Results for "water-loss"

Algae Green Pool 223 👍 3

Why Is the Lincoln Reflecting Pool Green—and Why Not Shock It?

I saw the photos of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool gone bright green again, days after they finished a big renovation. I run my own backyard pool, and when mine goes green I shock the daylights out of it and it clears up in a couple of days. So why is the government out there pouring hydrogen peroxide and scraping algae by hand off a national monument? Why don't they just shock the thing like the rest of us do? What am I missing?…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 1,171 👍 64

Calcium Hardness Too High But My Fill Water Is Just As Hard

During my last water test, my calcium hardness came back at somewhere around 600 ppm, which I know is way above the recommended range of 200–400 ppm. The frustrating part is that my tap water tests at nearly the same hardness level, so draining and refilling the pool doesn't seem like it would actually help — I'd basically just be starting back at square one with equally hard water. Everything I've read says to partially drain and dilute, but when the numbers on my fill water don't add up to any real improvement, that solution seems pointless.

I'm in a region where hard water is just a fact of life, and I can't find a clear answer on what chemical treatments actually lower calcium hardness directly in the pool. Is there something I'm missing here, or am I stuck just managing the problem rather than fixing it?…more

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Winterizing Medium 2-4 hours 447 👍 0

Can I Open Pool Cover With Water On It? Safe Removal Guide

Finally facing spring opening and worried it's dangerous to remove my winter pool cover with all that standing water on top while my kids are constantly playing nearby? Can I just pull it off like this or do I need to get the water off first? Don't want to mess up my pool water or damage anything.…more

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Editor's Pick

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum (2026)

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Water Chemistry Medium varies by treatment method 414 👍 0

Can I Use Pool Chlorine Tablets in My Well? Safety Risks

Opened my well disinfection system this morning to find it's eating through expensive treatment bottles way faster than it should, while I've got pool chlorine tablets collecting dust.

Seems like such a waste when I already have pool chlorine tablets at home. Can't I just drop a few of those trichlor tablets down my well to disinfect the water? I'm looking for a simple DIY solution that doesn't involve buying more overpriced chemicals.…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 30 minutes 688 👍 1

Can You Filter Pool Water to Drink? Safe Methods & Risks

Replaced my emergency water storage with a pool filtration system idea since shortages are coming — but am I about to waste money on something unsafe? My pool is about 20,000 gallons and I maintain it with standard chlorine tablets, algaecide, and pH balancers. The chlorine levels are usually around 2-3 ppm, and I add shock treatment weekly.

I've seen some advanced water filtration systems advertised that claim to remove chemicals and contaminants. Would something like reverse osmosis or activated carbon filtration be able to remove all the pool chemicals like chlorine, cyanuric acid, and other sanitizers to make it safe for drinking? I'm concerned about the health risks but need to understand if there are any reliable methods that could work in an emergency situation.…more

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Salt Water Medium 2-4 hours for complete winterization 458 👍 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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Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 273 👍 0

How Salt Water Pools Stay Clean: Complete Chlorination Guide

My neighborhood pool party is in two weeks and I'm panicking about whether to convert my 20,000 gallon inground pool to salt water since I have no clue how these systems actually work. I've been managing a traditional chlorine pool for years, manually adding liquid chlorine and monitoring my free chlorine levels (usually keeping them between 2-4 ppm), but I'm curious about how salt water pools generate their own sanitizer.

From what I've read, there's some kind of salt chlorine generator involved, but I don't fully grasp the process. Does the salt itself clean the water, or is there still chlorine being produced somehow? I want to make sure I understand the complete chlorination system before making the investment, including what kind of ongoing maintenance and chemistry monitoring would be required to keep everything running properly.…more

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Filters Easy 15 minutes reading 407 👍 0

How Pool Filters Work: Sand, Cartridge & DE Filter Guide

Pool store tried explaining the difference between sand, cartridge, and DE filters for 20 minutes and I walked out more confused than when I went in. My sand filter is dying and I need to pick a replacement but every type seems to have major trade-offs. How do these three actually compare?…more

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Winterizing Easy 1–2 hours 16 👍 1

Where to Drain Pool Water When Winterizing

Nobody told me this part would be confusing. When I started dropping the water level to close the pool for winter, I realized I had absolutely no idea where that water is actually supposed to go. My pool is an inground, and right now I've got a submersible pump running — but I keep stopping because I'm genuinely not sure if I'm about to flood my neighbor's yard or create a problem with the municipality.

The water has to go somewhere, obviously, but there seem to be a few options and I can't figure out which one is actually correct. Is it okay to run it out to the street drain? Can I just let it soak into the yard? Or is there a hookup to the sewer I should be using instead?

I want to do this right and not get a fine or cause a drainage mess. Any guidance would be really helpful before I crank the pump back on.…more

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Salt Water Medium 1-2 hours for testing and treatment 303 👍 0

Can Salt Water Pool Turn Hair Green? Prevention & Solutions

Planning to enjoy our new 25,000 gallon saltwater pool this summer, but I'm completely stumped why my daughter's blonde hair keeps turning green after every swim. I always thought salt water pools were supposed to be gentler than traditional chlorine pools, so I'm confused about what's happening here.

My salt cell has been running normally and chlorine levels test around 2-3 ppm, which seems right. The pH hovers around 7.4 and alkalinity is at 120 ppm. I've tried different shampoos and even bought a clarifying treatment, but the green keeps coming back after she swims. Is there something in salt water that causes this discoloration, or am I missing something with my water chemistry? I really want to figure out how to prevent this from happening again.…more

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Salt Water Easy 5 minutes 357 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Have Chlorine? Yes - Here's Why

Already asked my neighbor about her "chlorine-free" saltwater pool, but mine definitely has chlorine — what am I missing here? I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool and I'm considering converting to a salt water system because I thought it meant no more dealing with chlorine chemicals. My neighbor has been telling me that salt water pools are "chlorine-free" and that's why they're gentler on skin and eyes.

But when I was talking to a pool supply store, the guy mentioned something about salt water pools still having chlorine, just generated differently? I'm confused because if there's still chlorine involved, what's the actual difference? I've been manually adding liquid chlorine to my pool for years and my levels typically run around 2-3 ppm, but I'm tired of the constant chemical additions and storage issues.

Can someone explain whether salt water pools actually contain chlorine or not? And if they do, how does that work with the salt system?…more

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Best Salt Chlorine Generators

4.3 (6,200 reviews)

Salt Water Medium 15 minutes reading 271 👍 0

How Pool Salt Cells Work: Complete Guide to Salt Water Generation

Wondering why my salt cell's red blinking light contradicts what the pool store tech said about it still producing chlorine normally? What actually happens when electricity hits the salt water? How do the titanium plates convert salt into chlorine?

Looking for the technical process - not just 'it makes chlorine' but the actual chemical breakdown and how the sanitizer gets produced automatically.…more

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Water Chemistry Medium 2-4 hours 2,294 👍 0

Do Vinyl Pools Need Calcium? Complete CH Guide 2026

Before our big pool party this Saturday, I'm getting completely contradictory advice about whether my vinyl pool even needs calcium added! I keep reading conflicting info online - some sources say vinyl pools don't need calcium at all, others say they do but at different levels than concrete pools. My test strips show I'm sitting around 100 ppm right now and I'm not sure if that's too low or if I even need to worry about it.

I've been dealing with some metal staining on my vinyl liner and wondering if low calcium could be making it worse by causing corrosion. But I'm also terrified of adding too much and ending up with scaling or that dreaded cloudy water that takes forever to clear up. What's the sweet spot for calcium hardness in vinyl pools, and is it really different from other pool types?…more

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Equipment Easy 15 minutes to understand 602 👍 0

How Pool Skimmers Work: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Walked out to check my pool skimmer this morning and I'm staring at all these mysterious parts with zero clue how they work together. They keep pitching fancy skimmer upgrades and I don't even know how my current skimmer is supposed to work in the first place.

I see leaves and bugs floating on the surface and sometimes they get sucked into that rectangular opening, but other times debris just sits there. Is there something I should be doing differently, or is this normal? I'd rather understand the basics before these salespeople convince me I need to spend hundreds on upgrades.

Basically, what's the step-by-step process of how water and debris move through a skimmer system? I want to know if mine is working properly or if there's a DIY fix I can try first.…more

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Equipment Easy 15 minutes 316 👍 0

How Pool Skimmers Work: Complete Guide to Pool Circulation

About to drop serious cash on a new skimmer system for my 20,000 gallon inground pool, but I'm clueless about how these things actually work — am I getting ripped off? Sometimes I see leaves and oils getting pulled in, and there's a basket that I empty, but I'd love a complete explanation of what's happening from start to finish. Does the skimmer work differently depending on pump speed or water level?…more

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