getting started

[chrisf66]

Just getting started with this forum and love the information so far. I am waiting on a test kit as recommended on this site, but went to Leslie's this morning for a test.

FC .5
TC .5
CH 620
CYA 0
TA 160
PH 7.6

I have been playing around with the muriatic acid & aeration to lower TA and it has come down from over 200. The water has been crystal clear except for the last 2 days -- it is slightly - moderately cloudy. I can still see the bottom drain. I am assuming tat this may be due to lowering the PH and now the scale is coming off the walls. Leslie's is recommended a partial drain due to high CH levels. What do you think? should I do that before working on it any further?

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum. :lol:


1. get some chlorine in your pool......that is by far your biggest concern

2. You need CYA in the pool to protect the chlorine from the sun.

3. How have you been chlorinating the pool and for how long?

4. CH is high but it is manageable....disregard it completely until you solve your chlorine and CYA issues.

5. Read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School

6. When will your kit get to you so you can do your own testing?.....pool stores are not a reliable source.

 

[chrisf66]

we had to drain the pool about 3 years ago and clean it because of a purple stain that no one could figure out ( i have seen it on here though). My husband lost all faith in the local pool places so started playing with it himself blindly. He has been adding about 2 gallons of bleach weekly and some occasional algaecide, but that is it. The test kit shipped today so i expect it soon.

 

[duraleigh]

You need to get about 30ppm or so of CYA in the pool. Do you know what it's function is and do you know how to use poolcalculator.com to calc how much you will need?

 

[chrisf66]

I know what its function is, will go check the calculator now.

 

[chrisf66]

ok.... I guess I am off to get some stabilizer. I added 2 3 inch tablets to a floater but I see that can take a long time.

 

[duraleigh]

I added 2 3 inch tablets to a floater but I see that can take a long time.

Yeah, the tabs take a long time. How much swim season do you have left? If it's short, you may want to bring the CYA up to around 20-30 only....it'll be easier to shock and the CYA won't do as much economic good as it would over a long season.

An alternative is to simply use tabs at this point. Do you have quite a few of them?

 

[chrisf66]

we only have about 8 tabs. 2 in the floater now so 6 left in the bucket. I am hoping to have about 1 1/2 months left of swimming.

 

[duraleigh]

I am asking all these questions to see what makes the most sense from a money standpoint.....Do you close the pool by draining water down or do you leave it at it's current level all winter? What city are you in?

 

[chrisf66]

we are in Brentwood -- outside of san fran. We do not drain for winter unless we get a lot of rain.

 

[duraleigh]

In that case, I would go ahead and put in stabilizer up to 30-40ppm and then shock the pool by using Clorox bleach and according to the directions in the article in Pool School.....I think that will get rid of your cloudiness.

It will also let you use FAR less chlorine for the remainder of the swim season (and next).

The algaecide is not necessary if you have adequate chlorine.

Keep your pH 7.2 - 7.5 and you won't have to worry about CH or CH-caused cloudiness.

Get your husband on the same page with using the kit and the advice on this forum. It almost never works for two people to have different ideas about how to manage a pool.

 

[chrisf66]

I will go ahead with your recommendations and report back after the test kit arrives. I think I may have fired my husband from pool duty!