[lisa99]

I just read on another current thread a comment from a poster that pools in Vegas need to be drained (fully replace the water) every other year.

Is this true and if so, why?

We've had pools in another state for years and the only time we had to drain the pool was to resurface it.

[dynimagelv]

I don't own a hole in the ground to pour money into but I have NEVER heard of that in las Vegas either....the guy that said that probably worked for the water district lol

[WestieJeff]

The only reason you may need to refill your pool on any regular basis would be due to an increase in total dissolved solids (TDS) which accumulate as you add chemicals and as you add water and the water evaporates leaving behind calicum, etc. Having too high of a TDS level can cause cloudy water, that's about it.

Also, if you're using solid chlorine products to chlorinate your pool (dichlor granular chlorine or trichlor pucks) then you will most likely need to drain and refill your pool regularly to remove cyanuric acid (CYA) aka chlorine stabilizer that as it builds up in your pool since having too much CYA in your pool will cause the chlorine to become ineffective at sanitizing. If you're using a salt system or liquid chlorine then you won't have this problem.

Basically if you're doing things right you should very very rarely have to drain your pool. The only times I've had to drain my pool is to do maintenance or repairs such as retiling, replaster, decking, etc.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by lisa99

I just read on another current thread a comment from a poster that pools in Vegas need to be drained (fully replace the water) every other year.

Is this true and if so, why?

We've had pools in another state for years and the only time we had to drain the pool was to resurface it.

We last drained in 2004. We have an electric cover which vastly limits evaporation so we are not typical. But it does tell you that water does not go bad in 6 years.

The proper criteria is Total Dissolved Solids and Calcium hardness...and in some cases stabilizer level.

But there is no sensible requirement that you do it on a fixed schedule. Note that you can get values down into a reasonable range once or twice by partial draining.

[gvc8]

every 4 to 5 years. as previous posters said,, primarily to get rid of calcium buildup. also for acid washing to try and get rid of stains,etc. best to do it in the fall/winter as exposing bare plaster to extreme heat of summer may cause problems. not to mention the mucher higher water bill which , if added to normal summer usage, may bite into your budget more than doing it in winter.

[SportyandMisty]

I plumbed my pool so I can fill it with softened water, hard water, or a mix. I use a mix - that way I keep my hardness down (that is, it keeps the calcium down). Note that it is usually not a good idea to fill a pool with totally soft water, as it will leach minerals out of the concrete gunnite.

[bmac88]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

I don't own a hole in the ground to pour money into but I have NEVER heard of that in las Vegas either....the guy that said that probably worked for the water district lol

You need to speak to some pool guys then,almost everyone that uses clorine has to change the water at least every 5 years....I checked my chemicals everyday,but after 6 years I had to have it drained because the water stopped absorbing the chemicals,so I was told.I had a pool in NY,never had to drain it...The water here is the problem....