Newbie With Concerns - Leslie's Free Testing

Jump to latest Follow Reply
C

CGSteve

0
Mar 26, 2015
7
Madera, CA
Hi all, been lurking for some time now and using info gleaned from you fine folks here, but I am at my ropes end with my pool. I did a drain & refill a few weeks back and have been battling getting things leveled out with respect to my pools water balance. Enter Leslie's Pool Supply...in short, I spent the $$$ on their goods and they've landed me in a bad spot, once again. I think.

Am I the only one who has had issues getting consistent test results from them? Here is the deal, I have been in there three days in a row to get my water checked so that I can establish some trends with respect to chem usage. Each time it seems some mysterious things are happening with my pool and its water. Spooky stuff as it seems my pool is the only one like it in the world...if you're willing to accept their "expert" opinions. Take a look at my results below and the short narrative that follows each days test results. Note that my pump has been running for the entire three days and water samples pulled at the same spot, at the same depth, at the same time of day, samples were immediately taken to LPS (about 120 seconds from my home), and prior to first sample the pump ran for 24 hours.

I have also ordered a Taylor K-2006 test kit to bring my testing home.

Day 1
FAC - 2.0
TAC - 2.0
CH - 200
CYA - 60
TA - 50
pH - 8.0
Pho - 1000

Action Taken - Added 18 oz of muriatic acid, the 32.something stuff and then followed approx. 5-6 hours with 12lbs of baking soda.
LPS Variable - Sal did my testing.



Day 2
FAC - 2.0
TAC - 2.0
CH - 150
CYA - 60
TA - 110
pH - 7.8
Pho - 1000

Action Taken - Added 10 oz of muriatic acid, the 32.something stuff and then followed approx. 5-6 hours with 10lbs of CH increaser.
LPS Variable - Sal did my testing.



Day 3
FAC - 1.5
TAC - 1.5
CH - 170
CYA - 99+
TA - 110
pH - 7.8
Pho - 2500

Action Taken - Register with TPF and ask for input. Planning to add some more chlorine per Pool Calc., I am using 10% KemTek, and add some more acid.
LPS Variable - Ana did my testing.



Day 4
FAC - 1.0
TAC - 1.0
CH - 180
CYA - 60
TA - 100
pH - 7.6
Pho - 2000

Action Taken - None, wanted to have one last look at their results.
LPS Variable - Judi did my testing.


Thoughts and/or advice?
 
Advice, yes - stop going to Leslie's. Get your own test kit and be sure of what is going on. Pool store testing is worth whT you paid for it. It's bad on a good day and as you have discovered can jump all over the board on results.

Remember what the pool Store wants to do, sell you stuff.

Order one of our recomended test kits (not available locally) and start reading Pool School while you wait for it.
 
Arrrrgggh. I cannot even finish reading your original post. You are not alone in your confusion with LPS test results not being consistent. They do drop testing here locally, which is good, but the human tester may be in a rush and may not use the same care as the last guy who did it for you yesterday.

Step away from the pool store. Stay with us and learn.

Check out the suggested readings in Pool School and listen to all of the incoming posts over the next few hours.
 
Lots of thoughts, but first...Welcome.

FC very low, and CYA very high. Very common with store advice and people who have a pool service.
It's unfortunate, but we see the same thing a lot. Your moving in the right direction though, and that's most important. The next most important is equipping yourself with the most important tool you'll have in your box. Knowledge. Start adding to it by more time in Pool School, and begin with the ABCs. Other than that, you don't want to add any more Cya containing products to your pool.

Once you have your kit, you'll be better able to nail down your Cya number, but it looks like at least a partial drain of your pool will be needed to lower it.
 
Thanks to all for the warm welcome and the feedback thus far...I am looking forward to getting my test kit and nailing down my chemistry. I'll be sure to provide an update to this thread as soon as the kit arrives.

Also, my apologies to the mods for trying to submit the thread twice...it was an accident, but still worth an apology.
 
Hi,
well, along with 1000s of others here, you seem to have been pool stored and you now also understand why we do not trust them.
TFP is THE best resource for pool care on the internet, or in person.

Here is the best advice you are going to be given for a few days.

1. Never go back to Leslies, or any other pool store for testing
Get your own RELIABLE test kit here www.tftestkits.net Get the TF100, its the best bang for the buck.
This is be The Best investment you will ever make for you pool, along with just a little bit of time to learn how to do the right thing.

2. Your Ph is suspect of being a tad high.
Pool Math says you need to add 46 ozs of MA to get you down to about 7.5
I recommend you do that tomorrow.

3. You need to manage your Chlorine while you are waiting for the test kit to arrive,
Your FC is way low and you are subject to algae at any time. Lets assume your CYA is anywhere close to 60ish.
Your recommended FC level will 7.
Add a gallon and a half of yor Kem Tek 10%

4. Each day until your test kit arrives, add about 35 ozs of Kem Tek.

If you do this, your pool will not go green while waiting for your test kit.

5. Recommend you read Pool School - ABC's of pool chemistry and ask questions here if you need clarification, or advice.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry

6. Familiarize yourself with recommended levels
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/134-recommended-levels

7. Familiarizde yourself with the Chlorine/CYA chart
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock

8. Play around with Pool Math and learn how to use
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Good luck, and I look forward the story you are going to tell us about how trouble free and inexpensive it is to manage you pool using TFP method of doing it.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. WHen you tell us that story, pics of your shimmering pool will be required
:)

- - - Updated - - -

no worres about double posting. The first 2 posts every poster ever makes require a Mod to approve it. Sometimes we are slower than we like to be, so double posting happens on occasion. Our apologies to you for not being quicker.
:)

CGSteve said:
Thanks to all for the warm welcome and the feedback thus far...I am looking forward to getting my test kit and nailing down my chemistry. I'll be sure to provide an update to this thread as soon as the kit arrives.

Also, my apologies to the mods for trying to submit the thread twice...it was an accident, but still worth an apology.
Click to expand...
 
The one test you want to run daily (at least during the swim season) is FC using one of the recommended kits already mentioned. It will bounce (get consumed) daily as a normal function of doing its job of sanitizing the pool. In addition, sunlight will consume chlorine. CYA is a buffer that will help protect the chlorine from sunlight ([FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]).

As long as you maintain the recommended levels of chlorine for your CYA, you will not have to worry about phosphates.

A couple of other resources:
  1. ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
  2. Basic Pool Care Schedule
  3. Recommended Pool Chemicals
 
lucy0909------------being new to the forum, you might want to take a peek at the chlorine/cya chart in pool school. You will see that an FC of 2.0 is woefully inadequate for a CYA level of a minimum of 60 noted by the OP. The current FC levels are not....."good".
 
lucy0909 said:
New to TFP but have some advice anyway.

Leave the pool alone for about 3 days. Your chemistry is bouncing and pools will do that. When chemistry bounces, the owner is literally chasing it's tail. You'll never have a clear concise readings. As long as your FC levels are good and steady, you don't have to worry about going green.

I noticed your phosphate levels jumped. Do you live in a rural area or is there fertilizer being used on your (or nearby) lawn? If the phosphate level is REALLY that high, then you could need to use a phosphate reducer on a regular basis. I'd check the phosphate level again in about a week.
Click to expand...

We don't worry about phosphates. Reason being, is that we focus on killing and preventing algae with proper chlorination. If there is no algae, or it is dead, it cannot use the phosphate for nutrients, no matter how high the phosphates are.

As Woody mentions, his FC/Cya level will allow Algae to Bloom with vigor at that low level of 2.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
With respect to the phosphates, there is no run-off of any type going into my pool. I have a corner lot that backs up against a dry riverbed and the prevailing winds are constantly blowing stuff into my pool. Usually it's not big organics like leaves, but more like dust and lighter organic materials from blooming trees and flowers.

I think I am going to let my pool settle out some before doing anything beyond adding some chlorine and MA to stave off any blooms; that said, my pool water is a cool 68 degrees so I also get the benefit of having a slower rate of reaction compared to the normal summer temps of 80-82 for my water.
 
Okay, before I added any chlorine or MA today, I took a sample and ran it in just for fun. I talked with the store manager and she ran my sample this time...

Day 4
FAC - 1.0
TAC - 1.0
CH - 180
CYA - 60
TA - 100
pH - 7.6
Pho - 2000

Action Taken - None, wanted to have one last look at their results.
LPS Variable - Judi did my testing.


I've added this to my initial post to keep it tidy...
 
Not bad, but you've increased the FC? Running low there, so you'll want that up ASAP.

Watch the pH for increase with the 100 TA. Fine for now, just keep an eye on it. Ought to be good until your kit arrives. Use the pool math for a Chlorine dose. You want 5 minimum and shoot the target for 7.

An off topic side conversation on phosphates has been moved here. JasonLion

Lucy, we hope you will continue the discussion about Phosphates and other issues you see in the Link Jason Lion created just above. We cant have an argument in the middle of someone's thread and be helpful without being a huge distraction.
 
Alright, here is the news...my test kit (K-2006) came in today and I rehearsed the steps about a gazillion times before actually doing any tests. For the sake of redundancy, I did all tests twice to check for any potential errors from the first run. It looks like the local LPS has a bit of error in their tests, or perhaps it's error from going too quick and from different people doing the tests? No matter, I have my own kit now and I am pleased to provide a look at what my numbers look like...


Day 1 With New Test Kit
FC - 1.8
CH - 260
CYA - 50
TA - 170
pH - 8.0

Action To Be Taken - Looks like I am going to add 170 ounces of 10% chlorine and then work on adding 170 ounces of MA & aerate until my TA drops to around 90. I'll use the sheer descents for the aeration process.

Any other advice?
 
You got it nailed!

-Find TFP-done!
-Order GOOD test kit-done!
-Ask questions on TFP-done!
-run own test (or two to make sure)-DONE VERY WELL!
-post results-done

Add the chlorine and rerun your test after the pump has run for 30 mins. Make sure it it is where it needs to be. If not add some.

Add the M.A. run the pump for 30 mins. and retest.

"feed" you pool chlorine every day (I do mine just at dusk to let it work with out worrying about the sun.)

I am SO glad you found us BEFORE the algae found you!

Kim
 
CGSteve said:
Alright, here is the news...my test kit (K-2006) came in today and I rehearsed the steps about a gazillion times before actually doing any tests. For the sake of redundancy, I did all tests twice to check for any potential errors from the first run. It looks like the local LPS has a bit of error in their tests, or perhaps it's error from going too quick and from different people doing the tests? No matter, I have my own kit now and I am pleased to provide a look at what my numbers look like...


Day 1 With New Test Kit
FC - 1.8
CH - 260
CYA - 50
TA - 170
pH - 8.0

Action To Be Taken - Looks like I am going to add 170 ounces of 10% chlorine and then work on adding 170 ounces of MA & aerate until my TA drops to around 90. I'll use the sheer descents for the aeration process.
Any other advice?
Click to expand...

Yes, give yourself a pat on the back for taking the Bull by the Horns and wrestling him into submission. Good Job Man!!

The rest of your "Pool Care Life" is going to be easy for you now. Don't be shy about asking questions if you need too, we'll be here.

The TA reduction may take a little while, but don't worry about that. You can target a reduction to 7.2 pH every time and it will help. Keep the FC up, and don't fail on that one. Test your FC frequently at first using the FAS DPD until you can predict what it will be with reasonable accuracy. This will come faster than you think it might.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply