Know When To Change Your Pool Water: Consider this along with the CYA Levels

[@KungFuMojo]

When you say burning through... do you mean the tablets dissolves quicker than normal rate? I always thought they dissolve in the same manner, but they are no longer that effective? Please advise, thank you!

[@PoolSchooler]

I mean that you have to use more tablets on a weekly basis (or any type of chlorine for that matter) keep your chlorine levels up in the ideal range.

[@midnightrider1100]

I have high nitrates, off the chart levels. I was told to completey drain it. But I have a fiberglass pool and live in a wet spring climate. Draining a fiberglass pool os highly discouraged. Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

[@PoolSchooler]

Unfortunately, when it comes to nitrates the only way to get rid of them is to drain and refill the pool. But I would highly recommend you find out where all those nitrates are coming from. Because you can drain and refill your pool, but if you don’t find out the source of those nitrates, it’ll just be a matter of time before those build up again. Are you sure that it’s nitrates or is it phosphate? They are similar.

[@midnightrider1100]

@@PoolSchooler I have no idea where they could have come from. I don't live near any cultivated farms or golf courses. I don't fertilize the back yard. I do have a lot of trees and frogs around but I have never heard of that alone contributing to nitrates. I drained my pool nearly dry and refilled and it is doing fine right now. If you have any suggestions, what yo consider, I'd be all ears.

[@midnightrider1100]

I am starting to suspect frogs. Last year sime mornings I pulled 5 to 10 frogs out of my skimmer. They are bad here. This year isn't as bad but it might be something I will just have to deal with every couple of years. My pool guy said I could drain my pool if I get all the water out of it. It seems like my water table isn't too high and it isn't hard to do.

[@davidjwillems]

What about TDS?

[@PoolSchooler]

TDS (total dissolved solids) aren't a reliable source for when to change your water cause sometimes it can be deceiving. For instance with a salt pool it's recommended to keep the salinity (which salt does get included in a TDS measurement) at 3200ppm. Typically they recommend changing your pool water out if the TDS reach above 2000ppm! So I don't rely on the TDS, too many variables that can affect that reading. So I've learned to go with 1. The CYA level, 2. The current age of the water (how long since last changing) and 3. The amount of chemicals (specifically chlorine) that it regularly goes through annually. For me it's proven the most successful.

[@davidjwillems]

@@PoolSchooler Thank you!

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

What brand submersible pump do you use to drain the pool ? I don't want to overspend on a pump or buy a slow pump or piece of junk......

[@rogerl.9573]

I have changed the pool water a few times. I rent a 2" pump and hose from Home depot. The bigger pump emptied the pool very fast ,approx 4 hours. the cost was reasonable.

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

@@rogerl.9573 i did that once and it gave my Pool yellow algae that I still am dealing with. Home Depot rents to anyone and so those pumps go in the greenest and dirtiest pools without getting cleaned afterwards. Because of that, I now want my own submersible pump.

[@PoolSchooler]

To be honest when I’ve done pool drainIng I would just go to a Home Depot locally and rent a submersible high volume pump. And then I would attach a 2 inch backwash to it long enough take it to where I wanted the water to drain to.

[@midnightrider1100]

I just bought one at Harbor Freigjt for about 100 bucks.bit worked well.

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

@@midnightrider1100 ok. ty. I wondered about the HF pump's performance.

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

I have a question..... I just bought some Kem-Tek chlorine and it has NO " Chlorine Smell " and I am wondering if it's 1. Old and gone bad and 2. If there is a method to test the strength of the Chlorine to see if you bought fresh active Chlorine.

[@PoolSchooler]

Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with that brand. Wish I could be of more help. I would probably suggest adding it to your pool and seeing if you get a chlorine reading if it does and probably it’s good.