Sounds like a plan! You're no longer a noob Johnny! Hey How's the wife liking the BBB now?

Testing frequency: kinda depends. IF you have extraordinary rains causing excessive dilution; if you are adjusting; other than that perhaps monthly. Sand filter users will have more frequent water replacement because of backwashing.

Another example is if you see excessive FC loss during the day, do an overnight test. If your overnight test holds, check your CYA level to see if it's what you thought it was.

I just checked mine, we have had a lot of rain and I expected it to be lower than it was, because I have had heavy FC demand this week. Of course it's been sunny, heavier than normal batherload, hotter than the bejeezers....I've been leaving the cover off cause the water is hot enough... all of this contributes to the loss.

Some people will test only at startup, closing, and maybe once mid-season just to be sure. (I suppose that's one advantage of a dry climate, don't have to keep pumping out the rainwater.) Otherwise like FPM said: after water loss, or if something doesn't seem right.
--paulr

I assume, then that the $7.06 total that you previously stated is incorrect? Because if it is will you PLEASE sell me some of your bleach?

I have been following this thread because I have been watching mine trying to figure out how much is "correct" as well. As it turns out I use round abouts twice as much as you do, but I am only using 6%... Since all three of our pools (yours Johnny B's and mine) are about the same size and only yours has some form of cover I guess we are doing alright..?...

haha, yeah, I realized that today when I was trying to figure it out again. I actually used 5.8875 JUGS not gallons which is what I used to figure the $7. it's actually more like $16.

Where do you buy 10% for around $1 per gallon? That is still close to 1/3 the price that I have to pay.

the way I figure it is $4.25 per 2.5 gallon jug refills. leslie's always has it either buy 2 get 1 free or I'll have a free one from my punch card. so I figure $8.50 for 7.5 gallons, which is about $1.13/gallon. I wrote all this out so others can check my work in case I screwed up (again) as virtually everyone has heard me whine, it used to be $2.49 for a 2.5 gallon refill when I moved here in 2006.

Wow... I can understand being annoyed watching the price go up, but I wish I had a source like that. In any case I'll stop hijacking this thread now so it can get back to regular programming.

6/28/09
TA: 90 (unchanged in the past 71 days)
CH: 340 (48 days ago it was 350)

pH: 7.6; I check pH about every 3 days & about weekly it creeps up to 7.8 so I lower it to Target 7.5. Because I’m still learning how my pool behaves, I add the acid in 2 increments about 1 hour apart with a re-test between those 2 increments & honestly I don’t re-test for another day or so then find it’s in range which satisfies me. Hereafter I will go ahead & add the full amount of acid at once unless you guys advice otherwise.

FC: 3-4.5 range, for past 10 days per the daily test using Leslie’s “Trouble Shooter DPD”( similar to the OTO but Leslie’s stuff is older so use it up & about weekly I verify with the FAS-DPD); just recently dropped my FC Target to 6 without noticing an FC problem- but per the CYA-Chlorine Chart really it could be Target 5 – however today’s CYA test below indicates I can use FC Target 3 or 4, so should I use Target 4 & see how it holds daily?

Using the FAS/DPD today
FC: 2, matched the OTO, first time ever my FC got below 3, its usually 4 or more, pretty sure I goofed with last nights bleach
CC:0.5

CYA: 20, was super close to 30 (68 days ago it was 40 & a week before that it was 40-50 & the weeks prior to that were 30-40)
Chlorine / CYA Chart

Recommended levels
Plaster with Bleach
FC 3-7
pH 7.5-7.8
TA 70-90
CH 250-350
CYA 30-50

Questions:
1- New daily FC Target of 4 is OK? Or you’d do Target 3? Not 3 because Recommended FC is 3-7? Or I should Target some other #?
2- This weekly creep upward in pH is normal? (To bad it doesn’t creep down & simply need the free aeration to correct)
3- Pump run time is two 4-hour segments. One guy here said I’d likely end up at 6-8hrs a day. Should I try to drop to 6 or 7 hrs? Pool gets 8+ hours of the hottest sun & July & Aug are the hottest months (this June was unusually cool for much of June). Pump run time is more about on my chemistry & turnover than weather, or not really?
3- Any worries or anything I need to know, I still don’t have all this mastered & I continue to study Pool School & the forum.

Thanks

You're doing great.

I'd keep your current run time thru August and as the weather cools, you can slowly decrease the run time, monitoring the water as you do.

I would target 5, this will keep you above 3. If it doesn't, then target 6. IF your CYA gets lower you should add just a little to keep you at 40-50.

Your Tap water must be adding PH/TA to your pool, which would likely explain why the acid doesn't seem to budge the TA number at all...

7/6/09
Evening pH test 7.8 - 8.2, so calculated 8.0.
Added acid, re-test pH ½ hours later: 7.2, oops
13 hours later, added 1/8” water, pH tested 7.2-7.5
We’ll have no rain for days & it’s hot so I can add tap water daily, probably 1/8” tonight or heck I just as well exceed the water level now because it’ll be dropping in this climate. I predict it’ll be 7.5 in 24 hours if not sooner. I’m not concerned unless you guys tell me I should be. Historically the pH creeps up to 7.8 on a near weekly basis

Secondly, re a recent prior post of mine above in this tread about my using a too high of an FC Target (8). I slowly scaled it down & then slowly had to scale it back up. Seems Target 8 is the right Target these days/these conditions (but I’m still pretty sure I was using too high a Target for a while there). Cleaned the DE filter just to see if it influenced it- no affect,; filter was 6 not 8 psi beyond normal but it had been there for > 1 month.

This baby really goes through the bleach & acid.

Any worries re the pH?
Go ahead & exceed the ideal water level a tad to help the pH?

Thanks

Don't worry about the PH. Anything from 7.2 to 7.8 is alright. Things tend to be more stable in the long run if you don't bring it down that low, but the difference won't be significant.

My TA tests 70 which is in the Normal range of 70-90.

On 6/28/09, TA was 90 & that was unchanged in the prior 71 days.

1- I leave my TA alone, & just test it every 1-2weeks, & if it gets out of range then adjust it, right? (Unlike my pH which tends to always rise so when my pH gets to 7.8 I lower it to 7.5.)

2- How often do I test CH?

Nothing else new to report. My CC tested 0 for the 1st time (has always been an acceptable 0.5 once things stabilized). I have learned that the spring organics of pollen etc cause a lot more chlorine fluctuation & demand than the mid summer’s high heat & sunshine.



Thanks

CH and CYA normally change very slowly. I test them twice a season, in the spring and in early August. Some people like to test them as often as once a month.

It is a good idea to test TA once a week, though if it has been stable for a number of weeks, testing less often is fine.

Today's test
CH 370-380
Pool School mentions several places as does the Test Kit that 200-400 is ok.

Yet the "Recommended levels" chart of PSchool states: for plaster CH 250-350.

Which one is it/ am I ok?

Thanks

You're fine.

Almost your first season of TFP under your belt....have you been enjoying the pool?

When CH gets about somewhere around 350 you start to have to pay attention to keeping calcium saturation under control. This effect creeps up on you gradually, so CH at 400 normally isn't an issue. But we set the recommended level at 350 so people will start checking their PH and TA levels as CH climbs. The higher CH gets, the more careful you need to be to keep PH and TA from getting too high. As long as your TA is still under 100 and you don't let your PH get wildly high, you shouldn't have anything to worry about till CH is 500+.

I have a question about today's TA

On 6/28/09 TA was 90 (unchanged in the previous 71 days); CYA was 20-30
On 8/5/09 TA was 70

On 8/23/09 CH 370


Today 9/19/09 results:
pH 8.0
TA 50
FC tested last night & has been stable daily by adding the indicated amount of bleach.

So I added acid to get the ph to 7.5

45 minutes after above acid addition:
- pH tested 7.2 ( yes I added less than indicated & this 7.2 has happen before & Jason said it was ok, my pool tends to creep up in pH & needs acid about every7- 8 days)
-TA tested 40

My ideal TA level should be 70-90

This is my 1st time adjusting TA so I’d like to verify my pool calculator findings.
Borates 50
pH 7.2
FC is probably 5
My current TA is 40 & I entered a Target TA of 80 (is 80 correct?)

I need to add 186oz by weight or 149oz by vol baking soda, right?
No need to await for the pH to get to be 7.5, right?

Thanks

I get the same answer for your baking soda. No need to wait on the pH coming up.
According to the Effects of Adding Chemicals section, the baking soda will also raise your pH by about 0.1.
--paulr

Thank you Paul.

I have not yet added the baking soda because I have to shop for it & it’s been pouring rain.

I have some "Alkalinity Up" by Leslies on hand from days before BBB. It’d be nice to use it up.

If yes, I better verify the amount:
Directions state: 1.5 lbs increases TA 10ppm per 10,000 gal of water

Current TA40 to Target TA80 is a difference of 40ppm
40 divided by 10 = 4

My 19,800gal of water divided by 10,000 is 1.98.

4 x 1.5lbs x 1.98 = 11.88lbs of this product is required.

1- Is it OK to use this "Alkalinity Up" product? TFP has never steered me wrong so I’ll definitely go with the baking soda if that is recommended.

2- If yes, is my math/amounts correct?

3- We had about 0.75 inches of rain, is re-testing pH & TA indicated? I tested both yesterday, see above post.

Thanks

It's fine to use it and your math is correct.