First time test of pool with TF-Pro and PoolMath app help needed

[Dreamweaver2023]

So did my first test, hopefully entered all the data into the PoolMath app and shared it here somehow, i hope
Pool has been maintained with tablets( i know bad idea, but i have 30 pounds of the stuff)
I will list the numbers here as am unsure about the sharing thing.

FC 2.5
pH 8.2
TA 200
CH 450
CYA 100

Where do i start?

 

[Texas Splash]

Where do i start?

1. Are you postivie about that CYA? Several things hinge on that number. Have you done a diluted CYA test yet? See the following link starting at Step #8. Please confirm and let us know to be sure. That will drive our next response.

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric Acid (CYA) is the chemical name for what is commonly referred to as Stabilizer … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[PoolStored]

Add 5ppm of liquid chlorine now.

You cannot properly sanitize the water with CYA > 90. Please do this diluted CYA test so we know your actual CYA level.

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
5. Continue filling to the upper mark with R-0013.
6. Cap and then shake the mixing bottle for 30 seconds.
7. Stand outdoors with your back to the sun and hold the view tube at about waist level. If sunlight is not available, find the brightest artificial light you can.
8. Looking down into the view tube, slowly pour the mixture from the mixing bottle into the view tube.
9. Continue pouring until all traces of the black dot at the bottom of the view tube completely disappear, even after you stare at it for several seconds, or you fill the view tube.
10. Multiply your result by 2.

When we know this, you should do a "no drain water exchange," read section 3.5. When we know your CYA level, we will know how much to exchange:

Draining - Further Reading​

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Dreamweaver2023]

Poolstored,
Thats one other question I have about the kit I purchased, the empty bottle with the red cap that i cut the tip back, has NO indicator lines embossed on the side, I filled the bottle with ~7.5 ml of water, made a mark with a black marker then added another ~7.5 ml and made a second mark. Not very precise.

Question about the black dot also, add till the black dot disappears or until the entire dot(cant see the white dot) disappears.
Will do the test you suggested, waiting till just the black dot disappears.

Thx for the help.

 

[mknauss]

I have about the kit I purchased, the empty bottle with the red cap that i cut the tip back, has NO indicator lines embossed on the side,

Sorry that happened. Email [email protected]. They will send you a replacement.

Use your graduated cylinder and put 10 ml of pool water and 10 ml of tap water in it. Mix it up. Pour out to get to 10 ml. Then add 10 ml of R0013. Use that in the bottle for your extended CYA test.
Once you have your solution ready, back to the sun, etc. Fill the vial to a line, say 80, lower the vial to your waist level and glance for the dot, you see it, add solution to the 70 line, glance, see it, repeat until you no longer see it with a glance. Then use the CYA value one step above the line you read. So if you stopped at 50, use 60 ppm CYA.

The vial is in logarithmic scale. So it is not viable to interpolate between the lines. Just use the whole numbers, such as 50, 40, 30, ....

Double your result as you did the extended test.

 

[pjt]

NO indicator lines embossed on the side

Does the bottle have a label?

 

[Dreamweaver2023]

Ok, lol.
Did the diluted test: 30x2=60
Did full strength test: 50
Redid diluted test: 20x2=40. (filled the complete tube)

No clue what changed from earlier, maybe operator error.

When yall say black dot disappears...gray still counts as the black dot, right? I go past the light gray till zero color on the white sticker.

 

[mknauss]

It can be somewhat subjective. I find using the glance method, I am just seeing that the dot is gone. I would not say the color is completely gone. But by rounding up, you will be close.
Use 60 ppm for now.

 

[cdadams1223]

Ok, lol.
Did the diluted test: 30x2=60
Did full strength test: 50
Redid diluted test: 20x2=40. (filled the complete tube)

No clue what changed from earlier, maybe operator error.

When yall say black dot disappears...gray still counts as the black dot, right? I go past the light gray till zero color on the white sticker.

Sounds like you dodged a bullet! Glad your CYA is within range.

Now on to your FC, pH, and TA. as @PoolStored mentioned above, get some LC in your pool. With a CYA of 60, your FC target range is 7-9ppm and the bare minimum is 5ppm. Ditch the tablets and buy either 10% or 12.5% LC and use the "Effects of Adding" on PoolMath to determine how much LC to add to get to 7-9ppm.

You can lower your pH with muriatic acid down to 7.2 which will allow your TA to fall slowly over time. Don't worry about always keeping it at 7.xx. When it hits 8 or more just knock it back down with MA.

 

[Gardenmom]

I keep tablets for vacations. Keeping an eye on CYA. Prior to finding TFP, and a good test kit, I was dumping tabs in all the time, still had algae. Once tested properly, my CYA was way up to 151 at one point. Of course, I was PoolStored! Thanks to all for helping me become a Pool Maintenance Matron! BTW, I use the glance away method also, otherwise I over focus and always see the dot!