Swimming Pool Owners/builders

[jaideeguy]

I don't know if I structured the poll correctly, but the main question that i have to ask is...would you do it again?? if you could back up the hands of time. considering the cost of construction, maintenance, etc verses the time/pleasure you get from owning your pool.

I would vote 'not to do it again' as I spend more time above the pool maintaining it than in it. My kids have grown bored with it as well and it's one problem after another.

Just wondering if other pool owner/builders would do it again.

anyone want to buy a 2nd hand pool??

[monsieurhappy]

I'm with you on this! If I could turn back the clock , I would not buy a house with a pool. I don't have any kids in LOS, my wife doesn't want to use the pool and when any friends come we end up drinking beer on the patio. I always thought it would be great having a pool right outside your door but in truth I am too lazy to use it most days. The only time I really appreciate it is when I've been doing a spot of work in the garden and I just jump in to cool off.

[sigmondfreed]

Nope, NEEEEEEEEEEEEVER AGAIN...had one and spent all my time keeping it clean and algae-free....now I live in a house where the housing association can have the headaches.

[Naam]

no problems maintaining my pool. in my opinion a pool in Thailand is an absolute necessity. the Old Lady keeps in shape by doing daily 120 lengths and i enjoy several refreshing dips a day (especially after extremely hard tasks like advising my gardener what job to do next)

[Jai Dee]

I love my pool, and so does the missus. I'm in it every morning before work, and again every night.

Whenever we have Thai friends over, the kids all head straight to the pool. It's a great social asset.

No maintenance problems, and I maintain it myself... no outside help.

The only thing I would have done differently would be to make it an overflow style, rather than skimmer style pool.

If the wind is blowing from the wrong direction, the surface debris (leaves, flowers etc) do not end up in the skimmer box.

No big problem however... I just jump in the water and pick them up myself.

/Edit - jaideeguy, if you want me to add a poll to this subject, just send me a PM with your poll questions/options, and I'll add it to the topic if you like.

Edited July 9, 2007 by Jai Dee
Additional comment added.

[cdnvic]

Some people love maintaining a pool the same way they enjoy working on a car or doing some gardening. To others those things are a big chore to be farmed out to others. Try hiring someone to do the cleaning and maintenance for you and start enjoying the pool again.

[jaideeguy]

In all fairness, I do enjoy the normal routine of maintenance, brushing and vacuming, but i hate handling the chlorine and when the algi is blooming....no fun. Presently having a problem with clowdy water [suspended solids] and having to add a flocculent [alum]....didn't add enough and have add some more.

And twice I've had to drain my pool and use hydrochloric acid to remove calcium scale....no fun.

And to top off my complaints, my shy thai wife will never wear a bikini....instead she wears a 1 piece bathing suit of the era that my mother wore.

I do enjoy an evening dip, but mostly find that i don't like to be in the direct sun.

I'll discount my 'pool for sale' if it is removed cleanly!!!!

[Naam]

In all fairness, I do enjoy the normal routine of maintenance, brushing and vacuming, but i hate handling the chlorine and when the algi is blooming....no fun. Presently having a problem with clowdy water [suspended solids] and having to add a flocculent [alum]....didn't add enough and have add some more.

it's all a matter of how much money one is willing to spend for added convenience. here's my "pool service":

[cdnvic]

In all fairness, I do enjoy the normal routine of maintenance, brushing and vacuming, but i hate handling the chlorine and when the algi is blooming....no fun. Presently having a problem with clowdy water [suspended solids] and having to add a flocculent [alum]....didn't add enough and have add some more.

And twice I've had to drain my pool and use hydrochloric acid to remove calcium scale....no fun.

And to top off my complaints, my shy thai wife will never wear a bikini....instead she wears a 1 piece bathing suit of the era that my mother wore.

I do enjoy an evening dip, but mostly find that i don't like to be in the direct sun.

I'll discount my 'pool for sale' if it is removed cleanly!!!!

Cloudy water and scaling can be due to excess alkalinity. Keep it between 90-110ppm and you should avoid both. Your Ph is probably going through the roof as well.

Adding muriatic acid (carefully) at a rate of 160ml per 10,000L pool volume will drop it by 10ppm

Do a complete test of the water though to be sure. Test for hardness as well.

Edited July 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[jaideeguy]

So, where can i get a complete water analisys [in CM]?? i used to only check on ph and chlorine with a home kit, but gave up on that as i didn't trust the accuracy on them.

[cdnvic]

So, where can i get a complete water analisys [in CM]?? i used to only check on ph and chlorine with a home kit, but gave up on that as i didn't trust the accuracy on them.

If you mean the titration type kits, they are quite accurate if used correctly.

Dipping strips aren't quite as precise but are fine for telling you what range you are in, and whether or not anything is way off balance. They're always good to have as they are simple to use and give immediate results.

Any pool shop will be able to test your water in a few minutes. You need to be testing for:

Ph - 7.4-7.5

Total Alkalinity - 90-110ppm

Calcium hardness - 180-220ppm

The numbers above are recommended levels.

Water that's too hard, and water with too much alkalinity cause cloudiness and scaling. I always check alkalinity first as a very high reading makes it difficult to adjust the Ph. Too much calcium (water too hard) is difficult to deal with (best to use a water softener) but you can minimize the problem by using a rainwater collection tank as the pool's top-up source as rain water is very soft. (never let your water get too soft though.

Take your sample in a clean, dry plastic container. Take a litre or two. Also take a litre of regular water from the tap to see what your untreated water readings are as this will affect the pool when it's topped up.

Edited July 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[Jai Dee]

it's all a matter of how much money one is willing to spend for added convenience. here's my "pool service":

Nice setup Dr. Naam

Who set it up for you and how much was it?

You live in the Pattaya area don't you?

[Nignoy]

On a lighter note I would never have a pool built any where in Thailand!! we had what is probably the first English built pool in thailand it was completed in april 1965 in our camp near Leong Nok Tha, sadly there was a drought and water became rationed, in June we ended up having to drink the pool water an experience not to be recommended Nignoy

[jaideeguy]

Hey cdnv,

Good tip, but what shop in CM does water testing and sells those fancy test kits that you have pictured?? I get most of my pool supplies at 'chemicals far east' on the Mihodol road and have never seen anything than the basic cholorine/ph test kits.

As an alternative to the costly 'pooltrine' and other water clearifiers, they suggested simple [cheap] 'alum' liquid as a flocculent. I have used it once with amazing success years ago, but forgot the exact procedure and have just done a google search on it and came up with some conflicting info. one site suggested dosing it directly into the pool and vaccuming it to waste....then another site said to add it into the strainer basket in front of the filter.

any first hand experience with alum as a flocculent???

[jaideeguy]

I should add that today, I did a ph test and came up with 8.2...top of the scale. would that explain my cloudy water and possibly scale build up??

[cdnvic]

I should add that today, I did a ph test and came up with 8.2...top of the scale. would that explain my cloudy water and possibly scale build up??

I would suspect alkalinity still as it leads to extreme ph readings, and ph lock. If the alkalinity is too high it will be next to impossible to lower your ph levels, but let's not get ahead of ourselves without knowing the test results. Sorry that I can't recommend a specific shop in CM right now as I'm not there at the moment. I'd ask in the Chiang Mai forum as I know there's a few members with pools there who would know of one.

Alum is fine as a flocculate, it's just not as efficient as the chemical solutions. If you have dead organic matter in the pool (algae) it's a good way to get it to filter out better. If it's no longer having an effect though, don't keep adding it. Adding it to the strainer basket will draw it into the sand filter which is probably the best way to get the job done with the least alum as all water in the pool will pass through there. Don't overdo it though, a handful is is enough between backwashes.

I would get yourself two very important things at the pool shop:

1. Pool test strips. I use these to make quick tests to determine if anything is reading out of balance. Very easy to use. Use these daily.

2. Titration test kit. Don't be intimidated, these are easy to use and give accurate results when used properly. When I want detailed results I reach for one of these. You'll want to do a weekly test of everything. A good kit should be able to do chlorine tests, ph test, acid demand, base demand, cyanuric acid level, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness.

Without being able to do testing it will be impossible to control the balance of your pool. Once you get it in balance you will be surprised how much easier it is to maintain. You might even enjoy the maintenance aspect.

Edited July 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[Naam]

it's all a matter of how much money one is willing to spend for added convenience. here's my "pool service":

Nice setup Dr. Naam

Who set it up for you and how much was it?

You live in the Pattaya area don't you?

the company is called Lomatech, located Thepprasit Road, Pattaya and the setup is quite expensive (150,000 to 170,000 Baht depending on the size of your pool). advantages are that the system can be changed within minutes to use different chemicals (e.g. H²O² or Chlorine) for pool desinfection, maintaining desired pH and adding a flocculation agent (all pumped from different containers).

i spent the money because of an extremely poor pool service i received in the home which i rented during construction period of my home plus i didn't want to have any strangers running around on my property and disturbing my privacy.

[jaideeguy]

Thanks again cdnvic,

I'll post on the CM forum. Your avatar profile states that you are in CM, so i thought you were up here. i do have a couple of gallons of sulferic acid ....will that bring my ph down same as muriatic acid??

aloha,

jdg

[cdnvic]

Sulfuric acid is fine. Make sure your alkalinity is at the levels mentioned above before you attempt to adjust pH, or the acid will have little effect.

[Jai Dee]

... and the setup is quite expensive (150,000 to 170,000 Baht depending on the size of your pool).

Ouch!!!

I think I'll stick to checking it myself twice a week.

[Naam]

... and the setup is quite expensive (150,000 to 170,000 Baht depending on the size of your pool).

Ouch!!!

I think I'll stick to checking it myself twice a week.

i fully agree! it's OK to spend that kind of dough when you have enough and no [deserving] heirs when you throw in the towel. there is nothing wrong with checking your water twice a week and balance it chemically as needed.

[lazeeboy]

... and the setup is quite expensive (150,000 to 170,000 Baht depending on the size of your pool).

Ouch!!!

I think I'll stick to checking it myself twice a week.

i fully agree! it's OK to spend that kind of dough when you have enough and no [deserving] heirs when you throw in the towel. there is nothing wrong with checking your water twice a week and balance it chemically as needed.

i have nightmares about my pool ,if i ever move i will not have another one ,rarely use it ,forever servicing it