Newbie from Tx, I have a few questions about water test and CYA conditioner.

[TxE4GL3k]

Howdy.

I'm totally a rookie for pool maintenance. I feel so grateful that I could find here and learn valuable tips from your guys.

I have a fairly large SWG pool with spa in Tx, 32ft x 25 ft x (4.5 ft ~ 8.0 ft), about 24k~25k gallon water.

I normally went to local pool stores to have free water tests weekly. I'm not saying that I dont trust them, but i think that it would be better that I could know more and do some tests by myself first, instead of 100% doing whatever they said without knowing why. Anyways. so i decided to order my first water testkits, TF100, according to recommendation here, and I should have it shortly.

Following results based on most recent tests from store

pH: 8.0 --> (I have added 1qt of gallon muriaric acid, after I got home)
FC: 0.5 --> (after running pump 4 hours since adding acid, I pull 56 fl oz bleach 8.25%, calced by poolcalculator.com)
CYA: 50~60 ppm
salt: 2600 ppm
TA: cannot remember number, but it's in okay range

Here are my questions.

1. I dont recall store ever performed borate test, and there is no reagent in TF100 either to test borate. Do I need to get some extra testkit/strip for that? I mean, I know it's one essential thing in BBB method.

2. How often should I check salinity of my water? Again, since TF100 doesn't have test for that, I originally plan to take water sample to do tests in the store monthly. Or i should get extra kit to test salinity more often during a month?

3. As you may see, CYA lvl is actually a little bit lower than recommended lvl(60~80 ppm), I believe. I plan to add some conditioner (liquid) soon. Since conditioner is not easy to dissolve in the water in short time period, and I dont want to run pump 24/7 for days. Is there solution for that? I remember someone from here suggests using sock as a "container", and pulling stabilizer into it, then hanging socks in the skimmer. Does that work for conditioner as well?

Again, thank you for your time and patience to ask my questions.

 

[soonerjohn06]

Fellow Coppell resident here. I've only been following the site for a few months myself so I won't try to answer your questions but I will say these guys know what they're talking about. My pool had turned to a swamp over the spring and now it's sparkly thanks to TFP. Read through the Pool School and then read it again a couple more times. Good luck

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

1) If you never intentionally added borates you should assume that the borate level is zero.
2) I only check the salt level twice a season, of after some unexpected water replacement (record rainfall causing overflow for example).
3) CYA is also called stabilizer and/or conditioner, so all the same thing. Put the granular stuff in a sock in the skimmer. It is good to run the pump for 24 hours, but not essential if you use a sock. I would avoid the liquid, it is way more expensive and has no advantages.

 

[TxE4GL3k]

Fellow Coppell resident here. I've only been following the site for a few months myself so I won't try to answer your questions but I will say these guys know what they're talking about. My pool had turned to a swamp over the spring and now it's sparkly thanks to TFP. Read through the Pool School and then read it again a couple more times. Good luck

Thanks, taking your advice and will read through them.

 

[RobbieH]

Do you think that salt level is right? Seems to be low to me. Does your SWG have the capability to tell you your salt level, or at least tell you if salt is high or low?

 

[TxE4GL3k]

Welcome to TFP!

1) If you never intentionally added borates you should assume that the borate level is zero.
2) I only check the salt level twice a season, of after some unexpected water replacement (record rainfall causing overflow for example).

Thank you so much, Jason.

3) CYA is also called stabilizer and/or conditioner, so all the same thing. Put the granular stuff in a sock in the skimmer. It is good to run the pump for 24 hours, but not essential if you use a sock. I would avoid the liquid, it is way more expensive and has no advantages.

True dat. here is one i got last time.

http://www.lesliespool.com/natural-chemistry-07401-instant-conditioner--1-gal/07401.htm

Any recommendation which conditioner and/or stabilizer I should get? I'd really appreciate it that.

 

[TxE4GL3k]

Do you think that salt level is right? Seems to be low to me. Does your SWG have the capability to tell you your salt level, or at least tell you if salt is high or low?

2500~3000 ppm is okay range based on pool store. but i just double checked my SWG manual. it says salinity should be around 3000~3500ppm.

Thanks for reminding

 

[RobbieH]

Yep, because mine wants 3500 too. The pool store makes generalizations, and usually incorrect ones. Different SWGs have different requirements in some cases.

Kind of like the pool store tells you to go put X pounds of Y product in your pool although they have no idea how big your pool is.

 

[TxE4GL3k]

Yep, because mine wants 3500 too. The pool store makes generalizations, and usually incorrect ones. Different SWGs have different requirements in some cases.

Kind of like the pool store tells you to go put X pounds of Y product in your pool although they have no idea how big your pool is.

it's funny cuz it always the first question they ask about the how many gallons of water in your pool.

based on poolcalculator, i need another 2~3 bags of salt

- - - Updated - - -

Yep, because mine wants 3500 too. The pool store makes generalizations, and usually incorrect ones. Different SWGs have different requirements in some cases.

Kind of like the pool store tells you to go put X pounds of Y product in your pool although they have no idea how big your pool is.

Also, Do you mind giving me some recommendation regarding conditioner/stabilizer you normally use? thanks

 

[RobbieH]

The conditioner doesn't really matter. Most here go to Walmart and get what they have on the shelf because it's a lot cheaper than the pool store.

You are lucky your pool store asks how many gallons! I hear folks all the time that have never been asked, and personally I've never had a pool store ask me.