Tested water at Leslie's Pools today - interesting results

[cody21]

Just for a sanity check, I decided to take Leslie's Pools up to their monthly free-check offer of my water ... and mostly to see if they get the same results that I just got yesterday doing a full test ... Here's what I was told:

FC = 5.0 -> said that was "HIGH"; suggested to stop putting chlorine in for a couple of days to lower it
TC = 5.0 -> said it was "HIGH" (see above)
CYA = 90 -> said it was "OK"
TA = 100 = OK
PH = 7.4 = OK (I was "seeing" more like 7.5 - that blue test is so subjective though)
Phosphates = 300 -> said it was too high, should be < 100

OK, my test just yesterday sort of mirrored what he saw -- except for the CYA=90 ... once again, I must be really challenged in seeing that stupid dot disappear, because I was getting 45-50 over the last couple of tests. (I can talk myself into 60, but nothing like 90 ...)

Secondly, he confused me saying my FC was too high at 5.0 !! Based on the "tables" of CYA (90) to FC (5.0), I would expect that value to be LOW - and better to be closer to 7.0 - 10.0 .. But based on my own test of CYA=50'ish, I would think my 5.0 would be perfect ... So I am totally confused now.

Lastly - PHOSPhates ??? The TF-100 kit does not even check Phosphates ... Is this something we SHOULD be checking, or is this a sale ploy to get us to spend money??? Adding Phosphates seems to be a bit of an ordeal - running pump for 48 hours, cleaning the filter a few times in a short amount of time, etc.

PS - water looks really clear and nice ....

 

[linen]

Re: Tested water at Leslie's Pools today - interesting resul

My first recommendation is, stay our of leslies What they suggested and what we suggest are not the same. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/recommended_levels You should trust your own testing over pool store testing.

For the cya test make sure you have full sun with it to your back. The dot must totally disappear. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/extended-test-kit-directions-t25081.html#p206397

But based on my own test of CYA=50'ish, I would think my 5.0 would be perfect ... So I am totally confused now.

Trust your tests and our recommendations.

Lastly - PHOSPhates ???

Ignore that along with the rest of there results. A properly chlorinated pool can have very high phosphates with no issues.

PS - water looks really clear and nice .

 

[anonapersona]

Re: Tested water at Leslie's Pools today - interesting resul

Ha, I just did the same thing to check calcium as I have issues with that sometimes. I had not tested CH in a long time and suddenly with all this rain it was way too low, though CSI was still fine somehow. They told me my CYA was 100 when I test it at 30. Their Hardness was 200 when I tested 170 but I think they do Total Hardness and I test Calcium Hardness which would be lower, I think that accounts for the change. So, they sort of confirmed what I tested on calcium, and they were wrong on CYA. All the rest was OK, and I got a free salt test since I've never know what that level was.

If you are taking care to add reagents slowly and count carefully, I'd trust your numbers over theirs. The CYA test should be done back to the sun in full sunlight, not inside or under a shade cover. No sunglasses either IMO.

As for the other differences in recommended ranges... remember that they look at the chemicals in isolation, not recognizing any reaction between the CYA and what is available chlorine. They use FC ranges based on CYA between 30 and 50, then arbitrarily say that CYA up to 100 or more is OK, not taking into account that effect on FC. Based on the way they expect you to run your pool, the phosphate level does become important, for with high CYA and low FC you will get algae, unless phosphates are under control. It can work, it just is very expensive to do it that way.

Here at TFP we think that the better way is to manage the FC and CYA relationship and then phosphates are irrelevant.

 

[cody21]

Re: Tested water at Leslie's Pools today - interesting resul

Got it .. Thanks !!!!