It’s good to see you again! It’s been a long winter, eh?
Be sure to review our articles on opening your pool so you can get off to a good start!
Watch your stabilizer level. Mine was embarrassingly low when I checked it. The sun was eating chlorine like crazy - sometimes even the cobbler’s kids have bad shoes. 
Yes…long winter for sure…we have to drain the entire pool anyways…new liner, new wall slats, new skimmer…gotta start fresh , we can’t wait!!!
Just got my new Taylor 2006c ready…getting closer…
Found a very reputable company to do the Esther Williams work…sometimes around May/June depending on weather…Very excited!!!
Well, maybe.
The stuff that goes on the ground is more like a ultra heavy-duty landscape fabric rather than a foam. It is great for areas with little rocks or nutgrass to protect the bottom of the liner. It can be useful for some folks.
Wall foam is useful if your pool wall has any issues (rust) or if you want it to feel smoother. It’s not thick enough to add any insulating properties.
Phase two — Replace air intake slat — Went as well as possible
Phase three — keep your fingers crossed, they were at it for a very long time today…coming back tomorrow to hopefully figure out how to get it out…
Looking good! Those slats are very difficult to remove and replace after sitting there for so many years.
Thanks for the update!
Some people think
The Sistine Chapel in Rome or The Great Pyramids in Egypt or the Mona Lisa in Louvre are an amazing sight to see that every person should experience…
However, I believe this may take the cake…
Real talk…
liner goes in, new skimmer, new intake, fill up the water…
What is the proper way (order) to balance the pool…
What chemicals will I need besides the obvious (Liquid CYA / Chlorine)…we have Calcium from last season…I always have a gallon of muriatic on hand…will I need alkalinity increaser? (what is the natural alkalinity of hose water) !!!
My guess would be to do CYA first (aiming for 35)
Then Chlorine
Then make sure pH and alkalinity are within range…
Thanks!!!
Phase Four liner…SUCCESS!!!
Phase 5: Install new skimmer basket + reconnect pump/filter coming soon!!!
Phase 6: Balance the chemicals
Phase 7: JUMP IN !!!
We’re getting there RICH!!!
Wow! That is looking great!!!
Pool start-up is pretty simple. Get some chlorine in it and add the CYA/Stabilizer (40-50PPM is ideal). The liquid stuff is great but the granules are cheaper; put them in an old sock in fromt of the inlet to ther pool and squeeze it occasionally as they dissolve to add it safely to the pool.
Calcium levels are not terribly important in a vinyl-lined pool, but should be kept in the ideal range (250-550) to avoid potential damage to some metal parts. Proper pH and alkalinity levels (pH 7.6-7.8 and 60-80 for alkalinity) will keep the pool comfortable for bathers.
Your MINIMUM chlorine level will be 7.5% of the CYA level (try to maintain it at 11.5% of the CYA level to handle natural fluctuations from rain or bathers). It will be 40% of the CYA level if you need to get rid of algae.
Don’t forget to NOT stock up on chlorine too far in advance of using it since it will lose potency as it ages. It is roughly half of the original strength after 75 days when stored at 90 degrees.
I was nervous…he struggled for hours with the skimmer slat. He asked if he could cut it, but said if he cuts it, things can go south real quick. He chiseled each side of it out, and used the extra slats to help. It came out beautifully!!!
Remember, if you’re in the 585…you have a lifetime invite to the BBQ! White hots and all!
This is great stuff!!!
Liquid CYA is just so much easier! The only unfortunate part is that 1 gal is too little and 2 gallon is way too much, and i dont want to deal with pucks! Whatever though…
Chlorine is 5.50 a gallon at Walmart, around the corner, always in stock…be interesting what pH and alkalinity is without adding any chemicals (what hose water is)…
I keep CYA at 35 - 40 only because wife likes the chlorine level low, even though shes never in the pool. Our youngest has some sensitive skin, but we were perfectly fine last summer, kept it at around 4-7ppm with no problems…I get it up to 7 and change at night time and its get down to 2-4 depending how hot it was that day!
We have a solar cover this season, interested to see if I notice any differences. We’re getting so close!!! Can’t wait!!!
Phase 5 is complete!!!
Onto operation RISE WATER RISE!!!
Didn’t look like he used plumber’s tape for the connections of the hoses…thoughts on that??? Obviously, will find out once the pump is turned on…
That’s a good thing, as most unions and pool fittings have an o-ring for sealing. There are very few locations on pool fittings where you need anything like teflon tape. It sounds like you had a good pool tech putting everything together!
Rich,
Yeah…he was fantastic!!! Prompt, professional, punctual, and communicated everything throughout the process. Water is almost filled…we turn off at night and while at work, so it’s taking some time…should be filled by this evening…when I turn the pump on…it’s a self priming super pump…do I need to fill the basket, or when I turn it on, it will be okay and automatically do it…first time ever turning it on myself from DRY…
Chlorine…then CYA…see what alkalinity/ph is…adjust accordingly…then worry about Calvim…
Very excited…the girls are excited…may even get a few cold plunges in before the pool heats up…
Wasn’t sure about the teflon tape stuff…feel a lot better…he’s been in the game for 30+ years!!!
Summer is upon us!!!
So it seems like I do have to fill the pump up with hose water…once that’s filled…close it up…turn sand filter to “FILTER” and then just turn pump on? Is it that simple?
You probably don’t need to do that. Above-ground pumps are (generally) lower than the water level of the pool, so they fill up quickly. Check your multiport valve to be sure it is open and away you should go.
