Do i have a problem????

[mernova]

I recently had the water tested a Leslie and here are my results.

FAC 0.0
TAC 0.0
CH 450
CYA 250
TA 100
PH 8.0

Pool is looking ok, not crystal but ok. Had a rain storm and lots of pollen seems to have left a slight greenish on bottom but has been going away with brushing and cleaning filter.

Pool is 16K Gallons. Chlorine tab feeder with ozone.

With the ozone my chlorine levels have always been low. But something just dosnt seem right with these readings. And like i said it is not crystal.

I also have some light mustard color stains that wont go away.

Thanks all help is appreciated.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Yup, you got a problem ... but you found the solution ... US!!!

First, we think very little of ozone systems in residential outdoor pools. They just serve no real purpose and you need to maintain adequate chlorine with the system which is the same level as without the system.

We also think very little of pool store testing, especially for the CYA test. So if you want to take control, you need to order one of the Recommended Test Kits and while waiting read these in Pool School:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Now on to the chemistry issues. Your CYA is astronomically high due to the continued used of chlorine tablets (see the article above). Honestly, I have no idea how they came up with that number since the tests stop around 100ppm. The only solution to getting the CYA into the recommended range is replacing a LOT of water (like 80% of it); however, you likely should not do that all at once as you could cause pool damage.

Fixing CYA MUST be the first step (after getting a test kit and reading). Likely your pool is on the verge of going green (the fact that it is not crystal clear means that stuff is already growing). The only way to prevent algae is to maintain adequate FC based on you CYA level (see FC/CYA Chart) Your CYA is too high to even consider it.

Beyond that, your pH is too high and your FC is obviously WAY too low.

Also, since you see algae, you need to follow the SLAM Process which is just not possible with a high CYA level and without a good test kit.

So:
1. Order test kit
2. Read
3. Post up results using you new test kit
4. Replace water to get CYA in range
5. SLAM the pool
6. Enjoy the summer.

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !

You have just been given some great advice !! When your kit arrives post up the test results and we'll get you on your way to a trouble free pool. You'll have the best looking and well balanced water you have ever seen ! ?

 

[samiguy]

What they said !! I was pulled out of much worse than you described and have saved a ton of money, work and stress. Welcome to TFP!!!

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum mernova.

You came to the right place if you think you'd like taking care of this pool on your own.

 

[1502tuley]

I recently had the water tested a Leslie and here are my results.

FAC 0.0
TAC 0.0
CH 450
CYA 250
TA 100
PH 8.0

Pool is looking ok, not crystal but ok. Had a rain storm and lots of pollen seems to have left a slight greenish on bottom but has been going away with brushing and cleaning filter.

Pool is 16K Gallons. Chlorine tab feeder with ozone.

With the ozone my chlorine levels have always been low. But something just dosnt seem right with these readings. And like i said it is not crystal.

I also have some light mustard color stains that wont go away.

Thanks all help is appreciated.

I had similar CYA numbers last summer and could not control the algea until I replaced over 75% of my water. I'm still not down to the 40 - 50 CYA that is recommended, but I'm close at 60. Once I got the CYA down and stoped using the pucks (to keep the CYA down), the algae has never returned.

 

[mernova]

Thank you all. Yes i know i need a better test kit. I will look at above and decide.

I tested my water today with the kit that came with the pool.
Chlorine was 1.5
PH 7.6 - I added some acid yesterday
TA 120

Now i got a question about CYA. How would it get so high? Here in FL it seems like i am adding water due to evaporation at least once a week in the winter and during the summer draining some out every other day due to the daily afternoon rain storms. Dosnt that dilute it enough? Or is Leslies test way out of the park?

Thanks again

 

[JohnT]

Chlorine tabs add CYA pretty fast, and it doesn't evaporate. When you replace water that evaporates, it doesn't reduce CYA.

 

[1502tuley]

Thank you all. Yes i know i need a better test kit. I will look at above and decide.

I tested my water today with the kit that came with the pool.
Chlorine was 1.5
PH 7.6 - I added some acid yesterday
TA 120

Now i got a question about CYA. How would it get so high? Here in FL it seems like i am adding water due to evaporation at least once a week in the winter and during the summer draining some out every other day due to the daily afternoon rain storms. Dosnt that dilute it enough? Or is Leslies test way out of the park?

Thanks again

The evaporation and small draining cycles you mentioned above are no different than we experienced at our house, and my CYA levels were very consistent with what you have described. Evaporation does nothing to reduce CYA, and the very little that is lost to splash out and the minimal drainage that is required from the average rain shower doesn't even put a dent in the amount of CYA the pucks put into your pool.

The problem is that the CYA doesn't go away unless the water is pumped or splashed out of the pool, evaporation only cocentrates it. As you put more chlorine pucks in the CYA builds up over time (it actually builds up pretty quickly if you use a lot of chlorine), and the higher your CYA gets, the less effective your chlorine is, which then makes you put even more chlorine in (which then raises your CYA even higher). It's a vicious circle that can only be stopped by first, lowing the CYA level (by replacing 80% of your water in your case if the CYA reading of 250 is correct), then start using bleach or liquid chlorine as a sanitizer instead of pucks/shock on a go forward basis.

 

[Richard320]

Now i got a question about CYA. How would it get so high? Here in FL it seems like i am adding water due to evaporation at least once a week in the winter and during the summer draining some out every other day due to the daily afternoon rain storms. Dosnt that dilute it enough? Or is Leslies test way out of the park?

Thanks again

Pool store tests are always suspect. This recent thread demonstrates perfectly: the first test showed CYA 99 from the tap! A few days later, it was 10. Here's a favorite from last year: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/59474-Inconsistency-in-readings notice how the CYA readings bounce all over the place.

This is another recent thread where I quoted myself. Check out my reply regarding CYA.

 

[mernova]

Ive since ordered the TF100 kit, hopefully it will arrive sometime next week.

From what little ive read on this forum, its been an enormous help already.

THANK YOU!!!!!

Ill post results once my new kit arrives.

I will say this though. I brought my PH down and the pool has already cleared up quite a bit. Not perfect but a heck of a lot better.

 

[pwrstrk]

Keep reading ! There's a ton of good info here.

Good job on getting the kit ! ?

 

[mernova]

OK got my test kit yesterday. Here are results:

TC 1.5
FC 1.5
CC 0
CH 650
TA 140
PH 7.5
CYA 100 +

Pool looks ok but still not crystal. Stains on bottom the brushing wont get up, brownish in color. And some green that comes up with brush, but i cant tell if its algae or pollen.

Thanks for all your help

 

[1502tuley]

OK got my test kit yesterday. Here are results:

TC 1.5
FC 1.5
CC 0
CH 650
TA 140
PH 7.5
CYA 100 +

Pool looks ok but still not crystal. Stains on bottom the brushing wont get up, brownish in color. And some green that comes up with brush, but i cant tell if its algae or pollen.

Thanks for all your help

Try testing your CYA by first diluting the test water with 50% tap water. The test kits aren't very accurate teasting CYA levels over 100, so diluting the tested water with 50% tap water (which has no CYA in it) can give you a more accurate test result. The test procedure is to test the diluted water, then double the results (i.e. if the diluted test shows a result of 90 CYA, then your real CYA level is 180).

 

[jblizzle]

As 1502tuley said, you can get a little better sense of the CYA level by starting with 50/50 of pool and tap water. Then do the test outside with your back to the sun and the tube at waist level. Pour back and forth a few times to see if you are consistent. Then double the result.

The first step unfortunately is going to be replacing enough water to get your CYA back down in the recommended range ... I would shoot for 40-50ppm. This will also help to lower your CH as well.

After that you will need to follow the SLAM Process to get your water cleared up.

The stains can be dealt with later ... whether they are due to metals or organic.

 

[mernova]

Thanks guys.
Here are my readings from this morning.
The pool actually looks clear. I can clearly see the phillips heads on my main drain. Just a small amount of green here and there which might be pollen.
PH 8.2
FC 1.5
CC 0
TC 1.5
CH 600
CYA 180 done with a 50/50 tap/pool water
TA 140

According to the calculator i need to dump a 78% of water to bring CH and CYA down.

 

[jblizzle]

Being in Florida, you should not drain all that at once avoid pool damage. I would drain about 1/3 of the pool three times and then check the CYA level.