Intex Preferred Water Chemistry

[UltraIntex]

I am a little unsure whether or not I should stick more closely to the Intex handbook preferred water chemistry.
Last season I was keeping the FC 4, CYA 40, CH around 100, TA 100, PH7.5.
Now the Intex book tells me that the FC should be no higher than 3 and I was thinking that after my recent algae 'situation' I would keep the FC a bit higher this season, which is starting now.
Also my CH is well below their ideal even though I find I never have to clean the SWG with such low CH. I have heard that low CH causes brittleness in plastic parts which Intex rely on quite...er...heavily.
Can I keep my FC higher than they suggest and my CH lower than they suggest?
I do agree that CYA needs to stay quite low compared to the min suggested CYA for SWG given here on TFP (too many abbreviations??) as the SWG is not the most powerful and would struggle to produce the FC needed to keep up with a CYA of say 60-80.


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[duraleigh]

I would stick with the parameters we have outlined in Pool School. They work and they are based on thousands of Pool owner input.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Actually, the higher CYA reduces the rate at which the sun uses up chlorine. You can use bleach to bump the FC up to your target and then use the SWG to maintain that level.

Think of it this way...
If the target was crazy high like 20 and you lost 1 ppm per day the SWG only has to produce 1ppm per day.

If the target is 2, and the daily losses are 6 then the SWG has to work 6 times harder - despite the lower target.

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[Bama Rambler]

As Dave said, using the targets suggested here is the best thing you can do.

Don't worry about CH in a vinyl pool. I have zero CH in my pool and haven't had a single issue with the plastic parts, or anything else.

As UWV eluded to, CYA is a balancing act. You want enough to regulate the FC loss to the sun but not so much to make the FC level unrealistic to maintain and thereby make shocking impossible to accomplish if you ever had to. About 60 - 80 ppm CYA for a swg pool is a good range.

 

[UltraIntex]

The trouble with achieving the desired CYA is there seems to be considerable scope for an inaccurate reading. That pesky black dot plays tricks on the eye.

 

[dmanb2b]

The trouble with achieving the desired CYA is there seems to be considerable scope for an inaccurate reading. That pesky black dot plays tricks on the eye.

You can perform the cya test many times over by pouring the test tube contents back into your 50/50 mixture. Also, remember to have your back to the sun and try to perfom the test around the same time of day. I usually measure my sample 3 times and then avg the three readings.

 

[UltraIntex]

You can perform the cya test many times over by pouring the test tube contents back into your 50/50 mixture. Also, remember to have your back to the sun and try to perfom the test around the same time of day. I usually measure my sample 3 times and then avg the three readings.

I have the Palintest CYA tester where there is no 50/50 going on. I am wondering if this is a less accurate test than yours? It's just pour in the pool water, drop in a tab, crush tab, take reading.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

You can perform the cya test many times over by pouring the test tube contents back into your 50/50 mixture. Also, remember to have your back to the sun and try to perfom the test around the same time of day. I usually measure my sample 3 times and then avg the three readings.

I have the Palintest CYA tester where there is no 50/50 going on. I am wondering if this is a less accurate test than yours? It's just pour in the pool water, drop in a tab, crush tab, take reading.

Pre-dilute your pool water with tap water before doing this test.

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[UltraIntex]

Never heard of this before, why is this beneficial?

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Never heard of this before, why is this beneficial?

If you are reading 100 that is the limit of the accuracy of the test. Diluting allows you to get a value and double it (assumes 1:1 mix)

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[UnderWaterVanya]

Never heard of this before, why is this beneficial?

If you are reading 100 that is the limit of the accuracy of the test. Diluting allows you to get a value and double it (assumes 1:1 mix)

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I think I have you confused with another person. Your CYA isn't high enough to need this.

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