What to do next?

[rab]

Ok, not sure how to alter what appears beside my name so I need to type this in every time.

Location: Ottawa
Pool: Above Ground - SWG
Volume: Only 3400 gallons
Filter Type: sand

Salt - ideal 4000ppm - actual 5000ppm - how do i bring this down?
Total Chlorine - 1
Free Chorine - 1
pH - 7.8 - is this ok or should it come down a bit?
CYA - 0 - how do I bring this up?
Ca - 120
TA - 140

I think the main problem is CYA at 0. How does the rest look?

Thanks, rab

 

[svenpup]

What is the range of salt that your SWCG accepts? The only way to lower it is to partially drain and refill, so if 5000 is acceptable I would leave it. It will tend to drop slowly over the season as water is splashed out and replaced anyway.

You definitely need CYA. With a SWCG your target is 70-80ppm. Get CYA (aka stabilizer) from the pool store or pool aisle in home depot or walmart. Without sufficient CYA your FC is quickly getting burned off by the sun and the SWCG can't keep up.

With TA of 140 and a SWCG your pH will rise. Periodic additions of muriatic acid to keep pH in check will slowly bring TA down over time, but no need to do it all at once.

 

[svenpup]

I just noticed your other post. You should keep your startup questions in the same thread so people can see the history of what has been discussed.

Definitely read through the pool school posts that were recommend and learn how to use the pool calculator (and use it). Set up "suggested goal levels" and "size" and then enter "now" and "target" for each parameter and you get amounts of necessary chemicals (e.g. bleach and CYA)

 

[rab]

So book says salt should be 3200-4000ppm. Anything aboe 5000ppm could damage other pool equipment but not the swg yet.
Should I drain some water?
Should I turn off the SWG?
How long should I run the pump each day. Guy that installed it told he to run 1/2 hp all day.

should I turn off swg and add bleach to get the chlorine level up?

thanks, rab

edit - i tried to use the pool calculator to calculate how much bleach to add, but when I clicked claculate, nothing happend??

 

[rab]

Sorry for all the questions, how much pool stabilizer am I likely to go through? Should I buy a big bucket from Walmart? Online is says stabilizer and conditioner? what's conditioner?


rab

 

[woodyp]

Stabilizer/conditioner is the same thing-which translates to cyanuric acid. Start running your pump for 8 hours daily and see how clear the pool stays. A small 4 lb. container of CYA might get you there. Check pool calculator to see.

 

[duraleigh]

rab,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: YOu need to take each item at one time and solve it. Start by reading Pool School "ABC's of pool water chemistry". Figure out what everything does in your pool and what the normal test results should be then start getting them there.

I suggest you start with chlorine. Put in one cup of bleach each evening....that should get you to 4ppm each day and keep your water clear.

Next, find out the smallest bag of stabilizer you can buy....you only need 5 ounces. If you have to buy 4 lbs, it may not be worth the money....post back that answer.

We'll help with your other stuff but let's get chlorine and stabilizer resolved first.

EDIT: I am incorrect on the doses. Put in 3 cups of clorox nightly and you'll need 1 lb of stabilizer, if you can find a bag that small.

 

[rab]

Thanks a lot! I was able to buy a 1kg contaier of stabilizer and will let you know how things go.

thanks again

rab

 

[Bama Rambler]

In order to add your equipment to your sig you look at the top of the page and right under the TFP logo you'll see "User Control Panel". Click on that and it'll take you there. Then click on the "Profile" tab and there you can enter your location. Then on the left click "Edit Signature" and enter up to 5 lines of your info into the text area. Click "Submit" and you're done.