chawkins99

The problem with the tablets is they also add stabilizer (cyanauric acid) which, over time, increases to a point where the chlorine becomes ineffective. Eventually, the chlorine can't keep up and you get a green pool. The only solution to that is to do a partial drain and refill.

If you get a lot of rain, it gets diluted but, being in Texas, you probably get a lot more sun. Unfortunately, evaporation doesn't dilute the stabilizer.

I took a dip in my pool last weekend to cool off after some yard work. At 68 degrees it was a 'bit chilly' but quite pleasant after the initial shock.

tom169

This is exactly it and the reason I moved to the bleach method. I just got it from the supermarket, bought the cheapest $ to % ratio with no added crap .

Pulaski

So I bought and installed a new dish washer, but the dämn thing wouldn't start - it had power, it had water, ... it also had some weird error code, and although it tried to draw water, it wasn't actually drawing water.

So I called the warranty service people and they sent a technician, ... who immediately got it to start BUT it leaked underneath, badly.

The technicIan looked inside then took a pair of pliers fromy his toolbox, reached inside the dishwasher, and with a flourish pulled out a 1.5" hex-cap screw that had been jammed into the gap between the body of the dishwasher and the sump seal.

The technician's explanation was that it was a "Friday machine", junked up at the time of production, implying that it was done deliberately, which seems likely as the screw he removed is not one that is used in any place in the construction of that dishwasher!

petitefrancaise

Being just up the road from you in ATX, I would second Chawkins advice to stick with bleach. After having had a pool in France for 10 years with almost no issues whatsoever, I couldn't believe how much we were fighting algae in Austin using the existing set up - just like yours, with an inline chlorine dispenser.
After the first summer, I came across troublefreepool.com and I have never looked back.The only time I use chlorine tabs now is when I am away for more than a few days. It is no trouble at all to chuck in half a bottle of bleach in the evening.
Also, this last 6 months, I've had problems with the pipes starting to leak/crack, the polaris motor starting to leak so I decided to get new variable speed pump and a new polaris motor. For about a month (February-March) while I figured things out the filter was off - it looked like a murky, green pond last weekend when it was all done. The pool company said their fee was about $1000 to get back to clean.... I've done it with $20 of muriatic acid, $25 of DE and $60 of bleach.

Steerpike

What was the brand?

Pulaski

Whirlpool. .... Which has served us well over the years, with few problems. This certainly won't change our mind about leaning towards Whirlpool for future appliance purchases.

tom169

Definitely the way to do it if not salt. Believe it's called SLAM method. I also had a force upgrade to a variable speed pump and like it. Can keep water gently circulating when I have guests in it and then the normal speed through the night when I don't care for the noise.

zzrmark

They must be quite disappointed that the perpetrator wasn't using Phillip's screws!

Pulaski

All the screws on the dishwasher are star-drive.

tom169

I need to get in the habit of buying those instead of Philips for my impact driver.

Hotscot

Star drive and my DeWalt lithium...unbeatable.

Christmas was a bit depressing. Home Depot/Lowe's had all their usual combo tool kits/drivers/bits etc.....and I didn't need anything..

Pulaski

When did "needing" have anything to do with shopping for tools?

I ordered a new power tool a couple of days ago. It should be here on Tuesday. Watch this space.

tom169

The best part of diy is getting another tool

Pulaski

But not all tools are created equal.

zzrmark

I took the opportunity ( near Christmas) to buy another Makita cordless drill that was leftover from HD's Thanksgiving sale for the princely sum of 70 bucks, battery and other stuff inclusive.
My old trusty 2001 Makita is smelling a tad iffy so it has been relegated to the pending repair bench. American cheap LXT Makitas are throwaway though, in three years I have wrecked two of them, there are another two in truck, one of which has started to develop clutch issues... and the Christmas purchase will no doubt be let out of its box long before summer is out!

I could do with getting rid of some of the chargers and impact drivers that came with earlier deals but no one wants them without batteries....