Bob’s Blog

 I am renting a house that has an above ground pool and the pump and tank which I guess is the filter is in the garage.  what should I do.  the water is a little merky and they had a cheapy tarp over it.  can I just plug in the equip. and turn it on or should I clean the pool first.  I have no clue really but pick things up quick.

Okay….it sounds like you have a sand tank, so the first step would be to clean it out throughly.

Detach the suction line from the pool  (close off the water from the pool to the line) and using a garden hose, flush water into the sand tank. when the tank is full, start the pump and set the multiport valve to backwash and backwash all the dirt out of the filter. If you hear the Pump struggling for water shut it off andand refill the tank (keep the hose going throughout this process. When the water you are flushing out becomes clear you can stop.

There is really no telling how foul the sand is in the filter so you will need to make a physical inspection. If it looks like clean sand, if there is mold or other muck, you probably want to empty the sand out of the filter, completely clean the tank and start fresh.

Treat the sand, with sand filter treatment and hook the filter back up to the pool and begin running it.

If the water is merky  but not yellow or green  Then you will want to super shock the pool. Depending on the size, use a double dose of shock in your pool and allow the filter to circulate.

Mirky water is caused either by particulate matter, inwhich case a clarifier or flocculant is called for, or it is caused by an imbalance of pH.

So test your pH normal range is between 7.2 and 7.8  if the pH is too high, this could be the cause of the mirkyness  add some pH Minus (Soda Ash) to bring the pool into range.

If this does not solve the problem, then Clarifier may be added.

If the water is green or yellow, then Algaecide needs to be added. As always whenever adding chmicals, spread them around the pool and keep the pump running

So now you you added enough chemicals to your pool to ruin the ground water of a small city, but it’s all

Once the water has circulated completly  (give it 24 hours) you can add stabilizer and conditioner. This is the first step of normal pool maintence.

in 48 hours you want to test the water for FREE Chlorine levels and add shock if needed.

Hi, Bob!

I heard that leaving the liner without water for a while might cause it to shrink. Is it true?

We need to empty our pool in order to reinstall the liner, which is coming undone around the edges. Our plan is to pull it up and secure it again, once the pool is empty. However, it might take us a few days to complete the whole process and we are worried about the liner shrinking. Should we worry?

Bob

Bob,  I moved an above ground and by the time I was ready to install the liner {a week later}, it didn’t fit! The only thing I can figure is it shrunk. Even though it soft and pliable it was about 4 inches short most of the way around. Is this common the liner is 2 years old?

When moving an above ground pools liners almost always need to be replaced.  Over the years the liner will assume the footprint of the old pool location which almost never fits the new pool location. Shrinkage can occur to a liner that has been out of the water for a long time. Also, it is very complicated to get the skimmer and return line holes to line up just right. When moving a pool, you should consider getting a new liner, they run between $100.00- and $300.00

This question was posed about an above ground pool. It’s a very good question so I thought I’d post the answer here.

 Whether you have a traditional steel walled pool, or a portable pool you never want to leave up the pool without water. Many and varied things can happen from liner damage to a wind storm that will decide that your pool belongs in the next door neighbor’s tree. Water in the pool always adds to the stability of the pool. The way these pools are designed is to be the most stable when water is pushing out and the frame work pushing in. So ALWAYS if you are going to leave your pool up for the winter (if you have a Steel Pool you have to.)  make sure  you keep the water in the pool.

 Here are the steps to safely close your pool for the winter.

1. Clean Pool Thoroughly

2. Treat Pool with Winterizing Chemicals (Shock and Algaecide)

3. Run pump long enough to fully distribute the checmicals (24 hours or so)

5. Lower the water level below the skimmer level & return.

6. Close suction and return lines with shut off valves

7 Store Filter system in garage or other area.

8 Cover the pool cinching the turnbuckle tightly.

And your pool is ready to sit out the winter.

We are always asked  what people can put their portable pools on, and the answer is almost anything.

Except Sand….No Sand

Bare compact dirt is fine,

Concrete is fine, though you might want to put down a pad for comfort and insulation

Grass Is Fine, though it may give you a lumpy bottom.

 JUST NOT SAND

The ground a portable pool stands on must be firm and level,  within two inches of level across the length of the pool. If your ground is not compact you will need to support  the legs of your pool with concrete blocks or pavers to help disperse the load of the narrow legs. For more information on installing portable pools click here

Did I mention not to put sand?

Why no sand? because sand shifts, it moves , it adjusts, it migrates it does everything, but stay put. It would belike putting an elephant on jello. The one important key in installing these pools is firm level ground. Putting the pool on sand would defeat this key purpise

All pools come with some kind of warranty. While warranties do offer a comfort zone they are not the complete coverage you think they might be. Warranties are merely an insurance against future failure of the pool. But here are some facts to consider about warranties.1. Fully ninety-nine percent of all pool owners never access their warranties (many don’t even fill out the cards) and of those who do it usually involves missing parts

2. Almost all pool warranties are prorated, where only the first few years are covered fully, then the proration begins, where you pay part and the factory pays part.

3. The warranty is only as good as the company. Muskin, Cornelius, Seapspray and many other well established pool companies of the past have gone out of business or have been sold, leaving the warranty holder out on a limb.

4. Warranties are always “limited” to manufacturer defects, materials and construction. They don’t cover damage caused by kids, cars or tree limbs.

Warranties truly do offer a comfort zone of protection for your above ground pools. But they are not complete answers

H. Montoya asked Bob: If I put my pool in the ground will it void my warranty?

If you put a pool in the ground AND backfill the hole with dirt then almost all warranties will be voided. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.  Warranties are merely an insurance against future failure of the pool. But here are some facts to consider about warranties.

1. Fully ninety-nine percent of all pool owners never access their warranties (many don’t even fill out the cards) and of those who do, issues brought about by “sinking” your pools to not include the “rust” associated with burying pools.

2. Almost all pool warranties are prorated, where only the first few years are covered fully, then the proration begins, where you pay part and the factory pays part.

3. The warranty is only as good as the company. Muskin, Cornelius, Seapspray and many other well established pool companies of the past have gone out of business or have been sold, leaving the warranty holder out on a limb.

4. Warranties are always “limited” to manufacturer defects, materials and construction. They don’t cover damage caused by kids, cars or tree limbs.

Warranties truly do offer a comfort zone of protection for your above ground pools, but if your desire is to have an inground pool at above ground pools prices, don’t let the idea of a warranty keep you from your dream.  We sell quality pools from quality long lasting manufacturers…..you should be enjoying your backyard paradise and you can.

P.Johnson Asked Bob: Why does my pool smell so much like chlorine, when I use the same chlorine my neighbor does and his pool doesn’t stink?

Ms. Johnson…..What you are smelling is not Chlorine, but chloromines. Cholrmines are Cholorine Molecules which have bound themselves to dirt or bacteria in your pool and have effectively nuetralzed them. These are called combine chlorines, which no longer function to sanitize your pool water but do give off that annoying smell. You need free chlorine to keep your pool sanitized.

So here is one of those moments in pool care that don’t make much sense. To get rid of the chlorine smell, you have to add more chlorine.  Shock the pool with powdered chlorine until the free chlorine levels rise to the point where it will overcome the bacteria held in the Combine Chlorine molecules.

T.Gurley Asked Bob:  Why do I always have chlorine in my pool, two days ago I fully treated the pool and today my test kit says I need alot more?

The sun stole your chlorine.  Back when I was a kid, I would occasionally buy goldfish. When ever I set up a new bowl, or cleaned the old bowl I would have to let the water sit for a day so the chlorine could escape from the water.

Chlorine is happiest in normal temperatures as a gas. To keep it in a liquid state we have to do funny things to it.  If you simply put chlorine in a pool full of un-stabilized water it will happily find ways to escape into the atmosphere.

When you first fill your pool, and everytime you open your pool from it’s winter slumber you need to add the appropriate amount of Stabilzer and Conditioner.  This sets up the water to hold the chlorine in place to do it’s job.  So if you are constantantly adding chlorine to your pool, now you know what to do to save the chlorine and your pool budget.

Calcium is found in hard  water that is water with an abundance of metals or minerals.  Calcium hardness is important  to help assure proper water quality and help avoid certain pool water problems.  The suggested range in  pools is 80-150 PPM in an above ground pool and 150-200 PPM in ground pool.  Low levels  calcium hardness can lead to the problems of corrosive water conditions.  Chemicals are available to raise the calcium hardness, as might be necessary.  High pool water calcium hardness levels, especially above 400 PPM, can cause clarity and scaling problems.  Calcium hypochlorite (a type of Chlroine) can raise the hardness level, each time the product is added.   Various chelating or sequestering  products are available to help deal with the problem.   Pool water calcium levels can be found by a  water test.  This is especially important when using well water as additional treatment may be required