Poolguy

I just heard from a supplier of Approved Security Fencing that he will refund the price of the alarm for those pool owners who want to change over to a fence security installation. Sounds like a good deal to me, if anyone wants more information then PM me for details. Andrew

Just another snake oil sales man trying it on. These are the heavy metals I spend my life trying to get out of a pool, the idea of deliberately putting them in is the stuff of nightmares - lets care just a little bit about the environment and not try on purpose to pollute the water our life depends on. The systems available now work if they are set up properly, there is no point changing to a regime that is worse, more expensive and hideously irresponsible for the planet. Andrew

To determine the correct size of pump and filter for your pool, first calculate the volume of the water; Length x width x average depth = M3 Then divide the volume by three ( 3) and that is the correct size of pump in M3/ hour   The first at .33cv would give you about 5m3/hr  - OK for 13 - 18m3 pool The second at .5cv  would give you about 7m3/hr - OK for 20 -25 m3 pool Andrew

Sounds serious First stop would be an electricien to verify if everything in you house is up to code. No good getting another pump and loosing that one too. Andrew

Thats right - nothing to do, your in the 80 - 300ppm range Andrew

[quote user="JJ"] Greetings, I have some friends who have a pool with a high TA reading, I consulted Terri TAMINEN's pool maintainence book, it advises adding Muriatic Acid, my friends duly visited ther local pool shop, who had never heard of such an acid, and sold them what I think is Hydrochloric acid. Now I know there are lots of pool shops who do not have much knowledge, I should now I have been to a few. But anybody tell me what one should add to reduce TA, my water is the opposite and the  TA often needs to be increased, and I know how to do that with bicarb of soda. Regards.     [/quote] Jim I can't really see the reason for reducing the TA unless its outrageously high - say over 500ppm, then your not really needing to do anyting much as the use if pH moins in what ever form will gradually bring it down anyway. You didn't say wht the reading was....? Andrew

[quote user="loa"] The pool is 6 x12 (salt) with a 2 meter deep end, built two seasons ago. Volume 125 m3,   The filter is an Astra 99 with a flow capacity of 22m3/hr.  Valve gear is Astral pools also   The jets appear to be jetting and the skimmers and sump sucking.  I hoover it and backwash regulary .  Ph, clorine and salt levels are good.    I've used floculant and bought a robot The water still stays cloudy.    The sand appears to be 30cm below the top of the rose After a couple of days rain when I didn't hoover.  The water was clear and the floor dirty, on hoovering there was junk coming through the jets and made the water cloudy.  So I'm guessing filter but quite what I haven't a clue as there is no documentaion with the pool. Any suggestions   ChrisE [/quote] Chris According to the information you have posted you have a 5 HOUR circulation time. That is the time it takes for all the water in the pool to go through the filtration process. This is not ideal as I recommend you should have 3 HOUR circulation time, but this shortage is not causing your water to be cloudy. By far a worse matter, as mentioned already is that your sand filter is filtering at its best 30 micron but it could be a bad as 40 micron which means that large amounts of particulates are going round a round in your pool water and are not removed during filtration. Its easy to solve by replaceing with zeolite and then you have the BEST filtration you can get. (PM me if you want more information). When you install this product you will no longer need Flocculant and your water will become clear within a day or two. The correct level for sand or zeolite in your filter is to cover the top horizontal tube inside the filter, or find out the sand weight capacity of the filter , hen divid by 0.6 (60%) and that is correct level for zeolite. However, you have not let us know what are your chemistry levels as they too are imporatnt to keep your water clear. If you can test the 4 major parameters and publish the results ( these have been discussd in previous posts.) Hope that this helps and I will send you a PM Andrew      

[quote user="BJSLIV"]http://www.piscine-center.net/kit-panneaux-solaires-pour-piscines-avec-regulation-pompe-automatique/213[/quote]   I think that you might find that the labove link refers to a Solar thermal system that is to heat the water rather that supply electricity to run the pump. Richard If you can PM me with your details for contact then I can make you an offer which might give you what you want. Andrew

Trustworthy yes well certainly. I have sent you a PM Hope that I can help you Andrew.  

Rose Welcome to the world of pool owners. Heating is a good option its sure that one way or another you can keep the water temperature where you want. The two issues to consider are: insulation and energy input. Its important to have both adequately served as your pool will not get to temperature all the time without it. Insulation is provided by. and abri (sure good choice but expensive), a floating security cover (best of all worlds), or a thermal summer cover. Heating can be offered by Solar (least cost to install, no runnnig cost), heat pump (works all the time, cost to run), other sources of heat (many and various) If you want details then please contact me and I'll help you if I can. Andrew

Yes John Aren't we also happy that we never sold any alarms, it was clear to any one that they would not last as they are not in any way effective security. As for drowning increasing or decreasing, that is completly irrelevant argument in France as still now 2 1/2 year after its introduction nealry 50% of pool owners have nothing at all. So the answer is clear, to be safe you need either a compliant fence, a secutriy cover (like John's) or an abri. I guess that those people who have bought an alarm will have to choose again. Andrew

Cathy has given you ample background reading to start with where this discussion has happened before. I can reiterate that Q1 Response; Salt is sodium chloride, from which Chlorine is made by electrolysis in your pool water, the rules are the same the concentrations are the same and the results should be the same (except in most case they are not) Q2Response. you will need to buy an electrolyser and a pH balance doser cost around €3-4000for a good quality equipment (plus fitting)and then there is stabilised salt something like 3-500kg/year, plus pH minus Q3Cheaper than what? Manual dosing (R. NO) cheaper than Chlorine direct auto dosing (R. NO), cheaper than Oxygen actif (R; Yes) Will it be more effective than any of the above  - (R. NO) Contact me or check my website of you want clarification Andrew  

Charles Your troubles started when you choose the large company, that is sure. They do not care - and you cannot hurt them. There is no one person who will take responsibity for your project unlike a smaller 'owner operator' firm. There are a number of alarming aspects to your case that will have implications into the future even when your project is complete - such as the backfilling issue. You will be reponsible therefore for any settlement or exterior damage. Making the best out of the situation will require some tough face down tacktics I hope that you are up for that. If they are not communicating with you then you must try to arrange an meeting with the Franchiser, listen to what he has to say which will probably be a lot but nothing that you should have to care about I suspect. We all have our problems installing pools (its not easy- especially this year) but there are only a few compaies where accountability is also part of the package but you'll never see that in the glossy brochures. Other Postgers have suggested the legal route but remeber at that stage you are already starting to loose more. Good luck anyway Andrew    

[quote user="figa nera"]Hello, Does anyone know where/how to get hold of non-stabilized chlorine products (other than Javel)? I don't want to raise the CYA level in the water - or at least I want it to be under my control. Many thanks for any info. [/quote]   That's quite Bizzar..;; You want to raise your chlorine level, without raising your CYN stabilzer level... OK no problem. But you don't want to use Javel (sodium hypochlorite) why for heavens sake not? Its straight chlorine and its cheap as chips available in ANY brico or Farm supply. Calcium Hypochlorite is another equivalent but not good for hard water areas, also not as easy to find or as cheap. Both do the job ..; so what's the problem again???? Andrew  

As the email didn' t get through Iève sent you amessage vis the PM so you could see it by cheacking your inbox; Hope that I can help oyu.   Andrew

Ysatis   I have send you an emal about your pool project.   I hope that I can help you.   Andrew

[quote user="foxy lady"] We recently purchased a house with an existing pool it is approx 11m x 5m has three skimmers but only one pipe back the pump plus a pipe for the main drain.There is the usual sand filter. The problem is  that when I put the pump for filtering on automatic its fine until it shuts down then it seems to draw air in and won't start again properly until it is primed manually . This a real problem for me as we need to be able to leave the pool for a few days to two weeks at a time now and again and obvioulsly would like to leave the filtering o auto. Can anybody suggest how to cure he problem ??? [/quote]   The main difficulty seems to be that you have an air leak causing the system to depressurise when the power is off. If this is the case then it is a problem to be sure. TO veryify can you advise if; your pump is above ther water level, if so by how much. What is the power of the pump and capacity of the pump/filter system. Are there any air bubbles visible in the preskimmer Are there any air bubbles blowing into the pool. The answers to these questions might offer a cause, the solution to which might also become evident.   Andrew    

Forget the Supermarkets, they don't have what you want. If you go into any Brico then they can sell you a 20lt drum of 9.6% Eau de Javel (Sodium hypochloride) The only trick is to make sure of the age of the product as any drum over 3months old will be next to useless for pool sanitising - it whill have lost most of its strength and be reverting back to a salt solution. Also some producers have a 'purer' product than others.   Andrew  

[quote user="Gemonimo"]Hi Chrish.... No, the colour of the liner has remained the same - it's an ecru colour.  The pool has an electrolyser (sp?) and the cellulite aspect is not all over, mostly in the corners and at water level.  Odd. [/quote]   Could be Deformation from pH imbalance... that is very common on salt pools without a controller.   Andrew  

These falps are designed to accept water and debris into the skimmer and prevent it from re-entering the pool if the pump is turned off. Not essential but they make the skimmer more effective. If you remove it then you will not impare the function of the skimmer. Your water is too warm if you have a liner in your pool. I advise you not to go over 28°C as it will damage your liner or certainly void your warantee. Andrew

No If you do that then you are restricting the flow from the skimmers which will decrease the amount of water you are circulating. This is a common problem in France. Pool builders in this country seem to not understand the simplest of hydraulic theory. That is if you connect more than one entry or exit piece (skimmer or return) via the same pipe then the first will naturally get the lions share followed by the second third, etc The one on the end of the line is usually there just for decoration - as it gets nothing. That  means very poor circulation and naturally, a green patch in a corner occassionally. The remedy for this is simple but not inexpensive. Each white fitting in the pool should have its own pipe feeding it. that is: if you have two skimmers then there should be two pipes entering the pump house where they are collected and feed to the pump one more pipe for the Bottom drain and another for the Vacuum point That could make a total of 4 input pipes Treat the returns the same any you have two, three, or even four pipes returning water to the pool.   In my experience in visiting pool in France I have only seen this once made by another builder and that was his first pool (good job) Naturally, I always build a pool that way as it correct and will ensure that every white piece in the pool can be controlled and does it job- that is to circulate water. You can see how this might look here http://www.poolguy.fr/products/circulation.htm Sizing is another issue as mostly the pipe sizes are insufficient but that’s another discussion. Andrew    

Ozpete I presume that the 'OZ' bit means Australia so I can speak of matters antipodean. What we used to do back in OZ for a big tank was get a big corrugated iron tank either new or very used, sink into the ground and line it with concrete about 8cm thick. Then make a lid out of a steel frame(ring) crisscrossed with fencing wire, then lay 5 layers of chicken wire top and bottom, and then plaster (top and bottom) with a Ferro cement compound. I used a slight dome shape to the lid to give it strength and so that none would drive over it. The one we did was 45000lt from memory and is still there and working fine after 30 years. Hope that rings a bell Andrew  

That's good... Shame you didn't contact me!!! Its my business too! Andrew

Paisleyface Your total alkalinity reading of 200+ is fine and within the normal range  80-300ppm ( you could have read this already as ther are many recent threads on the subject) The only time you need to take action is if it drops below 80ppm in which case add bicarbonate of soda. Just a note that Chlorine has nothing to do with and will not affect the Total alkalinity - its more likely to be lowered by rainfall, adding large amounts of pH moins, or other environmental contaminenets. pH seems OK but 7.2 is the optimum. I am more concerned about the level of stabilizer (cyanuric acid) as you said that your Total Chlor is 0.5 and your free chor is 0.5 indicating that you have no cyanuric acid in the  water. That would seem strange if you have been using gallets or choc treatment as they are both laden with nearly 40% Cyanuric. If you can measure that and post then I can advise you on the next step. Certainly though the Chlor readings are too low and should be 1.5-2ppm for this time of year in an unheated private pool. Andrew  

I am guessing that this is an above ground pool and that you have only one skimmer and one return, with flexible ribbed hoses. To improve your system you will need to look at all the circulation equipment and ensure that it is capable of the delivering the capacity you need to keep the water clean. If you divide the capacity by 3 then you will have the debit I recommend for your pool pump and filter set. Hence, Hope that this helps, If you need any more details then PM me.   Andrew