HUGE THANKS TO THE TFP COMMUNITY -- First test with the TF100

[keltose]

I am a week in with my new pool. I have been reading the forum almost daily trying to educate myself on all the chemistry and TFP method. I did my first TF100 test this morning after it arrived last night.

FC: 4.5
CC: 0
Ph: 8.0 (added 2 cups of Muriatic)
TA: 120 (hoping the reduced Ph will lower slightly)
CH: 110
CYA: 45

The temps have been between 90-103 and we have been in it almost everyday with a couple larger groups over the weekend. After the first day I took out the TriChlor floater and have been using 8.25% bleach from Home Depot and Wal-Mart. It has been clear and have had no signs of algae or murky water. I want to thank everyone for posting your advice and look forward to getting better at this. I am still amazed that the pool stores tell you completely different stuff. If I had followed their advice last week, I would have off the chart chlorine, a rising CYA and who knows what else.

 

[jblizzle]

Looks pretty good, you want to raise the FC up some more and according to FC/CYA Chart never let it get below 4ppm ... so target 6-7ppm everyday.

You also may consider raising the CH a bit to protect the new "plaster". Although realize that the evaporation we have results in the CH climbing. I refilled last April and my CH was 120ppm, evaporation alone and it is now around 320ppm.

 

[keltose]

Ok, thank you. Good to know. So perhaps the CH will raise over the next month on its own?, so I will do small adjustments only. Also, How high is too high CH?

 

[keltose]

Never mind went back and checked. Looks like I need to get CH up quite a bit. 250-350.

 

[jblizzle]

I would raise it to at around 200ppm ... then keep the pH above 7.5 or so. The evaporation causes it to rise pretty quick. Looks like every 3 years or so is going to warrant a water change to keep the CH at a manageable level.

 

[Isaac-1]

Jason I can't help wondering if it might be worth it for people in the SW with high rates of evaporation and high CH fill water to run a plumbing line from the pool to flush a toilet or similar so as to constantly drain a bit of water from the pool and replace it with slightly lower CH fill water.

Ike

 

[jblizzle]

I am not sure what the advantage of that would be. I would be losing CYA and salt every time I did that too which would have to be replaced (more than just due to splash out). If I just let the CH build, then I only need to worry about adding a lot of CYA and salt every few years.

BTW, one possibility to slow this down is to capture the rain water off your roof and divert it to the pool. Although depending on what part of the city you are in, that may not be very much water all year.