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12:30 PM Added 4.5 gallons

Reading at 2:10 PM
1 hour and 50 minutes after adding 4.5 gallons
Total Chlorine: 3.0
Free Chlorine: 3.0
Total Alkalinity: 100
pH: 7.6

2:10 PM Added 4.5 gallons

My lovely wife has been in charge all day - she's doing great!
 
Pictures from this morning at 6:45 AM. They are a bit dark looking since I have to use my phone camera. Believe me the pool water looks AWESOME!

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Thanks frustratedpoolmom, I appreciate your support.

My lovely wife has been in charge all day - she did a tremendous job! I just got home from a golf outing and I FINALLY get to try out my new kit! Thanks duraleigh for getting it out so FAST!

It was way, way, way, way, way, way, way, cool. Pretty sad that I get that excited over it so much? LOL :goodjob: I see now how the strips are so subjective and really only allow guessing.

6:45 PM Added 5.75 gallons

Reading at 9:45 PM (First reading with my new kit)
3 hours after adding 5.75 gallons
Total Chlorine: 16.0
Free Chlorine: 14.5
Combined Chlorine: 1.5
Total Alkalinity: 130
Calcium Hardness: 200
pH: 7.5
CYA: ? (didn't test for it)
 
You have done a wonderful job documenting your conversion and this has also been a fun thread to follow!

Very soon you will be posting a 'sparkling water' pic! :lol:

There is no doubt that you will be ready for the party on August 16th!

p.s. I feel the same way about my test kit! 8)
 
Thank you so much butterfly for the kind words. I could not have done it without all you folks. You guys on here have been nothing short of wonderful and give PERFECT advice and the right amount of reassurance. Responses have been provided almost instanaeously! Now if I could only get our HelpDesk to respond that quickly! :hammer:


Reading at 6:15 AM
11 hours and 30 minutes after adding 5.75 gallons
Total Chlorine: 14.0
Free Chlorine: 13.0
Combined Chlorine: 1.0
Total Alkalinity: didn't test
Calcium Hardness: didn't test
pH: 7.4
CYA: 0 (but didn't test)

Looks like my FC dropped 1.5 ppm overnight, CC also dropped 0.5 ppm. QUESTION: Should I maintain shock all day and do one more overnight test to maintain 15 ppm?

QUESTION: As you know, I'll be going on vacation next week leaving Tuesday for 11 days. Should I invest in a floater for my CL or should I rely on an unreliable brother in law to add bleach while I am gone?

I am going to stop by the pool store and get my filter sand and CYA in any case... :lol:
 

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dabuddy said:
Looks like my FC dropped 1.5 ppm overnight, CC also dropped 0.5 ppm. QUESTION: Should I maintain shock all day and do one more overnight test to maintain 15 ppm?

QUESTION: As you know, I'll be going on vacation next week leaving Tuesday for 11 days. Should I invest in a floater for my CL or should I rely on an unreliable brother in law to add bleach while I am gone?

I am going to stop by the pool store and get my filter sand and CYA in any case... :lol:
Click to expand...

I would keep shocking another night, till the number holds and you see less than 1ppm drop in FC, your CC is ok at .5 it would be nice to see .0 but that probably wont' happen till you change the sand? In any case, shock one more 24 hour period....

How unreliable? LOL.... A floater is an ok choice for you, are you planning to turn the filter off or leave it on a timer? Will your pool be covered? How long will you be gone? Evaporation could cause your pump to run dry and cause damage, so does your pool have an autofill feature?

If you decide to go with the floater, remember that the tablets are acidic and will lower your PH. So you'll need to take that into account before you go. That would take care of your chlorine source, add some needed CYA, since yours is 0 anyway....but you'll still need to have someone come and check on your water level and pump equipment to make sure it's all good, and that the floater is not stuck in one spot of the pool.....

Keep in mind your decision when you go to add your CYA....undershoot your recommended level, in case you are going to use the tablets, you don't want your CYA getting too high.
 
You are very close!

I wouldn't bother with chlorine during the day today, add some this morning but let it fall during the day. Bring it back to 15 early this evening and again late this evening and then test first thing tomorrow. I bet the FC level will be within 1.0 of the night before and you will be read to change the sand and add some CYA on Friday.

I would go with both the floater and the brother in law. The floater will help maintain a more uniform chlorine level and the brother in law can add some extra bleach and deal with anything unexpected.
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
dabuddy said:
Looks like my FC dropped 1.5 ppm overnight, CC also dropped 0.5 ppm. QUESTION: Should I maintain shock all day and do one more overnight test to maintain 15 ppm?

QUESTION: As you know, I'll be going on vacation next week leaving Tuesday for 11 days. Should I invest in a floater for my CL or should I rely on an unreliable brother in law to add bleach while I am gone?

I am going to stop by the pool store and get my filter sand and CYA in any case... :lol:
Click to expand...

I would keep shocking another night, till the number holds and you see less than 1ppm drop in FC, your CC is ok at .5 it would be nice to see .0 but that probably wont' happen till you change the sand? In any case, shock one more 24 hour period....

How unreliable? LOL.... A floater is an ok choice for you, are you planning to turn the filter off or leave it on a timer? Will your pool be covered? What would be the better option, on or off? How long will you be gone? I'll be gone for 11 days Evaporation could cause your pump to run dry and cause damage, so does your pool have an autofill feature? My pool does not have an autofill other than rain. :-D

If you decide to go with the floater, remember that the tablets are acidic and will lower your PH. So you'll need to take that into account before you go. That would take care of your chlorine source, add some needed CYA, since yours is 0 anyway....but you'll still need to have someone come and check on your water level and pump equipment to make sure it's all good, and that the floater is not stuck in one spot of the pool.....I'll depend on my brother in law....

Keep in mind your decision when you go to add your CYA....undershoot your recommended level, in case you are going to use the tablets, you don't want your CYA getting too high. Will do!
Click to expand...

QUESTION: I run my pump 24x7 but have a timer on it, should i utilize it or let it run? I don't mind the cost of running it 24x7.
 
Wifey is in charge again... :)

Reading at 10:00 AM
15 hours and 15 minutes after adding 5.75 gallons the night before
Wife used the strips :cry:
Total Chlorine: 4.0
Free Chlorine: 4.0
Combined Chlorine: ?
Total Alkalinity: ?
Calcium Hardness: ?
pH: ?
CYA: ?

10:00 AM Added 4.25 gallons
Will not add again until this evening.
 
Tell her it's not intimidating at all, she might enjoy it, we've all become chem geeks using it! Just go slow....

Do you run the pump on low (is it a 2 speed)? I run mine on low 24/7 when I went on vacation for 9 days. Otherwise a 9-12 hour timer cycle should be ok.

The solar cover keeps the UV destruction of FC to a minimum, and cuts down on evaporation.

I would do this....if you can trust your BIL to add water, don't worry about the cover.
Shock your pool the night before you leave, and if you can check again in the morning...just to be sure, I had to add a little more in the a.m. because I didn't have enough bleach the night before and didn't realize it, so I had to run to the 24 hour grocery at 6am LOL.

So shock....do the floater thingy if you want. If not, I would have BIL pour in a small jug of bleach into the skimmer with the pump running, on day 4 or 5. Then on day 9, have him pour in another small jug, same process, pump running. Tell him where the water level should be and have him top off. Ideally he should check the pool no less than every other day as far as baskets for gunk and water level. But the bleach you can get away with longer breaks.

I was gone 11 days last year, kept it running, cover on, shocked, my friend added bleach on day 4 and 9, and I came home my FC was at 5.....crystal clear.

My friend Beave just came back from 13 days. He did the floater, uncovered, pump on timer, SIL checking on things, no bleach additions, came home water was crystal, still had a bit of FC in there. PH was on the low end but fine, his CYA was low to begin with (new pool).

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!
 
8:55 PM added 5.0 gallons.

Reading at 9:20 PM
25 minutes after adding 5.00 gallons
Total Chlorine: 16.0
Free Chlorine: 15.0
Combined Chlorine: 1.0 (the first drop left it with a VERY, VERY, VERY light pink tint)
Total Alkalinity: didn't test
Calcium Hardness: didn't test
pH: 7.4
CYA: 0 (but didn't test)

Here we go for the night...hoping for 1 ppm drop or less in FC and CC to be 0.5 ppm or less.
 
By George I think we've got it!!

Reading at 6:20 AM
9 hours and 25 minutes after adding 5.00 gallons
Total Chlorine: 15.0
Free Chlorine: 14.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.5
Total Alkalinity: 130
Calcium Hardness: 200
pH: 7.5
CYA: 0 (but didn't test)

Overnight, FC dropped 0.5 ppm, CC dropped 0.5 ppm

I believe I am in Stage 3 now where I can change out my Filter Sand and start adding CYA. I'll be doing that this afternoon. I've calculated that I need 9 pounds of CYA. Should I do the add to skimmer or hanging sock method?

Oh yeah, did I mention I have the most wonderful looking crystal clear water in the world! Thanks everyone, you guys are nothing short of WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
 

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