Just getting started

[Kelly P]

I am new to this site, and have had a pool for 9 years and have always gone to the pool stores. I have a hard time keeping FC and they say I don't need FC. I just bought a TF100 test kit, and tested my water.
FC .5, CC 2.5, TC 3, CH 225, TA 200, CYA is 55. What should I do to get my FC up (where should I keep my FC) and my CC down? My pool is nice and clear.

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP Isn't it nice having a test kit you can trust..

How does your water look? cloudy, green?

 

[mgmoore7]

First, read everything in Pool School and read lots of other similar post. You have a SLAM in your future. Once you get through the SLAM, your pool will be crystal clear and you will know how to maintain it for the future. I am doing a SLAM right now since I let my FC get too low after a pool party.

 

[cowboycasey]

Shopping list bleach/liquid chlorine.. you can get at walmart, menards, atwoods and HASA: bleach is 8.5%, pool shock from walmart is 10%, and menards and HASA have 12.5% the higher % you will use less each day..
Muriatic Acid you can get at lowes outdoor, 20% baume this is used to lower PH and TA

We will use your levels below

FC .5
CC 2.5
TC 3
CH 225 good
TA 200 we will bring this down as you drop PH
PH: You're missing this data, we need to take your PH to 7.2 before we start using muriatic acid
CYA 60 (if between 50 to 60 just use the higher number)

With your CYA at 60 it is high but not really bad, I just did a SLAM at CYA 80.. You can empty 1/3 of your pool water to drop to 40 but I would just leave it as is, you will use more chlorine but not much more...

poolmath above is your friend Put all your numbers in the "now" column, go to the bottom and fill out "tfp.com" bleach and vinyl..

So, I would bring your pool to SLAM level

for CYA at 60 is 24 FC

pool pump tunning 24/7 until done with SLAM

in poolmath put the following:
PH: find your number and put in now, then 7.2 in target... add the amount of MA to get to 7.2

Then
.5 FC in now and 24 in target
wait 30 minutes and test FC, put that number in now
repeat as much as you can but wait 2 hours between tests

Ask questions

I hope this helps

 

[TomGallopavo]

I would would also add you should stop with the pucks if they have cya in them and stick with bleach. For a non-swg pool the cya is getting up there. See the chlorine/cya chart in pool school.

 

[Kelly P]

Thank you, the PH is 7.2. After my first dose of slamming and wait 30 minutes to test, do I test for everything or just FC?

 

[Jezza]

You'll be testing at high FC levels so you will need to test with the FAS DPD.

 

[duraleigh]

Jezza is right....it's the "weekly" chlorine test you will use.

Read the SLAM article VERY carefully and adhere to it strictly.

 

[cowboycasey]

and only test FC and CC until your FC is back below 10 (ph will read high above 10) and all other tests will be done after the SLAM

 

[Kelly P]

Thank you

 

[Kelly P]

I just tested again and my FC 8, CC 4.5, TC 12.5. So I just put the FC of 8 in the pool math and my goal is still 24?

 

[cowboycasey]

exactly

You FC is killing stuff, that is why your CC is rising.. you will know you're getting ahead of it once your CC starts going down

 

[Kelly P]

So far I have added 12 gallons of chlorine. 4.5 gallons to start, half a hour later 3 gallons, 2 hours later 4.5 gallons (my count was back to my first FC reading .5) Will I be doing this every two hours?

 

[Kelly P]

I have added 17g. Of chlorine so far. I keep getting a FC .5, after the first round I got an FC 8, but since then I get FC .5, will this keep happening, because I fell like I am getting no where?

 

[cowboycasey]

Let's take a look at this..

You're using a heaping scoop of R-0870 and the 10 ml pool water turns pink
after 1 drop it turns clear

after 5 drops of R-0003 it turns pink again, how many drops for CC now

can you do the CYA test again, something seems off with that much chlorine being used..

Just so you know, I also had to use 4 gallons of 10% to raise FC.. our pools are pretty big...

 

[Kelly P]

I just tested again, my FC .5, CC 2.5 and the CYA is 60

 

[Swimmingfamily]

I'm new to this too and went through the slam process in the last couple of weeks. Stick with it--It is worth the trouble! A well kept secret on this site is Jesse's Excel sheet Jesse's Graphical Pool Testing Log (Excel spreadsheet)) . I'm not sure if I've attached the link properly. If you are familiar with using excel, it is the easiest thing to use during the slam process. Tab one is where you record your test results and tab 2 tells you what to add. Many thanks to Jesse--whoever you are!

 

[Kelly P]

Is my FC count really going to get to a FC of 24 at sometime during this process?
i just tested
FC .5
CC 1.5

 

[cowboycasey]

I know it can be frustrating when starting out.. It will get there it just takes time..

You CC is going down so you are making progress... you can add borax to bring your PH between 7 and 7.2

Please answer these questions so I can get a better idea of what is going on..

How deep is your pool
how many gallons do you have in the top of poolmath
at the bottom of poolmath do you have the following: troublefreepool.com, vinyl, bleach
How much bleach did you use this morning
are you testing CYA in bright sun with the sun to your back and the tube at waist level

We will get you going

 

[smforte]

Jezza is right....it's the "weekly" chlorine test you will use.

Read the SLAM article VERY carefully and adhere to it strictly.

Dave, is it possible OP could be dealing w ammonia? I don't have the instructions in front of me