Playing Devil's Advocate, there might be a reason to run two tests in his case. He's never used his test kit before, so I would think that his first few measurements would be more subject to user error than future ones. Might be a reason to go one extra day, testing error.
New Home Owner - Green Pool
- Thread starter aeh0603
- Start date
Test kit is in! I'll test again later tonight to double check my numbers.
FC - 56.5
CC - 0
pH - not valid with FC > 10
CYA - more than 200
TA - 100
CH - 1125
FC - 56.5
CC - 0
pH - not valid with FC > 10
CYA - more than 200
TA - 100
CH - 1125
For FC, yes i used a 10ml sample and it turned sort of yellowish around 110 drops and I have up counting at 113. It was very dark pink for a long time. So if yellowish counts as clear then it is 55.
For CYA, yes I did the diluted by half and it still did not reach the 100 mark before the dot disappeared. It wasn't very bright outside so I did this test inside under a bright light.
For CYA, yes I did the diluted by half and it still did not reach the 100 mark before the dot disappeared. It wasn't very bright outside so I did this test inside under a bright light.
Whats the water situation there these days? Will you be able to drain and refill (at least partially)?
Remember that you never want to entirely empty a fiberglass pool, so if you're going to want to drain the entire contents you have to do drain 1/3 to 1/2, refill, then drain again and maybe again... until your CYA and CH numbers are prettier.
Remember that you never want to entirely empty a fiberglass pool, so if you're going to want to drain the entire contents you have to do drain 1/3 to 1/2, refill, then drain again and maybe again... until your CYA and CH numbers are prettier.
Well, no sense in doing an OCLT, much less two.... Are you under water restrictions in your area of CA for a drain and refill?
We still have drought restrictions on water usage, but the only rule I can find about swimming pools is that they have to use recirculated water. For drainage I am not allowed to use the sewer, but I can use the storm drain as long as there is no chlorine in the water. I can't find anything that says I am not allowed to drain and refill the pool.
The FAS-DPD is officially only good up to 50 ppm. I think this is the first time that has been put to the test. 
Definitely need to drain and refill at least 50% to start. With 200+ cya your target FC is 24 and shock level is 78!
Definitely need to drain and refill at least 50% to start. With 200+ cya your target FC is 24 and shock level is 78!Ok, so it sounds like there is no point in testing my water again tonight, I'll stop adding chlorine and test again tomorrow.
At what point is my pool safe to swim in? Is there a number where FC is too high even if it's below SLAM level?
City guidelines say that to drain my pool, the water has to have <0.1ppm chlorine, 6.5 to 8.5 pH, no algae, and no chemicals to counteract chlorine... If I let my FC drop to 0 when my target is 24, isn't it likely I will have algae before it gets to 0 or will it fall fast enough that I will be able to drain and add chlorine before algae becomes a problem?
At what point is my pool safe to swim in? Is there a number where FC is too high even if it's below SLAM level?
City guidelines say that to drain my pool, the water has to have <0.1ppm chlorine, 6.5 to 8.5 pH, no algae, and no chemicals to counteract chlorine... If I let my FC drop to 0 when my target is 24, isn't it likely I will have algae before it gets to 0 or will it fall fast enough that I will be able to drain and add chlorine before algae becomes a problem?
NO wonder your pool cleared up! LOL NOTHING could live in that.
Let your FC come down on it's own. It is not safe to swim in quite yet.
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Look at this chart..............it is safe to swim in when the FC is just under the SLAM/SHOCK level so down to 38 to be on the safe side. I would NOT wear a brand new suit in there just in case it causes some fading.
With the drain/refill you will be adding water in as soon as you drain so you should be safe from the algae bloom so long as you add chlorine in as soon as you stop draining.
Let us know when you are going to do it and we can walk you through what and how to do it.
Kim
Let your FC come down on it's own. It is not safe to swim in quite yet.
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Look at this chart..............it is safe to swim in when the FC is just under the SLAM/SHOCK level so down to 38 to be on the safe side. I would NOT wear a brand new suit in there just in case it causes some fading.
With the drain/refill you will be adding water in as soon as you drain so you should be safe from the algae bloom so long as you add chlorine in as soon as you stop draining.
Let us know when you are going to do it and we can walk you through what and how to do it.
Kim
I'm a little confused because this advice seems to be conflicting. I understand the FC/CYA chart, but my CYA (200+) is not on the chart. pooldv extrapolated the data to state what it would be for a CYA of 200, and kimkats is saying I shouldn't go above the SLAM FC level for a CYA of 100. This may not be relevant since I need to let my FC come down anyway in order to drain my pool, I am just trying to understand the different angles of this situation.
aeh0603- I noticed that you said this:
For FC, yes i used a 10ml sample and it turned sort of yellowish around 110 drops and I have up counting at 113. It was very dark pink for a long time. So if yellowish counts as clear then it is 55.
From my understanding, you would use 55. In reality 'clear' should read more like 'not pink'. There are times when certain pools will produce a cloudy/tan color once the pink is gone. So 'clear' is a little misleading... What you are looking for is a lack of pink.
For FC, yes i used a 10ml sample and it turned sort of yellowish around 110 drops and I have up counting at 113. It was very dark pink for a long time. So if yellowish counts as clear then it is 55.
From my understanding, you would use 55. In reality 'clear' should read more like 'not pink'. There are times when certain pools will produce a cloudy/tan color once the pink is gone. So 'clear' is a little misleading... What you are looking for is a lack of pink.
Well, before draining and refilling the pool, I'd suggesting letting the FC drop and retest. I'd also take the water sample back to the pool store you used before as a reality check in case there is operator error in the pool testing.
I don't know how reliable any of these tests are in that chlorinated of an environment.
But I wouldn't drain and fill 6000 gallons of water from a crystal clear pool without a second test and second opinion. That's pretty drastically bad for the environment. If you don't put any tablets or stabilizer in, the CYA may drop faster than you think, or it may not. You had a green pool, not a blue pool, I'd resist taking drastic actions until you know more.
I don't know how reliable any of these tests are in that chlorinated of an environment.
But I wouldn't drain and fill 6000 gallons of water from a crystal clear pool without a second test and second opinion. That's pretty drastically bad for the environment. If you don't put any tablets or stabilizer in, the CYA may drop faster than you think, or it may not. You had a green pool, not a blue pool, I'd resist taking drastic actions until you know more.
I was the wrong one here......I missed your CYA was so high.
Just ignore me as I go work on my reading skills.Kim
I have to disagree with taking the water to the pool store for a CYA test. This is the test they get wrong the most
Kim
I ran all the tests again today, I'm fairly confident in my results for FC, CC, and CYA, and slightly less confident in my results for TA and CH. Those two have more subjective endpoints, especially CH. I'm having a hard time determining if it's still purple or if it's blue enough to be done.
Yesterday's results
FC - 55
CC - 0
CYA - more than 200
TA - 100
CH - 1125
Today's results
FC - 50
CC - 0.5
CYA - more than 200
TA - 110
CH - 1075
Yesterday's results
FC - 55
CC - 0
CYA - more than 200
TA - 100
CH - 1125
Today's results
FC - 50
CC - 0.5
CYA - more than 200
TA - 110
CH - 1075
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,789
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Alex, I haven't visited your thread since you before you got your kit, but now that you have it, I think just about all the comments say the same thing ..... water exchange. We typically try to avoid that as much as possible, but there are some cases when a pool was simply overrun by pool store chemicals (shocks, tabs, and stabilizer). Just nothing you could do. You've done a superb job literally driving while blind to clear-up a pool with no testing .... until now. Now that you know CH and CYA are through the roof, with no real accurate ways to measure on the Chlorine/CYA chart, it's almost impossible to manage. You'll never be able to accurately test pH when the FC is so high. I simply see no way around a partial drain in several stages since you can't lower too much out of a FB pool at once. It's understandable that with CA water restrictions, you have a challenge to not only remove the old water, but refill as well. Do the best you can and trust your TF-100. In time, with patience and a few water exchanges, you will eventually see those numbers come down. Good luck Alex, and let us know how the water exchange goes.
Hi Texas Splash, I think you are mixing me up with another member. I'm not Alex. That being said I do agree with your advice. I have only had this house/pool since November and the previous owner had a pool service maintaining the pool. It doesn't surprise me at all that we need to drain at least part of the water... we just need to wait for the chlorine to go to 0 (per city rules) as well as figure out how to drain it.
Can you explain some of the possible risks of draining a fiberglass pool? From what I have read, most people mention that if the water table is high the pool could lift out of the ground. Are there additional risks than that?
Can you explain some of the possible risks of draining a fiberglass pool? From what I have read, most people mention that if the water table is high the pool could lift out of the ground. Are there additional risks than that?
No No No!! You never want to drain a fiberglass pool. Because they're so lightweight when empty (in comparison to other types of pools) the force of upward pressure in the ground can pop that puppy out!
The best you can do is drain in smaller amounts, fill up and then drain again...and maybe again...
Have you ever heard of Reverse Osmosis water treatment? I think its available in your area and it is like dialysis for pools. Might be worth looking in to
Yip
The best you can do is drain in smaller amounts, fill up and then drain again...and maybe again...
Have you ever heard of Reverse Osmosis water treatment? I think its available in your area and it is like dialysis for pools. Might be worth looking in to
Yip