Who to believe - "byhand" or computerized water test?

[chem geek]

I don't think the last poolman was using strips. I remember him using a computerized device actually.
And what looked to be a DPD test kit.
:
I just wonder how the pool was maintained all those years before 2008 without having issues.

A computerized device doesn't mean it is accurate. We've seen all kinds of wacko numbers from pool stores. The device could still be reading test strips or if it's reading turbidity, it would still need to be calibrated.

As for prior years, they could have been lucky or drained more water or used algaecides.

There is a large misconception about whether the pool will pop out of the ground if we drain/refill again which is part of the issue over and above the water bill. We are in a persistant drought in east Tx and in particular Houston. We are 30+ inches BELOW normal in rainfall. Is there much likelyhood of the pool popping from partial draining?

You can usually safely drain to within a foot of water in the shallow end, but there is always the sheet method where you take a large plastic sheet and drain from underneath while filling above the sheet and there's also continuous drain/refill where you drain from the bottom of the deep end while filling at the top of the shallow end with the pump off.

Interesting abuot the liquidator. Does it require space?

It doesn't require very much space as it's 14"x14" square and 29" high for the 8-gallon model. However, as you point out, it's a moot point since the HOA will never go for it.

[Henry_R]

I don't think the last poolman was using strips. I remember him using a computerized device actually.
And what looked to be a DPD test kit.
:
I just wonder how the pool was maintained all those years before 2008 without having issues.

A computerized device doesn't mean it is accurate. We've seen all kinds of wacko numbers from pool stores. The device could still be reading test strips or if it's reading turbidity, it would still need to be calibrated.

As for prior years, they could have been lucky or drained more water or used algaecides.

There is a large misconception about whether the pool will pop out of the ground if we drain/refill again which is part of the issue over and above the water bill. We are in a persistant drought in east Tx and in particular Houston. We are 30+ inches BELOW normal in rainfall. Is there much likelyhood of the pool popping from partial draining?

You can usually safely drain to within a foot of water in the shallow end, but there is always the sheet method where you take a large plastic sheet and drain from underneath while filling above the sheet and there's also continuous drain/refill where you drain from the bottom of the deep end while filling at the top of the shallow end with the pump off.

Interesting abuot the liquidator. Does it require space?

It doesn't require very much space as it's 14"x14" square and 29" high for the 8-gallon model. However, as you point out, it's a moot point since the HOA will never go for it.

I do know he was using what looked to be a normal DPD test. I think he used the electronic gizmo when he was checking the phosphates maybe.
I don't remember seeing him use any strips ever. I'm not sure though and I never will be.

I am sure the pool has not ever been drained in the last 10 years or at least not enough to be noticed. However, the man was actually fired for sticking the hose in the pool each week and just leaving it to overflow. Perhaps that was sufficient dilution to keep the CYA in check? At the time several of us complained about this thinking it a waste of water. Not long after this the man was fired.
Would hyperchlorinating weekly consitute "strong chemical in use"? The man had a wooden sign he put on the pool fence on Mondays when he cleaned the pool. Perhaps he just shocked the snot out of it and didn't use the feeder. How far back did the start making Rainbow Lifeguard feeders? It looks like this feeder is quite old really. Maybe it was installed but not used. I'm beginning to think not and wishing we'd never used the tablets either. They worked fine when no one was swimming, but seem to be an eternal thorn in my a$$ now.

I figured as much about the shell not popping out. Especially with our water table nearly zero.
That's an interesting method with the sheet.

The photo attached shows the area around the pump and filter. This is however an old picture from 2009. Way before we had a new filter and valve installed this past May. But it illustrates the space we have around the pump and filter. If I could convince the powers-that-be to install a Liquidator, do you think it would even fit? The opening is roughly and barely 24" wide. Or would we have to have some repiping to accomodate it?
We have a new filter unit and multiport valve, but otherwise the pump and motor are still positioned as shown.

[chem geek]

Perhaps that was sufficient dilution to keep the CYA in check?
:
Would hyperchlorinating weekly consitute "strong chemical in use"?
:
How far back did the start making Rainbow Lifeguard feeders?
:
If I could convince the powers-that-be to install a Liquidator, do you think it would even fit? The opening is roughly and barely 24" wide. Or would we have to have some repiping to accomodate it?

His water overflow dilution would have helped, but if he shocked the heck out of the pool every week then that would have killed off any algae that would have otherwise started to grow. In fact, many people who use Trichlor shock their pools weekly and is one of the reasons they get away with no having algae grow in spite of higher CYA levels. However, at some point, even that may not help depending on water dilution and algae nutrient levels. I don't know how old the feeders are, but having inline chlorinators for Trichlor is not new.

I think The Liquidator would fit based on its base dimensions and what you wrote as the space available -- somewhat tight, but would fit nevertheless. The Liquidator works by taking flow from the output side of the pump so a small hole is drilled into that existing pipe, and then the output of The Liquidator goes into the suction side of the pump usually via the inlet screw at the bottom of the pump basket, though drilling another hole into the suction piping is another option. If they agree to this, be sure to get the upgrades via the link I gave to you. Note that you would still need to go out and buy chlorinating liquid to refill the unit, but probably would not need to fill it more than once a month, depending on your chlorine demand -- worst case, every 2 weeks though could easily just be checked once a week. You pretty much had to do that anyway with the Trichlor tabs for the inline chlorinator.

Note that the main issue with The Liquidator is the accumulation of "white stuff" which is calcium carbonate at the output valve. The upgraded hardware helps with that and with sustaining sufficient flow, but the use of 50 ppm Borates for the pool (see So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How) will help and will also help stabilize pH in the pool and is also a mild algaecide. Making sure the saturation index doesn't get much above 0 also helps (The Pool Calculator can calculate the saturation index for you).

[Henry_R]

Perhaps that was sufficient dilution to keep the CYA in check?
:
Would hyperchlorinating weekly consitute "strong chemical in use"?
:
How far back did the start making Rainbow Lifeguard feeders?
:
If I could convince the powers-that-be to install a Liquidator, do you think it would even fit? The opening is roughly and barely 24" wide. Or would we have to have some repiping to accomodate it?

His water overflow dilution would have helped, but if he shocked the heck out of the pool every week then that would have killed off any algae that would have otherwise started to grow. In fact, many people who use Trichlor shock their pools weekly and is one of the reasons they get away with no having algae grow in spite of higher CYA levels. However, at some point, even that may not help depending on water dilution and algae nutrient levels. I don't know how old the feeders are, but having inline chlorinators for Trichlor is not new.

I think The Liquidator would fit based on its base dimensions and what you wrote as the space available -- somewhat tight, but would fit nevertheless. The Liquidator works by taking flow from the output side of the pump so a small hole is drilled into that existing pipe, and then the output of The Liquidator goes into the suction side of the pump usually via the inlet screw at the bottom of the pump basket, though drilling another hole into the suction piping is another option. If they agree to this, be sure to get the upgrades via the link I gave to you. Note that you would still need to go out and buy chlorinating liquid to refill the unit, but probably would not need to fill it more than once a month, depending on your chlorine demand -- worst case, every 2 weeks though could easily just be checked once a week. You pretty much had to do that anyway with the Trichlor tabs for the inline chlorinator.

Note that the main issue with The Liquidator is the accumulation of "white stuff" which is calcium carbonate at the output valve. The upgraded hardware helps with that and with sustaining sufficient flow, but the use of 50 ppm Borates for the pool (see So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How) will help and will also help stabilize pH in the pool and is also a mild algaecide. Making sure the saturation index doesn't get much above 0 also helps (The Pool Calculator can calculate the saturation index for you).

If I were doing this for a private pool of my own I'd install the Liquidator and be done with it. But my HOA Board is dysfunctional and still not listening to me at all. At some point the Board members might be different perhaps down the road. For now, they're still insisting on using Leslie's pools for advice/water testing and so far the pool is remaining clear. We need to vacuum a bit, but it's not a serious need. I've read through those articles on using Borates. There's no way I'm going to convince them to do that. I wish. The pool calculator has got me through when I was maintaining this pool in 2009. It's a valuable resource. It actually indicates the saturation index is such that scaling might occur given the reading of CH=500 and the rest I plugged into it on Saturday. I've also relayed this information and have been ignored. I just hope they're not taking the pool store advice that chlorine >5ppm is "high" and letting it decay too much. Thanks again for you help and advice.

[bluewaterpoolguy]

Sounds like to me id just try a flocculant. if it started green and you shocked and killed all that algae, its bleached out and still in the pool as a sand filter cant filter that fine of a particle. so a flocculant will help weigh those particles down and stick together for an easy vacuum.