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Comments on sand vs DE filters welcomed…
Big fan of sand. Just changed mine for the first time in 5+ years, pool still looked good but 3-5 yrs is good life for sand. DE filters require too much cleaning if that's your thing or you can drop some coin for new ones. Just too much maintenance for this guy compared to sand.
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Big fan of sand. Just changed mine for the first time in 5+ years, pool still looked good but 3-5 yrs is good life for sand. DE filters require too much cleaning if that's your thing or you can drop some coin for new ones. Just too much maintenance for this guy compared to sand.

From what I’m seeing you just backwash them once a month during the hot months then put more de in the skimmers to recharge. During the cooler months it’s once every 2 or 3 months.
Then once per year you take them apart and inspect/wash the sleeves.

Was that your experience with a DE filter?

I was constantly battling algae with sand and it didn’t help that it couldn’t filter the stuff that well
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55 minutes ago, KeysPhoneWallet said:


From what I’m seeing you just backwash them once a month during the hot months then put more de in the skimmers to recharge. During the cooler months it’s once every 2 or 3 months.
Then once per year you take them apart and inspect/wash the sleeves.

Was that your experience with a DE filter?

I was constantly battling algae with sand and it didn’t help that it couldn’t filter the stuff that well

I think I have a pretty big filter compared to pool size.  I have to give it maintenance 3 times a year.  2 back-washes and one full clean yearly going on three years now.  You do have to add the DE each time.  The full clean isn't too bad, but takes a while. I don't take all the fins apart...just keep spraying in between.

 

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On 9/26/2023 at 8:21 PM, Goofyboy said:

My brand new Pentair Heater is already not igniting. At least everything is under warranty.

Should I fire up the heater once a week or so in the off season?

I do 2-3 times over the offseason just to keep any rodents from setting up shop inside undisturbed for 8 months...

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Got the railing up and completed the rock enclosed beds that flank the deck. All that’s left is switching the sand filter for a DE filter, replacing the steps that are near the slide, then some little things like a couple of stones, some repairs for the slide, and adding an electrical box to the deck. Should be done this week. f1cd0f428f1b32c6d4e4591774b6b0f6.jpg
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Went and checked today and they have the new DE filter in and they pulled out the old secondary pump for the Polaris and capped the pipes off. They also extended the rock wall by the slide to create a level surface where the stairs used to be and are building the new stairs. My wife had some problem with the steps and slide ladder being in the same place so wanted them moved. 21ec35c2b44ec6cb033a9f6e3ff21cec.jpg
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25de8ae9cd03ffc9c7ae62181b868ef5.jpg
Our new pool was finished last week. Got naked in it on Friday night while we sent the kids to the football game. They called after the game and wanted to go eat late dinner. Suuuuuuurrreeee. Take your time.

Nothing fancy but will be a great place to cool off and drank.

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25de8ae9cd03ffc9c7ae62181b868ef5.jpg
Our new pool was finished last week. Got naked in it on Friday night while we sent the kids to the football game. They called after the game and wanted to go eat late dinner. Suuuuuuurrreeee. Take your time.

Nothing fancy but will be a great place to cool off and drank.

Very nice. Are there 2 led or just the 1?
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So my wife thinks we put too much into this pool and that the amount we spent is the going rate for what we got. I didn’t get any quotes beforehand from other companies so I really don’t know what all the work would have cost if I had called a random company. Anybody have any idea? I figured just the resurfacing alone would probably cost around $12k or more considering they had to chip out and redo the main drain system to bring it up to code.

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So my wife thinks we put too much into this pool and that the amount we spent is the going rate for what we got. I didn’t get any quotes beforehand from other companies so I really don’t know what all the work would have cost if I had called a random company. Anybody have any idea? I figured just the resurfacing alone would probably cost around $12k or more considering they had to chip out and redo the main drain system to bring it up to code.

Took out 4 trees
Fixed drain
Resurfaced with quartzscape
Added handrail
Added 10’x25’ pressure treated deck
Added Metal covering
Replaced sand filter with DE
Resurfaced the slab around the deck with that cool deck stuff
Added rock wall flower garden to front of pool
Added the rock wall and new stairs to back area by slide
Repairing the slide
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On 9/9/2023 at 11:05 AM, bernorange said:

So I'm still having great fun with my DE Filter.  You might recall my posts from a month ago about the shell burst and replacement.

... I put the filter back together and when I run the pump, it leaks water from the shell joint (where top and bottom shell meet) just above the inlet pipe to the bottom shell.  ...

Over a month later and I have finally figured it out.  I'll post my travails in case it might help some lost soul avoid the headache that I endured...

First thing I tried was using a pool rated o-ring lubricant (from pool supply store).  That did not work.

Second, I got some instant gasket goop in a tube that hardens into a flexible (not completely rigid) solid.  I ran a bead around the bottom and top of the o-ring hoping it might seal any gap.  Had to wait a day to let it set.  It set well, but did not stop the leak when I reassembled and ran the pump.  I ended up cleaning all the goop from the o-ring and shell.

Third, I found https://www.theoringstore.com/store/ and ordered a custom sized o-ring with the same ID as the spec part, but with a slightly larger cross section.  It took a few days for the o-ring to arrive.  I tried it when I got it and... still leaked.  :(

I ordered a second o-ring from those peeps with the same ID and a bit larger CS.  This one also took several days to arrive.  When I got it, I almost could not lock the clamp that holds the shells together.  This O-Ring for sure would not let water escape between the shell and ring.  It would be nigh impossible.  Yet, when I assembled everything and ran the pump, it leaked - again from the same spot and with the same flow rate.

I took it apart again and cleaned all the surfaces of the joint.  I was pretty discouraged at this point and just really kind of stared at the bottom shell for a while before I noticed that the lip of the bottom shell had a very small - almost too small to see - gap near where the water keeps escaping.  The gap was on the outer and bottom side of the lip - *not* on the surface where the O-Ring sits.  I looked a bit more and it became apparent that the bottom shell was cast/fabricated as one piece that later had a rectangle cut out of it and replaced with a plate that had the inlet and outlet nozzle connections.  There is a line all along the outer shell for the rectangle as if the rectangle had been welded in place (but it's fiberglass, so I know it wasn't "welded").  Anyway I got the bright idea to inspect the inside of the shell for the rectangle lines and inside of the shell was totally smooth - no "weld" line at all.  And then I saw it.  Just above the inlet nozzle was what looked like 6 inch long horizontal scratch on the inner shell lining.  It looked like someone had run a razor blade on the surface.  The scratch was neigh microscopic.

So, I applied that instant gasket goop on the inner wall to seal the scratch.  i had to use a small trowel to ensure the area was covered properly.  I also dabbed a little bit of the goop on the outer shell where I saw the small gap.

I let that cure for a day and then assembled the filter (sans internal assembly / fins) with the original O-ring.  Ran the pump and no leak.

On 9/9/2023 at 11:49 AM, thunderlounge said:

Flex seal? Not kidding. 

The instant gasket goop I used was like flex seal.  Good call.

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So my wife thinks we put too much into this pool and that the amount we spent is the going rate for what we got. I didn’t get any quotes beforehand from other companies so I really don’t know what all the work would have cost if I had called a random company. Anybody have any idea? I figured just the resurfacing alone would probably cost around $12k or more considering they had to chip out and redo the main drain system to bring it up to code.
We got ours resurfaced for $7700 last March but this is in NW Florida. Before and after. 3f92cad0deeca8acfc1047e19a904a0c.jpg3475eb6a7d97df92476c4d1256e720f1.jpg
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9 hours ago, kmac30 said:

troublefreepool.com
Check the forums there. Everything you need to know. I use their test kit and app. Simple

agreed, I use the Taylor K-2006 test kit, but TF has cheap refills for it as well. Sets are basically the same. Pay the money for a good starting set (with auto stirrer ~$100-150)

Their Pool Math - App is well worth the yearly $8.00

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  • 3 weeks later...

Changed the sand (and laterals) in my filter the other day and come to find out it was installed wrong. They put in the laterals but didn't lay them flat so filtration efficacy was definitely not what it should have been. The laterals were literally lying up which is crazy to me.

Sand hasn't been changed in the 5 years we've lived here and the prior owner was clueless on any home mx. So who knows how long the sand had been in there but it was hard and packed with organics.

Will say the water looks amazingly clear now a week later. e79540dc357e2074d2dbc09cfcc17e85.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Looked out yesterday and didn't see flow.  Sure enough, some valve was stuck (which according to my pool guy shouldn't have stopped the flow) but there was obviously something frozen somewhere even though equipment still trying to run.   Before draining equipment and salvage what I could, I turned pump off, poured a big ass bucket of hot water into the pump and ran it.  Did that a couple of times and second time did the trick.  My auto freeze switches from pool to spa in 30 min intervals but ended up just locking it in pool mode and seems to be doing ok 24 hours later.  Still don't know WTF happened.   Weird.

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2 hours ago, Skipper said:

Looked out yesterday and didn't see flow.  Sure enough, some valve was stuck (which according to my pool guy shouldn't have stopped the flow) but there was obviously something frozen somewhere even though equipment still trying to run.   Before draining equipment and salvage what I could, I turned pump off, poured a big ass bucket of hot water into the pump and ran it.  Did that a couple of times and second time did the trick.  My auto freeze switches from pool to spa in 30 min intervals but ended up just locking it in pool mode and seems to be doing ok 24 hours later.  Still don't know WTF happened.   Weird.

I’m able to divert a portion of my pool return to the spa and it runs the overflow from spa to the pool. Should be enough to keep the pipes flowing 

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Cracked pipe 6 months ago, $5k to repair. Now the pool is leaking again.  It’s leaking so fast that I can’t keep enough water in it to keep the pumps running during the freeze.  The leak seems to be underground because no water comes out where anything is exposed and the ground is wet where the pipe runs.  I’ve known this was coming because my pool is easily over 30 years old, but right now is the first time that I have ever been like “fuck having a pool”.  

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Anyone having pool equipment issues with this freeze? Ive covered it all with tarps, concrete curing blankets and an led light in there. I lost 1 of my 2 pumps last hard freeze. Still doing ok. Can wait for the sun tomorrow

In the 21 freeze we lost both pumps, filter and some of the above ground piping. I said F it Saturday and just drained everything before the freeze set in.
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Anyone having pool equipment issues with this freeze? Ive covered it all with tarps, concrete curing blankets and an led light in there. I lost 1 of my 2 pumps last hard freeze. Still doing ok. Can wait for the sun tomorrow

I need to go check tomorrow, I left it running 24/7 and covered some of the pipes with towels
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We lost our primary pump and the heater got all fucked up during the '21 freeze.   I had wrapped all the piping with towels and covered with a tarp but the heater was ancient and I don't think anything short of a massive heater and covering was going to save it.

So far, so good this week.  I couldn't find any large insulated pipe coverings but I did find pool noodles so I bought a shit ton and cut those to fit with lots of duct tape holding them in place along with towels and then a tarp.   One more night of sub 32 until Friday/Saturday.   Hope we can hold out.

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20 hours ago, Skipper said:

Looked out yesterday and didn't see flow.  Sure enough, some valve was stuck (which according to my pool guy shouldn't have stopped the flow) but there was obviously something frozen somewhere even though equipment still trying to run.   Before draining equipment and salvage what I could, I turned pump off, poured a big ass bucket of hot water into the pump and ran it.  Did that a couple of times and second time did the trick.  My auto freeze switches from pool to spa in 30 min intervals but ended up just locking it in pool mode and seems to be doing ok 24 hours later.  Still don't know WTF happened.   Weird.

the 30 minute interval is not enough frequency to prevent ice from forming in my experience.  my system got effed in the last big freeze despite having power the entire time.  it was set to run on and off at 30 minute intervals. I have a new controller this time around it just runs 24/7 when the target temp is hit.  no issues so far this year.  paying a little more in electricity is worth way more than $5K+ repair.

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52 minutes ago, gyroprotagonist said:

the 30 minute interval is not enough frequency to prevent ice from forming in my experience.  my system got effed in the last big freeze despite having power the entire time.  it was set to run on and off at 30 minute intervals. I have a new controller this time around it just runs 24/7 when the target temp is hit.  no issues so far this year.  paying a little more in electricity is worth way more than $5K+ repair.

Mine just flips back and forth between spa and pool on 30 minute intervals unless I lock it.  It worked fine in the 2021 freeze. Not sure what happened this time.  Regardless, it seems to have done ok after I thawed it out Sunday afternoon.   But the bigger question - what is the downside to just draining all equipment and draining pool below the tile line when you have an event like this forecasted?

 

 

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