I've been reading your posts for quite some time, and now I'm finally joining! I'm about to order my tftest kit. One question....should I get the XL. My pool is my baby (just ask my wife!), and I like to test, tweek etc. I've been fighting algae blooms all summer, and finally have it blue, but still cloudy. Help! No more $25 bottles of clearaid, right?
New member! Save me from Leslie!
- Thread starter PoolUmp
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,790
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hello and welcome to TFP! 
Yes, get the XL AND the Speed Stir. You won't regret it. Having the TF-100 is the best step you could make. Good move. 
Once you get the kit, post a full set of numbers and we'll walk you through the next steps.
Nice to have you with us!
Yes, get the XL AND the Speed Stir. You won't regret it. Having the TF-100 is the best step you could make. Good move. Once you get the kit, post a full set of numbers and we'll walk you through the next steps.Nice to have you with us!
Welcome! If the pool is your baby, you're in the right place to learn how to take care of it!
Ok, ordering the kit now! In the meantime, should I do away with tablets and powder shock? Use bleach? How much? Should I post test results from Leslie's?
Speed stir is a magnetic stirrer. You fill the cylinder with water, drop in a small magnetic bar, sit the cylinder on the stirrers pad and turn it on. It uses electomagnetism to spin the bar causing a little whirlpool in the cylinder to mix your reagents into. Fantastic piece of kit! Get one!
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PoolUmp, yes, stop the solid chlorine! Get any tablets out of the pool or chlorinator if there is one and switch to plain bleach. I would say atleast a half gallon a day until you get your kit to test. You can use the link at the top of the page for PoolMath to figure out how much bleach to add once you have a full set of numbers from your kit. Mess around with it a bit to figure out how to use it for now!
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PoolUmp, yes, stop the solid chlorine! Get any tablets out of the pool or chlorinator if there is one and switch to plain bleach. I would say atleast a half gallon a day until you get your kit to test. You can use the link at the top of the page for PoolMath to figure out how much bleach to add once you have a full set of numbers from your kit. Mess around with it a bit to figure out how to use it for now!
Ok, great! Thanks for all the quick responses everybody! I have so many questions! Should I return the perfect weekly from Leslie's? I just killed an algae bloom, and my phosphates are high (per Leslie's).
Does it matter when I run my filter? Right now it runs 2 hrs during the day, and 5 hrs at night.
Im guessing I only add bleach while the pump is running?
ill take the tablets out tomorrow as I'm on duty today.
are test strips useless at this point? My CYA has been between 70-90 per Leslie's. My last test strip read 10 ppm on chlorine
Does it matter when I run my filter? Right now it runs 2 hrs during the day, and 5 hrs at night.
Im guessing I only add bleach while the pump is running?
ill take the tablets out tomorrow as I'm on duty today.
are test strips useless at this point? My CYA has been between 70-90 per Leslie's. My last test strip read 10 ppm on chlorine
I would return whatever Leslie's will let you return (I have no idea about their return policies). Pump run time is fine for now. Yes, test strips are useless as is the Pool Store testing, especially CYA. They often get that one wrong, which is ironic because it's one the most important.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Give them to a neighbor. Tell them you've seen the light, but that since their pool is already murky & greenish, it won't make it that much worse.
Can't wait for you to test on your own and see how enjoyable managing your own pool can be!
Get the speed stir you will love it as a testing aid, kids like it too and they can do a test at like 3 or 4 years old.
Add bleach with pump running about 12-18 inches in front of a return(jet) slowly. It should take more than a minute to pour a gallon, preferably closer to two minutes. You'll see the chlorine cloud a little in the water then disperse. If the cloud gets big and doesn't disperse quickly, slow down your pour. Another thing I read on here is to make the stream of chlorine about the thickness of a pencil as it hits the water.
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You have plaster, probably don't have to worry as much about the speed of the pour. Still a good idea to take it slow though to make sure it gets mixed well.
Also, leave the pump running for at least 30 minutes after chemical additions.
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You have plaster, probably don't have to worry as much about the speed of the pour. Still a good idea to take it slow though to make sure it gets mixed well.
Also, leave the pump running for at least 30 minutes after chemical additions.
Ok, seriously need some help while I wait for my test kit. My pool was a bit cloudy yesterday but fairly blue, a bit more cloudy this morning, although I could easily see the bottom, now, 6PM tonight my pool is turning green, and I can't see the bottom! My test kit doesn't arrive until next Tuesday, but we have a pool party on Sunday. What can I do? I went out and got household bleach, poured 2 bottles (121 oz) in just now. Is there any danger in over chlorinating the pool? I'm thinking of adding another bottle. Obviously I'll be running the pump all night.
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Also, how do I start a new thread? It says I don't have permission to start new threads?
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Also, how do I start a new thread? It says I don't have permission to start new threads?
Sorry, won't happen again. I'm clearly new to this, and impatient because my dang pool is green again. Again, I apologize, didn't mean to gum up the system
are you posting from mobile? Your signature just became empty.
If your pool is already green start from 2 gal of 8.25% bleach (whatever # of bottles it takes) and then add 1 gal of the same bleach daily. Please don't add anything else to the water until the test kit arrives.
One thing about pool care- it is slow so stock up on POP- Pool Owner Patience, you'll learn true meaning of this later
. It is relevant in a sense if you already added 2 gal of bleach the pool won't immediately turn back blue, it will take days to clear. So wait at least until the morning for results. The pool is safe to swim in if you like to, we don't recommend procedures which put pool out of service for days.
It was good to get that 2 gallons in there when you did. Keep adding 1 gallon per day and brush the sides and bottom at least once a day until you get your test kit. Once you get your kit, post a full set of numbers (really need to know your CYA to recommend FC levels) and we'll go from there.
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According to PoolMath, 1 gallon of 8.25% bleach gives you a 5.7ppm bump in FC. Start messing with PoolMath to get familiar, it will help you to know how much you need to dose. Also, check out the Chlorine/CYA Chart to see the relationship between your CYA and FC levels.
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Another thing, go get plenty of bleach. I would get 12 gallons or so to start. Read over the SLAM directions and print them out if needed because you are going to do it as soon as your kit arrives!
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According to PoolMath, 1 gallon of 8.25% bleach gives you a 5.7ppm bump in FC. Start messing with PoolMath to get familiar, it will help you to know how much you need to dose. Also, check out the Chlorine/CYA Chart to see the relationship between your CYA and FC levels.
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Another thing, go get plenty of bleach. I would get 12 gallons or so to start. Read over the SLAM directions and print them out if needed because you are going to do it as soon as your kit arrives!
Great! Thanks all. So, seeing my POP is low, I took a sample to the pool store to see where I stood. The girl got a bit irritated with me when I asked her to test CYA twice! Then you should have seen her face when I asked her to test FC with a 1:1 pool:tap dilution! Seeing as her reading was 10 FC initially, but she said it doesn't test higher! Anyway, she read CYA at 90, and FC "over 20," I guess I'm in a SLAM process. I didn't have the heart to ask her to test FC with 1;2 ratio! So, my question: is it safe to swim? It's clearing up, pump is running, and I added another gallon of bleach AFTER I took my sample. It's 100* + here, so I'm guessing my chlorine will burn off quickly. Also, continue with 1 gallon each AM until my test kit arrives? I know my FC for a SLAM is up in the 35 range. Still safe to swim though, due to my high CYA, RIGHT.
- Mar 24, 2014
- 2,455
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-55
There is literally no point in having a pool store test your water*. You may as well go ask a kid on a playground what your CYA is
*ok sometimes metals
*ok sometimes metals
Correct, it is safe to swim up to SLAM level, 36 ppm for a CYA of 90. Assuming 90 is correct...
Thank you! I know it's not ideal to go by pool store test, but it's the best I can do for right now! Thank you everyone for your quick and helpful advise!