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ump107

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May 12, 2014
32
Hunterdon County, NJ
My wife and I purchased our home in December and with it came a pool. We have no idea when it was last open but best guess is summer of 2012. I opened it up on May 5th and found a pool resembling a small pond minus the fish info in Sig line. I have some past experience with an above ground pool. I started with an intal basic kit test that revealed low pH and no Chlorine. I first attempted to vacuum the pool to waste and was somewhat successful until I lost site of the bottom from stirring up algae. I continued to vacuum the big stuff out dropping the water level 3 inches down from the top of the skimmer.

Fast foward to today. I have ordered a TF100 test kit waiting for it to arrive. After several trips to the Local Pool store I have the following readings. I will be able to update later today with more.

May 9th
FC 5
pH 7.4
CYA 75

The pool is almost completely clear, I'm not sure if its a little cloudy in the deep end or if its my eyes. I can see the bottom and when the dolphin is running around I can see it. My current concern is the CYA reading. 75 is high, I use TriChlor tablets in a feeder. I am considering draining some water but I have an unknown age well pump and my well water is loaded with Iron, it will rust in a glass left on the counter. I do have a 3/4"hose line that runs through a water softener.

Thoughts?
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

You made a good investment with the TF-100, that will certainly help you take control. Since you are fighting algae, you may want to consider the XL option as well and the SpeedStir is a great add-on.

You are right to be concerned about the CYA if that is correct. Ideally you would replace 1/3 of the water and stop using any trichlor tablets or dichlor powders and stick to ONLY liquid chlorine. But, if you do not want to replace that much water now, that CYA is not terribly too high, but you must stop with the tablets.
 
Once you get a test kit and get a proper cya reading the experts will be able to give sound advice.

My personal thoughts are to avoid refilling with the well. Metals in your water is never a good thing and difficult to eliminate. If the well is your only source, you could look at an inline metals filter but I don't have experience with their efficacy or practicality at high volumes.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
Welcome! :wave:

75 CYA is manageable. I've managed with 3X that much CYA and no option to drain due to water restrictions. But I don't recommend it. Just plug your numbers into poolmath and maintain the recommended FC level and as long as you don't get algae, you'll survive. That being said... stop with the pucks!

If you use pool water on the lawn and replace it with softened water, you'll slowly lower CYA and avoid iron staining. Even if it's only 2"/ week, that's probably 2 or 3 % of the total pool volume. By mid-July you could be down to a reasonable CYA level.
 
Welcome to TFP and purchasing the TF100! While waiting on your kit, read Pool School! :goodjob:
 
Ok hopefully my TF100 arrives tomorrow. Went to local pool store and had water tested, but I noticed some issues in the testing process. 1st my sample dumped into a plastic container that was just emptied from the previous customers water. His test showed high chlorine. 2nd he used a syringe to put the water into the test puck, the same one from the previous test as well. From this I'm going to take these results with the knowledge that I'm going to test myself soon.

Free chlorine 7.03
Total chlorine 8.13
Combined chlorine 1.1 ( I think this needs to be reduced)
Ph 7.3
Hardness 58 (vinyl liner not worried)
Alkalinity 104
Cya 86

I have shut off the chlorinator and will only use it when I go on vacation in June, I also picked up Clorox, Borax, muratic acid, and baking soda today.
I did add 2 " of water today as my backwash and vacuum to waste did suck a but down over the past few days, I also replaced a faulty pressure gauge on my filter it is holding at 8-10 psi.

I have been reading pool school the last 4 days and I am looking for any initial guidance as I start this new endeavor .

Thanks for the help so far.
 
Do not try to stock up on a bunch of stuff. The TFPC method is about understanding your pool’s chemistry and through accurate testing, adding only what the pool NEEDS.

For example, borax raises the pH and muriatic lowers it ... you will likely only need one or the other. Your TA is not too low, so you will likely never need the baking soda either.
 
I'll use the baking soda for many things great for cleaning especially in the garage for the car. Due to the amount of trees around the yard I'm looking at going all the way and adding borates to the pool too. Slowly of course for the wallet. Even the guy at the pool store said that was a good thing for the area. The pool calculator will be valuable tool this year.
 
If I understand what I have read the increased organic matter that will come from the trees can contribute to the food to allow algae to grow. So if the pool has borates in it that allows for cushion in the event that I am unable to get to the pool for a few days. I work in emergency services, there may be times when I am suddenly not available to get to the pool for a few days. Or a week I may not have to play catch up to defeat algae.
When I opened the pool it was very green I have brushed and cleaned the pool almost daily since the 5th I hope to have killed and removed all the algae that could be hiding in the pool.
This is what I started with although not the worst if I can keep this at bay and not have any repeats I'll be happy.
asysarur.jpg


I do have a question about chlorine level and cya level in relation to liner life. Keeping the chlorine level up to counter the cya level will that have a negative effect on the liner and on say solar covers or does the cya reduce the effects of the chlorine on vinyl and plastics?
 

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If I understand correctly the organic matter from trees can add "algae food" to the pool. If I can't get to the pool for a day or so won't having borates in the pool enhance the pools ability to resist a bloom. Additionally if the water can look and feel better why not?

I do have a question relating to the higher chlorine level and CYA. If I keep the FC up will that have a negative effect on the vinyl liner and solar cover?
 
We suggest waiting on adding borates until you become familiar with your pool and how it consumes chlorine on a daily basis. When you can predict what your pool needs because you know it so well then you usually get the green light to add borates. But we can't stop you. :) It's your pool. :D

I won't comment on those test results until you run your own. :goodjob:
 
ump107 said:
Another question since my CYA is high I need to keep my FC over 5 if so I will almost always get a high OTO reading on chlorine right? So since I bough the XL kit for the TF-100 is it best to just do daily FAS/DPD checks on the chlorine?
Click to expand...
Yes. Exactly. You understand perfectly.

That's another argument to lower CYA. I maintained my pool that way for the first year, and it was such a relief when I was finally able to lower CYA and FC levels to something I could test with the OTO test.
 
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