New pool owner with lots of questions

[goalie28]

Howdy folks. My wife and I just bought a new house back in June and are now the owners of a pool. I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the forums here, but still have several questions. Per the guidance on posting etiquette, I won't post all of the questions at the moment.

The previous owner subscribed to the "Do what Leslie's tells me to" method of pool care. He used pucks for chlorination and threw all kinds of chemicals at the pool (algaecide, phosfree, etc.). For the first two months after we moved in, we hired a pool service since I simply didn't have the time or wherewithal to deal with the pool. Once I got my feet under me, I've been using the TFP recommended water maintenance merthods with 8.25% bleach for my chlorine source and muriatic acid as needed.

I should also note that I have two large Live Oak trees on either side of pool which contribute a lot of biological matter to the pool. Acorns by the hundreds at the moment.

My post pressing question is with regards to this sand/salt-like substance I keep finding in my Polaris filter bag. It's clear like salt, but has a consistency like sand (doesn't taste like salt either ). There's also some blue specks in it that seemingly resemble the blue specks in the plaster. I'm worried that somehow my plaster is coming apart/failing.

I also have a few spots on the walls that are kind of yellowish with kind of a white halo around them. I'm pretty sure it's not mustard algae since it doesn't brush off. I tried taking a picture of one, but it didn't come out particularly clear. Look below the water jet.

Does anyone have any idea what these might be?






Here are my latest water readings. My numbers are rather consistent from test-to-test and I'm shooting for FC=12 due to my currently high CYA:
FC = 10
CC = 0.5
PH = 7.5
TA = 110
CH = 525
CYA = 100


My other questions have to do with plumbing and pool covers which I'll ask subsequntly.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Well that sure does look like sand, but I would not think it would all be white like that.
Is the amount getting to be less every time you run the cleaner? Or does it seem to be consistent?
Is the pool plaster or a pebble / quartz product?

In case you have not figured it out yet, your CYA is too high and likely you need to replace at least 50% of the water to make the chlorine a bit more manageable.

 

[aussieta]

have you tried the diluted CYA test
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/24188-Extended-Test-Kit-Directions
just in case your CYA is much higher

 

[goalie28]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Well that sure does look like sand, but I would not think it would all be white like that.
Is the amount getting to be less every time you run the cleaner? Or does it seem to be consistent?
Is the pool plaster or a pebble / quartz product?


In case you have not figured it out yet, your CYA is too high and likely you need to replace at least 50% of the water to make the chlorine a bit more manageable.

It's been a bit hard to tell how much is ending up in the filter bag every day since I haven't tracked it that closely. Earlier this summer I was only having to empty it about once a week or so, since it was just picking up a few leaves. For a little over a week now, I've had to empty the bag almost every day due the amount of acorns falling into the pool. I would say that there seems to be a little bit less of it lately, but can't really say for sure.

The pool is plaster, I believe.

Replacing part of the water is on my to-do list, but I got a bit of a shock in my water bill last month so it will have to wait a bit. In all honesty, I haven't checked the CYA level in over a month, and I'm hoping that it's dropped some due to splash-out and all the rain we've had recently.

 

[goalie28]

have you tried the diluted CYA test
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/24188-Extended-Test-Kit-Directions
just in case your CYA is much higher

I just read about that today. I will be doing that test soon.