f1steveuk

I didn't see it as a pop, so no offence taken[:)] I brought some "Algae Choc", and that appears to be slowly having an effect. It's not widespread, and not where you'd expect it to be, areas of poor circulation, steps etc, and I have now got a long term Algaecide, andI'm keeping the chlore levels up. I totally agree with your comments on testing equipment. All the time everything looks ok, we trust the two little bottles of yellow and red liquid, then when it goes wrong, we're surprised! I need to invent a single, hand held, electronic tester. One cup of water, and a read out of what needs going up, what needs going down, and how much of anything to put in! Thanks for your help on this, sadly, we go to the UK Friday, so I suspect it will get away from me

Well with my very simple testing equipment, being just a pool owner, the levels are correct, but I suspect it can't be if tested with more professional gear? I did notice today, that the water is the clearest it has ever been, crstal clear, which makes seeing the "stain/algae" easier to see. I also noticed that it has stain the skimmer surround and the jets up to water level. I tried scrubbing these, and it doesn't come off, so I remain puzzled!

Yes the pool will be left ticking over, including the salt converter, and I use proper pool salt with some added bits (disifectant etc) made by Magiline I think. It's all very annoying when you've tried very hard to monitor levels etc and the algae comes along to spite you!

Shocked, level kept up, scrubbed, hasn't gone, hasn't got worse, puzzleing!! I'm convinced some of the marks look like leaf prints, which is what made me think it was stains from leaf debris, and it only became noticable after I put salt in. We go back to the UK next Friday for over three months, is there a long term solution, will it die off through cold in the winter, not being here is going to be a major problem!!

As the "stains" are growing, I'm guessing it's brown algae, especially as we have sunlight and lukewarm water, ideal for it, !!!

Cheers Théière, I've really only got the pool clear this week after being here for three, and before that the pool hasn't really been touched since March, and even then the cover had been damaged letting all the leaves in, so I'm fairly confident it's stains from those, and I'm assuming the chlorine will get it now it has less work to do, although I may shock it again, just to make sure, although I also notice on the salt converter that the gauge is reading zero, though I think it always has!

No, they look like little drifts, but aren't. So you think they will vac' up, but don't, if you see what I mean. Then if I get the brush to them, they don't brush away, so they are obviously a stain of something? Chlor is perfect, ph is spot on, now. though it was high, but not by much. I just looked again and there are several of these discolourations, in different spots. Shallow end, deep end, but none on the sides, which is why I am wondering if the leaves that I scooped, then hoovered out, may have been the cause?

After taking a while to get the pool nice and clear (we haven't got home for quite a while), I can now see faint brown stains on the pool bottom. Having cleaned the sand in the filter, it looks for all the world like little "drifts" of filter sand, but it doesn't hoover up, and can't be brushed. I am assuming that it may be caused by leaves, as we we got home, after a three month trip to the UK, and I re-commisioned the pool, I hoovered up a fair few leaves. Will chlorine slowly remove them, or do I need to treat it in some way (and I don't mean to a nice meal and a film!!). Ta

Thanks, that is on a post-it, stuck on my monitor! I have used a 30 inch piece of plastic pipe, which I have blocked one end off and drilled a number of small holes in the end of. The other end is a very very snug "interference fit" into my pool maintainence hose pipe, and this seems to work very well as a pressure lance to stir/flush the filter housing/sand. Quite grim what comes out when you do it!

Now I am not confused, thanks! Is there any other way to really clean a sand filter other than lots of clean water from a running hose and a good stir?

You see, this is why I am confused!! http://swimming.about.com/od/poolandspamaintenance/qt/changepoolsand.htm So what is THE correct answer to this?

Funnily enough being doing filter maintainence today!

Then I'll keep my sand untill I change to "Zeebrite" at some stage in the future. I have to admit, my "Boys Big Book of Swimming Pools" has never let me down, but it is American, so maybe they use softer sand!

I'm puzzled by that! The book I brought when we moved to a house with a pool said that over a period of time, the movement of sand caused it to be "polished" smooth, which reduced it's ability to "grab and hold" the dirt flowing through, or is that a specific sort of sand?

I will Tony! I'll test your strimmer and mower on a Monday!!!

Just had a long conversation in which I was told, albeit by an Englishman, that the use of petrol strimmers/chainsaws etc, on a Sunday, although not illegal, is frowned upon, especially in the morning.  Is this true? I can see it could be annoying, but if after a week of rain, Sunday dawns with the perfect weather to catch up, it seems odd!

As above, and in addition, it may have jammed the starter, in which case rock it backwards in forward in gear, or gently tap the starter. Quite common on Rav4s, ask my missus!

I think he's learnt his lesson, new bar, new chain etc etc. I pointed out the little teeth that are for controling the cut by sticking them into the bark, and that they were at the opposite end to the one he was cutting with!!!

All of the above, plus...... I have just done a chain saw for a friend. He had been using the very tip of the bar,leaning on it quite hard, and had worn it to the bar had a reverse curve at the very end, this meant the the chain when adjusted correctly, still wouldn't turn., but it sounds like a tension problem to me, probably linked to a worn chain.

That lost me for a while! I think I'll stick with it! Ta!

Anybody else using Microsoft Security Home Essentials?  I have to say, since downloading it, it's caught far more than AVG, and seems to work very well, and of course it's purpose built for Microsoft/Windows. I am considering getting rid of AVG and running just MSHE

That one comment is enough for me not to bother![:)]

I haven't really used IE8 that much, but will give it a go. I tried Google Chrome for a while, loved it, but there was two crucial snags that meant I had to switch back (adobe files were physically downloaded rather than opened to print). If IE8 does everything I want, and more, I'll have no problem switching, my only reservations are that I try and avoid Microsoft products, as 90% of viruses are created to attack them, by using Firefox for browsing, and Incredimail or simply just using my mail providers site and storage for e mails, I close a couple of doors to attack. But yes, it's all personal taste!

You could always just download IE8 and that will give you the option to set as default browser and ask if you want passwords and favourites transfered. Me? I'd stick with Firefox, much better!!

Can you just hire these and use them, they aren't that easy to operate correctly, or perhaps I'm just lapsing into UK Health and Safety mode. Unless you have some experience with one of these, I'd be very careful.