First test results in new home

[CaraR]

OK, so we still haven't moved into house but I tested pool today because I discovered tab feeder didn't have anything in it so I wanted to know my levels. I had a local pool store check behind me since it's the first time and some of the tests are so subjective.

Here's what I got:
pH 7.8
FC 2 ppm
TA 70 ppm (pool store 75 ppm)
CYA 50 (pool store got 60 ppm)
CH 370 (pool store got 190 ppm so actually low)

I know the TA is low, but otherwise there is no real 911 for a pool that has been running itself for 2 weeks. Thank goodness! I also discovered that the pool has an ozone generator on it so that does a lot of the sanitizing and allows the FC levels to run a little lower, I guess.

Given that my pH is high and TA low, should I bring TA up first and worry about bringing pH down later? We're still not living here, so I can't do too much that needs constant attention yet.

 

[JasonLion]

With trichlor you want your PH around 7.8, since the trichlor will tend to lower the PH fairly quickly. As long as you are going to continue using trichlor you want to raise TA to around 120 to 150. If you are switching away from trichlor, you can lower PH to 7.5 and leave TA alone.

If you continue to use trichlor, your CYA level is going to go up and up and you are eventually going to have problems. Your CYA level is already around 50, which is where we recommend having it, and it is still early in the season.

My experience is that ozone does little to improve or change anything in an outdoor residential pool, and your FC level should really be around 5.

 

[CaraR]

Thank you. The thing is, this pool was never winterized and has been running on trichlor tabs all the time since it was renovated. I guess it's possible the previous owner had to do water changes to lower CYA levels...not sure. Also, I tested right after I added tabs just to see where I was starting. I may be going back tomorrow and I can recheck FC once new tabs have started circulating.

 

[anonapersona]

If you go to the Pool Calculator and plug in your pool stats, you will be able to find out how much bleach you should add to bump the FC up to 8 which is a good idea for a pool that is not tended at the moment. I get 3x 96 oz jugs of 6% bleach like Clorox.

Or you could load up the tab feeder for now and deal with the high CYA later.

Or you could do a little of both, which is what I'd do. Add the tabs to the feeder but put it on a very low setting. That way you know the FC won't go to zero in the next few days while you are not really there. And add 3 small jugs of Clorox.

Jason has a good point about the TA and using bleach or tabs. Not sure how that works if you use both, so take my advice with some caution.

 

[CaraR]

If you go to the Pool Calculator and plug in your pool stats, you will be able to find out how much bleach you should add to bump the FC up to 8 which is a good idea for a pool that is not tended at the moment. I get 3x 96 oz jugs of 6% bleach like Clorox.

Or you could load up the tab feeder for now and deal with the high CYA later.

Or you could do a little of both, which is what I'd do. Add the tabs to the feeder but put it on a very low setting. That way you know the FC won't go to zero in the next few days while you are not really there. And add 3 small jugs of Clorox.

Jason has a good point about the TA and using bleach or tabs. Not sure how that works if you use both, so take my advice with some caution.

I did load up the tab feeder and am waiting to see how the FC changes overnight before I retest. That 2 ppm reading was just after I added tabs to the feeder. I don't know when it ran out of tabs, as I only today learned how to shut the system down the right way to empty pump baskets, clean filter and add tabs. I'm so afraid I'm going to break something.
That's another thing - I had a PB come out to go over the system with me and he said I need to clean the cartridge filter once a week normally and twice a week during heavy pollen season. Yuck. I guess it ultimately depends on pressure changes, but that's a chore I'm dreading!

 

[JasonLion]

It might be as often as once a week, it might be a whole lot less often then that, it all depends on how large your filter is. Watch for the pressure to go up by about 6 psi over the clean filter pressure and then clean it.

 

[CaraR]

It might be as often as once a week, it might be a whole lot less often then that, it all depends on how large your filter is. Watch for the pressure to go up by about 6 psi over the clean filter pressure and then clean it.

OK. I have no idea where the pressure gauge started when the last owner cleaned it or put it in new. There is a new one in the garage. I may just pop the new one in and then worry about cleaning the old one once we're settled in. If I have two that I can rotate in and out then I can clean it at my leisure.

I was at the house today and retested my FC levels now that the tab feeder is full. It was up to 5 so all is good for now until we get there and then I'll stop the tabs and go to BBB.