Help for Beginner with old pool

[Misha T]

Thanks so much! Will do!

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

You just want to get some stabilizer in a sock and either hang it in front of a return or toss it in the skimmer. Best to knead it a bit as it will dissolve faster if you work it.
Once it's all gone from the sock you still need to wait a week for it to fully dissolve and be able to get an accurate test of the level.

 

[Misha T]

The PoolMath calculator indicates I may need about 160 oz stabilizer to bring the CYA to 40. Seems like a lot for a sock; should I add it one sock at a time as it dissolves?

 

[pwrstrk]

Use 1/2 or 3/4 of what pool math suggest's and wait close to a week to test for it and if you need to bump it up some add some more.
Get some bleach in there also. I'd shoot for an FC level of 3 then when the CYA is dissolved re- adjust your FC for the CYA level you shot for. Just assume it's there until you can test for it. ?

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

You can always use more than one sock. That or if you have the patience and you're willing to, you can just sit down and knead that bag constantly while dipping it in the pool and in about 10 minutes it will be dissolved and you can refill it.

 

[Misha T]

OK thanks! I will keep you posted on progress.

 

[Misha T]

I have been going slowly. I added about half (64 oz) of the PoolMath Rx CYA on Nov 11, and bleach and muriatic acid 1/2 gallon at a time.

Here are my results today:

temp 59F
FC 5.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.3
TA 90
CH 125
CYA 25

What would be the next steps, please?

 

[pwrstrk]

Take your CYA up to 40 per the dosage Pool Math gives you. You can add it all at once. Just assume it's at 40 until you can test for it in about a week. Your new target FC level will be 7 and never below 3.
Your CH could come up some. 250-350 is the range you should be. Take a look here to raise your CH. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/139-recommended-pool-chemicals. What's the CH of your fill water ? Everything else looks good. ?

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

What he said . . . EXCEPT you need to get that temp up before I'm going to in it.

 

[Misha T]

OK thank you!

==>I will bring the CYA up.

==>The pH has been kind of stubborn but I will keep nibbling at it.

==>The fill water CH is 125 (same as present reading)
we have a lot of evaporation in the summer, so what might you recommend about CH?
I don't want it to build up too much next year as I keep adding fill water.

 

[pwrstrk]

For now I would get your CH in range. Low CH can cause etching on the pool surfaces. You could also use some CAL-HYPO as your chlorine source as it will raise your CH and FC. You'll have to look at Effects Of Adding Chemicals, at the bottom of Pool Math. That will tell you how much of adding X amount of CAL - HYPO will raise FC and CH. When your CH gets in range stop using CAL-HYPO if you go that route. If your CH rises out of range during the summer from adding water, keeping your PH in check will prevent scaling. Also keeping your CSI on the negative side by keeping your PH in check will prevent scaling. Play with Pool Math and see how it effects your CSI number.
If you get your CH up to 250 and PH at 7.5 your CSI should be around a -0.27 which would be balanced. ?