Newbie, aspiring BBB

[apayne]

Newbie here, and I don't want to mess up the water! I am an aspiring BBB so tell me how I'm doing.
FC - .2
CC - .6
pH - 7.6
TA - 75
CH - 150
CYA - 30
The pool store suggests 5 lbs of AlkPlus, but as I recall this is not necessary for vinyl pools. Also shock was suggested so I plan on boosting my bleach. Trying to figure on length of pump run too. Water is sparkling, even after a week away.

It would be great to have an informational section (maybe I haven't found it yet) for those folks having an AG pool installed informing them on what an installer is responsible for (what happens if my liner fails). We bought a used pool and and many installers expected us to already have the area leveled. When we had the pool professionally installed the liner failed on day 3, before anyone got a chance to swim in it, and we weren't sure who was responsible for the problem. The liner ripped on the seam, fortunately the pool store did replace the liner, the water and the re-install but it was a nightmare. Really great site, thanks.

 

[Richard320]

Boost your chlorine, now. You might be able to avoid shocking it, you're right on the cusp. Run it up to about 10. It will be okay to swim in it, and it will come down pretty fast. But if that one blast doesn't get rid of the CC, head over to Pool School and read up on how to shock your pool.

Pool Calculator will help you figure out how much bleach to add.

 

[frogabog]

Technically...

.6ppm CC would show on a FAS-DPD test as 1ppm, and would indicate a need to begin shocking. I'd say put enough chlorine (bleach) in to raise it to 13ppm instead of 10ppm. If you're going to do this blind, may as well at least hit shock level initially and then attempt to run at regular minimum and high/target levels with bleach only. For 30ppm CYA, minimum is 2, target/high is 6 and shock is 13. If you're using tablets and stop, wait a week and measure CYA again. Expect to have to increase your minimum and high/target if it goes above 35ppm.

Pool store test results are suspect at best. Especially these super precise printouts and the sample can degrade on the way to the pool store, skewing results. You could have .4ppm CC or 1.2ppm. Seriously take that reading with a grain of salt, but err on the side of caution by raising to shock level right away. It can't hurt.

Can we urge you to get your own FAS-DPD test kit? Pretty please?

Leave the alkalinity alone for the moment. The pool surface doesn't matter so much for alkalinity, you might be thinking of calcium hardness and vinyl pools.

PH is fine as well for now, I wouldn't mess with it just yet. Swim and see how your eyes feel first, as well as where it drifts once you start using bleach only. Are you using tablets currently?

You can take that alkalinity up back to the store (if you bought it). Baking soda works just fine (same thing!).

 

[JamesW]

As long as your pH is not constantly low, then you don't need to raise the TA. Adding TA increaser (baking soda) would cause your pH to go too high.

 

[Dalandlord]

Technically...

.6ppm CC would show on a FAS-DPD test as 1ppm.

It could be accurate with a 25ml sample couldn't it? I know it would be a waste of regents but if memory serves me right I have seen posts of people doing it.

 

[JamesW]

Technically...

.6ppm CC would show on a FAS-DPD test as 1ppm.

It could be accurate with a 25ml sample couldn't it? I know it would be a waste of regents but if memory serves me right I have seen posts of people doing it.

Yes, 0.2 ppm is the resolution of the test when using a 25 ml sample, and 0.6 ppm could be accurate. Either way, it's still over 0.5 ppm, which indicates the need to shock.