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[GuinnessPhish]

Got the test kit. Here's the results:

pH 7.2

FC 29

CC .5

CYA @ 200 (i diluted with half tap water)

TA 220

CH @ 400




So, plugging these numbers into the calculator, the csi seems ok at .08.

The water is a bit cloudy and dull, but not green.

Its ridiculous that their pool store had the CYA at 80, and the FC was 10, but "too high", so use this chem out o lower it, when a couple of days later the FC is 29.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Any thoughts on these results?


If they keep using trichlor, their pH will continue to go down. If they keep using cal hypo to shock, CH will continue to rise. Will scale remover lower CH?

 

[Patrick_B]

 

[jblizzle]

Continued use of pucks with lower the pH and the TA and raise the CYA, which is already in the stratosphere. No scale remover will not lower the CH. They need to just use bleach.

Thoughts ....
Replace 75% of the water to lower the CYA and then SLAM.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Ideally, they would replace 75% of the water and SLAM.


Realistically, with about a month left in their pool season, they wont do this. Regardless, I'll try my best to educate them on the logic behind this, and show them this site and how to use the pool calculator.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Are the TA levels and CH levls ok like this?

 

[jblizzle]

That TA is surprisingly high (testing error???) given the use of pucks, unless a lot of baking soda was added. Neither of them are a big deal at this point as long as the pH is controlled.

The elephant in the room is the CYA.

 

[ping]

It probably isn't worth your time and effort to convince them what the proper way to fix their pool is for only a month longer of swimming. Let them deal with it and starting next season retest and start over. Let them research this site during the winter and hopefully they will be enlightened.

If they do let you drain this season, be prepared for at least a 75% drain and refill. This is going to be the only fix now or next season unless ammonia takes over.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Yes...about 21 pounds of pool store alkalinity up was added ( at about $20 per 12 pound bag!).

So, the FC level of 29 is probably where they should be for a CYA of @ 200?

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Regarding ammonia taking over.....what would be the cause of that?

 

[jblizzle]

Sometimes over the winter some bacteria ends up breaking down the CYA and often resulting in high levels of ammonia which then requires a lot of chlorine to get rid of it.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Does higher levels of CYA make this more possible?

 

[jblizzle]

Well, maybe only in that the FC levels are more likely to become too low. No one seems to be able to predict if/when this happens.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

And the FC level of 29? Good for a CYA of 200?

 

[jblizzle]

The minimum listed for a CYA of 100ppm is 7ppm with a target of 12ppm and shock level of 39ppm.
So theoretically, for a CYA of 200ppm, min is 14ppm, target is 24ppm, and shock level is 78ppm.

BTW, remember pH test does not work with FC > 10ppm.

Starting to see why this is a bad idea?

 

[GuinnessPhish]

Ah.... I totally forgot about the pH test not being accurate with FC above 10.

The water has a "sticky" feel to it....almost like there's a film on your skin. Could this be from the high CH?

 

[GuinnessPhish]

So regarding the pH test being inaccurate over FC 10...

Any idea if i would show falsely higher pH than reality? That's the assumption I'm working with, since the pH is reading higher today than it did on Monday.

 

[jblizzle]

Yes the pH reads a false high when the FC is too high.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

What are the ill effects of low pH in a vinyl liner AGP? Skin and eye irritation?

 

[jblizzle]

If way too low could fade the liner and potentially damage the equipment ... and skin/eye irritation.