USMB Coffee Shop IV

[SixFoot]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

 

[Ringel05]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

That's only part of the problem down here. The biggest challenge is to keep it clean, that's a constant battle given the winds we have blowing in sand, dust and debris filled with organic material raising the phosphate levels. Phosphates from organic material is what feeds the algae so what I need to do is pick up some phosphate treatment to eliminate the particulates in the pool, if that doesn't do the trick then I will have to drain and clean with bleach and the sun, not necessarily a cheap proposition.

 

[SixFoot]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

That's only part of the problem down here. The biggest challenge is to keep it clean, that's a constant battle given the winds we have blowing in sand, dust and debris filled with organic material raising the phosphate levels. Phosphates from organic material is what feeds the algae so what I need to do is pick up some phosphate treatment to eliminate the particulates in the pool, if that doesn't do the trick then I will have to drain and clean with bleach and the sun, not necessarily a cheap proposition.

I should also mention that I also upgraded to the sand filter/pump (the 3,000 GPH model), so it does a better job at keeping the water oxygenated. If you need a steroid boost for your cleaning supplies, I would highly recommend adding a big bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide (I never understood why they don't just call it Oxygenated Water) when you do your next chlorine treatment. I feed both the H2O2 and the chlorine through the intake line so it sanitizes the filter media first.

 

[Ringel05]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

That's only part of the problem down here. The biggest challenge is to keep it clean, that's a constant battle given the winds we have blowing in sand, dust and debris filled with organic material raising the phosphate levels. Phosphates from organic material is what feeds the algae so what I need to do is pick up some phosphate treatment to eliminate the particulates in the pool, if that doesn't do the trick then I will have to drain and clean with bleach and the sun, not necessarily a cheap proposition.

I should also mention that I also upgraded to the sand filter/pump (the 3,000 GPH model), so it does a better job at keeping the water oxygenated. If you need a steroid boost for your cleaning supplies, I would highly recommend adding a big bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide (I never understood why they don't just call it Oxygenated Water) when you do your next chlorine treatment. I feed both the H2O2 and the chlorine through the intake line so it sanitizes the filter media first.

Yeah it's a sand filter also. The problem currently is a money issue, I'd drain the pool and leave it but then the risk of cracking comes into play, especially down here in this heat, that's expensive to fix and while we are just renting the lease requires we maintain the pool.

 

[Dajjal]

View attachment 77995

Here is a quite good pic of an adult Fox and one of its cubs. I think its the father.

Well that may be the last picture I am going to get in my garden. The landlords came and mowed the lawn, then put up a square washing line that completely blocks the view. But that is nothing compared to the possibility that they have moved something like a stone away from the wall, and now the cubs cannot climb up to get back into next doors garden where they have their burrow. If that is the case I will ask them to replace whatever they moved. The worst of it is I saw one cub jump down into the garden on the other side of the neighbours and that garden has a high fence all around it so the cub cannot get out.
I feel like a daddy Fox myself, worrying about the cubs.

 

[Divine Wind]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

That's only part of the problem down here. The biggest challenge is to keep it clean, that's a constant battle given the winds we have blowing in sand, dust and debris filled with organic material raising the phosphate levels. Phosphates from organic material is what feeds the algae so what I need to do is pick up some phosphate treatment to eliminate the particulates in the pool, if that doesn't do the trick then I will have to drain and clean with bleach and the sun, not necessarily a cheap proposition.

I'm on well water and it's not only hard, but full of iron leaving red stains on everything. Eventually I paid for a water softener which fixed the problems.

We have a 12 foot above ground pool for cooling and floating. Nice and cheap to own.

 

[SixFoot]

Enjoying some cooler temps this morning if one considers 80 degrees a cooler temp. We're supposed to be in the hundreds all the rest of the week.

90's here, with a few Louisiana-like rain showers throughout. Praying my pool liner holds up for one last season. lol

Well at least our current humidity level is at 12%, later today it'll probably be in the minus range. I'm still having issues with my in-ground, oversized chemistry set......... Still have algae problems. Might just have to drain it, clean it and start fresh.

I had massive scaling and algae issues the first two seasons. Turns out, it was the hardness of the water (over 450 PPM and the acceptable level is 150 - 250 if I recall correctly).

Every powdered amendment contains calcium and salts to bind the chemicals. Adding those to your water adds to the PPM, and eventually, there will be nothing left to do but drain the water and refill.

This year, I have my pump running 24/7, and am using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid for pH down (I buy both at Lowes, the muriatic acid is in the paint section). The return line to the pool has been secured in a manner than the returning water splashes down into the pool, oxygenating the water like you would with an aquarium.

Using the liquids negates further build-up of calcium (algae loves it some calcium!), and keeping the water oxygenated prevents the total alkalinity from rising with the pH (as it normally would). This way, rather than cleaning dirty water, you are stabilizing clean water, and keeping it that way!

In the past, my pools pH would fluctuate wildly from perfectly neutral to over 8.5 in less than 12 hours. Today (after stabilizing the water for a week prior to anyone swimming), I add two cups of muriatic acid at sun down, and two cup of chlorine once at sundown (15 minutes after the muriatic acid), and once after the family has had their daily swim.

Water is crystal clear now, and pH goes from 6.8 to 7.2 after 24 hours of use if I forget a dose of chemicals.

I just wish I could've figured all this out the first year. lol

That's only part of the problem down here. The biggest challenge is to keep it clean, that's a constant battle given the winds we have blowing in sand, dust and debris filled with organic material raising the phosphate levels. Phosphates from organic material is what feeds the algae so what I need to do is pick up some phosphate treatment to eliminate the particulates in the pool, if that doesn't do the trick then I will have to drain and clean with bleach and the sun, not necessarily a cheap proposition.

I'm on well water and it's not only hard, but full of iron leaving red stains on everything. Eventually I paid for a water softener which fixed the problems.

We have a 12 foot above ground pool for cooling and floating. Nice and cheap to own.

There's a water softener hooked up to the plumbing here as well, but it hasn't been doing anything since we moved in. Someday I'll have pinched enough pennies to get one again. lol

 

[Divine Wind]

There's a water softener hooked up to the plumbing here as well, but it hasn't been doing anything since we moved in. Someday I'll have pinched enough pennies to get one again. lol

Mine goes through about a bag of salt pellets per month. About $5 worth.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Pool? What is this "pool" thing you all keep talking about? There are no outdoor pools here, and the indoor versions are so heavily chlorinated, I cannot breathe. Last time I was swimming was three years ago at Tahoe.
We're up to the mid-60's again today. I'm in shorts and a wife-beater and am still sweating like a hog. Biggest problem with lots of exposed, sweaty flesh is hay and other farm debris tends to cling and become very itchy.
Sampled some of that last batch of strawberry melomel (mead) last night. Even without being bottle-aged, it is a smooth beverage. I always get to use up the bit that doesn't fill an entire bottle.
Well, guess I gotta get to work around here. Chores to do, and all. Hope everyone manages to stay cool and dry, wherever they are.

 

[Ringel05]

Our Monsoon season is supposed to start tomorrow and run through August.

 

[Ridgerunner]

 

[Ringel05]

Picked up some phosphate treatment, cost half of what I saw online. "Water may cloud, especially with high phosphate levels, my pool looked like it was overcast........

Right now it's hot, 100 degrees, we have both swamp coolers going....... Last year when it got to 85 we would turn on both swamp coolers, 95 and the window AC units would get powered up. So far this year I have yet to put the AC units back in the windows. 100 doesn't really feel that bad any more.

 

[gallantwarrior]

100 degrees is toaster hot. I cannot imagine expiring in such temperatures. It's 72 here right now and I'm sheltering in my much cooler garaged "house". I'll wake up sweat-soaked a couple of times before I go to work later tonight.

 

[Againsheila]

Pool? What is this "pool" thing you all keep talking about? There are no outdoor pools here, and the indoor versions are so heavily chlorinated, I cannot breathe. Last time I was swimming was three years ago at Tahoe.
We're up to the mid-60's again today. I'm in shorts and a wife-beater and am still sweating like a hog. Biggest problem with lots of exposed, sweaty flesh is hay and other farm debris tends to cling and become very itchy.
Sampled some of that last batch of strawberry melomel (mead) last night. Even without being bottle-aged, it is a smooth beverage. I always get to use up the bit that doesn't fill an entire bottle.
Well, guess I gotta get to work around here. Chores to do, and all. Hope everyone manages to stay cool and dry, wherever they are.

We still have two bottles of your mead, but don't know what we're going to do when we run out......

 

[blackhawk]

 

[Ridgerunner]

We still have two bottles of your mead, but don't know what we're going to do when we run out......

Offer money or boot of equal value for the recipe...

 

[Againsheila]

We still have two bottles of your mead, but don't know what we're going to do when we run out......

Offer money or boot of equal value for the recipe...

It's funny how you have no idea how important something is until someone gives it to you as a gift. I think GW is a mead pusher.....lol

 

[Ridgerunner]

 

[Ringel05]

100 degrees is toaster hot. I cannot imagine expiring in such temperatures. It's 72 here right now and I'm sheltering in my much cooler garaged "house". I'll wake up sweat-soaked a couple of times before I go to work later tonight.

It's all in what you're used to. Just woke up, the outside temp is 83, inside with only one swamp cooler running it feels positively arctic in here. It was warm last night when I first tried to go to bed, 90 outside and the house hadn't yet shed it's stored up heat from the day.

 

[saveliberty]

I was noticing a gentleman with a coat on this morning, it was 68 degrees. My first thought, snow bird.