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joeanna1643

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Jun 20, 2014
14
wallkill, N.Y.
Hi all. New to the forum and to pools. I recently bought a home that already had a 4ft x 18ft round pool. When we opened it up the water was green.. I've added probably around 15 gallons of shock/bleach/chlorine and it's finally clear. But, the numbers are still off. I am using a Taylor K-2006 test kit. I ran out of the reagent for the CYA test, but last time I did it, day before yesterday we were at 30.. And the day before that as well. Originally started at zero. Added stabilizer and it brought it up.

Assuming it is still 30 ( I will most likely get more today ), my FC is 7.5 and CC is 0.5 right now.

Thursday it tested:
PH 7.4
FC 3.4
CC 0.6
CYA 30

B/c of the CC I shocked it again over night. Those numbers were taken around 2pm thursday. Before sundown wife tested the FC and it was at 15. So we knew it was at shock level.
We weren't able to test it again until about the same time yesterday (2 pm Friday). FC was 5.6 and CC had come down to 0.4. Couldn't test CYA. So I decided to shock it again about 3pm. I went to work, wife was out so it didn't get tested again b4 the sun went down.
I just tested, and got the numbers above. CC went back up.

I will be home all day today tending to this pool b/c I would like the kids to be able to use it by Monday, if not tomorrow. I am going to add more bleach and bring it up to shock level again. How often should I be checking it? The pool is out in the open so gets sun pretty much all day.

We also left a chlorine tab in the floating thingy since thursday night. Figured it would help minimize chlorine loss while we weren't home. Should I leave it, or take it out?

With the CC hovering around 0.5, and the water clear, is it safe to let the kids go in if it's still there in a day or two or should I make them wait till I am zero?

Thanks Appreciate any advise.. And yes, I'm using the pool calculator :cool:
 
Welcome to the forum Joe,

So, is the pool still green or cloudy? When you pass all three SLAM criteria you are good to go. If you have not, you need to check as often as possible and do NOT let the FC fall below the SLAM/CYA value any longer than you can help. You don't have to have 0 CC before swimming, but you can swim up to shock level for your Cya as long as the pool is clear. I'd prefer 1.0 or less CC if it were my family in the pool.

Click the SLAM link in my sig, and make sure you do/have done all that and pass it.
 
Great Thanks! The CC has always been below 1 since we started testing. Started at 0.8. The water is clear. Not cloudy. I can see right to the bottom. I was just concerned, b.c I read if the cc is above 0.5 you need to slam b/c you can still have algae.. If not, I'll just monitor throughout the day and not add anything else so the FC comes back down to normal level.. And do the overnight test & see where I am at.
I'll post a pic in a few minutes to show the clarity of the water.

Thanks again
 
Please clarify how you were adding stabilizer... were you using a stabilized chlorine powder to shock the pool? Was this in addition to adding stabilizer? Trying to understand what you final CYA number will be as all CYA may not be showing up on test for a week or more.

Hoping that you have kept records of exactly what has been added to the pool since CYA began at 0.

PS, now is a great time to start a Pool Book to record all pool equipment details and test results and chemicals added following test. I also keep records of phone numbers of the places I get my chemicals and the latest prices I paid so I can call and compare from time to time.
 
I was adding shock and cya was at zero in the beginning first few times I checked.Probably over a weeks time. Added granular stabilizer to the skimmer basket like the instructions said, let the filter run for 48hrs and then tested and it came up at 30. Tested the cya 2-3 times after, and it stayed 30. The stabilizer has been in since Tuesday. I just can't test it right now b/c I ran out of CYA in the test kit. Need to get more. Pool store (Leslie's) didnt have any but they will refill my bottle if I bring it back. So I will get it today.

Is all CYA the same? Like from different test kits?

This morning the water tested :
FC 7.5
CC 0.5

Added 1 gallon bleach. Tested 1 1/2hr later.
FC - 15
CC - 1

I will test again before I go back out for the CYA. I also removed the Chlorine tablet that was floating around in the floaty thingy.. I'll get that pic too.
 
I don't think these guys normally recommend putting anything into the pool in a granular form or straight into the skimmer?? They recommend diluting everything in a bucket before adding it to the pool in front of pool returns. I purchased a paint mixer for my cordless drill to mix my stuff. On the stabilizer it will be the hardest to dissolve. I've started putting it in one of my sons baseball socks(long one) and hanging it in front of the pool returns to dissolve.

Todd
 

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joeanna1643 said:
My over night numbers were FC = 4.5 & CC = 0. But couldn't double check the cya. Got another thread asking about the CYA b/c I was finally able to check it.
Click to expand...

One of the pro's will probably tell you to keep your pool chemistry issues on one thead so they can get the whole picture in on place instead of trying to piece whats going on in your pool in two or three threads. I'm new to this as well but was told that very thing. So I'm just passing on the bit of info.

Todd
 
Thanks. Posting it here and going to delete the other thread:

I finally got more CYA reagent today. Retested and it doesn't get cloudy enough for the black dot to disappear until the water gets to the very top of the tube. Last line towards the top is 30. So does that mean mine is at 20?

I have the Taylor k-2006 test kit.

My PH is 7.6
FC = 2
CC is somewhere between 0 & 0.5. Reason I say that is after checking the FC, then adding the 5 drops of the other reagent for the water to go back from clear to pink (if there is chlorine present), it shows every-so-slightly pink.. As soon as you put in one drop of the r-00871 reagent, it goes definite clear. So could be 0.2... 0.5... Not sure really. I am also using the 10ml mark on the test tube.

Are these numbers ok? Water is very clear. No issues there. Just need to give it another scrub & vacuum. I just want to know if I need to add chlorine or stabilizer if it's good as is. I have a chlorine tablet floating in the pool for now in the floating device.

Appreciate any advice. Thanks
 
Your FC is fine given your CYA level, but you will need more chlorine before mid-day tomorrow.

Medium term you will want to raise CYA to around 50.

One drop on the CC test is fine. Two drops suggests problems.
 
just tested my numbers again.

FC = 2 (no overnight loss)
CC = 0
CYA = 35? (between 30-40)
PH 7.6

My pool has no shade.. in direct sun all day..So I think I want to aim to keep cya at 40.. IS it OK to add stabilizer, bleach & PH down ( want ph at 7.4) at the same time, roughly? Or should each be done at different increments? I am going to add bleach to get it up to FC of 4. Let me know on the others.. Appreciate it.. :)
 
You can swim while adding stabiliser, it doesn't mess up the readings.

Stabiliser and bleach can be added at the same time, 24 hours after you add stabiliser assume it is at the level you targeted and dose FC accordingly.

pH down can be added half hour after bleach; you can use whatever pH down you have but don't buy any more - we recommend muriatic acid because dry acid adds sulphates and muriatic acid is cheaper.
Definitely get bleach in ASAP.
 

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