Thanks guys - acid has been added. Salt strip and cell seem to be at normal or slightly above.
Test results - confused and bewildered newbie!
- Thread starter Readyforapool
- Start date
Just make sure you maintain your FC level. 4 is the bare min. I would shoot for 6-7.
+1 on the FC. Seems basic, but it gets so many folks in trouble letting it fall too often. Algae is always waiting for that.
Houston - we have a problem! Latest test results
FC - 3 ppm
CC - 0
TC - 3 ppm
PH - 8.2
CH - 750
TA - 100
CYA - 40
Pool is sparkling clear - the salt cell is telling me we have high salt. Any suggestions? What problem to tackle first?
FC - 3 ppm
CC - 0
TC - 3 ppm
PH - 8.2
CH - 750
TA - 100
CYA - 40
Pool is sparkling clear - the salt cell is telling me we have high salt. Any suggestions? What problem to tackle first?
I'm not sure about the high salt message. Did you test your salt level ? Your CYA level is low for a SWG. It should be 70-80 ppm. Your PH is also high. I'd lower the PH first. If you do the stabilizer first it may lower your PH with it. Pool math will tell you at the bottom affects of adding chem's. CH is high also. ?
Your pH needs to be lowered ASAP. With a high CH level as you have, and a high pH level you're risking scaling on your walls.
You are scrubbing the walls often correct?
You are scrubbing the walls often correct?
Yes every other day - lots of pollen and tree stuff is getting in there.
Keep at it. The startup is an important time for your plaster pool. You're stuck with a high CH level and there's not much you can do about that. Worry about your pH and keep it low.
How long ago was the plaster completed?? Have you added salt to the water?? It's best to wait 30 days before adding salt after the plaster is complete as described in this post.
How long ago was the plaster completed?? Have you added salt to the water?? It's best to wait 30 days before adding salt after the plaster is complete as described in this post.
Hey Ready,
New pools rise faster in pH and calcium, so expect these to come up more quickly for a time. Have you tested your fill water CH before? You might be able to dilute some of the current CH if you have the option to replace some water. It would lower your salt as well, but that's easy to fix. As Leebo said, very important to watch and keep that pH down. Otherwise, scaling potential goes up.
New pools rise faster in pH and calcium, so expect these to come up more quickly for a time. Have you tested your fill water CH before? You might be able to dilute some of the current CH if you have the option to replace some water. It would lower your salt as well, but that's easy to fix. As Leebo said, very important to watch and keep that pH down. Otherwise, scaling potential goes up.
Plaster has been in about 60 days, I haven't tested the tap water but can tell you it's probably the hardest water in the US! Mr. PB added 14 40 lb. bags of salt after 30 days and over the weekend the salt cell was saying low salt which corresponds to my low chlorine levels last week so we added some. Guess we overshot! Will figure out how to replace some water and work on the PH - thanks guys.
Good deal getting started on lowering the pH. That is so important. Would you mind running a CH on the tap/fill water so we can see what you have in there? As for being the hardest in the US, you'll have to beat me with 740 from my well water. Then I have some neighbors within two miles that wish they just had 740. It could be worse. 
Hey experts, I'm just a lurker here waiting for it to get warm and stay that way! I was just reading through this post and saw the test result for CYA on 3/14 being reported at 80, and on 3/21 CYA being reported at 40.
That's not really "possible" unless there's been water replacement (which doesn't seem to be the case) so I'm wondering...OP, are you sure you are doing your CYA test right? It's a pain in the neck and has conditions like...make sure you do it on a sunny day but with your back to the sun and the tube at waist level etc. Otherwise the reading won't be accurate...
Personally I hate the CYA test. I just checked mine for the first time this year and it was easier than last year when it was new to me but it's still a pain....(mine's only 30, but beside the fact that the water is barely 60 degrees, I don't have an SWG which seems to require a higher suggested level of CYA)
Anyway, it's pretty important to have that right so I figured I'd chime in here just in case!
Oh and, your pool looks beautiful!!
That's not really "possible" unless there's been water replacement (which doesn't seem to be the case) so I'm wondering...OP, are you sure you are doing your CYA test right? It's a pain in the neck and has conditions like...make sure you do it on a sunny day but with your back to the sun and the tube at waist level etc. Otherwise the reading won't be accurate...
Personally I hate the CYA test. I just checked mine for the first time this year and it was easier than last year when it was new to me but it's still a pain....(mine's only 30, but beside the fact that the water is barely 60 degrees, I don't have an SWG which seems to require a higher suggested level of CYA)
Anyway, it's pretty important to have that right so I figured I'd chime in here just in case!
Oh and, your pool looks beautiful!!
Thanks Beens - it is quite possible that I interpreted it incorrectly being the clueless pool newbie that I am but yes I did do it with my back to the sun at waist level on a sunny day. Hmmm, will try it again. Thanks again for the help!
New test results have me scratching my head and wondering WTH? Water is crystal clear - salt test and salt cell are still showing high salt - cell is at 60%.
FC - 2
CC - 0
TC - 2
PH - 8.2
TA - 110
CH - 650 from the pool (tap water - 325)
CYA - 40
According to pool math - I added muriatic acid (again) and stabilizer - any other recommendations? How can my chlorine be so low and my salt be so high? I can't seem to get the PH in check ...argh!
FC - 2
CC - 0
TC - 2
PH - 8.2
TA - 110
CH - 650 from the pool (tap water - 325)
CYA - 40
According to pool math - I added muriatic acid (again) and stabilizer - any other recommendations? How can my chlorine be so low and my salt be so high? I can't seem to get the PH in check ...argh!
The salt level has no influence on the amount of FC generated (assuming it is in range). Your FC could be low due to the low CYA or a minor algae growth or both.
The SWG will always drive the pH up, so keep adding acid.
The SWG will always drive the pH up, so keep adding acid.
Along with the SWG the new plaster will also push up the pH. You're in for a fight for the first while, then the increase will slow down.
adding salt does not increase your free chlorine,
when the salt is in the correct range it allows the cell to function correctly
too low salt and cell cannot make 100% too high and cell may intermittantly turn off as going over 100%
increasing the run time on your pump/chlorinator will increase your free chlorine
you really need a salt test, even the local pool shop couln't be too far out on salt test,.... could they???
edit- try performing overnight chlorine loss test just in case
when the salt is in the correct range it allows the cell to function correctly
too low salt and cell cannot make 100% too high and cell may intermittantly turn off as going over 100%
increasing the run time on your pump/chlorinator will increase your free chlorine
you really need a salt test, even the local pool shop couln't be too far out on salt test,.... could they???
edit- try performing overnight chlorine loss test just in case
I honestly am zero help with the salt cell. I do know that your pH is too high and when I built my pool last year I was adding acid almost every other day. My CH is higher than yours at 720 and because of that I keep my pH at 7.2. You should plug in your numbers in the pool calc to see what your CSI is. The safe range is -.6 to .6, otherwise you risk scaling to your perfect new tiles and pump!
Listen to the pros in regards to managing your free chlorine with the SWG, but the one thing this newbie know is that your pH is way too high...especially with your high CH levels. Acid is your friend for the next year at least!
Listen to the pros in regards to managing your free chlorine with the SWG, but the one thing this newbie know is that your pH is way too high...especially with your high CH levels. Acid is your friend for the next year at least!
I recently resurfaced, and like they said pH is going to keep drifting up like crazy. I just added a gallon of MA to my pool to get pH back down in range. I suggest bringing pH down to 7.2 again and again to get that TA down to around 70. Keep adding bleach by hand also until you figure out the FC issue, you don't want to end up fighting algae too!