First test with new kit

[teamstew]

I just received my test kit! Since I'm color blind, I waited for my wife to come home to help me. My results are:

FC 6.5
CC 1.5
TC 8
ph 7.5
t/a 200
cya 60
temp 72

I'm a newbie, any help would be appreciated. I would like to get my t/a lowered of course, and raise my cya to 80. When testing the cya, I didn't know if I was suppose to not see the black or not see the circle itself.

 

[DaveNJ]

Your CC is high, shock with bleach until you hold FC over night and CC of .5 or less. The TA could be lowered, if you haven't read the article in Pool School its worth the info for lowering TA.

You can turn off the SWCG during shock.

 

[ideliver]

your colorblindness should not matter much with your testing...the test are either comparison (pH) or color change (TA/FC)...

 

[PaulR]

I agree, CC 1.5 is high, you probably want to shock to bring that down. CYA 60 might be okay depending on where you live/how much sun you get.

In the CYA test you want the black dot to be completely obscured. You should not be able to see any distinction between the dot and the white ring.
--paulr

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

With an SWG you want your CYA to be 70-80

Here's a helpful link for performing the test:

http://www.taylortechnologies.com/ChemistryTopicsCM.ASP?ContentID=44

You don't need to turn OFF the SWG during shock, it can help you maintain shock level. You DO want to use Liquid Chlorine to REACH shock level. However, to determine IF your FC is holding overnight, you do need to turn the SWG off. Hope that makes sense....

 

[teamstew]

Thanks for the help, I'm leaving for work now. I will get on it when I get home!

 

[teamstew]

OK, new results are
FC 5.5
CC 0
TC 5.5
PH 7.6
t/a 200
cya 55
temp 72

I must have goofed yesterday on the cc! It definetly is correct today! I have the heater on today, the water is very clear and has been for three weeks. I also have my spill spa and slide running. Also have my aqua jet working, it must be a little airbound today, it keeps floating to the seface and blowing bubbles, so between all three things I am definetly aerating today. Since I just received my test kit yesterday, I have been testing with test strips, and bringing samples to the pool store before the kit arrived. I must say that the pool store guy, never pushed anything on me that I didn't need, but he also doesn't follow the same guidlines for swg's that you guys do. Example: cya of 80, and never any mention of cc's. How important is it to lower my t/a? Could it come down by itself? I read the sticky on lowering it, if I have to do it I will. Just let me know!

 

[teamstew]

Also, should I work on raising the cya first before lowering the t/a or do both at the same time? FYI: I live in Newburgh New York and my pool get sun between sun up and 3 pm.

 

[JasonLion]

Go ahead and add the CYA now.

There are two approaches to high TA levels. You can lower the PH down to 7.2 every time it gets up to 7.8, which is likely to be quite frequent at first and will then slow down somewhat. Or you can dedicate some specific time to doing the lowering TA process. The problem with the gradual approach is that you have to pay attention and never let the PH get too high, no skipping days. On the other hand, lowering TA is something of a project, and it takes a while.

 

[teamstew]

Did the t/a go higher because I was adding borax to raise the ph?

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, borax raises PH a lot and TA just a little.

 

[teamstew]

I put about 2 1/2 lbs cya in a sock in the skimmer. Should I run the pump 24/7 or my normal 8-10 hours?

 

[reebok]

pool-school/pool_water_chemistry
while it says 24 hours, I'm not sure if it means for the week it could take it to dissolve, or 24 hours in one shot. maybe it can be edited to include that info.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I put about 2 1/2 lbs cya in a sock in the skimmer. Should I run the pump 24/7 or my normal 8-10 hours?

You want the pump running while the CYA dissolves, and then an additional 24 hours after the sock is empty (it's still likely dissolving in the filter itself...) Wait 5-6 days before you retest it, but after 24 hours, "assume" it's there and adjust FC levels accordingly.