Pool shock for saltwater pool, fiberglass

[reelkelly]

Hello,

First week taking care of my own chemicals and I used the HTH strips and it said I needed 2 pounds of shock. I bought the granular shock and only put in one pound, and good thing as it just settled on the bottom even after three rounds of brushing it around. Now my FAC /bromine is way high and said don’t get in the water. What gives? Obviously not using the granular again but how to level it out now? Have. Tf kit arriving today. Thank you

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
When your TF kit arrives, run a full set of tests, and post the results here.

Throw away the test strips.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kelly,

You have a saltwater pool... A well run saltwater pool never needs to be shocked.

Once your test kit gets there, let us know what your valid test results look like, and we can get you pointed in the right direction.

What size salt cell do you have?

What size pool do you have in gallons?

How long do you run your pump each day?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[reelkelly]

Welcome to the forum.
When your TF kit arrives, run a full set of tests, and post the results here.

Throw away the test strips.

This test kit seems a bit overwhelming at first, but ran the daily Ph and chlorine. See pic. Is this ok to get into the water?

 

[reelkelly]

Kelly,

You have a saltwater pool... A well run saltwater pool never needs to be shocked.

Once your test kit gets there, let us know what your valid test results look like, and we can get you pointed in the right direction.

What size salt cell do you have?

What size pool do you have in gallons?

How long do you run your pump each day?

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hello Jim, pool is 30 X 15.5 and says to calculate to 14700 gallons. Pump is run 12 hours a day and salt cell is a Pentair IC15

 

[mknauss]

Need to know the CYA level. But you have some FC and the pH is OK but on the high side.

Here are some resources to go through the tests.
TF-100's YouTube Channel

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[reelkelly]

Need to know the CYA level. But you have some FC and the pH is OK but on the high side.

Here are some resources to go through the tests.
TF-100's YouTube Channel

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

Hello,
I broke down and went to Lesley’s for test today. Attached are their findings. What do you recommend and what are good, cost effective products to buy and from where? Amazon? Thank you so much for your guidance!!

 

[mknauss]

Please post test results using your own test kit.
We do not provide guidance based on pool store testing.

 

[newdude]

I broke down and went to Lesley’s for test today

Get back up on your horse. It's not about getting knocked down. It's about how many times you get up.

The poolstore reports a different kind of TA. Their CYA test is terrible. You inadvertently bounced the sample with every imperfection in the road on the way there and the PH is different when you get there.

Use your kit.

 

[reggiehammond]

This test kit seems a bit overwhelming at first, but ran the daily Ph and chlorine. See pic. Is this ok to get into the water?

Did you purchase a Taylor speedstir or smartstir? Available on amazon and makes testing so easy. You add the amount of water to the test vial per the instructions, add the stirring pill, then add the drops as prescribed. The stirring device does everything else for you. It's a must have.

With the stirring device, you'll get it down very easily. The pH test is best in good light with a white background. The OTO chlorine test is useless, only use the FAS-DPD test in the kit.

Pool store testing exists to get people to buy stuff. It's not too be used for pool care the TFP way.

 

[reelkelly]

Did you purchase a Taylor speedstir or smartstir? Available on amazon and makes testing so easy. You add the amount of water to the test vial per the instructions, add the stirring pill, then add the drops as prescribed. The stirring device does everything else for you. It's a must have.

With the stirring device, you'll get it down very easily. The pH test is best in good light with a white background. The OTO chlorine test is useless, only use the FAS-DPD test in the kit.

Pool store testing exists to get people to buy stuff. It's not too be used for pool care the TFP way.

Hello, yes, I got all the bells and whistles. Got a ph digital meter and salt test strips for some Reason. Lol. The stir thing looks great but what does the test tell? I saw the YouTube video and I am wondering why I would add so many drops? What color am I trying to achieve? I will read up on it more but I am missing what putting all the drops in will tell me. Is it a color thing?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kelly,

I can't even spell Khemistry, so I understand where you are coming from...

But, if I can do the tests, there is no doubt in my mind, that you can do the tests.

Let's just try them one at a time.. Once you learn one, you can easily move on to the next one..

I suggest that you start with the accurate FC tests using the R-0870 powder, the R-0871 drops and the speed stir...

1. Just add 10 ml of pool water to the Chlorine Test Tube
2. Put the tube on the speed stir
3. Using the supplied blue "spoon" add a heaping scoop of the 870 powder to the tube
4. Drop in the stir pill or X
5. Turn on the speed stir (I like to have the light on)
6. The water in the tube will turn pink..
7. Add drops of 871, one at a time. Count the drops. You are looking for the pink to change to clear.
8. Each drop is .5 ppm, so if it takes you 10 drops to change the color from Pink to Clear, then you have an FC of 5 ppm. 20 drops would be an FC of 10, etc.

Try just that one test and report back if you have any issues getting the test to work.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[reelkelly]

Please post test results using your own test kit.
We do not provide guidance based on pool store testing.

Ok, so I did the rest per the laminated instructions. I have the following: chlorine drop test-FC is 7 ppm and TC is 1.5

Alkalinity is 120 TA

Cya is over the max 30. I attached a pic of the tube. All the way up and still see the dot.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[mknauss]

Great. So your CYA is below 30. Add 10 ppm worth of stabilizer using the sock method.

The CC of 1.5 ppm is concerning. Monitor that. Should be less than 1.

FC is fine. Follow FC/CYA Levels using a CYA of 30.

Maintain pH in the 7's.

 

[reelkelly]

Great. So your CYA is below 30. Add 10 ppm worth of stabilizer using the sock method.

The CC of 1.5 ppm is concerning. Monitor that. Should be less than 1.

FC is fine. Follow FC/CYA Levels using a CYA of 30.

Maintain pH in the 7's.

Hello, thank you. So my ph reader I bought with the kit says 8.1. Anything I can do to lower or just let it happen on its own. Sock method???? So I want the spot on the bottom of the tube to be seen when filled all the way up? I’ll get it, but super confusing at this time. Best,

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kelly,

Things are looking up...

An FC of 7 is fine for now and I suspect your CC (not TC) reading is due to new user error..

After you run the FC test, you need to immediately run the CC test. This is because if you let the FC sample sit around for a while it will turn pink again.

I would not worry about the high CC test for now.. Over the next few days you should run your FC test again a few times and see if future CC readings remain high or if they start to read closer to zero..

I agree with Marty that you need to get your CYA (stabilizer) up. A little at a time.

One day and you are already a "pro"..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[reelkelly]

Kelly,

Things are looking up...

An FC of 7 is fine for now and I suspect your CC (not TC) reading is due to new user error..

After you run the FC test, you need to immediately run the CC test. This is because if you let the FC sample sit around for a while it will turn pink again.

I would not worry about the high CC test for now.. Over the next few days you should run your FC test again a few times and see if future CC readings remain high or if they start to read closer to zero..

I agree with Marty that you need to get your CYA (stabilizer) up. A little at a time.

One day and you are already a "pro"..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thank you! What is this sock method and how much and what kind of stabilizer do I buy? And where? Lol

 

[reggiehammond]

Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer) granules can be picked up at a pool store, Amazon, etc. I buy this brand from Amazon.

Sock method is simply to keep the granules contained in something (sock, pantyhose, fine mesh, etc) to allow for it to take on moisture and dissolve. It can stain, so it can't just be tossed into the pool. If put into the skimmer, it gets sucked into the filter and takes a week or so to dissolve.

Here's a recent thread where the user used his net. I myself use skimmer socks from Amazon tied onto the end of my brush pole.

Improved CYA sock method

My thumb fingers first wrote "sick method" Anyway. I have an extremely fine hand skimmer. The mesh is setup to collect tiny bugs or other fine particles from the surface. I've been using this instead of a sock for a while, hanging out in front of my waterfall. New idea: I have the old Polaris...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[reelkelly]

Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer) granules can be picked up at a pool store, Amazon, etc. I buy this brand from Amazon.

Sock method is simply to keep the granules contained in something (sock, pantyhose, fine mesh, etc) to allow for it to take on moisture and dissolve. It can stain, so it can't just be tossed into the pool. If put into the skimmer, it gets sucked into the filter and takes a week or so to dissolve.

Here's a recent thread where the user used his net. I myself use skimmer socks from Amazon tied onto the end of my brush pole.

Improved CYA sock method

My thumb fingers first wrote "sick method" Anyway. I have an extremely fine hand skimmer. The mesh is setup to collect tiny bugs or other fine particles from the surface. I've been using this instead of a sock for a while, hanging out in front of my waterfall. New idea: I have the old Polaris...

www.troublefreepool.com

Something like this? It’s at Lowe’s

 

[reggiehammond]

Yep - same stuff.