Recent content by tracyd21

As for history, we finally got the pool figured out. When we got home from vacation, most of the 'gunk' had dissolved. We vacuumed out the rest. TA was still high so I added muriatic acid (as directed by pool store) and it dropped, but everything else was fine so we were swimming a day later...

I have the walmart test kit, but it only has 2 tests worth of drops for CYA. I used them earlier in the summer when I was opening my pool. So I guess I am shooting blind. I will run to Leslie's and have them test my water. Thanks anyway!

I know 5 is not shock level, but it was .5 yesterday so I see this as improvement. I am not finished working on the pool, which is why I am here... I don't know my CYA level. My test kit is small and I can't afford to invest in a better one until next year. Can you help based on the info I...

Hello, We just got several inches of rain and lots of heat and I think the chemical composition of my pool is a little screwy. I just spent all of yesterday shocking my pool. Just tested: TC- 5 (yesterday it was .5) pH- 7.2 TA: 160 The water is a little cloudy. Should I do anything about the...

Thanks for all the help - I am on vacation now and it is pouring at home (and here :x ). I'm sure all this rain will put me at square one when I return. Oh well! There was only a little bit of gunk left at the bottom. I vacuumed to waste yesterday before I left (and flooded the yard) and I...

Maybe I wasn't clear about the return jets - by bubbling I meant sometimes it seems like they aren't bringing water back into the pool, but other times they seem fine. The inconsistency is what I am confused about, not sure if this is a normal thing. As for the gunk, is it devistating to the...

I forgot to mention - my filter is running, but the returns aren't always actively bubbling. The pressure gauge on the filter says 15. What could be the potential issue - or is this normal? I apologize - I literally have no clue what is going on with the pool.

Brand new day. Same cloudy pool. I vacuumed some of the gunk to waste - did the best I could. There is still lots of undissolved solids along the bottom. This makes sense considering I just did a brief test: TA: 220!!!!! :shock: TC: 5 pH: 7.2 Temp: 70 degrees I am guessing the only way to...

Also, how long should the filter run - and what time of day is best?

Okay - I am not going to have anyone to pour bleach each night while I am away. Should I still shock the pool [i]now[i], or should I leave it as is and deal with it when I return (leaving it uncovered and with a puck)? Thanks so much!

I did not add any CYA. I bought 15 lbs though. What are CCs? If no one is able to dump in chlorine, do I not chlorinate it at all? And I take the floater out altogether? For consistency's sake, i tested with a test strip to see what it said for CYA. The color chart indicates...

My guess is the CYA was in there all along - and my test strips stink? I don't know (obviously!)! I will brush the bottom for now. Does TA ever lower itself? We've had a ton of rain - don't know if that matters. Side note - I am leaving for vacation tomorrow night. Will my pool be safe for...

As predicted, I screwed up! I added too much of something and it is sitting on the bottom of the pool. But the water is blue now!!!! It was green yesterday. I guess that's good? Bought the test kit at Wal-Mart - going to have to deal with this for now: TC: 2 TA: 150 yikes! pH: 7.2 CYA...

That is correct - I have test strips. Being the ignorant pool owner that I am, I bought them since they claimed to test 6 things, as opposed to the 2-way dropper tests I saw at Kmart. Since it's 1am, a real kit will have to wait until tomorrow :) I just used a strip to see if I had any...

Oh no - I did add everything at once!!! Yikes...I hope I don't screw anything up :shock: Hopefully because I went slightly under the recommended amounts, I will be okay? I figure the bleach will burn off anyhow since I have no CYA at home...