Another new convert

[Gwen]

Hi,
I have a new to me old IG plaster pool (house is 55 years old). Within a couple of weeks of moving in, I ended up with a bright green swamp and lots of pool store advice (and products!). After finding this site, I now have my sparkling clear water back and couldn't be happier.

My question is my cya level. Before my slam, it was way over 100 (by pool store testing and by my own). After slamming I re-measured it (twice because I thought it was not right) and came up with 75 (both times). Now, 4 weeks later, I thought I would check it again. I have not drained the pool, and the only water loss has been back-flushing and evaporation. I have been having to run fresh water into it for 20 to 30 minutes and day ( have not yet measured flow rate). And so this morning my cya level is 40! Does this seem right? Where did it go? If it is right then I guess my chlorine level is too high. I did not recheck since this used up the last of my reagent and I need to replenish.

Other results:
fc = 8
tc = 8.5
cc = 0.5
ph = 7.6
ta = 120
cya = 40(?)

Thanks for all your help,
Gwen

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Sounds like you are having to add a lot of water each day ... although getting the flow rate would be a good idea.

A dropping CYA is one sign of a pool leak. You may want to stop adding water and do a bucket test to see if your pool is leaking and you are losing the CYA>

 

[Patrick_B]

Jason is right. You need to stop filling and see what happens to your water level then. It does sound likely that you have a leak.

Glad you found us, so welcome to TFP!

If you could add more info about your pool it would be most helpful.

 

[duraleigh]

I have been having to run fresh water into it for 20 to 30 minutes and day

How big is your pool? Doing a rough calculation, you have replaced over 5,000 gallons of pool water in that four weeks.

 

[Gwen]

I have an amoeba-shaped pool that may be about 15,000 gals. I have a sand filter ( valve 1-1/2" Hi-Flow Butt) and a Magnetec Centurion Switchless Motor pump (CAT B121, HP 3/4, Type CX, Hz 60, RPM 3450, Volts 230/115, Amps SF 6.0/12.0).

I have put a bucket of water on the top step. So far (8 hours) evap rate is the same as the pool. I think it leaks when the pump runs at night.

 

[Gwen]

And I live in Scottsdale, AZ where we do have a pretty high evap rate this time of year.

 

[Patrick_B]

Well, let's just see what happens.

 

[Gwen]

The pump ran for 5 hours last night. The bucket and the pool are still at the same level. I'll measure flow rate this afternoon.

When I turned the pump off this morning, water blew out the Kreepy Krawly connections and squirted water two feet into the air. What's that all about?

Thanks.

 

[duraleigh]

What's that all about?

A suction side air leak. Air is being sucked into the filter and when the pump is shut off, the air in the filter blows the water back out through the pump and into your skimmer.

To fix it, you must find where the air is being sucked in and stop that leak.

 

[Gwen]

Is there a thread that will walk me through that?

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, Gwen

It is covered in this pool school article:http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/leak_detection

Most common places are the pump basket oring (relube it), leaking pump drain plugs, low water level causing air to be sucked into skimmer, stuck skimmer weir door, and leaking unions (relube).