Tweeking my pump run time for the fall/winter?

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Yes you have to make a proportional change in the setting> Decreasing the run time by 50% will double the SWG setting to maintain the same FC level.

Right now, my SWG is set to 50% for 2 hours but during the summer, I set it at 90% for 4 hours because of the higher CL extinction.
 
Is chlorine "killed" only by sunlight, or do high water temps play a part too? We are heating the pool this month---until we see what the gas bill will be like! I thought algae grows where there's warmth too. Do you heat your pool?

I don't know if this next question should go to a different forum topic, but it kind of includes pump run time at the end. I used the Taylor kit that's recommended on this website, and I also have the salt test kit. Yesterday, my test results were:

FC:4.0
pH:8
TA:100
CH:340
CYA:30
Salt:3200

Since the pool was finished in July, my pH readings have consistently been about 7.8 to 8+, and the TA about 90 to 110. So about 2 to 3 times a week, I've been putting in 2 cups of muriatic acid following the instructions after doing the Acid Demand test. When I retested about 4 to 6 hours later, it would be about 7.6, and TA still about 90.

I've now read in Pool School that low CYA can result in high pH and high TA, which entails frequent additions of MA, so I went to the Pool Calculator and it recommends putting in 3lbs of Stabiliser to bring CYA up to 70, using TFP's recommendations for salt pools. Yesterday I put only 1lb of stabiliser in a sock in the skimmer and I'll test again in a few days. Why do the instructions say to have the pump running for 24 hours after putting in Stabiliser? I ran the pump my regular 10 hours and then I pulled out the sock from the skimmer. Most of the Stabiliser has dissolved.

Should I do the rest of the other 2lbs today, or should I wait until I test again? Slow and steady? I also read that it's easier to put in than to remove.

Should I also have the pump running for 24 hours after I put the sock in the skimmer again? And then after that, shorten the pump run time for the cooler months?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for all your advice.
 
Yan said:
Is chlorine "killed" only by sunlight, or do high water temps play a part too? We are heating the pool this month---until we see what the gas bill will be like! I thought algae grows where there's warmth too. Do you heat your pool?
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Yes, warmer water seems to increase the chlorine extinction rate.

I heat my pool only with solar and only during the warmer months (~May-Oct). Heating a pool with gas during the winter months would be a fortune.

Why do the instructions say to have the pump running for 24 hours after putting in Stabiliser?
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To help dissolve the stabilizer. I find that squeezing the sock accelerates dissolving.

Should I do the rest of the other 2lbs today, or should I wait until I test again? Slow and steady? I also read that it's easier to put in than to remove.
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I am a bit more aggressive than most when it comes to CYA. You were at 30 ppm and even if you assume your pool size is 10k, you could easily add 4 lbs total. So yes, another 2 lbs should not be a problem.

Should I also have the pump running for 24 hours after I put the sock in the skimmer again? And then after that, shorten the pump run time for the cooler months?
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Sounds like a plan although you really don't need to run the pump for 24 hours. Again that is just to speed things up a bit.
 
For some strange reason, our son thinks we are rich! He says to have the heat on the way we want the water temp to be, then adjust accordingly when we get the gas bill. It kind of makes sense....

Thank you for such a quick reply. I, too, shall be "a bit more aggressive than most," and I'll do the rest of the recommended Stabiliser this morning and have the pump run until its normal 7pm.

Regards "squeezing the sock accelerates dissolving," won't the acid do funny things to your hand? Do you wear gloves?

Then starting tomorrow, I shall shorten the pump run time to about 6 hours with a higher SWG percentage, and keep my eye on the water clarity and test results.

Thanks again. I truly appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions and making me not so nervous about looking after my pool.
 
Regards "squeezing the sock accelerates dissolving," won't the acid do funny things to your hand? Do you wear gloves?
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I don't use gloves and it has never caused any discomfort and/or problems. I don't believe it is all that acidic compared to say dry acid. But use gloves if you are concerned about it. I usually let the sock the soak for an hour so the CYA is good and wet, and then I start to squeeze the sock. I can usually dissolve most of the CYA in a few minutes that way but it depends on the brand of CYA used. In my experience, the Kem-Tek from Lowes seems to dissolve the fastest.
 
Did like you said, squeezed the sock after it had been soaking for a while. Most of it is dissolved. My hand is still tan in colour! LOL.

The brand is RAM Stabilizer. The pool builder had brought two bottles (4.75lbs each) when he first opened up the pool, used only one and left the second one behind. That's what I'm using.

FYI---today I have the pool pump set up to run for 6 hours, because we are heating the pool, and raised the SWG to 60%. Before this, I had it running for 10 hours at 30%. If we decide not to heat the pool any more, I'll lower the SWG%. Also, I'll be testing to make sure that the FC level stays in the ideal range.

Thanks again.
 

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Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! We became new American citizens in 2006, and I think Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. No presents involved, just giving thanks and being grateful for what we have. Not keen on Christmas---"Season of Greed!" You can tell I'm the "Bah, Humbug" type when it comes to Christmas. :lol:

As for my pool:
For several days after adding 3lbs of Stabilizer, letting the pump run only 6 hours a day, down from its usual 10, SWG at 60% from its usual 40%, my CL readings were at 6.0. I now have the SWG at 30% for the same 6 hours---because we are heating the pool to 90°F! Do I hear guffaws and snort?? :lol: Still not received the first bill yet after I started to heat the pool! :shock:

Yesterday, my readings were:
CL 4.5
pH 7.6
TA 90
CH 320
CYA 50

Looks like CYA has gone up from its original 30. At that time, the Pool Calculator had recommended adding 59oz of Stabilizer to bring CYA levels to a goal of 70, using TFP's guidelines. Should I add the other 11oz now or wait for a few more days to test again?

I do have a second question. There are some sandy-coloured stains at the bottom of the spa, and a little on the main pool floor. I think I can now see the difference between mottling of the plaster and stains. We used Jack's Magic Stain ID Kit, and Jack's Magic #2 completely removed the stains that it touched. Can someone tell me the step-by-step instructions on how to use #2 and the Magenta Stuff? I read something about bypassing the heater. How does one bypass the heater? Also, while treating, does it mean no swimming at all? And how long to run the pump, etc?

Thank you again in advance.
 
Glad you had a good turkey day. I like thanksgiving as well.

If I'm reading correctly the CYA has gone from 30 to 50 and your goal was 70. If it's been a few days since you added it, I'd go ahead and add enough to get from 50 to 70 and leave it at that.

I can't help you with the stain kit but there are others that can as well as some topics here that outline what to do.
 
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