pool advice

Hi all, I first started here last year trying to get my pool right. I was not able to buy a test kit until now (I got the TF Pro Salt) and it showed up yesterday and I just finished testing. Here are my levels: pH + Chlorine Testing block - Cl - 5+ | Br - 10+ | pH - 8.2+ (see photo) FC - 7.5 CC...

Hi all, I have a relatively new pool owner. Have had it for about 2 years. I do my own chemistry and up until last year (2023) my pool was perfectly fine. This last winter the pool got a bit more dirtier than usual and upon opening this summer I have had a many issues and have spent more money...

I am trying to close down my above-ground, 24' vinyl liner pool. The cold weather has arrived! I know; I should've kicked my booty in gear and been on top of it because now I am struggling in the cold :confused: I live in the Midwest (Southern IL) so we have begun to experience below-freezing...

Hi everyone, I awoke this morning to discover that the water level was low (about 1” below tile). I immediately began adding water (the pump was not yet on). I set the water hose on a 1 hr timer and shuffled around the house. When I circled back around to check the pool, the water level was 4”...

It's now using just the skimmer

Hi! I've had a leak in my pool for a few months now. Finally gave up and had a leak detection company come out to get it checked out. While they didn't run all the tests possible test that day, they did suggest rerunning my bucket tests to get a more accurate picture before they start other...

Hey TFP, Long time reader first time poster here. I'm hoping to try and get some help figuring out what the heck is in my skimmer. I've got Chlorine and PH in a good place and I recently shocked my salt water pool. I've attached a picture of what I'm seeing every morning I get out to check the...

New home and pool owner here! Looking to take over maintenance duties from the previous owner’s maintenance guy, and I would love some advice on where to start, based on the readings below (calculated using the TF-Pro test kit). The pool is, according to my rough calculations, about 18,000...

Hello, I hired one of my cities most known lawn and landscaping companies to level my pool. The pool is an Intex 23’x12’x52” (not the one I ordered, but the one that showed up). My back yard is at a little bit of a slope and so they had to add dirt to get the one side up around 3-5 inches...

Could someone help me with what I need to do to patch this better. This patch is numerous years old and is coming undone. Is there any products I can buy at lowes or Amazon that I can go under and apply the product underwater and add it to the current patch to patch it down better. I’m going...

I need help with patching, in photo is a patch job from years ago and is what it currently looks like in the photo. I have the swimline vinyl patch kit coming Friday. Would anyone just use the sealant and just try to repatch the current patch that’s on there.

How would you make this patch job better? It’s been there for years needs to be sealed it’s leaking I believe.

We really could use help as we can't find these answers anywhere. We are currently on a septic system with a tank and leach field in our backyard. Our city just installed a sewage line on our street so we now have the option of connecting to the sewage line and abandoning our septic which we...

Hi, I have Pentair VSP and I have been running for years at highest speed for 12 hours a day. I have also read somewhere that you can run at low pump, maybe at 1000 ppm. Is that right? With electricity cost nowadays, I hope I can save a few bucks here and there. What is your recommendation...

Hey guys, I have just started up my pool and I am currently doing the SLAM method. I am just wondering if it usual for your chlorine to drop really quick within the first day? I have already added about 8 gallons of liquid chlorine and it went from DARK green to a light blue green. I first...

Hi folks, I am about 9 months into my pool build/landscape remodel (lots of unforeseen delays) and we are finally chugging along. Pool is fairly simple - a rectangular pool with a large spa taking up one entire end. From about a week ago: For tile, we chose a 6x12 porcelain for the main...

Background: My wife and I purchased our home in South Texas (San Antonio area) back in October of last year and we've officially been struggling with keeping my pool levels balanced for just as long. We've had some serious issues with the back yard which included us having to gut the existing...

We are selecting the stone to cover the face of our spa. The stone will be partially submerged in the water as well as have a waterfall effect rolling over it. We picked out a reddish Quartz but want to make sure it won’t stain from the iron. Any experience or suggestions?

Hello everyone- I have a 13,000 gallon, above-ground, vinyl SWG pool located in east coast central Florida I want to give a big thanks to the community. we filled our pool with well water, and used the pool store for chemicals guidance. The water balance was very off. As you all know, they...

Hi! We opened our pool (it’s maybe 40 years old, chlorine, concrete pool). We cleaned it got all the chemicals and balanced it. Everything was going great and then all of a sudden (we hadn’t been using it because we got a few cold days) we notice this black substance (see photos) floating on top...

I Misplaced the valve cap for the 18x48 coleman pool. I Can’t find a replacement online in stock. Can anyone help me with what I should use? I have bought 3 pvc pipe caps, one 3/8 in, one 1 1/4 in and one 1-1/2 in. Im at a loss and have company coming soon. Please help :(

I’ve seen the topic before and I know I should just empty it and level it out better but my question is, HOW are you measuring how unlevel the pool is. I’m using a measuring tape and from the bottom of the pool to the top of the water line, it’s off by 3 inches max. Most places it’s 2 1/2 or...

Hi all! Old neighbours moved out, new neighbours moved in. I haven't had any interaction with them yet (I'm disabled and it's difficult for me to get around out of the house). But I know when they moved in they had a pool guy come several times, and they had to do some work to make the pool...

I have a rectangular pool 23,000 gallons. It has a 1hp motor with 1.5 inch piping. I need to replace my cracked sand filter and want to upgrade to a cartridge filter. I know I have limits from a GPM standpoint and I'm trying to not break the bank. Would a 200sf Pentair Clean and Clear Filter...

draining for resurfacing. what kind of lining is it?

We are in the design process for our pool & cabana and we currently have a contemporary rectangle style in-ground pool. I had my designer leave a gap in the middle of the stairs off the sun shelf to allow for a wall that would allow for me to swim laps in the pool. My designer said he has...

Hi all, I am in the middle of a pool build and is wondering if anyone has any experience with fire pits and automation. I bought a firepit ring with an electronic ignition on it and was thinking about having the electrician hook it up to omniogic rather than a switch on the wall. Is this...

We just set up a Coleman 18 x 48 pool. When we started to fill it we realized that the pump hole was leaking, specifically part “A” on this manual (https://p360fileupload.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/B2C/Manual/FAF84504-4AF6-4F4C-BE4A-D3658C8E58E9.pdf) the part appears to be on correctly but...

hey you, I'm a single mom of 2, Emma 19 and Mathis 5. French living in Vegas and I'm about to start digging for a pool in my backyard. I got few quotations and for a simple rectangle 10 x 20 pool they are asking 40K starting price!!!. Lost my job, coronavirus is killing us and I have 22K in my...

Hi all! I am completely new to this forum and new to any type of pool care. Hoping this is a judgement free zone.... I recently have been quarantining with my family, and it looks like they have completely let the pool go in recent years.. I want to be able to help them enjoy their pool...