Question about some numbers.......

[new2pools]

Okay, we've had our pool open for a full 2 weeks now. Water was good when we opened. (clear, blue, little bit of junk on the bottom, etc)
So, I've been trying to get my CYA up the last few days. I am losing about 2ppm during the day/sunlight, btw.

My numbers are

FC-1.5 (low I need to add some chlorine)
TA-130
PH-7.5
CYA- low, I still see the dot clearly when it's full. I have used 3 pucks in the last few days to try and raise this. I can tell the water is getting a little less clear in the tube but not enough that I can't see the dot like when I did this test last year.

So, keep using the pucks to raise this up?

Also, my TA has gone from 80 to 110 , to 130.....all in 2 weeks time. What's going on there? Do I need to add something or is that okay?

Ph seems to be staying steadily between 7.2 and 7.5.

I like to keep my FC somewhere around 2-4ppm mostly.

Another question, my son and husband said their eyes have been bothering them the last few times in the pool...and I've noticed their eyes are red afterwards. Both times they said this the FC count was around 2ppm. That seems low to me to be causing them problems. Also, to note, both times they said this was 'after' I started using the pucks.....could it be something in them?

OH and the water is nice, clear and blue. Has been since I opened.

Thanks!!!

 

[Guest]

I suspect the red eyes are being caused by high levels of combined chlorine. You really need to be testing for both FC and CC at least weekly and if you have CC greater than .5 ppm (which I suspect you do) then you need to shock. I assume you are testing with OTO (turns shades of yellow). This is fine for quick daily checks but should not be depended on as your only means of chlorine testing. You need either a DPD or FAS-DPD test for testing FC and CC. I would recommend the FAS-DPD test since it is much easier and more precise.

 

[whoozer]

Personally I wouldn't use pucks to bring up my cya I would buy granular measure it out and put it in a thin sock to dissolve in the skimmer. Then you will know about how much your cya will come up to. With the pucks and my last pool I found it to be a guessing game. Just my .2 cents.

Your TA is a little high you might want to bring it down some. I'm not sure if the pucks have anything to do with that?? The experts will chime in I'm sure.

Yes your FC needs to come up for sure (but you already knew that) Shock it good

I can't answer about the eye thing based on your water....hard to believe with an FC that low it would affect. Has it been sunny. Sometimes the eyes get red from the reflection of the sun on the water????
Also as waterbear said CC is probably high.

 

[new2pools]

Oh, forgot to put my CC is .5ppm actually. (when I added the 5 drops of 0003 it turned a very, very, very pale pink, one drop of the 0871 and it was clear again)

I have the whole test kit from duraleigh. So, I test my chlorine with the little blue box (yellow colored water) and the one with the powder that turns the water pink.

So, I need to shock then?

And also lower my TA?

I think I used the powder last year for the CYA. I had forgotten but when I read the word "sock" it all came rushing back!

 

[JasonLion]

Trichlor tablets raise CYA very slowly, it will take weeks to come up to a reasonable level with only trichlor tablets.

There probably isn't any need to lower your TA. If you have problems with the PH rising too rapidly, then you can lower TA. Longer term the TA level will probably come down on it's own.

Yes, shocking is a good idea. With CYA that low you should shock to a FC level of 10 in the evening, so it has overnight to work before the sunlight starts consuming all the chlorine. One night of that will very likely bring CC down to zero, unless there is something more complex than I think going on.

 

[new2pools]

Great thanks!

I will shock tomorrow night then.