0 fc, 0 cya, 0 ta

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nupoolboy

0
Aug 5, 2013
24
First, who (or where) sells the TF-100 test kit?

Second, the test strips I have show:
0 FC
6.4 pH
0 TA
100 TH
0 CYA

I've read so much on the Pool Math (and other posts) my head is spinning....What to do about these numbers? The pool water looks fine, but I know these numbers can't be good...I add trichlor granular every day too...
 
TF-100 is sold by tftestkits.net ... there is also a west coast distributor (poolsupplyworld.com) if you live in the West. Please add your location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.

I would put no faith in any results from test strips.
If you are adding trichlor, there is NO WAY you have zero CYA. That could explain the low pH and TA (if those are to be believed).
 
So if the stuff from HD "does not look good", jblizzle, what should i use? besides liquid chlorine/bleach, of course...

I dont want to keep running out and getting chlorine bottles all the time...that's why i used pucks and granules...
 
Well, the only form of chlorine without side-effects (adding either CYA or CH) is liquid chlorine. That is what likely 75% of the members here use. Another 20+% use a SWG and there are a few that try to get by with the solid forms of chlorine and have resigned themselves to have to drain the pool.

Given your location and short swim season, if you drain a good portion of the pool every year, then you may get by with trichlor, but you better have a good test kit and track the rising CYA so that you can keep adequate FC in the pool. The required FC is a function of the CYA as seen in the FC/CYA Chart. And if your FC is too low, you will have no choice but to supplement with bleach.

The TFPC method is really just about understanding your pool’s chemistry and through accurate testing, adding only what the pool NEEDS, not necessarily sepcific chemicals. But, another thing we teach is to not add anything that you do not know the ingredients or what it will do to your pool. That stuff is 25% mystery ingredients :shock:
 
If the list of ingredients has "trade secret" anywhere in it, I don't put it in my pool! Unless the manufacturer is willing to be honest about what is in their goods, I don't deal with them.

As an example, HTH brand AKA Arch Chemical, has several lines of goods to be sold by different retail chains. Those items sold by Walmart sometimes have "trade secret" in the list, yet the same item sold in Ace Hardware lists all the ingredients by name. I suspect it's the exact same product, with slight changes to the packaging for the target consumer.

Long story short, what we teach here is simply know your pool, and know what, when, and why of what it needs.
 
So if the stuff from HD "does not look good", jblizzle, what should i use? besides liquid chlorine/bleach, of course...

I dont want to keep running out and getting chlorine bottles all the time...that's why i used pucks and granules...
Click to expand...

There is also lithium hypochlorite, but it is expensive.
 
Ok, here's the numbers from Taylor K2006 test kit i just got:

CC 3
FC 8.5
CYA 150
TA 0
CH 60
pH way below 7 , it took 35 drops (at least) before it got into the 7.5 pH color

Now what? (besides get some liquid chlorine)...i need to know what chemicals to buy (and how much to put in) to get these numbers to good levels.
 

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Borax would be best, but soda ash/washing soda/PH Up is also acceptable if it is easier to find. It will take a number of boxes/pails of either one. Unfortunately, the exact amount is difficult to calculate. I suggest starting with three or four boxes of borax or about 8 lbs of soda ash, giving it half an hour to mix in, test the PH and as long as it remains below 7.2 continue one box of borax or 3 lbs of soda ash at a time. Quantities are assuming 24,000 gallons.
 
That might have been a bit much. Give it an hour to mix into the water with the pump running and measure the PH again to see how things turned out. If you can get the PH to anywhere from 7.0 to 7.8 you are fine for now.
 
One of the tenets of TFPC is to not blindly add chemicals, but to base additions on test results. Not sure why you ignored what Jason recommended and what PoolMath would show ...
 
so even after all that "pH up", its STILL sits at less than 7. According to the Taylor table in the back of their instruction manual, after counting the drops, etc...i have to add another 8 lbs of pH up...and that's to get it between 7.2 to 7.8
 
nupoolboy said:
so even after all that "pH up", its STILL sits at less than 7. According to the Taylor table in the back of their instruction manual, after counting the drops, etc...i have to add another 8 lbs of pH up...and that's to get it between 7.2 to 7.8
Click to expand...
did the TA come up with the pH?

Plug your current numbers in Pool Math(link above also)

You will save money by using the generic alternatives suggested here over commercial products like packaged pH Up.
 

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