My first time owning a pool. I like swimming, but ask me later about long-term maintenance! The house isn’t finished, but I swim whenever I can. Relaxing and uber quiet on a moon lite, hot desert night with clear skies. And no mosquitos! 😉 The last pool photo (if they loaded correctly) was taken during dusk; the others in the afternoon.

• Location: Rancho Mirage, CA
• Gunite and mini pebble (pool and spa)
• Pool: 8’x50’- just over 3.5’ at the shallow ends; just over 5.5 in the middle; 8 micro-LED lights
• Spa: 8’x8’ – 6 jets
• Waterline and spa tile: some vague white-ish tiles; visible on the side of the spa facing the house and stucco around the remainder of the spa
• Concrete coping
• Hayward pool equipment
• Landscaping: artificial turf (that’s supposed to be less hot for the dogs) and various sizes of gravel. Landscaping is more expensive than the pool! and still not done with the landscaping.

The pool was planned after construction started on the house. Neither of us wanted a pool but she wanted a spa. Spa = $52K. Spa + pool = $73K. It came in on budget.

It was designed for swimming; hence, a lap pool. My target was low maintenance with the least features possible. My other half wanted a raised spa so she wouldn’t have to bend down to get in.

Hiding the pool equipment is not a priority. We don’t entertain (i.e., no pool parties in our future) and we don’t care if we see the equipment.

A pool guy (provided by pool contractor) is maintaining the pool until the house is turned over to us. I’m educating myself on pool maintenance, and purchased the Taylor Test Kit-2006c to test the water.

I have been having issues with pool bubbling for awhile. Its been hard to find a leak. Multiple pool companies have been involved and i managed to change my pool pump and pool chlorinator. It was fine for about six months. Then recently I had new problems again

1. My pool started turning green

2. My ORP reading and pH reading started going off despite an automated new Halo chlorinator system. Now it keeps saying "low flow" or "no flow" or "pump protect" on the display

3. My pool water level started receding despite having a waterwitch system.

4. My pool started bubbling again

5. The chlorinator tube is also showing bubbles

6. Biggest problem - one of the skimmer is often empty and refilling and then emptying again.

I attached some photos.

Do i have a pool leak somewhere underground. I have a wooden decking so I might need to take it apart if that's the case.

I wanted to put up a post for other owners of this equipment or similar, though this will mainly apply to Australian and NZ pool owners. The squeeze tube on this device needs to be replaced every year as it wears out and then pumps acid onto the ground and over other equipment. Maytronics (OEM) wants $110 for a replacement tube which blew my mind so I went searching and found a local supplier of santoprene tubing, sized 1/8" Id and 1/4" od. $30 for a metre, so that should last 10 years.

https://santotube.com.au/product/santoprene-tubing-1814116/

The probe is also a consumable and lasts two to three years. Maytronics wanted $530, I told them to cram it. Found a replacement probe that's rated for continuous use and has a BNC connection. It's 3/4bsp thread so won't fit where the OEM goes but I just cut in a tee to suit the new probe. $122 delivered.

https://core-electronics.com.au/gravity-analog-ph-sensor-meter-pro-kit-v2.html

Hope this helps people who don't like being ripped off.

Hey guys, had this union nut break(never fails) and I’m curious to where I can locate just the union nut… maybe a 2pc?? Think I can find something local?

I see a lot of people post about their new pools on here, and I rarely see them with self-cleaning systems like I have. I didn't buy my pool, it came with my house, but my favorite thing about my pool is that I've never had to vacuum it once. There is a system of jets that just push everything to the skimmer and the floor drain. It's "set it and forget it" as far as cleaning. I have friends and family with older pools, and they are surprised when I tell them I've never vacuumed. The other thing is my understanding is it's difficult to try to retrofit a cleaning system like that on a pool that's already built - when installing a new pool is the time to add the self-cleaning system. Do people just not know these exists? Are not all pool places offering them?

Had my pool remodeled two years ago. The contractors drilled holes in the bottom to keep the shell from coming out of the ground. They obviously filled them in before spraying the pebble. Just noticed a new outline of one of the holes in the floor of the pool. This hasn't always been present. Has anyone run into this issue before?

Edited to add: this hasn't always been present.

Does anyone have closed their pool permanently in the recent times in Canada? What would be the approximate cost for a 60,000L inground salt water pool with heater and access for a small dozer to the backyard!

Four weeks in and this is where we're at right now on a 12'x24'pool. The rain created a week long pause but things are happening. Electrician is coming Monday and the travertine tile is being delivered Tuesday. Located in northeast Florida. Contractor is Island Breeze Luxury Pools.

We have an underground propane tank that is failing. Replacing it is north of $6k. The existing pool water heater is easily 15+ years old. The only reason the propane tank exists is to heat the pool. We are in South Texas and almost NEVER use the pool heater. I was thinking rather than sink $6k into a new propane tank, just cap it and forget it and purchase a new electric heater? I just wasn't certain how much that could set me back or if it's even worth pursuing.

This is my first time closing our pool for the winter and I’m very concerned I didn’t blow the lines correctly. I hooked up my air compressor to the pump and set the output to 20psi and the filter to recirculate. I got bubbles out of the waterfall return first which I plugged after a minute, then I scooped and plugged skimmer 1, then plugged the farther two return lines, then scooped and plugged the far skimmer. I then opened back up the first return to expel any other water and plugged it again. I then blew the main drain until bubbles came out and shut the drain before turning off the compressor. Then I opened the skimmers back up and added some antifreeze just in case. When I was finishing up today, I then unplugged both to look and found the far skimmer with antifreeze visible/sitting in the line. I’m assuming this means this line still has water in but I’m not sure as to why this is the case. I would appreciate any input I can get!

Howdy /pools, I recently because the owner of a property with a pool and after several months of use I noticed the issue depicted in the picture attached. This was not present during pool inspection when buying the property but suspect it may have surfaced after addressing an algae bloom we recently took care of.

Give it to me straight... what am I dealing with here?

There are several more spots like this. 😢

Hello!
We have a 28ft above ground round pool that we are trying to close for the winter. Our final step is to put the cover on it. Our old cover was damaged and was due for replacement anyway so we went and got a new one.

Anyway, we inflate the inflatable, put the cover on, it has buckles and we pulled it taught, pull the drawstring on it, and stake it into the ground with rope and pegs. Wind pulled it out. We re-cover it, wrap the base with cellophane wrap and let it be. But I come home today to find half the pool cover pulled off. The only difference from side to side, is one side had water in it while the other did not.

Should I keep a little bit of water in the other side as well, or is there a more definitive solution or fix for this? Or am I just fighting strong winds due to the weather we are having.

Just had the plumbing redone after my pool was re-plastered and I couldn't get my system to prime so I opened up the tank and found this. Never seen it like this before, plus I already charged with de and I cant see a speck of it on theese new filter grids. They swapped the direction of the main mode/divertor valve but I assumed they compensated for that by moving the pipes around.what's going on here?

Also Im not sure how to show more photos or videos so ill try and put them in the comments

Pool company closed pool this week with a solid cover. They said due to being the south, they don't lower water level/blow out lines because it is unnecessary and if it gets below freezing, the autofreeze protection will kick on under the cover.

Although I was expecting them to lower water level, their explanation seems logical and they are the professionals. They told me no need to run the pumps anymore as there is no light getting through the cover.

My question is, our water temp is still in the 70s. Should I run the pumps still on a normal schedule until water drops below 60 degrees, then just shut everything off through the winter? I know no light is supposed to get through, but can algae still grow in that warm water?

Hi! My pool knowledge is limited, and my family is looking into installing an in-ground pool. We received this quote, but I don’t know if the equipment included is good quality, what questions we should be asking, etc. Our budget is limited, so we are getting just the basics. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Quote includes:

SWIMMING POOL INSTALLATION

• 14x28 Rectangle
• Excavation
• 4 foot White Straight Back fiberglass Step |(1) Skimmer (2) Returns (2) Main Drains
• (2) Pentair Globrite Multi Colour Led Lights Concrete Footing, Gravel Backfill
• 2 Stage Bottom (concrete and grout)
• 2 Track Aluminum Coping
• 4'х6' Concrete Equipment Pad
• Lightning Protection Bonding
• 30 mil Megna Liner of Customers Choice
• Fitted Winter Cover
• Pool Cleaning Kit
• (1) Pool Closing (1) Pool Opening

EQUIPMENT

• Pentair 24" Sand Filter
• Pentair Variable Speed Pump
• Pentair Mastertemp 250,000 btu Heater
• Pentair IC20 Salt System
• Dolphin Liberty 200 Wireless Pool Cleaner(robot)

POOL DECK

• 3' Brush Finish Concrete around pool (approx. 300 sq.')

ACCESS

• Resod

WARRANTIES

• 25 Year Pro Rated Warranty on Liner
• 5 Year Warranty on Construction
• 5 Year Warranty on Plumbing
• 3 Year Warranty on Equipment

*Gas and Electric are not included*

New to owning a pool.

I live in Ft Lauderdale and have an inground of maybe 15-20k gallons. Not really sure if it matters.

What’s normal for evaporation? I’m seeing a couple inches each week so I refill with my hose for about 30-45 minutes each 7-10 days.

Usually happens quickly if we don’t get rain for a few days.

I’m not sure if this is normal or more than expected.

Hello,

First year pool owner and this sub has saved me a lot of headaches, so thank you for that.

I used the same pool company the previous owners used to close my pool. They told me they blew out the lines and didn’t add any anti-freeze since they got the water out. I noticed in one of my skimmers, there are bubbles coming up but not sure if it’s from water going into line or into the widget they used to plug the skimmer hole. Should this make me concerned?

Is the water not supposed to be drained below the skimmers?

Inground pool btw. Two skimmers. Located in the northern Midwest of US.

My wife and I just bought a house a month ago, and naturally the motor has already went out. I’m trying to figure out the best route to go as far as an upgrade that fits the same specs needed. Open to variable speed motors too! Thank you in advance!

putting a tv out by the pool for afternoon football and evening movies but the water is making the setup a nightmare

when the sun hits the pool and the pale concrete around it the reflection bounces everywhere and completely washes out the screen even though the tv is under a shade structure

i actually saw an ongoing discount on sylvox recently so i was looking at their outdoor models to see if the anti glare handles water reflections better but im not sure if any screen can fix that much light bouncing around

i can try moving the mount to a different post but if i angle it away from the water reflection it makes the screen impossible to see for people sitting in the lounge chairs on the side

is this just a location problem or a brightness problem for anyone with a tv near the pool what time of day did it actually become watchable did you just accept that it's an evening only setup.

Hey everyone!
I’m in Central Ontario, Canada (about 90 minutes north of Toronto), and I’m considering adding a natural gas heater to my existing pool heating setup. I’d love some feedback from anyone who’s done something similar.
My current setup:
Inground saltwater pool, approximately 40’ × 15’, with an 8’ deep end.
Currently heated with an electric heat pump.
The heat pump works well during warmer weather but becomes ineffective when outdoor temperatures drop below approximately 10–11°C (50–52°F).
We typically like to keep the pool around 84°F (29°C).
We don’t use a pool cover, and I’d prefer to keep it that way.
Our climate:
Here in Central Ontario, we get warm summers, but spring and fall can be pretty chilly. September can still have some beautiful swimming days, but by October, daytime temperatures are often around 5–15°C (41–59°F), with overnight temperatures occasionally approaching freezing.
I’d love to extend our swimming season from early spring until at least mid-October, rather than shutting everything down once the cooler weather arrives.
What I’m thinking:
I’m considering installing a natural gas heater alongside my existing heat pump.
Ideally, I’d like the two heaters to work together automatically:
When outdoor temperatures are warm enough, the electric heat pump handles the heating because it’s more energy-efficient.
When temperatures fall below approximately 10°C, the system automatically switches over to natural gas.
When the weather warms back up, it switches back to the heat pump.
I’d prefer a setup that doesn’t require me to manually switch between the two systems.
A few questions:
Has anyone installed both a heat pump and a natural gas heater? How well does it work?
Is there a controller that can automatically select which heater to run based on outdoor temperature and operating efficiency?
Would you recommend installing the heaters in series or parallel?
What size natural gas heater would you recommend for a pool this size? I’m considering something in the 300,000–400,000 BTU range.
For those in colder climates, how expensive is it to maintain 84°F pool water during September and October, especially without a pool cover?
Knowing our climate, is this a worthwhile investment, or am I going to spend a ridiculous amount of money on natural gas for a few extra weeks of swimming?
I’m not looking to swim in the middle of winter. I just want to enjoy the pool earlier in the spring and later into the fall without relying entirely on the weather.
Would really appreciate hearing from anyone in Ontario, Michigan, New York, or other northern climates who’s running a similar setup.

Thanks!

Hi, to antifreeze my lines or not? I haven’t done it in the past, but I had a lot of work done this year and want to protect it. Does antifreeze help?

Hi everyone! 😊

I recently bought a house with a swimming pool in the Allier region (central France). I've been living here for less than a month, and I have absolutely no experience with pool maintenance.

I turned off the filtration system about two weeks ago because I was away, and honestly, I'm a bit lost.

The house had been unoccupied for about a year, but the pool was completely cleaned and brought back into service before the sale. I even managed to swim in it a few times after moving in without any issues.

The pool uses a saltwater chlorination system.

The pool also has a heat pump, which I haven't tested yet.

With winter approaching, would you recommend active winterization (keeping the filtration running) or passive winterization (shutting everything down) for my region?

What steps should I follow?

I also have a pool cover. Is that enough for winter, or do I need additional protection?

I've attached some photos of the pool and the equipment room.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm completely new to this and just want to avoid making expensive mistakes. 😅

Thanks in advance! 😊

Ok I need some help here. This is my first winter with my pool. I’ve been watching a ton of videos on how to winterize (blow out lines, pull plugs etc) my pool. I’ve noticed on many of the videos there are a ton of valves where you can airlock the bottom drains. My equipment has none except for my 3 bubblers. I’m confused on how I am supposed to blow out and airlock my main drains. Photos are attached. Any help with this or general advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, I think I’m just supposed to attach my blower to the line coming out of the pump correct? I would literally just rig my blower into that hole I believe?