Results for "SWG"

Filters Medium 2-3 hours for treatment process 253 👍 0

Can Pool Filter Sand Be Used in Garden? Complete Guide

I got stuck with 200 pounds of nasty used pool filter sand that the previous owner left behind when I moved in. Been in my filter for 3 years. Wondering if I can dump this in my vegetable garden or if the chlorine and other pool chemicals make it unsafe for plants. Anyone know if there's a way to clean it first or should I just toss it?…more

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Filters Medium 45 minutes 244 👍 0

How Long Do Pool DE Filters Last? Complete Lifespan Guide

Pulled the cover off my DE filter system today and got hit with this awful musty, stagnant smell after 18 months of running it on my 20,000-gallon pool. I've been adding fresh DE powder every few weeks after backwashing, but I'm not sure how long the actual filter grids are supposed to last before they need to be completely replaced.

Lately I've noticed that my filter cycles seem to be getting shorter - I'm having to backwash more frequently than I used to, and the water clarity isn't quite as crystal clear as it was when the system was newer. My pool gets moderate use with about 4-6 swimmers regularly, and I keep my chlorine around 2-3 ppm and pH at 7.4. Are these signs that my grids are wearing out, or is this normal aging? What's the typical lifespan I should expect from DE filter components?…more

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Salt Water Medium 2-4 hours for complete winterization 242 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Freeze? Winter Protection Guide

Between the $800 winterizing quote I just got and hearing horror stories about frozen saltwater pools, I'm wondering if there's anything special I need to know before winter hits.
The pool store told me that salt water systems are different from regular chlorine pools, but they didn't really explain much about winterization.

Do salt water pools actually freeze like regular pools? I've heard conflicting things - some people say the salt prevents freezing, others say it doesn't matter. I want to make sure I'm preparing properly and not going to come back to any nasty surprises in the spring. Any guidance would be really appreciated!…more

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Product Ranking 8 compared

Best Above Ground Pools

4.3 (22,100 reviews)

Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 208 👍 0

Does Salt Pool Need CYA? Stabilizer Requirements for SWG

Around year 8 with my salt water generator and it's still running strong, but the pool store keeps pushing cyanuric acid — necessary or just a sales pitch? I thought the whole point of switching to salt was to avoid constantly buying chemicals!

My salt water generator seems to be working fine making chlorine, so do I actually need this CYA stuff? And if so, what levels should I be targeting - same as regular chlorine pools or different? Looking to understand what's truly necessary vs what's just another upsell.…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 2-7 days 200 👍 0

How to Raise CYA (Stabilizer) Levels in Your Pool - Complete Guide

Noticed my 8-year-old pool is starting to lose chlorine effectiveness despite normal chemical levels — turns out my stabilizer got diluted from recent water additions. What's the standard dosing rate for cyanuric acid additions, and what's the most effective application method? I want to avoid any mistakes that could result in overstabilization or uneven distribution throughout the pool system.…more

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Maintenance Medium 45 minutes 198 👍 0

Can I Shock My Pool 2 Days in a Row? Complete Safety Guide

Walked into my new house and discovered the previous owners left the pool water so disgustingly cloudy that yesterday's shock treatment barely made a dent. I'm wondering if it's okay to hit it with another round of shock today or if that's overkill?

I've heard mixed things about back-to-back shocking - some people say it's fine for stubborn algae, others warn about turning your pool into a chemical soup. What's the real deal here? Don't want to fry my pool equipment or create a safety hazard, but also want to get this water crystal clear again.…more

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Filters Easy 15 minutes 197 👍 0

How Long Do Pool Cartridge Filters Last? Replacement Guide

Between my pool store saying 2-4 weeks and everything online claiming 2-4 months, I'm completely lost on when to actually replace my cartridge filter. How long between cleanings? When do I throw them out completely and buy new ones?

Running my pool daily during summer. Want to stay on top of maintenance but not waste money replacing too early.…more

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Salt Water Medium 4-6 hours initial setup 197 👍 0

Can Above Ground Pools Be Salt Water? Complete Guide 2024

Tried following my pool manual that says above ground pools can't handle salt water systems, but keep seeing people online who've successfully converted theirs. What equipment do I need and are there any compatibility issues I should know about? Also heard something about different chemical levels for salt pools - is that true?…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 30 minutes 195 👍 0

Does Pool Stabilizer Evaporate? CYA Levels Explained

Woke up determined to finally understand pool chemistry, but now I'm standing in the pool store aisle staring at bottles of cyanuric acid and chlorine stabilizer with no clue which one I actually need. I know chlorine evaporates and needs constant replenishment, but I'm unclear about what happens to stabilizer over time.

Specifically, does CYA evaporate from the pool like chlorine does, or does it remain in solution indefinitely? If it doesn't evaporate, what are the actual mechanisms for removing excess stabilizer when levels get too high? I need to understand this for proper water balance management.…more

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Salt Water Medium 30 minutes 192 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Need Chemicals? Complete Guide

Our saltwater pool area reeks of that sharp chlorine smell every morning, which seems impossible since we were told these systems are basically chemical-free.

But now I'm reading conflicting information online. The pool store told me I'd still need to buy some chemicals, but I'm confused about what exactly. I thought the salt system was supposed to handle everything? What chemicals do salt water pools actually need, and why? I want to make sure I'm taking proper care of the pool and keeping the water safe for my family.…more

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Cloudy Water Medium 2-4 days 192 👍 0

How to Clear Cloudy Pool Water: Expert Troubleshooting Guide

Planning a pool party this weekend but my water turned cloudy three days ago and now looks like milk no matter what I add. My pool has been cloudy for over a week now and I've thrown everything at it - multiple bags of shock, algaecide, you name it. The water looks like milk and I can barely see the bottom. I'm pretty sure I've been adding chemicals but maybe not in the right order or amounts?

I have a feeling I might be missing something basic with my water chemistry, but I honestly don't know where to start troubleshooting this mess. How long should it actually take to clear up cloudy water when you do it right? I just want my pool back to crystal clear so we can actually use it this summer.…more

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Best Robotic Pool Cleaners

4.6 (28,500 reviews)

Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 187 👍 0

Do Saltwater Pools Need Chlorine? The Complete Truth

About two weeks into this rental with my first saltwater pool and the generator's been running constantly but the water stays green no matter what I do. I've thrown every chemical I can think of at this thing - algaecide, shock, clarifier - and nothing's working.

Do saltwater pools actually need regular chlorine added, or am I missing something else? I thought the whole point was that the salt system makes its own chlorine automatically. My levels seem off but I'm not sure if I should be manually adding chlorine to a saltwater pool or if that defeats the purpose entirely.…more

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Cloudy Water Medium 15-20 minutes 179 👍 0

Cloudy Pool Water: Causes & Solutions - Complete Fix Guide

Cloudy pool water results from poor filtration, chemical imbalance, or contaminants. Fix by testing chemistry, shocking to proper FC/CYA ratio, and running filtration 24/7 until clear.…more

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Cloudy Water Medium 24-72 hours 175 👍 0

Can I Swim in Cloudy Pool Water? Safety Risks Explained

I tried everything to clear my 20,000 gallon inground pool's cloudiness and about to drop $200 on chemicals — should I buy them or is it safe to swim first? The water looks like a light milky haze - you can see the bottom but it's definitely not crystal clear like it usually is. I've been maintaining chlorine levels around 2-3 ppm and pH at 7.4, but the cloudiness appeared after we had several heavy rainstorms and a pool party with about 15 people.

I'm particularly concerned about safety since we have young children who aren't strong swimmers yet. The visibility isn't terrible, but it's definitely reduced compared to normal. I've tried shocking the pool with 2 pounds of calcium hypochlorite and running the filter continuously for 24 hours, but the cloudiness persists. Should we avoid swimming until this clears up completely, or is it okay to use the pool with some basic precautions?…more

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Algae Green Pool Medium 2-4 hours 173 👍 0

Does Cloudy Pool Water Mean Algae? Expert Diagnosis Guide

Walked out to my 20,000 gallon inground pool this morning and the crystal clear water from three days ago is now completely cloudy. They've been asking to use the pool, but I'm worried this cloudiness might mean we have an algae problem that could make them sick.

I'm not sure what's causing the cloudiness - could it be algae starting to grow, or might there be other reasons? How can I tell the difference between algae and other issues that cause cloudy water? I want to make sure I properly diagnose what's wrong before letting the kids back in the pool.…more

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