First Time Using TF-Pro Salt - Some Grey Matter in Pool

[Newdude]

Is your cover solid or a mesh ?

I closed with a mesh cover at SLAM level and when I drained after alot of rain, I took samples at the top and 2 ft down. It was 0 and 6 IIRC.

A couole months later when it was time to drain again I used electrical pvc to take a bottom sample too and the FCs were 0 / 3 / 13. (Or something like that) I also tested the salt which had a similar variance with little up top and 3k down below. I got the bright idea to mix it and I tossed the drain hose onto the cover after I had drained enough. I ran the pump 20 minutes each on the left, right and center of the cover.

Mixing the pool with the submersible is part of my process now anytime I drain in the off season. I put the pump in a 5 gallon bucket per the @PoolStored hack to help protect the liner and dropped it to the bottom.

Draining will always be from the top now hopefully saving some chemicals down below.

 

[bbdude]

Closing an In Ground Pool

Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks ... totally forgot this is out there. Seems like I'll generally keep PH, TA and CH where they are ... maybe make sure PH is between 7.4 and 7.6. Interesting the pool company did not bring the pool to SLAM level before closing it. I'll have to read up a little more on PolyQuat.

Is your cover solid or a mesh ?

I closed with a mesh cover at SLAM level and when I drained after alot of rain, I took samples at the top and 2 ft down. It was 0 and 6 IIRC.

A couole months later when it was time to drain again I used electrical pvc to take a bottom sample too and the FCs were 0 / 3 / 13. (Or something like that) I also tested the salt which had a similar variance with little up top and 3k down below. I got the bright idea to mix it and I tossed the drain hose onto the cover after I had drained enough. I ran the pump 20 minutes each on the left, right and center of the cover.

Mixing the pool with the submersible is part of my process now anytime I drain in the off season. I put the pump in a 5 gallon bucket per the @PoolStored hack to help protect the liner and dropped it to the bottom.

Draining will always be from the top now hopefully saving some chemicals down below.

It's mesh. Pool Company will do the draining, but interesting you check chlorine level all winter? Is that what you're saying?

I did ask Pool Company to open me a month earlier (mid April) instead of early May so I can get a jump on chemicals/algae.

 

[wireform]

I wouldn't bother with it in winter except for the January thaw to drain off some and that's it. In March you do the chlorine testing and keep it on the hot side till you open and you will have clear water.

 

[Newdude]

It's mesh. Pool Company will do the draining,

It'll start filling back up immediately. We get about 3 ft of off-season rain and melted snow and I start a foot low, then drain another foot at roughly the 1/3 and 2/3 point in the winter. With a mesh cover, you're draining below it. With a solid cover, you're draining the top. Either way...... there's occasional draining to be done.

If we're getting a big freeze, I try and do it just before but your big freeze is much longer than mine. Lol.

Anywho, it took next to no effort to toss the drain hose on the cover and move it twice. I was home that day anyway, which is why I chose it to drain. While the 0 FC rain water on top won't matter when it's near freezing, it can hurt to stir it up in case there's any warm spells. One year there were 70 degree days in February with many other warm weeks throughout and I opened to a swamp that year.

 

[bbdude]

With a mesh cover, you're draining below it. With a solid cover, you're draining the top. Either way...... there's occasional draining to be done.

Thanks! Last year when the pool company opened my water was at the tiles. I was pretty surprised. I guess it's because I'm not draining mid-season. I guess pool company should really do this or drain lower at closing?

 

[Newdude]

I guess pool company should really do this or drain lower at closing?

You will get more fill than they drain. It was getting out somewhere, likely under the patio, possibly undermining it.

 

[bbdude]

Hey guys - I'm somewhat bewildered by my pH. I'm adding MA almost on a weekly basis to knock it down. It almost always goes back up to 7.8 or 8.2 on a weekly basis. TA is 70. Maybe I'm just not adding enough MA?

Today's readings:
FC - 3.5
TA - 70
CYA - 70
pH - 8.2
CH - 400
Salt - 3400
CSI - 0.33

 

[wireform]

Your FC is short for the CYA of 70. Target is 5-10 and best to have it to the hot/higher limit.

 

[bbdude]

Your FC is short for the CYA of 70. Target is 5-10 and best to have it to the hot/higher limit.

Agreed. It was cold last week and my FC was 10 and growing so I bumped it down .. then it got hot and I had 15+ kids over and it dropped haha.

 

[Newdude]

I'm adding MA almost on a weekly basis to knock it down. It almost always goes back up to 7.8 or 8.2 on a weekly basis.

7.8 is great and it'll likely stay there longer if that's your target, than if you dose lower. Think of a swing. With a gentle push it comes back gentle. Give it a rip and it's coming back with a vengeance and prolly slapping you upside your face.

Dose from 8 or 8.2 to 7.8.

Plus weekly adds aren't unusual.

Plus Plus. Your pool might be still finishing the end of curing.

 

[bbdude]

Dose from 8 or 8.2 to 7.8.

Thanks for this guidance. I've def been adding what PoolMath says, which drops pH to 7.2 pretty rapidly but then it bounces right back. I'll try half the amount, wait 2 days, test, add the other half.

 

[Newdude]

I'll try half the amount

Try 1/4, or whatever keeps you in the high 7s. Sometimes you'll overshoot a little to 7.6 and that's fine too.

Mine has no ill affects at 8 and wants to sit there something fierce, so i gave up fighting it a long time ago. If I see it at 8.2 I'll reset it to 7.8, but it's once a year or even every other year.

For a large party I lowered it just because, in case the higher PH bothered anyone else's eyes. It's never bothered us.

 

[bbdude]

Thanks all! pH seems to be staying lower due to slower, but more frequent, MA additions. I'm closing this Monday ... a few questions:

The CYA test w/ TFP-Pro kit isn't super exact so although I noted my CYA as 70 it could also be 80 or 60. I used my best judgement. I noticed these small differences drive different SLAM levels. Should I be conservative and ensure my SLAM is more aligned with 80 or just do what it recommends for 70? If 70, SLAM level is 28.

Using Pool Math, assuming Liquid Chlorine is configured as 'Bleach' with Bleach Percentage of '10%', each gallon of liquid chlorine raises FC by 3.6. With my FC currently at 5 ... I'd need to add 6 to 7 gallons of liquid chlorine. Is this right?

Pool company closes the pool so any downside having them add the 6-7 gallons at closing? Asking because the closing instructions say to hit SLAM 2-3 days before closing in the event FC doesn't hold.

This warm spell this week has thrown me for a loop. Pool is 80 and kids still swimming haha and will keep swimming thru Friday.

 

[duraleigh]

The accuracy of the CYA test is around 10 ppm plus or minus. So use 70 and do not worry.......it's close enough

 

[bbdude]

Called the pool company closing my pool. They said they would add 2 gallons of liquid chlorine at closing and then I need to add a gallon a month until it freezes. Seems everyone here agrees this would not be ideal.

So I'm going to add 6 gallons of liquid chlorine Saturday. Make sure holds FC of 28 overnight. They will close the pool Monday and I'll just instruct them to not add more chlorine, but leave me the bottles they planned to add

Question: One I add the 6 gallons should I turn my SWG % down to something like 10? Right now it's around 25-30% and holding FC of 8.

 

[Newdude]

Instead of trying to match the low daily loss Sunday/Monday before close with the SWG, it's probably just easier to shut the SWG off and test/add LC as late in the game as possible, either Sunday night or Monday morning.

The SWG needs to be off for the OCLT anyway. Leave it off an go manual for 2 days. If anything you'll see how the other half lives and love that Lil wonder even more.

 

[bbdude]

Instead of trying to match the low daily loss Sunday/Monday before close with the SWG, it's probably just easier to shut the SWG off and test/add LC as late in the game as possible, either Sunday night or Monday morning.

The SWG needs to be off for the OCLT anyway. Leave it off an go manual for 2 days. If anything you'll see how the other half lives and love that Lil wonder even more.

Thanks ... this is what I figured. Are you suggesting I add LC on Sunday Night to get to SLAM instead of doing it Saturday? I guess the closer to close the better?

 

[Newdude]

Always the closer the better. You can OCLT at any in range FC (I prefer 10 but 6 works too). So just OCLT and then SLAM as close to close as possible so you don't have 2+ days of higher FC loss from the elevated 28.

 

[bbdude]

Always the closer the better. You can OCLT at any in range FC (I prefer 10 but 6 works too). So just OCLT and then SLAM as close to close as possible so you don't have 2+ days of higher FC loss from the elevated 28.

I'm up to FC 8 now since I was bumping up FC to get into the right range for my CYA. I'm guessing I can just turn off the SWG Friday night and test ... then test FC Saturday morning. Should see FC within 1 between the two tests. If it passes, I'll turn SWG back on. SLAM Sunday PM. Close Monday?

Thank you for all your help to date!

 

[Newdude]

If it passes, I'll turn SWG back on. SLAM Sunday PM. Close Monday?

Yup. That works.