First test results!

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Bridgetgirl

0
Jul 16, 2011
50
Ragley LA
I got in my TF100XL kit! I sat down immediately & tested my water. Hope I did it right.

FC 0
CC 0
TC 0
PH 8.2 or higher - looked darker than top window in pH
T/A 230
CH 170
CYA ? black dot on bottom of tube never disappeared

It's been raining here today, pretty hard. My pool looks dull, almost murky. I've slowly watched green make it's way across the bottom. It was green all winter. The pool place tested our water & told us what to put in it at the beginning of summer. No matter how much chemicals I've put in, it tests at 0 FC. I felt like I was putting money through a shredder, went online & found you guys. I ordered the kit, & here we are. If you need the temp, how do I get that? Do I stick just a reg thermometer in the water?

The bleach I'm planning on using from now on is the store brand ( Great Value ). It is 6% Sodium Hypochlorite. Comes in 96 oz jug.

Thanks for any help!
 
You need to shock your pool and add some CYA. First, lower your pH to 7.2 using muriatic acid or dry acid. Use the pool calculator (link in my sig) to calculate all dosages. Then, calculate how much CYA you need to add to bring your pool up to 30 ppm. Put that amount in a sock and hang it in front of a return to slowly dissolve. Then, bring your FC up to 12 and keep it there until your FC loss is 1 ppm or less overnight, your CC is 0.5 or less, and your water is clear.
 
Bridget,

This will all seem a little confusing at first but basically, you are getting your pH down into a normal range, then getting some CYA in your pool to help your chlorine, then you are gonna' shock the pool using a LOT of chlorine.....more than you [probably imagine.

read ABC's of Pool water Chemistry up in Pool School and then read How to "Shock your Pool" in Pool School. Those two articles will get you started and there will be a lot of folks to help as you get your pool crystal clear.
 
Another question. I'm trying to make sure I understand all this.

On the pool calculator, the chlorine section, I know I put 0 in the now field, do I put 10 as my goal since right now I'm trying to shock. I looked at the CYA chart and for my CYA levels, I think that is what it's saying. Am I right?
 
You are correct with a CYA of nearly zero your shock level is 10. I would only add enough CYA to get to about 30 ppm then raise the shock level to match the next day. That'll keep you from losing all your FC to sunlight.
 
Use the sock method to add the CYA granules. Hang the sock in front of a return and let it dissolve.

Are you familiar with the PoolCalculator.Com? Use it to figure your doses.

Don't add CYA to your skimmer because you are in the process of shocking your pool and will be backwashing your filter.
Any CYA added via skimmer will be backwashed out when you clean the filter. :eek:

Welcome to the forum :wave:
 

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I can see the bottom again, I couldn't before. :-D It's cloudy, a little murky and still has some green on the bottom, but not as much.

Today's readings

FC 5
CC .5
TC 5.5
pH 8.2 or higher
TA 210
CYA still see black dot after filling tube. How do I know I'm doing this one right? I am following the directions. Will you really not be able to see the black dot in the tube? :?

Yesterday evening I added 28 oz of muriatic acid, aprox. 36 oz stabilizer, & aprox. 328 oz of liquid chlorine at 6% strength - 2 3/4 of the 128 jugs.

Do I put my numbers in the pool calculator and add what it says? More muriatic acid, stabilizer, and chlorine?

I have to wait awhile, it's storming here right now. :|

Also, should I post as a new topic when I have new readings or questions, or should I continue in this thread like I did this time?

Again, thanks for all the help! :-D
 
It can take up to a week for the CYA to show up on the test so don't worry about testing for a week. Assume it's in there after 24 hours.
As long as it's related to this topic keep posting in this topic. It helps people that are trying to help with history of the issue.
 
It won't be long before you understand how it all fits together. Just keep going back and re-reading Pool School. It also helps to keep a log of what you tested, what you added, and what you expected to happen after. Makes posting here so much easier.
 
I know I was told to only measure CYA levels once a week. Should I do all the other tests everyday or every hour? Like the alkalinity & the calcium hardness?

What about the pH? The first time I tested it, it was higher than 8.2, darker than the top window. I added 28 oz of muriatic acid like the pool calculator said to, but I haven't seen a difference at all in the pH.

It's raining here, again. :( I just tested the chlorine & the pH.

FC 2.5
CC .5
TC 3
pH 8.2 or higher

I haven't brushed my pool yet, cause of the rain. I had to go out in the rain to get the water
sample. Thundering & lightning too. I've just been testing & adding what the calculator says. My
water is crystal clear now. :) But still stuff on the bottom, although not as much.

When it stops raining, is it safe to get in my pool to brush down the walls & ladder, or is that not advisable. It's just easier to do that & vacuum from inside the pool.
 

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