To quote the great Mel Brooks: EVERYTHING is sooooo GREEEEEEN !!!!

Hey folks ... wanted to post the requested pix and some numbers for you all today. I'm getting pretty excited! This looks completely different today in a good way. I vac'd out about 1/4 of the water along with a bunch of the stuff on the bottom and I replaced with fresh water this morning. Cleaned my little cartridge filter good and fired the pump back on. I came out with the kids at 2:30 to do a look see. Cloudy but Blue. Well sort of blue.

Here's the numbers I got today on my testing. Not real sure about the accuracy of my TA test. I put 90 drops in and the water got pink. I got up to 140 drops and it didn't seem to get any darker? Is it supposed to get like really red when this test is complete? Never done this so I figured I'd post what I had at this point. TA may be incorrect though.

Another fact about this pool that is worth mentioning is it's in direct sunlight about 10 hours a day. From 9 AM to about 7 PM it's getting hit... shortly after the 7PM hour shade starts to reach the pool.


FC = 7.5
TC = 10
CC = 2.5
CYA = 60
TA = 14
CA = 0
PH = 7.4

Here's a pic of my beautiful lil helpers.
Jordan and Jade - Helpers.jpg

Here's a pic of the pool today.
Pool 3-26.jpg

I'm going to hit Walmart right now and get some BIG things of bleach and a large pitcher that measures ozs

Looking forward to the feed back!!! We're getting pretty excited over here! Really sorry I didn't post a pic yesterday it was like pea soup!!
 
Not real sure about the accuracy of my TA test. I put 90 drops in and the water got pink. I got up to 140 drops and it didn't seem to get any darker? Is it supposed to get like really red when this test is complete? Never done this so I figured I'd post what I had at this point. TA may be incorrect though.

Isn't each drop in the TA test equal to 10PPM TA or does this Leslies complete test kit test it differently? 90 and 140 drops would be um....900 and 1400 PPM TA...:confused: You used 140 drops and listed your TA as 14, I can't believe the instructions said to divide by 10 for your results?

Retest?
 
The K2006 has all the right stuff. The K2005 is the 2006 without the FAS-DPD test. The TF-100 is a much better laid out design with larger bottles of chemicals, and is more thought-through regarding what you need to test your pool.

So, as far as all working the same:
Taylor K2006 and TF-100, yes
Taylor K2005, missing the FAS-DPD test, which you can buy individually from tftestkits.

The TA test goes from blue to pink. Stop when the next drop doesn't change the color, and don't count that drop.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/24188-Extended-Test-Kit-Directions
 
okay, so looking at that link, his Leslie's kit is using the same instructions as the Taylor tests. That is what I wasn't sure of, and I didn't want to link a video to a TF-100 test if it does not apply to the Leslie's kit.


So....if you have any drops left in the bottles :p , I think a retest is in order....
 
Ok, you guys are right. This was made by Taylors. I added a lot more than I was supposed to. I also just now ordered this little guy:
855.JPG


Seems like it would make that quite a bit easier... Like Richard said though I'm going to pretty much ignore everything until this process is done and then I'll get a grip on where my numbers should be, learn how to prepare for storms and all that good stuff. Really happy to be seeing progress!!! Would be great to have this thing up and ready for the kids by Saturday if at all possible.
 
I'm so excited that you got the SpeedStir!! Seriously. You will love it.

Sitting next to our very TFP right now with the kids GETTING ALONG.
 

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Good morning everyone! Here's this mornings pic of the pool:
Pool pic 2014-06-27 07.30.12.jpg

CYA: 60
FC 15
TC 15
CC 0

The chlorine numbers are a little confusing to me. Did this test several times and keep getting the same numbers so I guess that's right. Will get the FC back to 24 as indicated on the CYA chart.

Also thank you zia3 for including the instructions on how to get a siphon going with the lil pool vac/hose. I'd have felt really stupid standing there yesterday sucking on the end of that big hose trying (and failing) to get a siphon going! took a few minutes to get the hang of it but once that gets going it starts moving water surprisingly fast. I would have never have thought to do that. Thought I would have to go directly to the pump. Anyway thanks everyone and hope y'all all have a great day!!
 
Hey guys I have a clear pool! It's got a few leaves I'm about to vac out but the water has cleared right up! Here' s a pic of the pool today.
Here's the correct pic: Accidentally uploaded the wrong one initially
Clear Pool.jpg


Here's today's numbers:
FC = 10
TC = 10
CC = 0
cya60

Really wish my mixing thing and the addition to my kit hasn't come in yet but I think I've managed to get through the SLAM using what I have. I'm going to vac the bottom now and run the ph, ta and ch tests then I'll post that info...
 

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Ok here's the other numbers.... man really wish I had that little mixer thing the CH and TA tests would be lots easier!

PH=6.8 ( I think I need 14 OZ of soda ash... can you get this at walmart?)
TA 120
CH 260

Well not yet... we've been cleaning and learning. Kids have been great helpers. Not having a skimmer adds a little more effort to keeping stuff off the top of the water and the girls have made that their main mission! LOL... We'd sure like to jump in today.

Yesterday I kept the FC level up and we hit the park and then went with some friends to a base ball game ... today however we're ready for a swim day!

I'm going to spend a lot of today continuing to read pool school while the kids play. I still really have a lot to learn about this stuff ... but I'm grateful for what you good people have taught me and the time and assistance you were all nice enough to lend me. Jordan says "You guys ROCK!" LOL...

Any suggestions for moving forward?
 
Today's newbie question of the day: Is baking soda the same thing as washing soda? I have a bag of baking soda and it indicates that it can be used to raise PH levels? The same bag also indicates that if TA is above 110 then I should NOT use baking soda but rather use soda ash to raise PH without raising alkalinity.
 
Today's newbie question of the day: Is baking soda the same thing as washing soda? I have a bag of baking soda and it indicates that it can be used to raise PH levels? The same bag also indicates that if TA is above 110 then I should NOT use baking soda but rather use soda ash to raise PH without raising alkalinity.
No, they are not.

If you look at the bottom of poolmath where it says Effects of Adding Chemicals, you can actually see a pretty close approximation of what a pound of each will do to your chemistry. You'll see that Baking Soda does very little to pH.
 
Oh it sure does! I didn't even notice the foot notes down there. Thanks Richard!! You've been a ton of help! Today I'm creating a my own 'pool facts sheet' that lists all of the facts about my little pool, the things I should keep on hand (bleach w/8.25% chlorine, soda ash etc), links to helpful charts and calculators that are on this site as well as a maintenance schedule. I'm the kind that seems to benefit from using cheat sheets for things I'm studying. When I complete it I'll be happy to post it for others to modify for their pools. Maybe it'll help someone down the road.
 
Ok another question... My PH today is at 6.8 but my TA today is 120. Because my pool is vinyl, I think my TA ideally should be 100. According to the calculator when I plug these numbers in both TA (120,100) and PH (6.8,7.5) ... it's suggested to put 26 oz of Soda Ash in. The effects of doing this indicate that would raise PH by 1.49 and raise TA by 48. So here's where I'm wondering is it better to do nothing, or should I take action tonight on the PH using Soda Ash. Seems if I fix one thing I'm gonna mess something else up! LOL...
 
Ok another question... My PH today is at 6.8 but my TA today is 120. Because my pool is vinyl, I think my TA ideally should be 100. According to the calculator when I plug these numbers in both TA (120,100) and PH (6.8,7.5) ... it's suggested to put 26 oz of Soda Ash in. The effects of doing this indicate that would raise PH by 1.49 and raise TA by 48. So here's where I'm wondering is it better to do nothing, or should I take action tonight on the PH using Soda Ash. Seems if I fix one thing I'm gonna mess something else up! LOL...
When working with pH & TA they will mess each other up sometimes. The only way to bring pH up without changing TA is aeration. Waterfalls, fountains or even turning the return jets up so they cause ripples at the surface will do it - slowly causing pH to rise. But, with you below 7.0 I think you need to bring it up quicker than that will allow.
 

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