Draining the swamp?

[The_Potty_1]

OK it wasn't a swamp, it was just a bit green. Yeesh, let me start again.

So, my pool is a constant trial. The main problem is the tree next to it, which produces thousands of pulpy berries, they hang down in clusters around 8cm long and 3cm wide, and one on its own can immobilise a kreepy until you manually clear it. There were hundreds in the bottom of the pool, I fished out 3 full nets last week, after which the rest were too disturbed to catch. Then the pool pump stopped working entirely, the pool went bright green, and ten thousand mosquitos started breeding. Time to call an expert.

The thing is, the expert drained the pool. We threw away 150 tons of water. We're refilling now, but it's going to take a week. Does anyone else think this is overkill? I also wish I'd seen whatever machine the guy had which can actually drain a pool. Do they cost a lot? I'm thinking when you've spent half a million on a hammer, all jobs look like nails.

 

[smkungfu]

Just get rid of the tree that's causing the problem.

 

[longboy]

Get rid of the tree firstly. It's not overkill to drain the pool if it goes beyond a certain pH or level of cleanliness.

The tree has to go eventually or you'll find yourself in a similar situation.

 

[The_Potty_1]

OK cleanliness I'll buy, but pH? Nope, anyone with a pool routinely tweaks pH, hydrochloric acid if it's neutral or too basic, sodium carbonate if it's too acidic.

As for the tree, I agree we'll be back to square one within a month unless we change stuff. The current plan is to employ the pool people to maintain it permanently. Really I'm asking if I should stick with this bunch, or change to some other group who are less prone to gouging their clients needlessly for money.

SA is a water-scarce country. I'll stake a kidney that in a decade or two, anyone suggesting you drain your pool because the water's too dirty to clean, will be out of business.

 

[Sepeng]

Yeah I'd be loathe to drain a pool these days; it sucks when I have to top my one up once every few months or so.
I'm no pool expert but ours has had it's moments of being proper green and I'm always amazed how quickly it can also turn around. So does sound like overkill to my untrained ears.
Also do those berries sink straight away? One of those leaf-catcher things won't help?

 

[Marsie27]

Anyone thinking of draining a pool, check your water table first. A couple of decades ago, we had neighbours who drained theirs towards the end of winter, and the whole pool (a large, gunite one) popped about a metre out of the ground. It was quite something to see. When we put our pool in at the end of March yonks ago (before the incident just mentioned), the installers had to pump out water below the deep end of the pool. We are in one of the wetter areas of Cape Town.

 

[eXisor]

It's the tree, or the pool.
.

 

[The_Potty_1]

What about a pool cover? It looks like you can just cut bubble wrap to size and lay it on top, although I would have to extend the plastic a metre just where it's under the tree. How long do those last before sun damage destroys it? I should measure the size of the pool.

 

[rietrot]

What about a pool cover? It looks like you can just cut bubble wrap to size and lay it on top, although I would have to extend the plastic a metre just where it's under the tree. How long do those last before sun damage destroys it? I should measure the size of the pool.

I like trees so i would get a propper pool cover and fire the guy who suggested you drain the pool. It sould be easier with a propper cover.

 

[The_Potty_1]

Also do those berries sink straight away? One of those leaf-catcher things won't help?

I tried to find what species of tree it is by looking at google images, but nothing like it came up. The berries sink immediately.

 

[qscwbt]

just get a pool cover

 

[The_Potty_1]

https://www.takealot.com/geobubble-swimming-pool-cover-material-3m-x-4m/PLID44855821

All I want to cover is a quarter of the pool at the deep end, then if/when the twit of a dog falls in, he can swim to the steps. Unfortunately there's some sort of water feature fountain thing on one side, it never worked so we made it a vegetable garden, but it may mess with the cover on that side, I may have to actually attach the cover to something rather than just floating it. But then you need to reinforce the plastic, and bolt some hard points to the borders of the pool, basically beyond anything I'm going to do when I could just put a rock on each corner instead.