First test results

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blackatom

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May 21, 2013
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Pittsburgh, PA
4 YEARS LATER I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING STILL BUUUUUUUUUUUMP CITY, PLZ GO TO LAST PAGE






Did my first test with my brand-spanking-new T-1000 had some slightly confusing results:

FC - 0
TC - 0
CC - 0
PH - <6.8
TA - solution was immediately red after adding the two drops of R-0007, and then adding the five drops of R-0008... lolwat?
CH - solution turned purple immediately after R-0011L, then I followed and added 10 drops of R-0012 and there was virtually no change... lolwat?
CYA - 50

First step is to rock the shock to about 20 yeas?
Then what? Can I add the baking soda and borax at the same time? Wait until my rock the shock treatment stays even keel?
 
Last edited:
See: extended-test-kit-directions-t25081.html

Your TA is at/near 0 and your pH is VERY low ... this should be the first thing you should deal with.
You should add baking soda to get the TA into the recommended range ... then adjust pH as required into the low 7s ... then start the shock process.

The CH does not really matter right now and you can figure that out later.

Are you still using the Nature 2 minerals (not recommended) and/or trichlor pucks/sticks (likely cause of the crashing pH and TA)?
 
jblizzle said:
See: extended-test-kit-directions-t25081.html

Your TA is at/near 0 and your pH is VERY low ... this should be the first thing you should deal with.
You should add baking soda to get the TA into the recommended range ... then adjust pH as required into the low 7s ... then start the shock process.

The CH does not really matter right now and you can figure that out later.

Are you still using the Nature 2 minerals (not recommended) and/or trichlor pucks/sticks (likely cause of the crashing pH and TA)?
Click to expand...
Bah, I hate that I got noobed with a link haha. Lets just say that before this post an idiot friend jumped in impatiently and dumped about 3 gallons of bleach and a 1 pound bag of shock in my pool, would that change my ability to add the baking soda?
I actually ended up leaving the nature 2 minerals out of the equation, should change my sig I suppose.
 
The pH test will read artificially high if your FC > 10ppm. But that will not impact your ability to raise and test the TA. I would do that and let the FC drop below 10ppm and get the pH dialed in ... then go back to the shock process.
 
jblizzle said:
See: extended-test-kit-directions-t25081.html

Your TA is at/near 0 and your pH is VERY low ... this should be the first thing you should deal with.
You should add baking soda to get the TA into the recommended range ... then adjust pH as required into the low 7s ... then start the shock process.
Click to expand...
I meant to ask last night, is there a resource or list that you pull this order of steps to take from?
 
blackatom said:
I meant to ask last night, is there a resource or list that you pull this order of steps to take from?
Click to expand...
The Moderators and Experts have discussed a flow chart in our private lair, and sadly, haven't come up with anything. There's just too many variables. And also a lot of resistance to self-testing and conflicting information from the guys with buckets o'cure to sell.

Some examples:
pH is usually the first thing to adjust. But in your case, the lack of any TA will make adjusting pH difficult and it will swing wildly without enough TA to buffer it. Normally TA is too high but adjusting it is the last thing to do. Your case is different. Don't you feel special? :mrgreen:

If someone has Astronomical CYA or CH, there's no point having them adjust FC or pH because they'll need to start by draining water and refilling it with fresh, and treating water only to dump it down the sewer an hour later is wasteful.

A month or so of hands-on and reading threads here will lead you to understanding. In the meantime, you can concentrate on consistent testing and asking questions.
 
Richard320 said:
blackatom said:
I meant to ask last night, is there a resource or list that you pull this order of steps to take from?
Click to expand...
The Moderators and Experts have discussed a flow chart in our private lair, and sadly, haven't come up with anything. There's just too many variables. And also a lot of resistance to self-testing and conflicting information from the guys with buckets o'cure to sell.

Some examples:
pH is usually the first thing to adjust. But in your case, the lack of any TA will make adjusting pH difficult and it will swing wildly without enough TA to buffer it. Normally TA is too high but adjusting it is the last thing to do. Your case is different. Don't you feel special? :mrgreen:

If someone has Astronomical CYA or CH, there's no point having them adjust FC or pH because they'll need to start by draining water and refilling it with fresh, and treating water only to dump it down the sewer an hour later is wasteful.

A month or so of hands-on and reading threads here will lead you to understanding. In the meantime, you can concentrate on consistent testing and asking questions.
Click to expand...
Appreciate the quick response. I definitely thought I was going to get noob linked like "dude it's right in front of your face" ha.
What could be some of the causes for my TA to be so low? I love the idea of self-testing, I've seen enough knuckleheads in my industry making million dollar decisions about coatings without really understanding what they are doing. As far as getting pool stored, it might not be lack of knowledge on their part just hunger for money. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I'm just not going to have it be MY money.

"Hey Mr. Pool Store Owner chemical seller dude guy, could you test my water and tell me what I need to buy from you so I stop having to buy things from you?" Does not compute.
 

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blackatom said:
Did my first test with my brand-spanking-new T-1000 had some slightly confusing results:

FC - 0
TC - 0
CC - 0
PH - <6.8
TA - solution was immediately red after adding the two drops of R-0007, and then adding the five drops of R-0008... lolwat?
CH - solution turned purple immediately after R-0011L, then I followed and added 10 drops of R-0012 and there was virtually no change... lolwat?
CYA - 50

First step is to rock the shock to about 20 yeas?
Then what? Can I add the baking soda and borax at the same time? Wait until my rock the shock treatment stays even keel?
Click to expand...
Alright. Followed the pool calculators instructions, gradually added baking soda, retested about half an hour ago.
Didn't get anything on the quick Chlorine test, so I figured I'm at zero, not really worried about that quite yet as I understand.
TC - 0
PH - < 6.8
TA - 100
CH - Didn't do as I read it doesn't matter too much right now anyway.
CYA - 50

So I went back to the calcamalator and it told me to put in 5 boxes of borax to get from 6.4-7.5. Yeah wasn't exactly prepared for that, but I did add the 3 boxes I had. Will test tomorrow around 5pm, then I'm assuming I will be running out and getting more borax. Once I get the pH where it needs to be, I do another full test, make sure everything else is in line and then start the shock process. Shock that Darn until my pool meets linens 3 criteria. Then I can go swimming in the buff yea?
 
Yeah wasn't exactly prepared for that, but I did add the 3 boxes I had
Click to expand...
+1 what jblizzle said......getting to 7.2 is adequate and you may not have been as low as 6.4.
Then I can go swimming in the buff yea?
Click to expand...
I re-read the shock process up in Pool School and could not find that as part of the instructions :shock: :shock: ......TFP neither endorses nor rejects that step but, PLEASE, PLEASE no pictures!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
duraleigh said:
+1 what jblizzle said......getting to 7.2 is adequate and you may not have been as low as 6.4.
Click to expand...
Yeah I actually did have my water tested by a pool store when I first opened up the pool which was before I got my T-1000 and considered my relationship with the pool store... terminated.
Terminator-Arnold_l.jpg


duraleigh said:
I re-read the shock process up in Pool School and could not find that as part of the instructions :shock: :shock: ......TFP neither endorses nor rejects that step but, PLEASE, PLEASE no pictures!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
Hey you never know what might [s:zq10h11u]pop-up[/s:zq10h11u] happen!
 
blackatom said:
Alright. Followed the pool calculators instructions, gradually added baking soda, retested about half an hour ago.
Didn't get anything on the quick Chlorine test, so I figured I'm at zero, not really worried about that quite yet as I understand.
TC - 0
PH - < 6.8
TA - 100
CH - Didn't do as I read it doesn't matter too much right now anyway.
CYA - 50

So I went back to the calcamalator and it told me to put in 5 boxes of borax to get from 6.4-7.5. Yeah wasn't exactly prepared for that, but I did add the 3 boxes I had. Will test tomorrow around 5pm, then I'm assuming I will be running out and getting more borax. Once I get the pH where it needs to be, I do another full test, make sure everything else is in line and then start the shock process. Shock that **** until my pool meets linens 3 criteria. Then I can go swimming in the buff yea?
Click to expand...
Tested when I got home from work today ~5:30. Even after adding 3 boxes of borax last night, pH didn't seem to want to budge.
TC - 0
pH - < 6.8
TA - 130
CH - Nosir
CYA - 50

Added another 5 boxes of borax, calculator said 5.7. Pool gods, when should I be able to test again for pH? I would love to do it right meow so that I can rock the shock tonight!

EDIT: Also, my brand-yeah-daddy-spanking new filter got here today, and also my pressure gauge was broken, and I replaced that too. I'm running around 17psi, sounds good yeas?
 

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