remember today, I'll send you a pic of the instructions. Did he say why you should run your pump 24/7?
I have never did that, but you have an inground so very possible thats why.
Pretty sure the only way to get the acid level down is drain some water and refill with fresh water. Once its to high, it starts effecting your chlorine effectiveness.

they're coming by tomorrow to make sure my cover is all good so i'll ask then because i don't remember what he said, had my daughter with me and she was getting antsy
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shawn1112

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,206
87,807
Niche score of 2,363
shits fucked.

saturday the 19th took a sample to the place that i said tests water cuz it was the TINIEST bit cloudy. (right now id kill to have what that water looked like :rofl:)
they said turn off my chlorinator, run my pump 24/7 and pour one gallon of shock in to get cyanuric acid down. K. did that.

we swam the 20th, it was all good. monday night i closed the cover to keep heat in because it was going to be in the 40's monday and tuesday night.

thursday opened it up and i could barely see my second stair. brought my water sample in saturday they said that i shouldn't have closed my cover and shouldn't close my cover for more than 12 hours or so (i did this for quite some time prior and had no issues sooo... k ) , and to turn my chlorinator back on to 4 and to shock it with four gallons and then a bottle of swimtrine.

did that all saturday night hoping to wake up to clarity and noooope.

boutta just hire a service... summers too short to lose weekends/weeks and i dont know what the fuck's going on.

i know test strips suck but from what im seeing on them my free chlorine is basically non existent, ph is okay, high total alkalinity, hardness is alright and cyanuric acid is low.

so who the fuck knows.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DEEZUZ

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,880
104,495
Streamwood
shits fucked.

saturday the 19th took a sample to the place that i said tests water cuz it was the TINIEST bit cloudy. (right now id kill to have what that water looked like :rofl:)
they said turn off my chlorinator, run my pump 24/7 and pour one gallon of shock in to get cyanuric acid down. K. did that.

we swam the 20th, it was all good. monday night i closed the cover to keep heat in because it was going to be in the 40's monday and tuesday night.

thursday opened it up and i could barely see my second stair. brought my water sample in saturday they said that i shouldn't have closed my cover and shouldn't close my cover for more than 12 hours or so (i did this for quite some time prior and had no issues sooo... k ) , and to turn my chlorinator back on to 4 and to shock it with four gallons and then a bottle of swimtrine.

did that all saturday night hoping to wake up to clarity and noooope.

boutta just hire a service... summers too short to lose weekends/weeks and i dont know what the fuck's going on.

i know test strips suck but from what im seeing on them my free chlorine is basically non existent, ph is okay, high total alkalinity, hardness is alright and cyanuric acid is low.

so who the fuck knows.
Is there algae present or is it just cloudy water? I know that inground pools are somewhat different but chemical wise it has to be similar. I'm having a very hard time understanding how you had high cyanuric acid levels a week ago and now they are low. From everything I have ever read, you have to replace pool water to lower those levels, and again maybe its different in an inground. Not sure the reasoning they wanted you to turn off your chlorinator either last week?

Copied and pasted below:

The only practical way to lower cyanuric acid is by replacing some of your existing water with fresh water. To calculate how much water should be replaced, subtract the desired concentration of cyanuric acid from the current concentration and divide the difference by the current concentration.

For example, if your pool has a current cyanuric acid concentration of 80 ppm and you would like it to be 60 ppm, then you would replace 25% of your pool’s current water with fresh water. As long as your cyanuric acid is at a reasonable level (e.g. less than 100 ppm), you may find it more convenient to raise free chlorine than replace water. The pool calculator can help you figure out just how much chlorine you need to add given your cyanuric acid level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SaturdaysGS

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,206
87,807
Niche score of 2,363
Is there algae present or is it just cloudy water? I know that inground pools are somewhat different but chemical wise it has to be similar. I'm having a very hard time understanding how you had high cyanuric acid levels a week ago and now they are low. From everything I have ever read, you have to replace pool water to lower those levels, and again maybe its different in an inground. Not sure the reasoning they wanted you to turn off your chlorinator either last week?

Copied and pasted below:

The only practical way to lower cyanuric acid is by replacing some of your existing water with fresh water. To calculate how much water should be replaced, subtract the desired concentration of cyanuric acid from the current concentration and divide the difference by the current concentration.

For example, if your pool has a current cyanuric acid concentration of 80 ppm and you would like it to be 60 ppm, then you would replace 25% of your pool’s current water with fresh water. As long as your cyanuric acid is at a reasonable level (e.g. less than 100 ppm), you may find it more convenient to raise free chlorine than replace water. The pool calculator can help you figure out just how much chlorine you need to add given your cyanuric acid level.

how do you tell if it's algae vs cloudy water?

they wanted me to turn off the chlorinator to get the cyanuric acid levels down since chlorine tablets can increase it
 

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,880
104,495
Streamwood
how do you tell if it's algae vs cloudy water?

they wanted me to turn off the chlorinator to get the cyanuric acid levels down since chlorine tablets can increase it

View attachment 93231

that's the "deep end" of the pool i took this pic last night out the window. there is a "seat" in each corner of the pool, you can kind of see it on the far side
That looks like cloudy water to me, you would have seen signs of algae growth prior to this. Only thing I can suggest is let your pump/filter run and hopefully it clears up. Usually shock will clear it up. Anyone else with an inground that has had this issue? Flyn Flyn
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
TCG Premium
May 24, 2007
122,206
87,807
Niche score of 2,363
That looks like cloudy water to me, you would have seen signs of algae growth prior to this. Only thing I can suggest is let your pump/filter run and hopefully it clears up. Usually shock will clear it up. Anyone else with an inground that has had this issue? Flyn Flyn


pumps on right now, ill test when i get home again and see where the levels are at
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shawn1112

Thread Info