First test results. I love this TF-100 kit!

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JFB

JFB

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LifeTime Supporter
May 13, 2013
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Monréal, Québec, Canada
Did I mention I loved this TF-100 kit? There is no questioning the results... "add one drop at a time until it turns blue"... I'm thinking, well, is it going to go from red to reddish purple, then purple, then purple-blueish, etc... When do I decide if it's blue? Well, the question doesn't even asks itself.... it's red... then BAM! it's blue! No questions there! Did I mention I love this TF-100 kit?

Here are my results from just now, about 10am.

Chlorine: 0.5
Ph: 7.5

FC: 0.5
CC: 0.5
TA: 60
CH: 110
CYA: 23

Now, my FC has been up there (5+) until 2-3 days ago. But I had a solar cover on it. I've had a lot of bathers in the past 2 days and I'm still trying to get a hold of my SWG percentage (hovering between 5% and 20%...) It's on super chlorinate now and I will put on the solar cover soon, and FC will get back up there...

So, what to do here... I'm thinking of upping the CYA to at least 40-50 as I find my chlorine levels swing a little too much from way up to way low.

The pool store told me CH level was important for SWG... the guy told me if CH is too low, there will be deposits on the anodes and cathodes or something to the effect of premature cell failure. Is there any truth to that? From this forum, all I can tell is that CH is not important in vinyl lined pools...

Advice would be much appreciated :)

Did I mention I love this TF-100 kit?!
 
Congrats on the first tests!

High CH levels cause deposits, as the calcium forms stalactites on it. It looks really cool, but then you need to soak it in vinegar.

Raising your CYA isn't a bad idea, but I must have missed the 23 line on my view tube though. :mrgreen: You should round the test up to the next line, it makes things easier for everybody, especially you. Helps assure you don't underestimate and keep too low an FC. Speaking of, get that back up there! I would use bleach to do any significant FC raises, just use the SWG to maintain the levels. Also assures you get the levels back up right away.
 
I originally wanted to bring CYA up to 70, as advertised in pool School, but when my solar cover is on, and we don't use the pool for a few days, my FC gets way too high. (pump is on 11hrs during daytime and SWG is set to around 10%). When my 3yr old and 6 month old go for a swim, the FC is a little high for my taste for their eyes and skin...

So I'm weary of bringing the CYA up above 50 for those reasons. I guess I could always set the SWG% lower when the solar cover is on and increase it when it's off. I'm still having a hard time finding the correct SWG%. Trial and error is pretty much what I'm in for this summer as this is my first summer with a pool, but I'll get there.

Am I thinking about this correctly? It seems the combination of SWG, pump run time, solar heat and solar cover make for a hard equation to solve for CYA... If 70 is the number to hit, then I'll bring it up there, but I wouldn't want to have to drain the pool if 70 is too high! :(

Thoughts?

Signed,

One confused fella!
 
Eleven hours sounds like an awful lot of filtering time, especially for a pool that's covered. Maybe it's time to start lowering the pump run time.

I'd still raise CYA to at least 50. Your FC is awful low, and it was more likely caused by the cover being off rather than the bather load.
 
I agree that 11 hours is a lot of filtering time, but my pump has to run in order for the solar heat to function. As soon as I turn off the pump, the solar heat valve closes and water stops flowing. And solar heating is kinda slow, from what I'm discovering!!! :(

So I'm off to buy some chemicals to increase CYA to at least 50. Oh, and maybe some Bleach!
 
I would increase your CYA and once you get your FC back up in range -might want to use bleach as low as it is, lower your SWG % some until you find what seems to work with the cover on. With your FC where it is now.. you are asking for problems. Over time you will get a feel for when to turn it up and down, and make adjustments throughout the season.

I understand the solar heat thing. We have had so many cool summer nights here that the cover at night and solar heat during the day wasn't even making it swimmable for hubby and I. Our 8 yr old didn't mind the water being a little cool, but was too cool for me. We're finally getting higher temps at night and during the day which means nicer water temps.
 
Here's what I got at Rona:

Sodium Hypochlorite 10.8% (contains Free Chlorine 10.3%) 5.99$ for 5L about 1.32 Gallons

Is that like 10% bleach? I was going to add it as per the recommended pool calculator levels...

I will build an umbrella while I wait for someone to answer! :)
 

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