TF-100 came in... Time to get my water right...

[myrddin]

OK guys, I have my first test results... I may retest tomorrow but feel like I am close if not dead on. Still learning the test kit, but all in all these numbers will be close.

PH 7.5

CL 5+

BR 10+

FC 8.5

CC 0.5

TC 9

TA 190

CH 260 (may repeat)

CYA 95 or 100 (this is an odd test, I drop into the tube till I see no sign of the black dot at all)

What do you think?

 

[Richard320]

First off, you don't need the CL & BR numbers. You have what you need with FC and CC. See how much more accurate 8.5 is compared to 5+?

Now, let me be the bearer of bad news.
1) CYA is too high.
2) FC is too low for that CYA. You're just barely above minimum.
3) You're using Trichlor pucks in that Hayward Chlorinator cl200. You're just going to make the CYA level worse if you keep using it.
4) TA looks high, but as long as you keep pH under control, it will slowly come down. If you discontinue using pucks - and you should - expect pH to rise, as Trichlor is acidic and has probably been keeping PH in check for you.

Congratulations on taking control and getting your own kit!

 

[myrddin]

Thanks... I have not used the pucks for almost a week now though (CL200 in off position and no pucks in)... and do not plan to add them back at all this year. What do you recommend? Should I drain 30% of the water and fill with new? I want to do the right thing, and learn the right way...

 

[Stuamurr]

+1 for Richards post, in a non-SWG pool, I personally would go for a CYA around 35-45 moderate sun levels, in high sun levels closer to the upper levels, around 50-60 30% drain will remove 30% CYA and so on, so that would bring you down to around the 70 mark, I'd be wanting it lower than that myself

pool-school/recommended_levels
pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

 

[anonapersona]

Do you use well water or city water? Any chance of iron or metals in the refill? How much longer will you be using the pool this season?

 

[myrddin]

I use city water, and will close the pool in mid October I think. I need to chk the water I guess to know what its like for fill water... I remember it being hard water but never tested it.

 

[duraleigh]

With likely a month or less of swim season, I would consider not draining to reduce CYA.

I assume you will winterize your pool so you will be draining already. Rainwater and your Spring startup will give you a better chance to adjust your CYA to about 50ppm.

For the rest of this season, I would run the chlorine at about 10ppm (minimum 7) and that should be adequate to prevent algae.

How does your water look now?

 

[myrddin]

Thanks... The water is clear. I will do the chlorine agn this afternoon... If it's low do I add liquid chlorine or bleach... I will chk the pool calc. I am going to need to get into the habit of doing that... And is that a daily add?

 

[myrddin]

I didn't really do the fcon thing right as I just now read it... I didn't chk it when it was dark, and I just not checked it and sun is up.

but:
FC = 7.5
CC = 0.5

So from yesterday morning to this morning it seems to have dropped 1.0.

What do you recommend, I can remove water or keep as is... I have the pucks out and Chlorinator off... I have not added anything to the water at all for at least 2 days.

 

[Bloomfield]

Liquid chlorine and bleach are the same thing. Yeah you pretty much have to add it every day in the summer. I like to add it in the evening. The sun doesn't burn off as much. :-D

 

[Richard320]

Keep FC high enough for 100 CYA and deal with it in the spring.

 

[myrddin]

OK guys sound like a plan... will keep the water for now... So do I just go to the store and look for the 6% bleach, Or pool store for 12% Chlorine... this sound right? What is the preferred way?
I need to get some pool stock...
Have:
baking soda (have a few 1 pound boxes left)

Need:
Chlorine/bleach (no pucks)
muriatic acid ( I have a small can of dry acid still lo n slow or something )
borax

I will limp along till winter shutdown and drop a little more water than usual (at least below the skimmer and return jets)... then in spring I will fill and clean and re test to see if I need to replace more water...


thanks guys

 

[Richard320]

OK guys sound like a plan... will keep the water for now... So do I just go to the store and look for the 6% bleach, Or pool store for 12% Chlorine... this sound right? What is the preferred way?
I need to get some pool stock...
Have:
baking soda (have a few 1 pound boxes left)

Need:
Chlorine/bleach (no pucks)
muriatic acid ( I have a small can of dry acid still lo n slow or something )
borax

I will limp along till winter shutdown and drop a little more water than usual (at least below the skimmer and return jets)... then in spring I will fill and clean and re test to see if I need to replace more water...


thanks guys

Crunch the numbers and figure out cents per ppm oz. Then buy whatever chlorine source is cheapest. You can use the dry acid to maintain pH until it runs out, there's nothing wrong with it except price versus muriatic acid.

You don't need baking soda for your TA. And you don't have to add borax, either. I wouldn't, personally, just because you'll you'll be draining it down over winter anyway and losing a bunch of it. Wait til Spring.

 

[myrddin]

Thanks for your help... I bought 3 cases of Clorox says it yields 7.85% Chlorine... THis is the Clorox from Sam's Club (says Now Concentrated 121 FL OZ)

should I just add as if it were 6% per the pool calc?

I see in this thread... I just add the 8.25% to the pool calc...
http://www.troublefreepool.com/new-concentrated-clorox-t52510.html?hilit=clorox

just added 51 oz... will chk the totals agn tomorrow....

 

[myrddin]

OK I want to be sure I am on the right track here...

So far day one I had to add like 51 OZ of bleach on Sunday, 41 OZ of bleach on Monday and another 51 OZ of bleach on Tuesday (today) each time I test it its about 7.5 or 8 ppm... I am figuring my pool is 13500 GAL... could I be off in size? The dimensions are about 3 1/3 at each end with a 5 foot middle 32x16... I found another with same pool Foxx Sport Pool and he said his was about 13500 so I just thought it was the same. I would think that if the Calc. says for me to add 51 OZ to get it to 10 ppm that after I add it would be 10 PPM...

thoughts?

 

[dmanb2b]

Your pool is likely larger than you think...I get about 15k gallons, using the pool calculator and using an avg depth of 4ft. Plus bleach may be stronger or less concentrated than 6%.

 

[myrddin]

Yeah, I see what you mean... I didn't think about trying to average the depth... Looks like 15300... I will re measure tomorrow to be sure of my depths but I think that was it.

Thanks that makes sense...