s-fatboy Intro and Help Needed.

[s-fatboy]

Hello from New Mexico!
I am so excited to have found the TFP site! I can't change the past but I can control the future of my pool chemistry better now by reading these forums, I knew I did not understand pool water chemistry but after reading several helpful pages on this site I have a better understanding and it really is making sense now what I have been doing and not doing to help my pool out.

I have a Foxx pool 20 x 32 15k Laguna Right vinyl, Pump 3/4hp pentair 20gpm, sand filter 300lb . this is my fourth season and I decided to take the SWG plunge when I opened up Saturday the 12th May.
I bought a digital 220 with an SC-36 cell the week prior to this I plummed and wired it up.
When I started it up Saturday afternoon I had to add 200lbs of salt I used Diamond Crystal Solar Salt from Home Depot. after about 30minutes my salt leves were at 3200ppm. I also added prior to the salt a deluxe start up kit 1qt algacide, 2lbs calcium hypoclorite shock 68%, 32oz of clarifier all from in the swim web site.
I have put the unit on a 72hr boost starting Sunday morning the 13th. Today the 14th at 1600 is what my pool chemistry is: I used 3 different methods for the tests and results vary a little bit.
Electronic Aqua Check: FC=0 PH=7.6 TA=154 /
Aqua Trend Total DPD KIT (reagents are about 2yrs old) FC=1 - TC=2 - CC=1 - PH=7.4 - TA=225 - CH=200 - CYA=50.Aqua Check Strips New with Deluxe opening kit. FC=0 - PH=7.4 - TA=180 & CYA=30-50 color range.
I did one more test using Aquachek strips that test for salt as Sodium Chloride and according to the chart on the bottle and the test strip reading 5.4 which = 2190ppm salt. My digi 220 right now reads 3000ppm.
I need to know what I my next course of action would be. the water appearance at start up was somewhat cloudy and currently it has cleared up but at the cost of running the SWG into the ground is my concerns.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Greg

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, s-fatboy

I used 3 different methods for the tests and results vary a little bit.
Electronic Aqua Check: FC=0 PH=7.6 TA=154 /
Aqua Trend Total DPD KIT (reagents are about 2yrs old) FC=1 - TC=2 - CC=1 - PH=7.4 - TA=225 - CH=200 - CYA=50.Aqua Check Strips New with Deluxe opening kit. FC=0 - PH=7.4 - TA=180 & CYA=30-50 color range.

The Aqua Trend should be most accurate, though the reagents are getting a bit older. Skip the strips, they are horribly inacurate and often misleading. I am not familiar with the electronic Aqua Check, but if it is like the Colorq, it probably is not a accurate as the Aqua Trend. With that said you are missing an important test in the Aqua Trend, namely the FAS-DPD test. It can be purchased from tftestkits. This will allow to measure FC levels above 5 ppm, which you will need for the next part.

If you water is cloudy, and since you essentially have very little chlorine in your pool it is likely you need to do the shocking process. Read this poolschool article for details: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/defeating_algae

There is a lot of great stuff in poolschool, see the link at upper right of every page.

I need to know what I my next course of action would be. the water appearance at start up was somewhat cloudy and currently it has cleared up but at the cost of running the SWG into the ground is my concerns.

We recommend not running the swg during the shocking process and use bleach/liquid chlorine to shock with. Again, follow the link I posted above on defeating algae.

Let us know if you have questions!

 

[duraleigh]

Hey,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: Yeah, as Linen suggests, Shock your pool with liquid chlorine and save the life of your SWG. SWG's a re wonderful things but they should not be used to shock the pool.

Check out the FC/CYA relationship chart up in Pool School. You will need to find your CYA level and then bring your FC up to the suggested level and KEEP IT THERE until the shock process is complete.

 

[s-fatboy]

Thanks for the quick responses. I ordered the test kit, and have read lots of POOL SCHOOL information. I bought some bleach this evening and using the pool calculator I went ahead and added the 96+ ounces to get the pool in the proper FC range. I have let it run now for 1.5hrs will go out and check the FC level before bed.
I will hold off doing anything else until my refills and the fas-dpd kit arrive. to late tonight but lots of thoughts running around I will have to ask my questions some other time. thanks again.

 

[s-fatboy]

Hey,

Welcome to the forum. :lol: Yeah, as Linen suggests, Shock your pool with liquid chlorine and save the life of your SWG. SWG's a re wonderful things but they should not be used to shock the pool.

Check out the FC/CYA relationship chart up in Pool School. You will need to find your CYA level and then bring your FC up to the suggested level and KEEP IT THERE until the shock process is complete.

:arrow:
Question#1 How long does the shock process take , and how long before pool can be used or @ what level of FC can it be used?
#2 I bought cyanuric acid (powder form) 4# bucket brand name regal 100% CYA, The directions say to broadcast the acid in the pool, is this product in the same form that is talked about in pool school where it is recommended to put it in a sock and put in the skimmer?
#3 Should I not attempt to adjust the CYA until I shock the pool?
When I tested the water after adding Bleach 120oz to the pool yesterday evening I did not see an increase in FC after 2hrs of circulation, I have yet to check this evening just getting in from the pool store doing some shopping after work here.
thanks in advance for the help, :-D

 

[linen]

Question#1 How long does the shock process take , and how long before pool can be used or @ what level of FC can it be used?

Review the shocking process, it has a link to the FC/cya chart. As too how long will it take, that is variable. It will go fast if you follow the shocking process and try not to let your FC drop below the minimum shock level.

#2 I bought cyanuric acid (powder form) 4# bucket brand name regal 100% CYA, The directions say to broadcast the acid in the pool, is this product in the same form that is talked about in pool school where it is recommended to put it in a sock and put in the skimmer?

It is the stuff you put in the sock. I prefer to put the sock in front of the return so that you can backflush the filter without risk of loosing undissolved cya. Do not broadcast into the pool, it can damage your liner.

#3 Should I not attempt to adjust the CYA until I shock the pool?

Start shocking right away assuming 0 cya, then get about enough cya in the sock to raise you cya level to 30 ppm and put it in front of the return. After a day, start using 30 ppm cya to get your FC level from the chart linked in the shocking link above, or poolcalculator.com.

When I tested the water after adding Bleach 120oz to the pool yesterday evening I did not see an increase in FC after 2hrs of circulation, I have yet to check this evening just getting in from the pool store doing some shopping after work here.

The FC change should show up within and hour with circulation.