One reason that the pool may be clear still is because the previous caretaker may have also been throwing in tons of algaecide phosfree and other stuff like that which COULD keep it clear. .. at a very high expense. .. once all that stops working is when all the trouble kicks in
CYA 500 ppm!!
- Thread starter Desterline
- Start date
I think you have a good handle on the "rules" and whys.
OTO test only good up to 10 I THINK.
I cannot wait to hear the results of the test kit when it gets there.
Kim
OTO test only good up to 10 I THINK.
I cannot wait to hear the results of the test kit when it gets there.
Kim
That is one of the nagging fears in the back of my mind. Is there any practical way to test for that? Determine what may have been used? Educated guesses on when this may "stop working"?
As far as i know there is no real easy of testing for that.. no way of knowing when you will start seeing problems either best thing to do is get to work on it as soon as your kit gets there
His problem is, if he does a single drain and refill, it will be 90% -and that's using the least amount of water. The simultaneous drain and refill is going to use much more than that. A tarp idea going to have to be a huge one-figure over twice the length and width. Which is going to be almost impossible to move move once it's filled. My vinyl lined 24,000 gal pool took over 40,000 gals (5 X 8,000) to reduce my 350 cya to 50.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Yes, you need a big tarp but it's like the table cloth trick where you pull the table cloth out from under the stuff on top of it. If you had a big tarp (I do because of my pools odd shape) you simply lay it over the pool and add water on top of it while it's laying in the pool on top of the water you want to drain. There isn't any weight on the tarp as it's floating in the water between the high CYA stuff under it and the new stuff on top. At the end you simply pull it out of the pool similar to removing a solar cover with rain on top of it but of course it's deeper in the water.
The drain and fill using a tarp is one for one. YOU have to control it but you are pumping off 100,500 or ... gal at a time and adding 100,500 or ... . They don't mix so if you need to do 90% of your water you can do the minimum of only 90% if the tarp is big enough. As you said you needed to do over 40K for a 24K pool. If water is expensive or impossible to get that tarp would be cheap in comparison.
The drain and fill using a tarp is one for one. YOU have to control it but you are pumping off 100,500 or ... gal at a time and adding 100,500 or ... . They don't mix so if you need to do 90% of your water you can do the minimum of only 90% if the tarp is big enough. As you said you needed to do over 40K for a 24K pool. If water is expensive or impossible to get that tarp would be cheap in comparison.
Ok, so I finally bit the bullet and tore down my DE filter (Nautilus NS-60). It was running about 30 PSI when I bought the house. I backwashed a couple weeks ago and have been running in the mid 20's since. I neglected to take any pictures during the teardown, but I have a few of the aftermath. All I can say is _wow_ that was nasty.
It's the first time I've ever been in a DE filter, but I don't think there should be softball sized chunks in there. It was basically packed tight between the grids. Found a tear in one of the grids, but the previous homeowner left me a couple spares in the shed.
In the process I managed to let the filter drain back into the pool and cloud the water. But after getting it back together and running the filter overnight, wow.
That's the main drain at 7 feet.
Now the filter is running at about 9 PSI
Didn't realize that was possible...
Now I'm having issues with the Kreepy Kraully. Mine plugs in inside the skimmer. With it connected my pressure drops off to nothing and the pump is starving (cavitating) I added an "automatic pressure regulating valve". The pump seems ok now, and running about 1-1/2 PSI less than without the Kraully. But I'wondering what I do about the filter basket? the Kraully has a leaf catcher, but the water that gets in through the regulating valve has no strainer or such. so this morning I pulled a couple handfuls of junk out of my pump filter basket. So I think there's some other way to hook this up?
One more thing. Give me a second opinion on these readings
I'm thinking Chlorine between 1.5 and 3.0, but Ph... what 8.0?
Thanks
It's the first time I've ever been in a DE filter, but I don't think there should be softball sized chunks in there. It was basically packed tight between the grids. Found a tear in one of the grids, but the previous homeowner left me a couple spares in the shed.
In the process I managed to let the filter drain back into the pool and cloud the water. But after getting it back together and running the filter overnight, wow.
That's the main drain at 7 feet.
Now the filter is running at about 9 PSI
Didn't realize that was possible...Now I'm having issues with the Kreepy Kraully. Mine plugs in inside the skimmer. With it connected my pressure drops off to nothing and the pump is starving (cavitating) I added an "automatic pressure regulating valve". The pump seems ok now, and running about 1-1/2 PSI less than without the Kraully. But I'wondering what I do about the filter basket? the Kraully has a leaf catcher, but the water that gets in through the regulating valve has no strainer or such. so this morning I pulled a couple handfuls of junk out of my pump filter basket. So I think there's some other way to hook this up?
One more thing. Give me a second opinion on these readings
I'm thinking Chlorine between 1.5 and 3.0, but Ph... what 8.0?
Thanks
TF-100 will be here tomorrow.My opinion on your testing is the same as a week ago, you need a better test kit
Second opinion?
My money is on FC higher than that kit can measure...maybe 5-10 if it's similar to k1000 chemistry, pH higher than that kit can measure.
Both are wild guesses.
Let us know what tf100 says.
My money is on FC higher than that kit can measure...maybe 5-10 if it's similar to k1000 chemistry, pH higher than that kit can measure.
Both are wild guesses.
Let us know what tf100 says.
For the chlorine, the test kit you're getting tomorrow will tell a more accurate story. I agree on the ~3; it doesn't look quite as dark as the comparator for 3 to me.
For the pH--I'd go with 8 to determine how much acid to use to bring it down. No need to wait on the new kit before adding some and bringing it back in range.
For the pH--I'd go with 8 to determine how much acid to use to bring it down. No need to wait on the new kit before adding some and bringing it back in range.
Yeah, just not trusting my eyes or the cheapie tester at this point. Pretty much every time I've checked it the pH has been high to very high. I've now added 4 gallons of muriatic acid in ~30 days. (14.5% Kem-Tek brand) Seems extreme, but I recognize I'm using about the weakest acid sold. At this rate my daily acid cost is outpacing my chlorine cost. Note to self: find a more cost-effective acid source.
In Tucson I know Patio Pools and Spas has the 31% muriatic acid for $10 per 2 gallon case. Have you checked Leslies? Just don't talk to them about anything else. When I was first trying to bring down my pH I was using the 14.5% stuff also and I was complaining about how much everything was costing. It seemed like as soon as I switched to the 31% stuff it felt like I wasn't adding as much and I mean less than the percentage difference. It made me think the 14.5% was weaker than it should have been. You really need to TF-100 test results though so we can know where your TA number is. For my pool it seems like the pH wants to drift back up to 7.8 no matter what so I think I'm gonna quit fighting it.
My local Home Depot has the 31% stuff...2 gallon case, $10.99. Military gets 10% off of that. Don't know if that helps or not.
Yeah, the last time I was in there I had the most amazingly stupid conversation. I let them test my water (I know, I know... My TF-100XL with speedstir arrives today
) then I asked about some liquid chlorine... I got hammered by two of them about how that is the _WORST POSSIBLE_ way to chlorinate a pool and that I should be floating some tabs. That liquid bleach would increase my TDS and is going to force me to replace my water. I asked how that was different from replacing my water because my CYA is off the chart and tabs add to that. At that point he got his manager involved and they started spewing complete bull techno-babble. About this time my brain started to hurt and I pretty much just walked away. They're now on my list of people that "I wouldn't pee on their foot if it was on fire".Sometimes, I like to go in and annoy people like that. You might ask them if they even have a pool. Ask them the last time they had to drain it. Ask them if they even pay for their pool chemicals. I wouldn't wait for it to catch on fire, I would just pee on their foot.
Well, I'm just like a kid on Christmas morning, my TF-100XL with speed stir arrived today Woo!!
I have unpleasant (and slightly fuzzy) memories of titrating by hand in chemistry class, I gotta say, the speed stir is one nice piece of kit.
So, I know you're all hanging on the edge of your seat for my numbers....
pH 7.6
FC 1.0
CC 0
TC 1.0
CH 750 <-not a typo!
TA 240
CYA probably 350-450+. The test is compromised by me doing it indoors at night. That said, I repeated the test a couple times with higher dilution levels. At 4:1 I read about 90 and at 9:1 I got about 35. Higher dilution = higher error range. But, no matter which number you choose, the answer is still "way too darn high".
So, it seems that R.O. or a drain and fill is in my future. :-(
I have unpleasant (and slightly fuzzy) memories of titrating by hand in chemistry class, I gotta say, the speed stir is one nice piece of kit.
So, I know you're all hanging on the edge of your seat for my numbers....
pH 7.6
FC 1.0
CC 0
TC 1.0
CH 750 <-not a typo!
TA 240
CYA probably 350-450+. The test is compromised by me doing it indoors at night. That said, I repeated the test a couple times with higher dilution levels. At 4:1 I read about 90 and at 9:1 I got about 35. Higher dilution = higher error range. But, no matter which number you choose, the answer is still "way too darn high".
So, it seems that R.O. or a drain and fill is in my future. :-(
Wellllllllllllll now you know. You know what you need to do. If you go for the drain there are some ways to do it to protect your pool. Let us know what you decide to do. We are waiting to help you!
Kim
Kim