Elvira

My poolman tells me that we may need to drain the pool because he is having great difficulty maintaining the chemical balance of the water. Apparently the chlorine is neutralised very quickly and he keeps having to shock the pool really hard. (Whatever that means...)

The pool is only 5 years old. Is it normal to have to replace the water so soon?

Does anyone have any other hints/tips/information? I am completely clueless when it comes to pools and their maintenance...

Thanks!

Dan725

I do all our own pool maintenance, been doing it for the year we moved in. Can't say I'm too sure of the answer for 5 years, however, unless the pool needs replastering or something, I'd be extremely wary about draining - its quite well publicised that there is a very real chance of the pool popping out of the ground if done incorrectly, obviously that'd bust up all of your concrete and wreck the thing.

"Shocking" the pool is super chlorinating it break down residual chlorine and getting rid of nasties. You have to do it more often when the weather is very hot or when you get a lot of rainfall (like now in Florida). Edit: Shock is unstabilized chlorine so it is intended to dissipate quickly. I don't see how draining the pool wood affect this, sounds more like you need to up the dosage of your inline chlorinator (or whatever mothod your pool uses), which is stabilised chlorine and laasts longer.

I'd take a sample of your water down to an alternative pool shop from where your man works, get it tested and ask for a second opinion.

I'm not saying your pool mans wrong, but I'd definately want a second opinion.

ladyofthelake

Seems a bit drastic just cos he can't stabilise it. Try asking at the Pool Forum

Elvira

Thanks, both of you!

Didn't even know there was a Pool Forum...

dbj1000

Your pool man is describing the water going into "lock" where it is effectively saturated with the various chemical byproducts of the chlorine. Google "pool lock chlorine" and you find this:

"CHLORINE LOCK: If the level of cyanuric acid (stabliser) in the water is much over 80ppm, the chlorine becomes trapped and is unable to oxidise effectively. Despite being able to measure normal chlorine levels, the Redox potential is very low, indicating a lack of oxidiser. The only way to fix this is to drain some of the water and refill the pool. Care should be taken when using stabilised chlorine products (dichlor or trichlor) to avoid the level of cyanuric acid increasing too much."

...from pool wizard.

And yes, it's quite common for you to have to change a high proportion of the pool's water after 5 years or even less if the chlorine levels have been incorrectly maintained in the past. We had to do the same thing within months of taking on our previously-neglected pool.

Could be worse - today we suffered the next result of the pool's neglect - $400 in replaced DE Filter grids. Not good!

evoal2003

We changed the water in our pool before using it as we just brought the house. Its no big deal we were also advised to do this due to the amount
chemicals it would take to balance it.

Five years with the same water seems along time to me, I'll be changing
mine at the start of every season.

Kate2112

Paddling pools were so much easier in the old days

gruffbrown

Stop Peeing in it.

Elvira

Hm - but this guy has been looking after the pool for the past 4 years and I thought he was very good. Could it be that the water just got too hot? (My husband likes the water pretty warm - to me it's like bathwater

When you say replace a high % of water - what are we talking about? And could we just run a hose into the pool so that the surplus drains off?

Elvira

You REALLY REALLY do want another sp4nking, don't you!!! Clearly the last one was WAY too enjoyable. I shall not make the same mistake again...

Elvira

:scared:

How much is this costing you??? :scared:

dbj1000

50-75%, and if this is the guy who let your pool go into lock then he's a twat, and should be fired.

Elvira

Oh dear........ I'm no good at firing people...............

gruffbrown

A quick flick of the whip should give the right Impression.

dbj1000

I said fire him, not flirt with him.