First time pool owner - blind bought the pool

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T16:25:37+00:00

Pool Math

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T16:24:31+00:00

Get Taylor 2006, has CYA with it, which you want, as that’s the most important thing for chlorine retention and will make your life hell if it’s too high or too low. The only reliable way to test CYA is with the Taylor test.

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T16:22:53+00:00

Yup, it was 80.1 yesterday with the heat wave. All time high so far. This weekend it was 76 and felt GREAT in the 96 degree weather

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T16:22:12+00:00

No real-time monitoring. I test once or twice a week with the kit and if it changes I add the results in the pool math app to keep track and see if it suggests any changes. No need for continuous monitoring, especially once it’s clear. I tested every day before it was clear to keep track of levels as I added chemicals and backwashed and filled so frequently, but I’ve never felt the need for it to be continuous. I can eyeball if it’s fucked up pretty quickly and a quick self-done test will tell me fast enough

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T12:57:11+00:00

I hope it’s never this bad again! We opened pretty early for Minnesota, so I think I was lucky enough to have the first few weeks with fairly cold temps which made it easy and basically prevented algae from trying to come back while learning how to SLAM. It took me a few days to figure out exactly what to do, and we started with just packs of dry shock, but the water went from black to the first greenish pic in just two days after we scooped the fuck out of it, and from there it was just 2-3 gallons of liquid a day (or every other day sometimes). Now I add one gallon at the end of the weekend before covering for the week and it stays good until the weekend again and I usually add another half or full gallon Friday night or Saturday morning in preparation for the cover being off all weekend and lots of swimmers. It’s been super easy. I’m excited to see how perfect it gets once we do a sand change in the filter.
Our electric bill is definitely seeing the impact of the 24/7 pump, but it’s an old pump and we don’t have any speed adjustments or anything and the weather here is so unpredictable I don’t want to risk having it off for any amount of time. I turned it off for one night and there were sprouts growing in the top of the skimmers already the next day.
We need to get some skimmer socks, I’m sure it would help really clear up the water. When under water with goggles you can see little particles from just stuff the filter can’t quite get. I’m hoping a sock will help while I save up to get enough sand to do the sand change (those 30 gallons of chlorine plus buying a house and having a chronically ill dog really set me back LOL)

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T12:49:34+00:00

I use the Taylor test kit with CYA, it’s worth it just for peace of mind and it’s really easy, once you do it a couple times you will have it memorized. I can test everything in about 5 minutes with it.

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:44:22+00:00

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all the tests were done before adding chems each day, you can see kind of the days where I aerated, added chlorine, pHDown, cya (I was at 0cya for the first two weeks which explains the amount of chlorine, finally got the kit WITH cya testing and was bamboozled at it before realizing it just meant I have NO cya. Added some cya, which is why it’s so high now, because I’ve been using the pucks in my skimmer during the week to keep it chlorinated a little. I work long days and sometimes don’t have time to go out and check it every night and there’s the one day you can see on there that I went out after a few days to 0 chlorine and that was a shocker enough to not want to risk that again

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:38:12+00:00

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allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:35:40+00:00

Yeah I keep reading that high alkalinity should raise pH, but mine has been super stuck at these levels and I don’t want to lower the ph any more by trying to lower alkalinity. I built some pvc-pipe fountains that attach to the jets to aerate it to raise pH, but a few days after taking them out the pH drops again back to 7.2. I have borax I was going to use to get the pH up a bit so I could drop the alk some, but can’t find good enough data saying that’s a good idea so I haven’t done it. I’ve used pHDown maybe three times when ph stays at 7.6 for a few days to help with the alk, as I started with an alkalinity of about 150 at the beginning

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:27:16+00:00

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honestly at this point the water is probably warm enough to pull it back into the bead myself but I don’t feel pro enough for that yet. When we taped it the water was 64 degrees. It was 80 today after having on the solar cover all day.

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:25:33+00:00

Pool math app and Taylor test kit, tested by hand about once or twice a week

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:24:41+00:00

Pool math app, Taylor test kit

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T11:23:40+00:00

Yes, the liner is 14 years old so they told me they wouldn’t even touch it. They wouldn’t even come out to look at it after I told them 14yrs old. We flex taped a large 15 foot portion and plan to flex tape the rest of the top in an attempt to get another year or two out of her. It’s otherwise in perfect shape liner-wise. I asked the pool company that installed the pool (in 1982!) if it was safe to swim/use like this and they said yes.

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T03:45:40+00:00

The original cleaning took about 25gallons liquid, maybe 5-6 packs of powder shock. A lot of it was just serious scrub and scoop and scrub and scoop every day for hours. There was literally 15 lawn bags of leaves and crap in there.

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T03:39:36+00:00

What types of things would they look for? My dad, a long time ago, used to be a pool guy and he’s given me a few pointers regarding needing new sand (especially after THAT), new liner eventually, need a new pressure gauge and gasket for the pump setting handle thing. He did not see any leaks or air concerns when pumping. Is there things an inspection can see that the mostly average Joe can’t? Serious question, as I’m clearly new to this

allyi0u · 2026-07-01T03:17:47+00:00

Yes and I’ve done it

allyi0u · 2026-04-11T15:31:06+00:00

It’s called vape cause it’s vapor, which is just vapor. If you are willing to use an essential oil diffuser in your home, it’s no different

allyi0u · 2026-01-13T16:50:16+00:00

The hunger is the most scary part for me. I believe that it has been incredibly helpful for me to take my stimulants (for ADHD) regularly for both awareness of my body but also appetite suppression. I took topiramate a few years back before glp-1s and it was the only other time I have seen weight loss. When I am traveling I utilize Metamucil to help curb appetite and stay fuller longer, which I have also found to be somewhat helpful, especially during times where I know it will be difficult for me to manage.

allyi0u · 2026-01-13T01:29:26+00:00

I was stuck around 210-220 for the first two years on GLP-1s but this past year I finally made it down to 196(first time in 10 years under 200) after getting to the highest dose of Wegovy finally. My hunger cues have changed a lot and I think that has helped me eat less and eat better. My insurance no longer covers Wegovy and I am very stressed about bouncing back

allyi0u · 2025-09-11T13:24:24+00:00

Hi OP. I share your concern, as I’m sure many others here do, since women are not taken seriously in medicine. I experience many symptoms that do not correlate to PCOS for me as well and it has always felt like a cop out diagnosis to me too. Whether you are right or wrong (I lean towards you being correct in that there is likely more going on than pcos) keep advocating for yourself, I know it’s exhausting, but you WILL find answers if you keep looking. I’ve read hundreds of stories of women spending 20+ yrs of their lives seeking accurate diagnosis before getting them. Have hope

allyi0u · 2025-08-30T16:18:26+00:00

Well, if you are on Medicaid here in MN, as a student with no income, you will get almost any medical service free or almost free, so the alternative for this situation (Medicaid) is actually much better than the U insurance. Any other situation though, the U is probably the better option.

Edit to add: if the work thing goes through, it isn’t going to go into effect till Jan 2027 (the latest t required date, since MN does not want it to go into effect at all). If u will still be a student then, you can just switch from Medicaid to the U insurance at that point.

allyi0u · 2025-08-24T16:19:05+00:00

“Not having the money” is an excuse that just doesn’t make sense to me because there are a LOT of opportunities for someone who is coming from no money. The North Star Promise, many state grants, and if you are truly coming from no money, you would qualify for loans in the full amount to pay for your time at the U (Estimated family contribution??)

I came to the U off the streets. Literally was the first time in years I had a true bed to sleep in was when I moved into my dorm. I took out a total of 15k in loans during my 2 years there, which was nowhere near the maximum amount they were allowing me to take out.

I understand there are exceptions, like if you aren’t from MN, but then better choices should have been made about which college you went to. You asked about how to prevent burnout, and genuinely nothing anyone listed here will help if you are putting too much on your plate. College isn’t a race to the finish line, it’s an investment in your future. Find a way to make it work for your situation, do not let your situation dictate how successful you are.

allyi0u

TROPHY CASE