Fed Ex man came today. First test a couple of questions

[melissab]

I got my TF-100 in the mail today. First test results.

PH 7.2
FC 27.5
CC 0
TC 27.5
TA 140
CYA 60

I'm quessing my clorine is high? Water is clear and 70 degrees. I put in two bags of shock when we opened on Friday and have 3, 3" pucks in the skimmer. What should I do next? I'm open to ditching pucks and going BBB.

 

[duraleigh]

Mellisa,

Yes, your FC is high. Did you want it up there for a reason? If your water is clear, your FC should be down in the 4-6ppm range.

Unless you are shocking the pool ( and I don't think you are) you should take out the pucks and not use ANY more of the powder. Let your FC come on down into about a 4-6ppm range or so.

That should take a few days. Once FC is below 10ppm...(probably about Sunday) retest pH, TA, and FC and post them back up.

 

[JasonLion]

As a quick double check on your FC test result, try doing an OTO chlorine test. The OTO chlorine test is inside the blue Taylor box inside the TF100, add drops which turns the sample some shade of yellow which is compared to a color chart. If your FC level is really around 27, the OTO test should turn dark orange or brown. If it doesn't, you might be doing the FAS-DPD chlorine test incorrectly in some way.

 

[dmanb2b]

As a quick double check on your FC test result, try doing an OTO chlorine test. The OTO chlorine test is inside the blue Taylor box inside the TF100, add drops which turns the sample some shade of yellow which is compared to a color chart. If your FC level is really around 27, the OTO test should turn dark orange or brown. If it doesn't, you might be doing the FAS-DPD chlorine test incorrectly in some way.

My thought too. Also if FC is really that high, the PH reading of 7.2 may be a bit overstated

Melissa...my advice is no more pucks or dichlor...although that has been said above.

 

[melissab]

As a quick double check on your FC test result, try doing an OTO chlorine test. The OTO chlorine test is inside the blue Taylor box inside the TF100, add drops which turns the sample some shade of yellow which is compared to a color chart. If your FC level is really around 27, the OTO test should turn dark orange or brown. If it doesn't, you might be doing the FAS-DPD chlorine test incorrectly in some way.

Actually Jason, it is correct. I did the OTO chlorine test first and the water turned like a burnt orange. I'll take the pucks out now.

 

[melissab]

As a quick double check on your FC test result, try doing an OTO chlorine test. The OTO chlorine test is inside the blue Taylor box inside the TF100, add drops which turns the sample some shade of yellow which is compared to a color chart. If your FC level is really around 27, the OTO test should turn dark orange or brown. If it doesn't, you might be doing the FAS-DPD chlorine test incorrectly in some way.

My thought too. Also if FC is really that high, the PH reading of 7.2 may be a bit overstated

Melissa...my advice is no more pucks or dichlor...although that has been said above.

Since I know the FC is really that high, does that mean my ph reading was off?

 

[dmanb2b]

Yup. Anytime FC is 10 or higher, The PH test tends to read falsely high. Perhaps consider adjusting with Borax to around 7.5 while you wait for FC to fall.

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, the PH test will read higher than actual when the FC level is above 10. With FC somewhere in the low 20s or higher the PH starts reading way way higher than actual. Chances are very good that your PH is way too low.

 

[melissab]

Ok, if I am unsure what the actual PH level is though, is there a way for me to determine how much Borax to add? I do have some PH up from the pool store that came with my start up kit.

 

[JasonLion]

There is no way to be sure what the PH level really is until the FC level falls below about 18 (or you use an electronic PH meter, which is not affected by FC). Chances are very good that PH is quite low, but no way to be sure just how low.

 

[melissab]

Thanks for all of your replies, Jason, should I just give it a few days and retest then add PH Up once the FC comes down? Can I add the bags the pool store gave me or should I go buy Borax. Or, should I just add it now assuming the PH is too low?

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Melissa,

I would not assume. I would wait for the FC to get down around 10 and then test the pH. I would not adjust it until then.

I'm not sure if you ever answered why the FC was up so high. Were you shocking or did it just inadvertently get up there?

How does your water look?

(Sorry if you've already answered these things)

 

[melissab]

Thanks, I'll test again in a couple days and see where we are at. We did get some heavy thunderstorms last night and more are coming today so that may help bring the FC down as well. As for how it got so high, basically the pool store closed me up last year but I wasn't home so maybe they shocked it then. When I opened I tested with strips and since the color didn't match up I assumed it was because FC was low so I threw in two bags of shock then 3 pucks. The pool is crystal clear. I took the pucks out yesterday,

 

[melissab]

I tested again yesterday using the daily test, chlorine is still high, its at least yellow now but still darker than the darkest yellow on the test. So it is coming down but slowly. Water still looks clear and I haven't put anything in it since I pulled the pucks out last week. It raining now so that should help bring it down.

 

[duraleigh]

The rain will have little affect on your pool chemistry. I would think it would be a good idea to run the FAS-DPD chlorine test so you know exactly where you are and can (probably) adjust your pH.

If the FC is 10ppm or less, your pH test is valid.

(It's probably valid somewhat higher but the 10ppm is a good benchmark.)

PS - make sure you run the pump and blend the rainwater in with the rest of the pool before testing anything.