New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass pool

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GuinnessPhish

0
Jul 10, 2012
438
Herndon, VA
Previous owner was using tri chlor tabs in an automatic dispenser....and was using chlor brite to shock.

I've had water tested using a computerized system, and my results are:

Free chlorine: .15 ppm

Total Chlorine: 1.63 ppm

Combined Chlorine: 1.48 ppm

ph: 6.9

Hardness: 119 ppm

Alkalinity: 85 ppm

Cyanuric Acid: 250 ppm

Copper: 1.6 ppm

Iron: .29 ppm





Upon reading info from pool school, I've realized that the previous owner has been adding CYA because he used trichlor tabs and chlor brite to shock....thus increasing CYA to these ridiculous levels.


I know I'm not supposed to drain my entire fiberglass pool, or even go below the inlets when I drain, so I've started draining a couple of inches at a time and replacing water to mid skimmer level daily.

I just added about 1 and 1/4 gallons of 6% clorox.


Does that sound right? What should I do?

Thanks for your help!

Pool newb.

P.S.: We closed on our "new to us house" on 6/28. Went for a swim that night that we closed....moved in on 6/30. Being a pool newb, I didn't realize the importance of monitoring the pool daily, so I didn't look in the automatic dispenser until about 7/4, and noticed the tabs were completely dissolved. I tested with strips on 7/5, and saw the FC levels were practically non existent, as they still are. By 7/9, both my wife and I have developed ear infections. I don't want to get back in the pool until I know it's safe, especially since we have our 9 month old swimming with us since we moved in.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Welcome to TFP!

First off, you need to order you a good test kit that has a FAS-DPD chlorine test. The TF-100 at tftestkits.net is the best value out there.

Good on you for reading Pool School. Keep reading it. It's good that you recognize that your CYA is way too high. Draining it a little at a time takes a while, but it is safer to do than draining all at once and risking folating your pool shell. You want it down around 30 or 40.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

257WbyMag said:
Welcome to TFP!

First off, you need to order you a good test kit that has a FAS-DPD chlorine test. The TF-100 at tftestkits.net is the best value out there.

Good on you for reading Pool School. Keep reading it. It's good that you recognize that your CYA is way too high. Draining it a little at a time takes a while, but it is safer to do than draining all at once and risking folating your pool shell. You want it down around 30 or 40.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply.

I've got Aquachek Select test strips at the moment.....and they actually seem pretty accurate according to the computerized readings I've been getting at the local pool store.

Caveat being: I went to one pool store yesterday, the computerized printout showed CYA level of 139 ppm. He recommended 2 pounds of shock, but didn't ask me what shock I was using, and me not realizing shock was a verb, and not a product (per pool school) used the chlor brite the former home owner left me. Later yesterday, I went to a different pool store to see what the results were. That store used a non computerized test (Leslie's pools)....and the result for CYA was 60 ppm....more than half off what the other pool store told me. When I asked how there could be such a discrepancy, another employee tested and said, "yeah...it looks more like 100".


Today, I went back to the original, computerized test store (Anthony & Sylvan), and the employee there (different that yesterday) told me that my CYA levels were actually more around 250 (which corresponds to what the Aquachek test strips were showing me), but he manually changed it in the computer to just below 150 ppm, because if he didn't, the computer would suggest as the course of action a complete drain of the pool.


So basically, pool store employees will more than likely not even tell you about your high CYA levels, or completely lie to you, to ensure that they sell product and still have a job???
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Hi GuinnessPhish and welcome to TFP! :)
Without another thought...get a TF-100 kit on order, you'll need it to test chlorine levels correctly and get your pool healthy and trouble free!
Keep reading here and in Pool School to learn all you can.
It seem hard at first but becomes very simple once you practice it.
Once you have your test kit run a full set of test and come back and post here and we can help and advise you to get you going on the right path.
For me...my pool using this system has helped my grandkids (raising all 3) never get ear infections now that they swim in my perfect TFP pool.
Always had ear infections before I found this place! (I was pool stored!)

Don't put any trust in pool store testing especially a computerized one, who knows when it was last calibrated?
Test strips, no good either. Throw them in the trash.
Your better off with a drop based kit from wally world until you get the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 FAS-DPD kits
Chuck
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

supertune said:
Hi GuinnessPhish and welcome to TFP! :)
Without another thought...get a TF-100 kit on order, you'll need it to test chlorine levels correctly and get your pool healthy and trouble free!
Keep reading here and in Pool School to learn all you can.
It seem hard at first but becomes very simple once you practice it.
Once you have your test kit run a full set of test and come back and post here and we can help and advise you to get you going on the right path.
For me...my pool using this system has helped my grandkids (raising all 3) never get ear infections now that they swim in my perfect TFP pool.
Always had ear infections before I found this place! (I was pool stored!)

Don't put any trust in pool store testing especially a computerized one, who knows when it was last calibrated?
Test strips, no good either. Throw them in the trash.
Your better off with a drop based kit from wally world until you get the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 FAS-DPD kits
Chuck
Click to expand...


Just to be sure....

the tf-100 kit is all i need? None of the additional options are necessary?

Just get this?: http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

The speed-stir is a wonderful addition - optional, but totally worth the money in my opinion. I'll let others chime in on if you need any add-ons in terms of reagents, etc.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

TF-100 is what I have. I've needed to get more CYA re-agent and a couple yellow refills but that's after a few years of use (forget what that one is called, it's the basic chlorine test). It's a good kit, you probably want extra CYA test re-agent. It will take you a good amount of testing to get that one in the ball park. Hopefully your numbers are lower than they say.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Just to be sure....

the tf-100 kit is all i need? None of the additional options are necessary?

Just get this?: http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html
Click to expand...


If you feel like your overwhelmed with this chemistry thing like I was, I bought the XL kit so I could test more often and help with my slow learning curve. That helped a lot for me. :hammer:
If your going to a SWG then get salt testing kit.
Do you know if you have any suspicion of copper in the pool previously?
If so they have a copper test kit.
I went a year before I got a speed stir (I was being cheap) but I do like it now I have one, the testing goes faster and simpler. :cool:

Chuck
 

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Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

You can normally drain and refill your pool yourself. However there are some considerations depending on what type pool you have and where you're located.

What pool do you have (type, size, etc.)?
Are you in an area with a high water table?

I wouldn't do anything except put a jug of bleach in the pool until you get the new test kit and know for sure what the levels are.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Bama Rambler said:
You can normally drain and refill your pool yourself. However there are some considerations depending on what type pool you have and where you're located.

What pool do you have (type, size, etc.)?
Are you in an area with a high water table?

I wouldn't do anything except put a jug of bleach in the pool until you get the new test kit and know for sure what the levels are.
Click to expand...

I have a fiberglass pool, so a full drain is not possible to do without professional help, correct?

My pool is a fiberglass, 12,000 gallon, kidney shaped pool...

My cyanuric acid levels are the concern....in the 250 range. I'm only draining from about mid skimmer level to about three inches below that, and then replacing the water. This seems like it would take quite a long time to get my CYA levels to proper levels.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

I have a fiberglass pool, so a full drain is not possible to do without professional help, correct?
Click to expand...



Another option that has been done is since yours is in the medium size pool range you can get a tarp or plastic sheathing larger than the pool (you can duct tape pieces together if need be) then place it on top of your pool and fill the pool to the top. Drain down just below skimmer and repeat the process till you've changed the water then just remove the plastic.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

As mentioned above, it's not hard at all to do. You can also take a tarp and weigh down the bottom and float the top (like a curtain wall) and drop it in one end of the pool and start filling behind it and emptying from the other end and it'll slowly move toward the other end as you fill/empty the pool. then when it's almost to the other end you can take the tarp out and let the water mix. Even without the tarp you can fill the pool in one end and empty out of the other and it works pretty well.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Bama Rambler said:
As mentioned above, it's not hard at all to do. You can also take a tarp and weigh down the bottom and float the top (like a curtain wall) and drop it in one end of the pool and start filling behind it and emptying from the other end and it'll slowly move toward the other end as you fill/empty the pool. then when it's almost to the other end you can take the tarp out and let the water mix. Even without the tarp you can fill the pool in one end and empty out of the other and it works pretty well.
Click to expand...


So I should be filling and draining at the same time?


Tonight I filled the pool past the skimmer, almost to the top...

Then I drained the pool to just above the danger line on step 2 of my pool (this black sticker on the step is where I can safely drain to, according to the previous owner's pool service company).

Now, I'm refilling the pool with the hose, from the shallow end. I just added about 2 gallons of 6% regular clorox to the water as well.


Sound about right?
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Update: I've got the TF-100 kit on order. I went with some of your recommendations as well and got the XL option as well as the speed stir.

My tablet chlorinator still has about 1 and a half trichlor tabs left in it. I plan on letting it dissolve completely and never add them again until I get my CYA level to the 30 - 50 ppm range.

I'm a bit confused as to what my next step should be, and in what order things should be done. If anyone can let me know what I should be doing and in what order, I'd really appreciate it.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

It works better if you fill and drain at the same time. However your way works too.

Once your test kit gets there we'll know more about how far you have left to go.
 
Re: New pool owner...bought house with in ground fiberglass

Bama Rambler said:
It works better if you fill and drain at the same time. However your way works too.

Once your test kit gets there we'll know more about how far you have left to go.
Click to expand...


Ok...so, drain by turning off the skimmer, and drain solely from the main drains?

At the same time, and at the shallow end of the pool, I should be adding water?


What about the fact that the draining goes faster than the refilling by hose?
 

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