new to BBB method

[kimbow64]

I just finished the pool school...set up for seasonal pools. 4 nights of shocks, adjust ph and added chlorine(bleach) according to the pool calculator. Here are my numbers
chlorine .51
ph 7.8
ta 300
th 400
Cya 30

using the htm 6 way test kit...also put in a new sand filter pump this year. Am I on the right track? My chlorine level is low. Plugged numbers and said to add 13oz of bleach. Using the 7.86% bleach. Yesterday, was the first day of heavy use. water was clear yesterday but slightly cloudy today.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

We would not call what you have done "4 nights of shocks", because that "S word" gets thrown around to mean too many different things. Beyond that sounds like you are on the right track

But, you have to keep a closer eye on the FC and make sure you NEVER let it below 2ppm or you will be either going through the shock process or draining and starting over. Plan ahead and add a little bleach before and/or after heavy use.

In fact, since you let it get low and the water is cloudy, I would jack the FC up to 12ppm once and hope that clears things up. {You are safe to swim up to shock FC level for your CYA ... which is 12ppm}

 

[kimbow64]

Ha!!! I sure didn't "proofread" my post. Meant to say, I used one ounce of dichlor for every 500 gallons of water for four nights!!

During the initial 4 days of start up, i did use the calculator for the bleach after testing each day for fc and ph. I was calculating how much(bleach) to add each day by the target number of 4. Is that why my fc is so low. Was that the wrong target number? Each night I was only adding about 13oz of bleach.
Do I put 12 in the calculator as my target number and then calculate?
Thanks so much for your help and your patience!!!! I'm a willing learner! So grateful for this forum and pool school.

 

[jblizzle]

I knew what you meant for the use of dichlor to raise the CYA for start-up.

Really the key is to never let the FC get too low, daily you should target a high enough FC level that it is not below 2ppm by the next time you test and adjust. If you have a lot of sun, you may find that your FC losses are a little higher than 2ppm and increasing the CYA a little more can help.

For today, set the target FC as 12ppm in the calculator and use that dosage. Hopefully the water will clear up and you will be fine. Then going forward maybe target 5 or 6ppm each day and see how low it gets by the next day.

 

[kimbow64]

Started looking more closely at the pool calculator....NOW I see what I did right and did wrong. I didn't put in all the info needed at the bottom. I seen at the bottom where the 12ppm estimate came from. Yah! I think I might get this right yet!

 

[kimbow64]

Thanks so much, Jason!!!

 

[jblizzle]

Well the 12ppm came from the chart in Pool School. The shock level according to the calculator is 13ppm.

All the bottom options do is change the "Goal" levels that are shown in each row at the top ... they do not change the calculations.

 

[ob1quixote]

Once you get all your chemistry right, you can plug the various test measurements into the calculator and write out a chart for the common maintenance of the pool.

I do a full freebie test once a month at the pool store, unless there has been a huge amount of rain, and go by the chart after my testing daily. Probably test PH once a week.

In a mad rush? You will know about how much bleach it needs on an average day as you get used to the routine. Pour it in and test tomorrow!