First Trip to the Pool Store

[Valkyrie]

Went to the local pool store and had the water tested.

FC - 0.0
TC - 0.0
Stabilizer - 151
pH - 7.9
Alkalinity - 127
Calcium - 179
TDS (?????) - 600

Based on the above numbers, the following instructions were given.

- add 1 lb of pH decreaser per day for 3 days
- add 4 lbs of shock (which the POS left - calcium hyperchlorate)
- add 4 sticks to the skimmer

Do these instructions sound correct? Just looking for a bit of help!!!

Awaiting the TFP test kit with great anticipation,

Tony in AL

 

[sammm]

If your stabilizer is really 151, the first thing to do is drain 1/2 your pool (or more) and refill with fresh water. Until you get that in check you'll be constantly battling other things (like algae).

 

[Poseidon]

Went to the local pool store and had the water tested.

FC - 0.0
TC - 0.0
Stabilizer - 151
pH - 7.9
Alkalinity - 127
Calcium - 179
TDS (?????) - 600

Based on the above numbers, the following instructions were given.

- add 1 lb of pH decreaser per day for 3 days
- add 4 lbs of shock (which the POS left - calcium hyperchlorate)
- add 4 sticks to the skimmer

Do these instructions sound correct? Just looking for a bit of help!!!

Awaiting the TFP test kit with great anticipation,

Tony in AL

Without knowing the pool volume, impossible to say. Regardless, your cya (stabilizer) is WAY too high. Do you trust the pool store readings? If that cya is true, you really need to drain at least half of your pool and refill.

 

[Buggsw]

Readings are readings, no matter whether it is a cup of water or an olympic swimming pool.

Volume only matters in dosing. I don't see your volume listed.

You need to get chlorine in the pool. CalHypo may be okay to use - I've forgotten whether you said if it is a liner pool or a gunnite pool. CalHypo will increase the calcium in your pool. Most of us probably use liquid chlorine (can be standard bleach).
You don't need any more calcium if you have a vinyl pool and you shouldn't let it get too high if you have a gunnite pool.

Your stabilizer (CYA) is terribly high. Almost 3 x higher than it should be and you will fight problems without getting it lowered.
Until you do, you need to keep your chlorine at a pretty high level. The reason being that stabilizer keeps a certain amount of chlorine from being effective at sanitizing. There are charts in the stickies that tell you the FC levels you need to maintain for the various CYA readings.

The sticks for the skimmer probably are most likely something that will also add even more stabilizer to your pool - which you absolutely do not need.

Your TA is on the high side, but still okay. Your pH could be a little lower.

Always remember that your FC and your pH are the most important things to keep at the right levels.

 

[saraiks]

Drain.. Drain.. Drain... 1/2 to 2/3rd of the water... at least once if you have a SWCG or twice if you don't. From your post it didn't seem like you had a SWCG so drin it twice if possible to get the CYA to the reccomended value. Your stabiliser (CYA) reading is way too high (prolonged Tablet use ?)

For your current stabiliser value the FC required would be sky high...

Don't add anything too your pool other that Bleach to raise FC and Muriatic Acid to reduce pH.

Don't worry.. my pool was at a CYA of 180 before I found TFP.. Now I am at a happy 60

 

[JasonLion]

I agree with everyone else on getting CYA down. But don't overlook getting the PH down and adding at least some chlorine one way or another.

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Valkyrie,

Jason always beats me to the punch and reads my mind.....

I agree with everyone else on getting CYA down. But don't overlook getting the PH down and adding at least some chlorine one way or another.

and I'd work on pH and chlorine immediately....then address the CYA.

One key question....How does your water look?

 

[Valkyrie]

Sorry about that...the estimated volume is 33,000 ish gallons and the water is clear.
I want to be able to use the pool for a couple of weeks before the real remediation starts.

 

[Michael Silvester]

G'day,

Like everyone else has said...your Cyanuric Acid is way too high.

The only way to lower it is to drain some of the water from the
pool and replace it with fresh water. To reduce the level of
Cyanuric Acid to 50 PPM (perfect range), I calculate that
you should drain 67% of the pool water.

(BE CAREFUL BECAUSE SOME INGROUND POOLS WILL POP OUT
OF THE GROUND IF TOO MUCH WATER IS DRAINED.)

Take care,

Michael Silvester

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hi, Valkyrie,

Jason always beats me to the punch and reads my mind.....

I agree with everyone else on getting CYA down. But don't overlook getting the PH down and adding at least some chlorine one way or another.

and I'd work on pH and chlorine immediately....then address the CYA.

One key question....How does your water look?

Having gone thru the process of lowering CYA, doesn't it make more sense to do that first since the re-fill water could affect the pH and TA levels anyway?

I made adjustments to my water and then drained/refilled and had to repeat those adjustments because of the fill water.

So based on my personal experience, I would do the CYA first. But do it quick so you can fix any other water problems!

 

[JasonLion]

Letting the PH get too high can cause problems (metal stains, calcite scale, burning eyes) and it is simple enough to fix, so worth some adjustment right away. Replacing a lot of water will change the PH, but usualy not by all that much. So it will need to be tested after new water is added as well but should be adjusted now if possible.

Along similar lines, unless you already have a full scale algae bloom it is worth adding some chlorine right now to help prevent algae, even though you will lose some of it while replacing the water. If the pool is already a green swamp then there isn't any point in adding chlorine now, since it will be very difficult to add enough to do anything until the CYA is lowered and it will just be wasted.