first time balancing.

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

alrighty!! *finally* got the kids outta the pool. Time to get this sucker balanced. This is my first run at balancing CYA/Chlorine levels. Up until now, for two weeks, I've just dumped a 96oz bottle of bleach in the pool every third or fourth night.

Dumped in 66oz Bleach (per The Pool Calculator)
waited an hour
ran the first tests.
FC 11
pH 8.2
TA 120
CYA 0
TC 5
Added 8oz (21oz suggested, but less is more, right??) CYA in a sock in my skimmer strainer.
I presumed that it would take all night to dissolve. Squeezed the sock about every 20 minutes.
Checked it, it is all gone in an hour.
Maybe it's the type of CYA I'm using that had a high dissolve rate? I haven't read anything about CYA dissolving that fast. I am using Clear Result, uv block, cyanuric acid. Haviland Consumer Products, Inc. Weird.

I'm going to wait another hour, then run the tests again.
Please, stop me if I'm doing something stupid..... no wait.. ahhh never mind...

 

[Flawed]

and I'm betting my pH goes up, CYA goes up, FC stays the same..... just saying....

 

[jblizzle]

pH is already too high and should be a pretty high priority to get it in range. Although the CYA may actually lower it some.

You likely need to add more CYA if you only add a third the recommended about ... remember it may take a week to show up on the test.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[linen]

Do not adjust ph when your FC is above 10 ppm, your ph result will not be valid. Next time FC is below 10 ppm retest ph and post it.

 

[jblizzle]

Do not adjust ph when your FC is above 10 ppm, your ph result will not be valid. Next time FC is below 10 ppm retest ph and post it.

Oops thanks for the catch. Although given he is close to 10ppm I still think it is probably high.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[linen]

Although given he is close to 10ppm I still think it is probably high.

I agree it is likely his ph is high.

Flawed, I would let the FC drop down below 10 ppm and do the ph test again.

Why such a high target FC level?

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Why such a high target FC level?

It was supposed to be 6 to start this balancing. I obviously went too heavy on the bleach.

new test:
FC 9.5
pH 7.8
TA 120
CYA 0
TC 5

I'm going to drop another 8oz CYA in the sock, let it all percolate til morning. I figure if the FC dropped 1.5ppm in an hour, then by 6 am it should be .5ppm. I'll test it. If needed, I will re-up the bleach to 6ppm with a more accurate pour this time. I'll run the FC test an hour after. Pump will run all night. My pH dropped by .4, should I use the PH Down now, or wait til morning and test again? I will not see a CYA reading til next week, correct?

 

[jblizzle]

The new CYA you add will drop the pH some more. Poolcalculator will tell you how much at the bottom.

Correct, No point in testing the CYA for a week.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[linen]

I figure if the FC dropped 1.5ppm in an hour, then by 6 am it should be .5ppm.

If it drops more than 1 ppm with the sun off the pool overnight, then you will need to do the shocking process.

I will not see a CYA reading til next week, correct?

It will start showing up sooner, but I wouldn't test it for a few days.

My pH dropped by .4, should I use the PH Down now, or wait til morning and test again?

You can do it now. I would lower it to 7.2, which will also lower you TA some.

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

You can do it now. I would lower it to 7.2, which will also lower you TA some.

done. added 8oz of ph down.

If it drops more than 1 ppm with the sun off the pool overnight, then you will need to do the shocking process.

I'm hoping in the morning the FC will still be the same. If not, I'll start shocking it.
However, it just dropped 1.5ppm in one hour. I reckon we'll see what she says at 7am.
The waters clear and clean, could the algae still be there? I'm religious about getting all the organic matter out of it. I run the Kreepy about 3 hours a day, and i net it about every four.

 

[linen]

I'm hoping in the morning the FC will still be the same. If not, I'll start shocking it.
However, it just dropped 1.5ppm in one hour. I reckon we'll see what she says at 7am.

If that 1.5 ppm was with the sun off the pool, you should start the shocking process.

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

If that 1.5 ppm was with the sun off the pool, you should start the shocking process.

aight, I'll wait another 30 min, then go test it again. If the FC dropped again, I'll break out the bleach!

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

I got an FC 9. I'll get up at 6am and test it again.

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

- FC at 7am was 6.5ppm
The pH was at 7.8
Calculating at 5300 gallons, the Pool Calculator says shock level 12, I'm gonna get 15.
Applied 13oz Cal Hypo 48%
Applied 18oz of pH down

waiting an hour, then i'm going out to brush it all down.

waiting 4 hours, then testing it again.

I've added some pics, and just to re-affirm, *this* is the pool I want to shock, yeah??
It certainly *looks* clear, it *feels* good, can it still be getting attacked by algae??
Why Cal-Hypo?? Because I've got three one pound bags of it.
I'll use the bleach to maintain FC 15

 

[Smykowski]

and just to re-affirm, *this* is the pool I want to shock, yeah??
It certainly *looks* clear, it *feels* good, can it still be getting attacked by algae??

Yes, or the chlorine is still breaking up the stuff that the kids brought into the pool.

Only two things consume chlorine, 1. algae/junk/organics and 2. sunlight/UV rays. By doing the testing at night, you eliminate sunlight as a culprit. If the FC is still going down at night, then you must have something consuming it. Because your water is as clear as it is, I would bet that bringing it up to shock level will probably take care of it pretty quickly.

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Yes, or the chlorine is still breaking up the stuff that the kids brought into the pool.

What "stuff"?? I cleaned it like a madman. Ran the Kreepy for 8 hours. There might have been three blades of grass left in it.

Because your water is as clear as it is, I would bet that bringing it up to shock level will probably take care of it pretty quickly.

So, it's going to be in the sun all day (105 degrees).
I'm testing it at 12pm, adding FC as needed to maintain FC15. Brushing it down.
At 3pm, I'm going to test again, adding FC as needed to maintain FC15. Brushing it down.
Going to work 4-11pm.
At 11pm, I'll test again, adding FC as needed to maintain FC15. Brushing it down.
Then I'll test it again at 6am, see where we're at.

Sound like a plan??

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

*great* - already 80 degrees, 74% humidity. Supposed to be 105 by noon. This is gonna be a great day to fight algae.

and yeah, if I sound a little fanatical, it's cause I am. Especially where this pool is concerned. A lot of folks in my circles don't think I have the 'stuff' to maintain a clear, sparkling pool.
I know with your help, we'll prove them wrong. So, until we're at 'cruise mode' with the water quality of this pool, excuse my fanaticism.

Of course, they all thought I was *nuts* for cutting the liner for a skimmer too. We see where that got 'em...... (insert evil laugh)

 

[Smykowski]

What "stuff"??

Sweat, sunscreen, urine, spit, etc.

 

[supertune]

Hi Flawed,
Over shock your ppm by 1 or 2ppm if you going to be away from the pool that long...
that was my pitfall, I was at work too long in the day and my chlorine level was dipping below my shock value of 40ppm CYA at 16ppm chlorine.
I'd come home 9-10 hrs later, test and would be 1 or 2ppm below at 14 or so. One of the mods suggested to do this so I would never fall below my 16ppm shock # and once I did that my pool cleared up perfect in 3 days and passed all 3 of my shock testing!

Chuck

 

[Flawed]

<<<<<< Smartest move I ever made for my pool. TF100 a close second.... Just saying..

Sweat, sunscreen, urine, spit, etc.

Dang, didn't think of that. I was 'looking' for stuff.... thanks!

Over shock your ppm by 1 or 2ppm if you going to be away from the pool that long...

I plan on maintaining FC15 (3ppm over recommended)