First time pool owner- closed last week on house; Completely Lost, HELP

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coolpoolnj

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Jun 8, 2015
17
Freehold, NJ
Hello All,

As the title summarizes, I just closed on my house and became a pool owner for the 1st time. I have read through pool school and even purchased the testing kit (TF-100)and even the glycerin pressure gauge prior to closing. ( Just a note to others, don't change the gauge to the pool while the filter is running; that is not a fun experience)

So, the pool is I inherited was well take care of. It appears crystal clear when closing. The only thing is when I went swimming in it for the first time, it appeared that the steps into the pool were slippery. I assumed it was because this was a vinyl pool, however just searching on the net and even this website makes me think, do I have an algae issue?

I ran the water test yesterday and here are my results: This is my test run so hopefully I did everything correct.

pH 7.2
FC = 11
Calcium = 96
CYA = 90
TA = 130

I understand these #'s are concerning, however I am just lost as to what to do at this point. Like I said the pool still appears crystal clear
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Well hello there! Can we keep you? LOL You bought the good test kit and used it without being told? SWEET and thanks! LOL

Okay here ya go.

-CH do not worry with it due to having a vinyl pool. I have never even tested mine.

-PH=good

-TA- a little high

-CYA-a little high

I would work on the CYA first. You will need to drain a little water. Here is a link to Pool Math. You are going to LOVE it!

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Punch your numbers in and come back to tell me how much water it tells you to drain.

I would not worry about the TA until the water draining is done.

I will be keeping an eye out for your reply.

What are you using for your chlorine?

Kim
 
Welcome, Coolpool ;) congrats on your new pool/home.

You'll have the easiest time following TFP method if you do a partial drain now to get your CYA to a more manageable level, eg 50 -- you will require less liquid chlorine/bleach, and won't be at risk for late summer algae breakouts due to dropping below the chlorine:cya levels cited in the chart in my signature.

However, you need to exercise caution any time you're doing partial water changes with a vinyl liner to avoid having the liner wrinkle or float - ESPECIALLY if you have a high water table. The first rule is never to drain to lower than a foot left in the SHALLOW end.

Since you're new to this, I would suggest even more conservative percentages of changes, eg., lower the water level a foot and then refill, repeat over the next few weeks -- being sure to maintain the higher FC level you need for 90 CYA until you're done.

Any time you're lowering water in a vinyl pool, you want to be sure the drain hose is far away or downhill so you're not discharging water near the pool (to keep the hydrostatic pressure right, holding to liner in place.)

If your set up is like mine, you "close" the skimmer valve and be sure you have the drain valve open, then set your multiport handle to "waste." Does that jive with your setup? If not, post back details.

Beyond that initial "CYA" level job, the only thing you should hav to worry about is initially testing your FC nd PH daily, adding enough liquid chlorine or bleach to be approx. 3 ppm or so above your "lowest" recommendation for your CYA (see chart link in my signature) and then enjoying your pool ;)

After a few weeks, you'll get a sense of how high to dose each day to stay above your min. until the next day's dose. Likewise, you may need to periodically lower your ph with muriatic and, which will ultimately and eventually bring your TA down...no rush or need to tinker. Your pool will find its happy place ;)

Just so you know, non-TFP recommended levels of TA are higher because they're designed for puck users, and pucks push down the ph/TA. When you're using the TFP method ad chlorinating with liquid, this is not necessary, so you'll see TA readings here much lower. Eg, at 70 TA, my pool ph rarely needs adjusting. Over 100, I adjust it weekly or more.

Congrats on your new digs and cheers to a trouble free summer ;)
 
kimkats said:
Well hello there! Can we keep you? LOL You bought the good test kit and used it without being told? SWEET and thanks! LOL

Okay here ya go.

-CH do not worry with it due to having a vinyl pool. I have never even tested mine.

-PH=good

-TA- a little high

-CYA-a little high

I would work on the CYA first. You will need to drain a little water. Here is a link to Pool Math. You are going to LOVE it!

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Punch your numbers in and come back to tell me how much water it tells you to drain.

I would not worry about the TA until the water draining is done.

I will be keeping an eye out for your reply.

What are you using for your chlorine?

Kim
Click to expand...

Hello Kim,

Lol, thanks for the nice words.
It's telling me I need to drain about 25-30% of the pool volume based on the numbers I plugged in.

For Chlorine - I am using the leftover chemicals that were left over the previous owner. They are trichlor tabs. I will look into buying the liquid chlorine once I deplete this supply.
 
Don't add anymore tabs, they are adding to the cya and eventually your problem. Just buy some regular unscented bleach. Make sure it says 8.25% on the label and don't get splashless.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, when I was using the pool store, I added algaecide as directed. I noticed my sides and steps stayed slippery even with clear water. I think what happens is the copper in the algaecide kept the algae at bay just enough to keep the water clear, but not enough to completely get rid of it. Since I switched to regular bleach, my sides and stairs are never slippery.
 
Swampwoman said:
Welcome, Coolpool ;) congrats on your new pool/home.
If your set up is like mine, you "close" the skimmer valve and be sure you have the drain valve open, then set your multiport handle to "waste." Does that jive with your setup? If not, post back details.

Congrats on your new digs and cheers to a trouble free summer ;)
Click to expand...

Good advice from swapwoman, One thing I would add is to turn pump off BEFORE you switch your multiport to waste.

edited to correct typo
 
You're in fine shape! The only worry is the CYA level as others have already mentioned. Don't use the pucks, save them for when you leave town and need to maintain your FC. Those pucks are still useful and have long shelf life if kept dry. The difference with TFP is that you'll know the exact effects of adding them when you do. Pucks are great for temporary use. When used full-time the CYA they leave behind makes your pool unmanageable, as you're quickly learning. I too had to do a drain first thing. It sucks but now I don't have to worry about it. It's a once and done operation! CYA doesn't evaporate so it stays in your pool until you drain. Until you drain off the CYA don't worry about the other numbers except FC. ALWAYS keep your FC above your minimum. Once you're refilled then adjust your pH and you'll probably be fine. Your TA might be a touch high and depending on your fill source might go up a little after the drain... TA is usually not an issue. High TA will just cause your pH to rise and low TA is vice versa. Every pool is different and the ranges may not apply specifically to your pool. So, don't worry about adjusting that. Maybe tackle that down the road after other things level out and you possibly find yourself constantly adjusting your pH. Just ignore the calcium with your vinyl liner.

Also, take note of your daily FC loss. 2-3ppm loss is usually normal. That'll give you a pretty good clue as to how much bleach you'll be adding every day, and if it's more there might be something to look into as far as to why you're losing FC. Don't forget to check your CC's too.

Good luck! You're off to an awesome start.
 

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COBrien said:
Welcome aboard, coolpoolnj!

I won't rehash what others have recommended. I'll just ask: did you test for CC? If so, what was it?
Click to expand...


Thanks all for the great advice. I already love this forum. I have been reading it since midway through the closing cycle.
I will likely do the drain after this weekend (have a nice 4th of July planned with the family in the pool).
Will post results afterwards.

Yes, I did test for CC. It was only 0.5.

Thanks
 
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