Hello all...
I originally posted back in the late spring about a SWG and CYA levels.
Long story short, after finally getting the CYA testing method down, I am pretty sure that my CYA was in the 180 range. I believe I originally thought it was in the 150 range. No matter, too high. I had a slight leak near the pool pad and because of the fear of floating the pool and the unusual amount of rain we got around here in April, May, and early June, I chose not to do the water replacement. I allowed the leak to continue hoping I could knock down the CYA enough to require very little water replacement. Mixed results on that, as my CYA accurately tested at 150 this past Friday. So knocked it down a little but not as much as was hoping. In the meantime, I completely quit using anything that raised CYA levels--no more tabs and have always used cal hypo as shock. In fact, when I ran out of cal hypo, I started using liquid chlorine but because of the levels of FC I was needed to maintain and my questioning of the storage methods that Home Depot used for their liquid (outdoors, partially hit by sun--only place I could find higher than 6% near me), that became unmanageable. So I am back to cal hypo for the short term.
Anyway, middle of last week I noticed the dreaded black dots on the floor and walls of pool. About 10 total. That was it. I knew it was time for drastic action, not only to eradicate the algae but to get CYA levels down and cut my use of chlorine. So yesterday, I rented a submersible pump from Home Depot ($37/24 hrs, 3K GPH) and dumped approximately 2/3 of my pool water. Took about 5 hours, leading me to believe if the GPH rating on the pump was accurate, that my approximation of 22.5K gallons of water is accurate. Started refilling about midnight last night and just finished a little before 8pm tonight.
SIDE NOTE: For anyone needing to do water replacement, based solely on my experience in the DFW, TX area, this is not a process to be feared or shy of. I think I worried too much, although I still would only take it completely to empty with the help of a pro and only during this dry time of the year. Please use the clean out that should be located somewhere in your front flower beds, near the main water shut-off and the front faucet. The rental from HD came with the hoses I needed and the water went straight down into the sewer system and there was no back up into the house. Saw where a neighbor did a drain yesterday and the whole alley way and curbside of the street is just nasty looking. It will take several heavy rains for that to clean up, it goes right to streams and lakes, and in some municipalities, might get you fined.
While I had the water down, wire brushed the black algae spots and rubbed them with trichlor tabs. Of the 10 or so spots, only saw one today as the pool was refilling and because it was night, it might have been one I missed--so hit it with wire brush today. While pool was down, I also acid washed the exposed walls. My plaster is a white with blue specks in it and it looks so much better than maybe even when it was originally done 10 years ago. Wish I could have acid washed the entire pool, but even with drought conditions--no measurable rain on my yard since late June--just too much fear of floating the pool. Plus that is hard freaking work!!! Maybe when I get the algae completely eradicated and into winter, I can temporarily acidify the water and give the bottom third and bottom a good brushing--any hints on that welcome.
Anyhow, now that pool is filled, had planned on doing the full battery of water testing and start the process of balancing the water but low and behold, here came the first real rain storm for nearly a month and a half!!! No big deal working in the rain, but there was lightning and close, so I thought my first test could wait until tomorrow evening. Plus, pump had only been running again for 30 minutes and wanted to allow good mix on water. I did assume very little chlorine, if any, as I was at 5ppm just prior to drain. So using the Pool Calculator, I added cal hypo to shock requirements (making assumption that CYA was 50), including sprinkling a cup over the areas that the black algae had popped up.
So barring more lightning after work tomorrow, I will run the full battery and get a good base point on my numbers and start getting water balanced. More than anything, I hope my CYA level is somewhere around 50 as I was shooting for!!! I plan to keep FC at shock levels and running overnight FC test every night until I see no drop (meaning hopefully I have eradicated all algae) for as long as I have to. Once I am there, I will seal the stone around my pool and move forward with the original plan to install a SWG.
Hopefully a few knowledgeable have hung around through my novel. Sorry, but I am long winded as it is and actually quite proud of getting this almost behind me--boy my hands and shoulders are sore today!!! I would appreciate any input to my plan and if I should be doing anything else along the way. To those that have concerns using cal hypo and the increase in CH, let me state that I used cal hypo and trichlor exclusively for nearly 10 years and my CH was always in line where it should be. Of course if I see differently when running base tests tomorrow, I will adjust as necessary. Believe me, I never want to have to do this again, for CYA, CH, or levels of anything that I can control!!!
Thanks again for providing this great source of knowledge and fellow helpful pool owners...
Paul
I originally posted back in the late spring about a SWG and CYA levels.
Long story short, after finally getting the CYA testing method down, I am pretty sure that my CYA was in the 180 range. I believe I originally thought it was in the 150 range. No matter, too high. I had a slight leak near the pool pad and because of the fear of floating the pool and the unusual amount of rain we got around here in April, May, and early June, I chose not to do the water replacement. I allowed the leak to continue hoping I could knock down the CYA enough to require very little water replacement. Mixed results on that, as my CYA accurately tested at 150 this past Friday. So knocked it down a little but not as much as was hoping. In the meantime, I completely quit using anything that raised CYA levels--no more tabs and have always used cal hypo as shock. In fact, when I ran out of cal hypo, I started using liquid chlorine but because of the levels of FC I was needed to maintain and my questioning of the storage methods that Home Depot used for their liquid (outdoors, partially hit by sun--only place I could find higher than 6% near me), that became unmanageable. So I am back to cal hypo for the short term.
Anyway, middle of last week I noticed the dreaded black dots on the floor and walls of pool. About 10 total. That was it. I knew it was time for drastic action, not only to eradicate the algae but to get CYA levels down and cut my use of chlorine. So yesterday, I rented a submersible pump from Home Depot ($37/24 hrs, 3K GPH) and dumped approximately 2/3 of my pool water. Took about 5 hours, leading me to believe if the GPH rating on the pump was accurate, that my approximation of 22.5K gallons of water is accurate. Started refilling about midnight last night and just finished a little before 8pm tonight.
SIDE NOTE: For anyone needing to do water replacement, based solely on my experience in the DFW, TX area, this is not a process to be feared or shy of. I think I worried too much, although I still would only take it completely to empty with the help of a pro and only during this dry time of the year. Please use the clean out that should be located somewhere in your front flower beds, near the main water shut-off and the front faucet. The rental from HD came with the hoses I needed and the water went straight down into the sewer system and there was no back up into the house. Saw where a neighbor did a drain yesterday and the whole alley way and curbside of the street is just nasty looking. It will take several heavy rains for that to clean up, it goes right to streams and lakes, and in some municipalities, might get you fined.
While I had the water down, wire brushed the black algae spots and rubbed them with trichlor tabs. Of the 10 or so spots, only saw one today as the pool was refilling and because it was night, it might have been one I missed--so hit it with wire brush today. While pool was down, I also acid washed the exposed walls. My plaster is a white with blue specks in it and it looks so much better than maybe even when it was originally done 10 years ago. Wish I could have acid washed the entire pool, but even with drought conditions--no measurable rain on my yard since late June--just too much fear of floating the pool. Plus that is hard freaking work!!! Maybe when I get the algae completely eradicated and into winter, I can temporarily acidify the water and give the bottom third and bottom a good brushing--any hints on that welcome.
Anyhow, now that pool is filled, had planned on doing the full battery of water testing and start the process of balancing the water but low and behold, here came the first real rain storm for nearly a month and a half!!! No big deal working in the rain, but there was lightning and close, so I thought my first test could wait until tomorrow evening. Plus, pump had only been running again for 30 minutes and wanted to allow good mix on water. I did assume very little chlorine, if any, as I was at 5ppm just prior to drain. So using the Pool Calculator, I added cal hypo to shock requirements (making assumption that CYA was 50), including sprinkling a cup over the areas that the black algae had popped up.
So barring more lightning after work tomorrow, I will run the full battery and get a good base point on my numbers and start getting water balanced. More than anything, I hope my CYA level is somewhere around 50 as I was shooting for!!! I plan to keep FC at shock levels and running overnight FC test every night until I see no drop (meaning hopefully I have eradicated all algae) for as long as I have to. Once I am there, I will seal the stone around my pool and move forward with the original plan to install a SWG.
Hopefully a few knowledgeable have hung around through my novel. Sorry, but I am long winded as it is and actually quite proud of getting this almost behind me--boy my hands and shoulders are sore today!!! I would appreciate any input to my plan and if I should be doing anything else along the way. To those that have concerns using cal hypo and the increase in CH, let me state that I used cal hypo and trichlor exclusively for nearly 10 years and my CH was always in line where it should be. Of course if I see differently when running base tests tomorrow, I will adjust as necessary. Believe me, I never want to have to do this again, for CYA, CH, or levels of anything that I can control!!!
Thanks again for providing this great source of knowledge and fellow helpful pool owners...
Paul
