May 16May 16 10 hours ago, freyguy said: Black algae will embed itself in the pores of your plaster. You have to be incessant with scrubbing and chlorinating. One method I want to try this year is rubbing a chlorine puck across the spots I have. I'll report back later thus summer. I've got a bunch of black algae in my deep end and I'm gonna start blasting it with a pressure washer this weekend. Unless you scrub with a wire brush for days or dump 100 gallons of liquid chlorine in your pool, that shit won't go away.
May 16May 16 It’s a pentair master temp. I went ahead and bought a water temperature sensor off Amazon since they’re cheap and easy to replace but the fact that I’m getting a temp readout at all makes me wonder if something else is going on. So I took the panel off the heater and checked the connections on the thermistors and noticed the one on the intake was loose so I snapped it back in and now everything‘s working. It could just be coincidence, but I guess we’ll find out… if it happens again I’ll swap out the temperature sensor but fingers crossed. Mine was doing the exact same thing about two months ago. It was the AFS (air flow switch). It was giving an ERR AFS message on the display screen, but I wasn’t getting any faults or messages on the app. Replaced it for $17 and everything is good now.
May 16May 16 8 hours ago, rage-a-holic said: I've got a bunch of black algae in my dee end and I'm gonna start blasting it with a pressure washer this weekend. Unless you scrub with a wire brush for days or dump 100 gallons of liquid chlorine in your pool, that shit won't go away. Not true. Grab some 3" tabs of chlorine and rub the spots with it. It beaks up the film so the algaecide can get to it. Plus, of course, the chlorine itself kills it as well.
May 16May 16 7 hours ago, Bevo said: Not true. Grab some 3" tabs of chlorine and rub the spots with it. It beaks up the film so the algaecide can get to it. Plus, of course, the chlorine itself kills it as well. This is the way
May 16May 16 8 hours ago, Bevo said: Not true. Grab some 3" tabs of chlorine and rub the spots with it. It beaks up the film so the algaecide can get to it. Plus, of course, the chlorine itself kills it as well. Already tried that, didn't work. I'm gonna go ahead and trust the advice of the guys on the TroubleFreePools forums over random surly posters.
May 16May 16 2 minutes ago, rage-a-holic said: Already tried that, didn't work. I'm gonna go ahead and trust the advice of the guys on the TroubleFreePools forums over random surly posters. Sounds good. I got my advice from a master pool builder. It has worked for me over the years, but I probably got lucky and just had nearly black chimeric algae.
May 20May 20 On 5/15/2025 at 11:34 PM, rage-a-holic said: I've got a bunch of black algae in my deep end and I'm gonna start blasting it with a pressure washer this weekend. Unless you scrub with a wire brush for days or dump 100 gallons of liquid chlorine in your pool, that shit won't go away. I had a black algae problem two summers ago. Here is how I got rid of it. I bought some granular chlorine shock from Leslies. The shitty kind that doesn't dissolve really well. The fact that it doesn't dissolve fast will work in your favor. Turn your pumps off. You want the water still. Throw scoops of power over the are with the black algae and try and let the granules settle on top of the area. Leave it undisturbed for 24 hours. Scrub the area with your pole brush. Repeat as needed. I think about 4 or 5 times with this process completely got rid of it for me.
May 21May 21 1 hour ago, tbone_ said: This is from the bad concrete fiasco? Yep. What a fucking nightmare.
May 21May 21 Since they’re tearing it all out, is there anything you’re doing different this go around in terms of layout/design? Kinda digging the splash pad w/ bubblers on one end, hot tub on the other, with the falls along the back length.
May 21May 21 That first pic is so perfect it almost looks AI generated. Agree with Imma I would be fucking pissed. Feel lucky we put a pool in back in 2014 in DFW before any of this was even a possibility. I don't think there is nearly the problem up here with concrete cancer that seems like there has been in CenTex but I have heard a few stories.
May 21May 21 1 hour ago, thunderlounge said: Since they’re tearing it all out, is there anything you’re doing different this go around in terms of layout/design? Kinda digging the splash pad w/ bubblers on one end, hot tub on the other, with the falls along the back length. We are doing the same design but chasing some colors a bit. 1 hour ago, Surly Bevo said: That first pic is so perfect it almost looks AI generated. Agree with Imma I would be fucking pissed. Feel lucky we put a pool in back in 2014 in DFW before any of this was even a possibility. I don't think there is nearly the problem up here with concrete cancer that seems like there has been in CenTex but I have heard a few stories. This was one of the professional photos our builder did. Luckily he has been a stand up guy during this process.
May 21May 21 5 minutes ago, Incredulity said: sorry to ask, but did you get any help on this or left holding the bag? so awful. We are recouping some and coming out of pocket some. We shouldn’t have to but life is not fair. We have young kids and no neighborhood pool so it made the decision to rebuild easier.
May 21May 21 2 hours ago, immamac said: holy fucking shit I'd be indescribably mad. you know I'm sure but there are literallly thousands of pools being dug up and redone most at homeowner expense because coverage was maxed out, coverage denied, and/or company went kaput.
May 22May 22 I've been avoiding this thread since I am still waiting for settlements so I can tear my pool out too. It is only 3 years old.
May 22May 22 All this concrete cancer talk is reaffirming in my mind that fiberglass will be for me, once I build (and if I still want a pool.) I was already on the fiberglass train, but this just solidifies that choice. I see the differences, main one being completely free-form, but honestly I'm not after anything out of the ordinary. A rectangle with a spa and splash pad on the side are fine for me. May be a bit much, honestly. Add in differences in frequency and cost of resurfacing, and for me it was a no-brainer. I'm looking to put it in an enclosure off the back of the house, with UV tinted glass, so maybe that would change the lifespan of the surface? Anyone having these issues thinking about changing it up?
May 22May 22 1 hour ago, thunderlounge said: All this concrete cancer talk is reaffirming in my mind that fiberglass will be for me, once I build (and if I still want a pool.) I was already on the fiberglass train, but this just solidifies that choice. I see the differences, main one being completely free-form, but honestly I'm not after anything out of the ordinary. A rectangle with a spa and splash pad on the side are fine for me. May be a bit much, honestly. Add in differences in frequency and cost of resurfacing, and for me it was a no-brainer. I'm looking to put it in an enclosure off the back of the house, with UV tinted glass, so maybe that would change the lifespan of the surface? Anyone having these issues thinking about changing it up? we’re changing the entire layout. we’re lucky in the sense that we get a mulligan on design since we had 4.5 years to figure out what didn’t work for us. we’re also lucky as fuck to have received some form of payout while most others have been left holding the bag. i’m not thrilled with having to come out of pocket more, but i think i’m more pissed that i’ll have to listen to my crazy ass dog bark non-stop for 5 or 6 months … again.
May 22May 22 Man, that sucks. I feel for y’all dealing with all that shit. Anyone got a rider on your homeowners for the pool? I can’t fathom how truly frustrating it is to have no recourse because everyone closed up shop.
May 30May 30 On 5/20/2025 at 8:32 PM, TexEx15 said: A story in 3 parts… Did your pool get repo’d? jk sorry man that sucks
June 12Jun 12 Any recs on best tools/chemicals to clean tile and coping?I assume pressure washer with light nozzle and maybe some oxy clean? Dont want to disturb ph balance to much. Also any recs on any sealers or anything once clean? It’s not terribly dirty just want it to look brand new.
June 19Jun 19 I need help on a rec for a pool robot that is worth a shit for my husband's birthday. Budget is ~$600, but I can spend more if convinced. I don't follow this thread and my husband takes care of the pool. It turns green every year and acorns settle on the bottom. I want to help him and show him that I support him. He's not into trouble free pool because "reasons". It's 4' deep and 10'x40' (lap-style). Will this work or is there something more reliable out there? https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Nautilus-Automatic-Capacity-Swimming/dp/B01N78IVWJ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=WS9p3&content-id=amzn1.sym.255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e%3Aamzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e&pf_rd_r=BCDS0KMB65PEPHNCXHA1&pd_rd_wg=ECYUk&pd_rd_r=009ebca6-5659-4ede-a4ec-e284b0c94536&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d&th=1
June 19Jun 19 9 hours ago, tigol said: I need help on a rec for a pool robot that is worth a shit for my husband's birthday. Budget is ~$600, but I can spend more if convinced. I don't follow this thread and my husband takes care of the pool. It turns green every year and acorns settle on the bottom. I want to help him and show him that I support him. He's not into trouble free pool because "reasons". It's 4' deep and 10'x40' (lap-style). Will this work or is there something more reliable out there? https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Nautilus-Automatic-Capacity-Swimming/dp/B01N78IVWJ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=WS9p3&content-id=amzn1.sym.255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e%3Aamzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e&pf_rd_r=BCDS0KMB65PEPHNCXHA1&pd_rd_wg=ECYUk&pd_rd_r=009ebca6-5659-4ede-a4ec-e284b0c94536&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d&th=1 Call the folks at Marina Pool and Spa. Best prices and warranty. they should be able to help. https://marinapoolspaandpatio.com
June 19Jun 19 Wow. They have an actual @aol email address. I haven’t seen one of those in I don’t know how long. Granted, my wife still has an earthlink email that she’s had since the dialup days. She’s reluctant to switch, but damn, those bastards want almost $50/yr for just an email address. I tell her every year, this is the year for you to get off that shit. Transition now, and you have almost a year to sort it out. Yet, here we are.
June 20Jun 20 Call the folks at Marina Pool and Spa. Best prices and warranty. they should be able to help. https://marinapoolspaandpatio.comGreat rec! They guided me to a Polaris model that will climb walls and also skim the top within my budget. I was not expecting that.Thank you!
June 20Jun 20 6 hours ago, tigol said: Great rec! They guided me to a Polaris model that will climb walls and also skim the top within my budget. I was not expecting that. Thank you! What did they recommend?
June 20Jun 20 What did they recommend?https://marinapoolspaandpatio.com/product/aqua-products-evo-604-robotic-pool-cleaner-by-polaris/ Aqua Products Evo 604 Robotic Pool Cleaner by Polaris
June 20Jun 20 Cute little thing. Looks like it could be in Toy Story, Cars, or others. By that, I’m saying it’s aesthetically well designed, and while I have no experience with it (or anything newer than the 80’s, honestly), but if they put half that much thought into mechanical operation/cleaning quality, and quality parts, it looks like you got a big win.
June 22Jun 22 I bought a 614iq - very similar to the 604 - from Marina Pool and Spa. Very easy to work with them and deal with them. I am presently working on a warranty claim, as the robot started to only move in circles. Turns out this is not uncommon. Talked to Fluidra on Friday and got a proper claim number etc. They said I could take it to any Leslies or Pinch-a-Penny for warranty work. Went to the Leslies I have some confidence in and they have ~8 other cleaners in the pipeline ahead - est. 3 weeks to look at it. I'll try Pinch-a-Penny on 620 (near Anderson Mill HEB) today.
June 25Jun 25 On 6/22/2025 at 7:51 AM, Mother mopar said: This was helpful in deciding which vaccum was right for me. Is it really this complicated?
June 26Jun 26 9 hours ago, tbone_ said: Is it really this complicated? Wait until you hear about the robot insurance policy I had to buy.
June 26Jun 26 We have the BeatBot Aqua Sense 2 Ultra. The thing is a beast, but does a great job. I drop it in every few days and away it goes.
June 26Jun 26 16 hours ago, tbone_ said: Is it really this complicated? There's a shit ton and that's graphic doesn't include all of them. As mentioned, I chose Aiper. The days of a dragon tail cruising around the pool bottom are gone. Edited June 26Jun 26 by Mother mopar
June 26Jun 26 12 hours ago, tigol said: Wait until you hear about the robot insurance policy I had to buy.
July 1Jul 1 On 6/19/2025 at 8:02 AM, tigol said: I need help on a rec for a pool robot that is worth a shit for my husband's birthday. Budget is ~$600, but I can spend more if convinced. I don't follow this thread and my husband takes care of the pool. It turns green every year and acorns settle on the bottom. I want to help him and show him that I support him. He's not into trouble free pool because "reasons". It's 4' deep and 10'x40' (lap-style). Will this work or is there something more reliable out there? https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Nautilus-Automatic-Capacity-Swimming/dp/B01N78IVWJ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=WS9p3&content-id=amzn1.sym.255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e%3Aamzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e&pf_rd_r=BCDS0KMB65PEPHNCXHA1&pd_rd_wg=ECYUk&pd_rd_r=009ebca6-5659-4ede-a4ec-e284b0c94536&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d&th=1 I bought the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus two years ago (spent $799) and have had two warranty claims, each of which required it to be shipped to Georgia for service for $85 shipping. Currently waiting on parts from them for a third warranty claim that I convinced their customer service staff would be better performed by me if I had the parts (rather than have both parties pay that shipping fee again). It does do a really good job of cleaning when it's not out of commission.
July 2Jul 2 On 6/22/2025 at 9:33 AM, boilerhorn said: I bought a 614iq - very similar to the 604 - from Marina Pool and Spa. Very easy to work with them and deal with them. I am presently working on a warranty claim, as the robot started to only move in circles. Turns out this is not uncommon. Talked to Fluidra on Friday and got a proper claim number etc. They said I could take it to any Leslies or Pinch-a-Penny for warranty work. Went to the Leslies I have some confidence in and they have ~8 other cleaners in the pipeline ahead - est. 3 weeks to look at it. I'll try Pinch-a-Penny on 620 (near Anderson Mill HEB) today. Had mine successfully serviced under warranty at Pinch a Penny. It took less than a week and Fluidra covered the costs. Failed motor block. The tech there highlighted his preference for Maytronics products (Dolphin) over Fluidra (Polaris, Evo 614, Zodiac, Jandy, etc.). Perhaps it is because that's what they sell. Perhaps it's because they are more reliable. Who knows? Service and attention to the customer were good. He did say that I'd be better off buying a new one if the motor block fails again. I see the motor block is $450+ from online pool stores...
July 7Jul 7 1 minute ago, Buzzrock said: Just dropped $900 on a new salt cell. Still worth it. Right? Right? I spend minimum $40 a month on chlorine. How does the $900 amortize over the life span of the cell plus salt?
July 7Jul 7 8 minutes ago, LCHorn said: I spend minimum $40 a month on chlorine. How does the $900 amortize over the life span of the cell plus salt? No idea. But I don’t recommend an off-brand salt cell. I got the last one from Amazon and it only lasted 2 years.
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