Cloudy water? Help me decide what to fix first?

[zea3]

Re: Do I really need a PhD in Chemistry to do this?

Borrowing a reply from Chem Geek. The important info about pucks that doesn't make my eyes cross is in red:

Trichlor is 91.5% available chlorine -- don't forget it has THREE chlorine attached to it and each produces a hypochlorous acid molecule. The molecular weight of Trichlor is 232.4103 g/mole while that of chlorine gas (which is how all chlorine is measured relative to) is 70.906 so 3*(70.906/232.4103) = 91.5%. Cyanuric Acid (CYA) has a molecular weight of 129.075 g/mole. So Trichlor is 129.075 / 232.4103 = 55.5% CYA by weight. These add up to more than 100% because chlorine is measured relative to chlorine gas, not to a single chlorine atom or to hypochlorous acid.

The way to look at it is that Trichlor does the following:

Trichlor + 3 Water --> CYA + 3 Chlorine (hypochlorous acid)

The 3" pucks unfortunately vary in weight being 6, 7 or 8 ounces (there are also 1" 3-ounce tabs and 1/2" 1-ounce tabs). If I assume 8-ounce pucks, then one in 10,000 gallons adds 5.5 ppm FC and 3.3 ppm CYA. The general rule regardless of puck weight or size is that for every 1 ppm FC you add using Trichlor, you also increase CYA by about 0.6 ppm (note that 55.5% / 91.5% = 0.61).

Richard

As you can see, the CYA can really add up. Splash out and backwashing may have kept yours in check, but we won't really know until we have a good test result.
Your pucks have dissolved quickly, since they were placed in the skimmer. In a floater they last a week or more. If you keep pucks in the skimmer you must run the filter 24/7 or remove the pucks when the skimmer is off. When the pump is off the water in the skimmer becomes corrosive over time due to the pucks sitting there releasing chlorine with no where for it to go. This can cause damage to the skimmer, skimmer basket, and plumbing.

Most people don't have to add CYA once it is at the correct level unless they routinely replace a lot of water through splashout and backwashing. There are a few who for some reason have their CYA disappear over the winter or let the chlorine sit at 0 for too long and bacteria in the water causes ammonia to form which in turn eats the CYA.

 

[woodyp]

Re: Do I really need a PhD in Chemistry to do this?

STOP going for a PHD and go for a TF100 instead! Quit worrying about the "WHY" of everything for the moment. Baby steps. Get the test kit, plug the results in the pool calculator and "JUST DO IT" for the moment. In reality, you have to get the undergrad degree first, then the masters, then the phd. Same thing here. Everyone here will walk you down the aisle to accept your degree eventually. This site already has all the answers to the final exam provided to you up front. Welcome to the head of the class.

 

[Kymberly]

Thanks! Love your signature by the way " chuck the pucks, be a jug dumper ..."

My sister (in Florida) has been saying this for years. She uses bleach and whatever else. I figured it was all just crazy talk. Turns out my little sister was RIGHT! Oh the pain ...

 

[poolgirl22]

Thanks...my buddy svenpup is the originator of that! I'm about to add 'ditch the dichlor'.. too...

 

[Barbara C]

Re: Do I really need a PhD in Chemistry to do this?

Hang in there. I didn't take chemistry in school at all and I already feel quite at home with my TF-100 test kit. You will start to notice how things affect each other as you're taking the readings. I've also found it a great help to read other posts and see how those problems are worked out. Even though I've only been doing this for a couple of weeks and part of that time was spent getting rid of baquagoo, I've been going over old posts to try to figure out what the problem is and what needs to happen to fix it, then read what the moderators have to say. If you really want to make your head spin, go to The Deep End. They discuss all manner of things way over my head! I have no life but.... As I was saying, hang in there!

 

[loughps]

Re: Do I really need a PhD in Chemistry to do this?

Welcome to TFP.

I second Woodyp. If you're overwhelmed, don't worry about the "why" on everything at the same time, ask questions and get answers written by regular people who have a pool too.

You're going to need a good test kit. You should get the Taylor K-2006 or TFTestKits.net TF-100 (<- highly recommended). Your numbers from your first test (following the instructions on the box and asking for help if you need it) will be more accurate and more reliable than anything you've ever gotten from the pool store. And you'll start to feel more comfortable when you see you CAN do it.

The bad news is that once you learn more, you'll realize you don't want to use the tablets anymore. They may help if you go on vacation (depending on what else is in them besides trichlor), so since it's open, you're going to be covered for the next several years worth of vacation.

 

[JasonLion]

I merged the two topics. JasonLion

 

[sonflower]

Kymberly I appreciate your humor and humility. I felt the same way. I giggled my way in Chemistry in high school (no college degree here, school of hard knocks only) and was much more focused on the quarterback sitting next to me than anything the book said. The first time I read the posts [at this awesome site], I thought "I could NEVER do all this." In spite of my knees knocking, totally intimidated by the science behind it & scared of failure, I pressed on anyway. I didn't even know the chemical element symbol for chlorine. Had to look it up on google (sigh). I half-joked to my husband that I would henceforth wear a white coat when testing pool chems.

Today I type before you a changed woman. IF I CAN DO IT ANYONE CAN!

I prance into the local pool supply shop only to purchase replacement parts for the SWG or Letro pool cleaner, snarky with a head of knowledge about the better way to maintain my chems. Between Pool Skool & these wonderful helpful people & Pool Calculator, I got it made baby. The sky's the limit. I dare you to ask me the chemical element symbol for calcium...ha!

And btw I did have a hiccup on the K-2006 chlorine step #1..... I called Taylor laboratories twice for clarification.....feeling stupid but I had to know for sure....too embarrassed to ask even this forum [after all, the Taylor website says that their instructions are easy and anyone can understand them]....the fine folks @ Taylor got me past my hiccup. Good & helpful folks at Taylor too.

 

[Kymberly]

I heart you all!

You should have heard me explaining it all to DH "So then the pool people said ..." and "well the pool people recommend ..."

He finally said "who are these POOL PEOPLE???"

Right now we have algae. I'm sure of it. Actually turning the filter OFF for an afternoon allowed lots of muck things to settle on the bottom. Aye aye aye.

I will not be beaten by a big bowl of water. I WILL NOT!

Picture me peering over the edge attempting to psyche out the algae "I'm not afraid of you!"

 

[poolgirl22]

Kymberly-
You will be a pool geek soon. I can just tell. I drive my family crazy. Even my 9 year old.
The other day at the pool store I was chatting it up about salt and what not. She politely tapped me on the shoulder and said...'is the car unlocked?' I gave her the keys. A few minutes later when I got to the car she told me her coming to the car was the only way to get me out of there as she new I wouldn't let her sit outside in a hot car more than a minute or two or else I would have talked all day...hmph.

Keep at it!!

 

[loughps]

Picture me peering over the edge attempting to psyche out the algae "I'm not afraid of you!"

When you peer over the edge with a bottle of Clorox, they will shriek in fear. That might drive them all out of the pool (but I'd shock anyway.)

 

[poolgirl22]

So what's the plan for the pool today? I feel a need to get a handle on that. You are obviously motivated.

 

[anonapersona]

I half-joked to my husband that I would henceforth wear a white coat when testing pool chems.

Oooh, now THAT is a brilliant idea! I just found a tiny spot of bleach on a favorite pink shirt...grrr. And I was being so careful to lower the jug into the water before pouring.

Hey, maybe we can convince SOMEONE to let us buy a white lab coat with the TroubleFreePool.com logo on it.

 

[anonapersona]

Kymberly,

I've found it odd that so many of my hobbies end up requiring me to learn chemistry or electricity or (gasp) Latin -- all the things I have either hated or feared most of my life. I think now that God loves irony.

So, follow the advice you get here, it will be remarkably consistent from one reply to the next. Get used to the testing, it is easy, just count out loud.

I also suggest creating a Pool Book with Pool School sections printed out, plus notes on things you have learned. I keep a phone list of the local sources of chemicals; Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, pool stores so I can compare prices before I drive away. I have a sticky note in the top of the test kit that tells me facts like how much FC will change with 1 jug of bleach and how much bleach I need for 3 or 4 or 5 ppm addition. Another tells me what 1 scoop of Cal-Hypo or one puck adds to the pool since I do sometimes use those products. I have a big ledger that tells me all the details of the tests I've done, what I found and what I added and what the goal was for that addition. I keep those pages as history since that helps my foggy brain recall how things were last year vs this year.

The only drawback of learning all this is that on vacation I find that I am reluctant to get into a hotel pool or hot tub -- who knows if they are managing it correctly and I do not want to get an ear infection or nasty rash while on vacation.