Let's do this

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

themalldude

0
May 27, 2013
16
Hello!

Closed on my house on the 13th - Thursday, had my TF-100 kit ordered ahead of time. I just did tests this evening.

CYA 100
ClBR >10 - it was orange, not yellow
PH 7.8
TA 130-140
CH - Never turned blue - it was just purple the whole time when I added the R-0012.

Pool has been maintained by a local pool company (once a week), and was last maintained on the 10th. The inspection we had done before purchasing the house said there was mustard algae. The pool looks pretty clear but there is brown powdery stuff on one of the steps.

It's a 14K gallon gunite pool with cartridge filter. I haven't done anything to it yet (except take a quick swim). I'm thinking I will clean the filters and start draining/filling tomorrow afternoon. As far as I can tell I will have to syphon with a water hose. I guess after I get the CYA down I will shock at the mustard algae shock levels (I've read the pool school stuff).

Any advice/tips on my readings and anything I should pay special attention to is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Thanks! Here are some photos of the equipment and pool. Also a couple of quick things I noticed. The pump is on a timer and has been running ~8 hours per day (late morning - afternoon). Also the auto vacuum runs everyday as well.

[attachment=2:1mruu3xe]1.JPG[/attachment:1mruu3xe]
[attachment=1:1mruu3xe]2.JPG[/attachment:1mruu3xe]
[attachment=0:1mruu3xe]3.JPG[/attachment:1mruu3xe]
 

Attachments

  • 1.JPG
    1.JPG
    112.5 KB · Views: 193
  • 2.JPG
    2.JPG
    119.3 KB · Views: 193
  • 3.JPG
    3.JPG
    100.4 KB · Views: 193
A few more

[attachment=2:30v3ieox]4.JPG[/attachment:30v3ieox]
[attachment=1:30v3ieox]5.JPG[/attachment:30v3ieox]
[attachment=0:30v3ieox]6.JPG[/attachment:30v3ieox]
 

Attachments

  • 4.JPG
    4.JPG
    111.1 KB · Views: 193
  • 5.JPG
    5.JPG
    156.9 KB · Views: 193
  • 6.JPG
    6.JPG
    117.8 KB · Views: 193
It seems to me you have a good idea of where you are going and a good grasp of pool water chemistry.

Your FC is quite high (which you could check even more accurately with the Weekly FAS/DPD test) but it's ok because of your VERY high CYA.

I see you have a plan to reduce CYA to 50 ppm?? is that the target?

Disregard TA and CH while you drain/refill to get your CYA manageable.
 
Thanks! Yeah - I was planning on trying to get CYA down to 50. I'm pretty fuzzy on how all of the equipment/timers/etc work, but maybe they are on a good schedule until I figure out what I'm doing.

So drain/fill, and take readings again afterwards?? Maybe start the shock process Monday/Tuesday depending on when I get the CYA down.


Thanks!

BTW - this site is great!
 
Just wanted to give an update and say thanks again!

Started my drain/refill by syphoning and after a day I could tell that it was going to take a week or more to get it done. Bought a pump from home depot and about 36 hours later I had my CYA down to about 50, maybe a bit higher. Checked my levels with the TF kit, cleaned the filters and started the shock process - I messed up a little and went straight to the mustard algae shock level (just read the instructions in pool school wrong), but the rest of the process seemed to go okay. Finished up the shock process; clear pool, no CC, and no overnight FC drop. Chlorine just made it down to my target level yesterday evening, so this morning I took a full set of readings:

FC = 7.5
PH = 8.2
TA = 190
CH >350
CYA = 50-60
CC = 0

Pool looks great (see pic)!

I've been adding muriatic acid a little every day to try to get the PH down, I'm thinking that PH and TA are related and telling me they need to come down, but I haven't been trusting the PH test because of my high FC levels during shock. I've been using muriatic acid that was left from the previous homeowner and haven't seen much movement on those readings. I guess I will just keep at it.

I set my pump to go about 8 hours per day, and the auto vac to go abut 6... Does that sound about right?

Any other thoughts/ideas on the PH/TA?

One other question - the auto vac seems like it wants to float a little, especially when I first put it in the pool. I'm guessing it's got air caught in it somewhere. Any ideas?

Thanks again all! It's really cool to think that I'll be able to handle the pool with no store, no local training, just by reading the great information on this site!!! I can't say thanks enough!

[attachment=0:1bw8vp03]Pool.jpg[/attachment:1bw8vp03]
 

Attachments

  • Pool.jpg
    Pool.jpg
    169.3 KB · Views: 115

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Wasn't sure if I should post to a new thread, but I hit a little bump in the road yesterday. Pool has been clear and the only issue I had seen since May 27 was an occasional brownish dusting on one of the steps. I've been suspicious of mustard algae since I received the inspection report before we bought the house.

For about 3 days before yesterday, I had stopped doing the chlorine drop test (the more accurate one), and had been using the simple chlorine/ph daily test kit (the blue one). That kit always showed me at 5+ chlorine so I had been gradually reducing the amount of bleach I was adding and I guess I ended up under my target.

Yesterday afternoon, I did the more sensitive drop test and my FC was 4 (my target is 6 with 50 cya), I also picked up 0.5-1.0 CC and was surprised because it had been at zero.

A couple of hours later, I noticed the walls were a little darker than normal and started brushing the (brownish) stuff off. It was on all of the walls. I started shocking and hit it hard immediately last night.

Should I finish up with the mustard algae shock process or should the regular process be okay? I'm kind of surprised I had a bloom while at 4PPM FC.... Maybe 6-7 FC was keeping it down but 4 was too low with my cya levels.....?

Thanks all!
 
Go ahead and do shock process then at mustard levels. Visible algae and cc > .5 means time to shock.

CYA test accuracy is +- 10 so its possible you're at 60. Letting FC drop to 4 is asking for trouble.

Trust the fas-dpd test. I test daily with it. How about a full set of results?

And do keep everything in one thread. Helps preserve the background.
 
Thanks Spidey - I was thinking the same thing that my cya may be near 60. I keep thinking that my small water adds from evaporation will eventually bring it down some. (Side note - I've been reading about poly quats and wondering if some weekly maintenance might help until my cya comes down a little more...?)

Just ran a full set

FC = 16 now (boosted from 4 to 22 last night, tested at 19 first thing this morning then boosted back up to 22 but didn't test)
I've been shooting for halfway between the 50-60 CYA chart levels)

PH = 7.5-7.8 (closer to 7.5)
TA = 140 (been working on that)
CH =420
CYA = 50-60
CC = 0

I'm thinking I want to boost to the mustard algae shock level tonight. I'm pretty sure I would pass the drop test in the morning if I didn't do anything. I've been at ~20-22 FC for the better part of 24 hours now....
 
The only way to lower CYA is to remove some water. Splash out, back washing, partial drain and refill. For a chlorine pool your CYA level is still on the high side. If you drop it to 35 or 40 the pool will be easier to manage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply