Balancing chemical issues

Jump to latest Follow Reply
E

erivette

0
LifeTime Supporter
Apr 26, 2009
177
South Texas
I had my pool installed 10 days ago. I'm going thru chlorine like crazy. I will use BBB, but using up all the chemicals that came with the pool first. I put 2 lbs Poolife Turbo Shock in at 10pm last night. Pool readings at 10am:
FC 14
CC 0
TC 14
Ph 7.8
TA 190
CH 300
CYA <20 (need to try this black dot thing again)

I put 1.75 lbs of stabilizer after the pool was filled last week. I put another 1 lb 4 days ago (afraid to go too high)

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
You are going to need approximately 8 lbs of CYA in total. To start with you want to add about 2/3rds that much, so about 5 lbs to start. So far you have added about 2.75, which isn't nearly enough.

Because of your low CYA level, you will lose chlorine to sunlight very quickly. As your CYA level comes up that will slow down dramatically.

Also, remember that you lose more chlorine the higher your starting FC level is. Unless you are shocking the pool you shouldn't have FC up around 14, and even if you are shocking the pool, 14 is probably too high given your likely CYA level.
 
I will go buy more now. Should I worry about TA being so high? Or get CYA fixed first?

Also just have to say my TF-100 test kit is awesome!!!!!! I put it in a drawer in my house 2 yrs ago when a storm blew down my last pool. I called to see about replacing the chemicals but was told to try it first because they may still be good..that I'd get no results if bad. They work. Y'all are fantastic!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again!
 
I just bought a solar pool cover because I'm losing so much water from the Texas sun. I also bought the conditioner to fix cya level. But I just saw on another post that the cover changes the amounts for cya and fc. Did I read that wrong? Want to check before I add the 5 lbs.

Thx!
 
I tested the pool this morning:
FC 5.5
CC 0
PH 7.5
TA 190
CYA 35

I put in 2 bottles of liquid conditioner which gives 20000 gals a cya of 32. You've said cya might not register for a long time. Is it registering so fast cuz I used liquid vs powder?

I had hoped maintaining a pool would be like riding a bike, but it's not coming back to me. Starting fresh it seems. So what do I need to do with my current levels? Also, I know I need to go buy bleach, anything else I should keep readily available?

Oh, of the chemicals that came with the pool I have 40 lbs of 3" tablets (which I will not be using), about 2 lbs of PHminus, and 16 of the 1 lb bags of turbo shock (can I use these?) .

Thank you!
 
Is it registering so fast cuz I used liquid vs powder?
Click to expand...
Yes.

You can eventually use all those pool chemicals. Please tell us the ingredients in the Turbo shock.

I'm happy the chemistry in your kit is still valid, It emphasizes the importance of proper storage of the test kit.
 
The brand of turbo shock is Poolife. It says 78% chlorine, 22% additional ingredients, but it doesn't specify what those "other" are. I put today's readings in the pool calculator and it said to add more conditioner and nothing else. I'm leery of adding any more since I had put about 3 lbs of the powder conditioner in over the 10 days since it was filled. I also had floated 3 tabs for about a week. Should I just check cya again in a week or so and add then if necessary? Also, heading out for bleach and muriatic acid, anything else I should keep in hand? I sure hope the bbb method starts to come back to me, I don't want to end up with a swamp.

Thanks. Y'all are the best!!!
 
Should I just check cya again in a week or so and add then if necessary?
Click to expand...
Yes.

The "other" ingredient in those packets is calcium. You don't report your Calcium level so don't use them until you test for that.

Save the pucks for vacations and you can use the pH minus if you ever need to lower the pH....both have long shelf lives.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
The plan is to check FC tonight and if it drops any add bleach. Am I on the right track? I'm going to do the OCLT tonight as well. I can see the bottom but pool isn't as clear as I'd like it to be. Should I do anything else?

Well I had typed that but hadn't hit send. Yes it's drought Texas and it's pouring outside. Woohoo we need it bad. BUT what do I do to the pool once it stops? Shocking I know, but first rain with a pool.
 
Don't waste your time on the OCLT. That test is to determine if you have finished shocking. Your pool is still cloudy so you haven't finished.

perform the OCLT when.....

1. Your pool water is sparkling
2. Your CC's are .5ppm or less
3. You can hold your FC overnight without losing more than 1ppm.
 
Duraleigh said I'm not done shocking. But I wasn't shocking. Man I feel dumb. Do I need to be shocking with the readings I had this morning? I guess I'm more lost than I thought.
FC 5.5
CC 0
PH 7.5
TA 190
CH 300
CYA 35
 
I misspoke when I saw your post that your pool was still cloudy and I assumed you were shocking. My fault for going too fast. :oops:

Was your pool cloudy when you filled it? Do you have a pic?
 
It was crystal clear the first week. Then while backwashing the hose flew off and I was standing right in front of it and got soaked. In the chaos I switched back to filter without rinsing. I realized I blew it when I saw a cloud coming out of the jet. So I've been running the filter on high for days to fix my mistake. It's almost back to clear. I apologize for the confusion. Y'all had to help me out with a swamp several yrs back with a prior pool. I'm terrified of that happening again so being hyper vigilant.

As long as readings stay where they are I guess I'm good. Nightly I will add bleach to maintain FC around 5-6. Correct? And only adjust everything else when those readings stray.

I gotta go get my wallet and donate to this wonderful site. I'd be so lost without y'all. Thanks!!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply