First Test Results, help

[aliso]

Hello,

I am new to this forum and a first time pool owner from South Hero, VT. I set up my pool a couple weeks ago and am trying to understand and use the BBB method. I have gone to pool school and need some help. I just added some stabilizer/conditioner that I purchased at Walmart last night. I was not able to keep any chlorine in the pool and was having to use a bottle of bleach every night. My husband actually poured the stabilizer in the skimmer and it started clogging the pump so he then just poured it around in the pool and white powder was on the pool floor everywhere. He used the whole canister. He then vacuumed this up until it was gone. I have also been using the floater with 3" chlorine pucks since we filled our pool a couple weeks ago. Should i keep using this? Also tried to do a CYA test and could still see the black dot on bottom of tube when full. What do i need to do next?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Test results this morning:
CL: 5
PH: 6.8
CH: 50
TA: 60
FC: 11.5
CC: 0

 

[Bama Rambler]

How big was the canister of stabilizer? It's important to know.
Don't worry about doing the CYA test for a week.
How many pucks have you used total?

Raise your pH using borax to about 7.6. It should take 2 boxes.

What test kit do you have?

 

[elwood58]

Chlorine is probably OK with the amount of CYA you added. CYA will take a while to show up in the test. I would stop using Pucks in the floater and switch to liquid bleach pH needs to come up to at least 7.2, but you should measure when FC is back below 10, as it may not read accurately now. CH does not matter as long as it does not go up over 300.

Your TA is at the low end of the range. Try to keep it there if you can.

What is CL?

 

[aliso]

My husband used the whole canister of stabilizer.... 4 Lbs. Cl stands for chlorine. New to this pool lingo. I have used 3-4 pucks as of today. My test kit is the TF100. So its OK to put in the borax now?

Thanks for your help

 

[Richard320]

Recheck pH when the FC test shows below 10. Then if it still needs adjusting add the necessary borax according to http://poolcalculator.com/.

You're dealing with HUGE quantities of water, it takes time for things to change. Do it methodically and you'll end up happy with the results.

 

[aliso]

should i check the FC tonight or wait until the morning? Its been sunny here all day, don't know if that really matters.

 

[aa62579]

Is the CL result what you got by doing the color match test that only goes to 5 and then the FC/CC results what you got by using the FAS-DPD test (the powder plus drops test)?

The FAS-DPD is much more accurate and is needed if you chlorine is more than 5. Since you were at 11.5, I would only use it for now. (As you can see, on the yellow color match test, you may have guessed that you were above 5, but would you have guessed you were all the way at 11.5? TC, which is what the color match test measures should equal FC plus CC.)

 

[Bama Rambler]

So far it looks like you've added about 35 ppm of CYA. You're probably going to need more but hold off on it for a couple of weeks.

 

[aliso]

Is the CL result what you got by doing the color match test that only goes to 5 and then the FC/CC results what you got by using the FAS-DPD test (the powder plus drops test)?

Yes that is correct. According to the chart for the chlorine test it was in the 5 section. Very yellow.
What do you mean by "I would only use it for now"?
Should i add the borax or should i not add that now
Sorry this is a little confusing to me. Very new to all this. I appreciate your help.

 

[aa62579]

Is the CL result what you got by doing the color match test that only goes to 5 and then the FC/CC results what you got by using the FAS-DPD test (the powder plus drops test)?

Yes that is correct. According to the chart for the chlorine test it was in the 5 section. Very yellow.
What do you mean by "I would only use it for now"?
Should i add the borax or should i not add that now
Sorry this is a little confusing to me. Very new to all this. I appreciate your help.

Since your chlorine is above 5, you cant use that test. You need to use the powder test that will give you FC and CC.

 

[aa62579]

Let your FC drop below 10, then retest your pH. If it is still reading low, add the borax.

 

[aliso]

I just tested my pool again and here are the results: (using the powder test to get FC and CC).
Chlorine 5
PH: 7.2 (barely)
FC: 7
CC: 0
TA: 50 After the 5th drop of R-0009 it turned pink, same color as the FC test in pink. but the instructions say to add drops until it turns red. Am i looking to get to the pink color or am i suppose to keep going to a red color?

Should i still add the borax?

 

[aa62579]

I just tested my pool again and here are the results: (using the powder test to get FC and CC).
Chlorine 5
PH: 7.2 (barely)
FC: 7
CC: 0
TA: 50 After the 5th drop of R-0009 it turned pink, same color as the FC test in pink. but the instructions say to add drops until it turns red. Am i looking to get to the pink color or am i suppose to keep going to a red color?

Should i still add the borax?

You'll need to choose one test or the other. We really need the FC and CC numbers and do not care about the chlorine number you are getting with the OTO test kit. (You can see it is off by 2 here.)

On the TA test, you'll add until there is no color change. So, if the 5th drop turned it the dark pink color, add in one more drop. If there is no more color change, you go with your first number. If the 5th drop had turned it light pink, the 6th drop had turned it dark pink, and the 7th drop did not change the dark pink, you would not count that drop and would report it as 6 drops. Pink/Red seems to be a bit subjective on these test, but you should be able to determine your end point.

I'll defer to someone else on the borax - not sure if you might should get it up a bit higher with baking soda before you add them.

 

[anonapersona]

I suggest that you begin a Pool Log book. Record a equipment data first. Then a page with phone numbers of pool stores and other places that sell chemicals you need. Add chemical prices there as you collect them. I have 3 pool stores near me, plus two hardware stores and a Sam's club, and I shop all of them from time to time. I like the pool stores for a lot of chemicals, but sometimes I get things in other places, too. Then add websites that you learn of also.

Then start recording your test data. At first I tested everything every day. Then I began running out of reagents. Oops. After a short while you will see what needs testing each time, what needs testing each week or month. I have an expanded chart taped to the top of my TF100 that keeps 30 tests and what I added afterwards and what my goal was for that addition.

I find that the blue box chlorine test really just tells me IF I have chlorine; a lot or a little. I use the drop based test to tell me how much chlorine.

 

[Vette]

I keep an Excel spreadsheet with my test results. Do chlorine (FAS-DPD) and PH test each day, and everything else once a week. That's pretty common around here from what I glean. Keeping track is a good idea to see what your pool chemicals tend to gravitate to (PH drifting up or down, etc). Then next to each day on the spreadsheet I keep track of what chemicals I put into the pool that day.

Your TA is low, your PH is gonna drift around a lot. Add baking soda before Borax.

 

[aliso]

Hello, Ive been gone for a few days and just tested my pool here are the results

PH 7.2
FC .50
TA 60
CYA - can still see black dot but is almost gone- Have never done this test to have the black dot disappear.
CC 1

Do I need to get the chlorine level up to around 5 and then work on the CYA? I dont know what my FC should be as i have never been able to get a CYA reading. Should i add more stabilizer? Should i leave the TA and PH where it is for now? How much bleach should i add for now?

 

[Bama Rambler]

I would call your CYA 20 and if your FC & CC numbers are correct you need to shock the pool. I'd do that before raising the CYA anymore.
Your pH and TA is good.

Add 3.5 large jugs of bleach now.

 

[aliso]

Thank you for the quick reply. I will do that right now. Will that also raise my CYA? I thought my PH & TA were a little low but will let them be for now. Do i have to wait to use the pool after putting bleach in just to float around?

 

[aa62579]

Thank you for the quick reply. I will do that right now. Will that also raise my CYA? I thought my PH & TA were a little low but will let them be for now. Do i have to wait to use the pool after putting bleach in just to float around?

Shocking the pool is a process, not a one time addition of bleach. We do not advocate swimming when you pool is at shock level or above. If you go with the CYA/Chlorine chart, it says you will need to get your FC up to 10 and hold it there for your shock level.

Here is a link to the instructions to shock your pool: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[anonapersona]

You will not raise CYA with bleach.

You should not get into the pool while you are keeping it at shock levels. Not good for the shocking process, not good for your swimsuit, not good for you.