Introductions are in Order

[GTGallop]

Greetings! I'm a second time pool owner but still a noob when it comes to pools. I try to do 90% of everything my self and only get a shop to do something when I'm over my head.

[Watermom]

Welcome to the Pool Forum. Did you have any questions you were looking for some help with?

[GTGallop]

Now that you mention it, yes I do. I was trying to see if there were other parts of the form or if it is a one bucked for everything type of place.

Here is my basic set up:
The Basics:
Year Built – 1998
Type – In Ground (very hard packed and rocky desert soil)
Sanitation – Chlorine (floating 3” tabs) with Pool Perfect Plus
Type – Plaster over Gunite
Pump & Filter – Purex / Pentair Whisper Flo (1.5 Horse – Flow Rate Unknown) & Triton II Sand Filter. System runs at about a constant 20 PSI
Power – 240v Pump / 120v Light, all electric, no gas (for heater).
Temp Hi/Lo – 90 Deg in July and Aug, 50 Deg in January and February
Size – 24’L by 19’W
Depth – 4’ on either end, and 5’6” near the drains.
Gallons – 20,000 (if my math is correct and not factoring for stairs and underwater seating – please feel free to correct me)
Features: Two underwater seating areas, Caretaker 99 Pool Cleaners, In ground leaf vac, suction side Kreepy Krawler, aerator (useless?), single skimmer, light with dimmer and motion detector, cool deck decking material, auto fill.

Questions are:
1. My pump motor just died. What do you recommend replacing it with?
2. My concrete deck is stained (bird poop?) what would you recommend to clean it?
3. The plaster has some small cosmetic cracks and chips. What do you recommend to repair it?
4. I'm considering a solar heater. What are your thoughts? What about a solar blanket?
5. How do I know when I need new sand? I looked at the sand in the filter and it has a layer of black sand on top about a quarter of an inch deep. Is that ok?
6. What do you know about the infloor pool sweepers? Caretaker 99 - the little hockey pucks?
7. I have an areator. I never use it. Can I convert that line to a water feature or is the areator necessary?

Thanks in advance!

[PoolDoc]

1. Personally, I'd recommend a 2 speed motor for the WhisperFlo. That's a pretty efficient pump, and if you replace your timer with the Intermatic one for two speed pumps, you'll save quite a bit on electricity. You probably only need low, except when backwashing.

2. You can acid wash concrete. If you want to DIY, a 1:4 acid to water ratio, with a bit of added dish soap will probably work. BUT, you should do an inconspicuous area first, to test. AND remember you'll have to do the ENTIRE deck, if you want it all to match.

Or, you can buy a rubbing block (check Amazon) and rub away.

3. Kelley Tech epoxy paint OR new plaster. I've never seen patched plaster look good. But, Gunzite + Zeron will hold flaking plaster together for a long time, if applied correctly AND thickly.

4. Ask others. In Arizona, you should be able to get quite a bit of heating.

5. Unless the sand was black when you put it in, it shouldn't be black now. When did you backwash last? Could this be blown in sand, that's added to the original. But -- while sand can sometimes get contaminated so that it's easier to replace than clean, it does NOT wear out.

6. Don't like them. They all seem to fail permanently after a few years UNLESS you are meticulous about keeping sand and grit out of the sockets. But, my experience is very limited.

7. Don't know what you mean by an aerator. Send a picture to poolforum AT gmail DOT com
BUT . . . any sort of aeration in Arizona (including a water fall) will consume a LOT of water, and will add to the mineral content of your pool water. (The water that evaporates, and has to be replaced, will NOT take with it the minerals it contained when you put it into the pool. In essence, you are creating a still, evaporating off pure water, and leaving the mineralized dregs in your pool.)


I'd recommend that you take any unanswered questions, or questions you want more answers on, and spin them off into a new thread, topic by topic. BUT, one at a time, please!

[BigTallGuy]

7. I have an areator. I never use it. Can I convert that line to a water feature or is the areator necessary?

Areators are not necessary and are probably more trouble than they are worth. I assume you have the fan sprayer type that jet out from under the edge of the pool. You could probably cut and re-route the areator feed line back at or near the pump and re-use it if you wish, but don't forget to cap off the line going to the areators in the pool.