Question about order of importance on test results

[Fathead657]

I dont have any results yet as I will be opening my pool from its first winter this weekend.

I assume it will be out of balance and chlorine will be at zero.

I remember reading somewhere last year about the top two readings to focus on. I thought it was ph and cya but ive been wrong hundreds of times before.

Can anyone help me with that so I can hit it hard out of the gate?

 

[kimkats]

FC
pH
TA
CYA
CH

FC first because it kills the bad stuff

pH & TA together as they work together and low/high pH can mess up the pool surface

CYA as you need to know how much you have to know how much FC to add

CH last as it is not that big a deal most of the time.

 

[Fathead657]

FC
pH
TA
CYA
CH

FC first because it kills the bad stuff

pH & TA together as they work together and low/high pH can mess up the pool surface

CYA as you need to know how much you have to know how much FC to add

CH last as it is not that big a deal most of the time.

Thank you very much for the quick response. Im going to hit the ground running this weekend. it may be into a brick wall but I guarantee it will be at full speed lol

 

[ajw22]

FC
pH
TA
CYA
CH

FC first because it kills the bad stuff

pH & TA together as they work together and low/high pH can mess up the pool surface

CYA as you need to know how much you have to know how much FC to add

CH last as it is not that big a deal most of the time.

I put TA at the bottom of the list.

TA can manage itself as you keep the pH in the 7s. Short term nothing bad happens with high TA.

CYA is vital to being able to maintain an adequate FC level. You need to get the CYA in the water.

FC, pH, and CYA are the important chemicals on opening the pool.

Once everything is running you can tinker with CH and TA.

 

[Fathead657]

I put TA at the bottom of the list.

TA can manage itself as you keep the pH in the 7s. Short term nothing bad happens with high TA.

CYA is vital to being able to maintain an adequate FC level. You need to get the CYA in the water.

FC, pH, and CYA are the important chemicals on opening the pool.

Once everything is running you can tinker with CH and TA.

thank you as well ajw

 

[kimkats]

@ajw22 is righter than I am LOL Follow his lead!

 

[Griswald]

CYA number 1 because it sets the FC level needed.
FC next
pH after that.

All the rest are secondary.

 

[Newdude]

Make sure you mix for a full day before believing the CYA and CH tests. (Amd salt when applicable)

FC, TA and PH should be mixed well after 20 to 30 mins.

Add 5ppm FC the first day just to have some in there. It'll likely go quick with little/no CYA.

 

[Fathead657]

Make sure you mix for a full day before believing the CYA and CH tests. (Amd salt when applicable)

FC, TA and PH should be mixed well after 20 to 30 mins.

Add 5ppm FC the first day just to have some in there. It'll likely go quick with little/no CYA.

I made a quick check of water as it sits this morning before pumps got running it wasnt too bad actually for being shut 6 months

FC .5
CYA 10
ph 7.2
ta 80
ch 200 well water no getting away from it

 

[key1cc]

How did you get a cya reading of 10? 30 is the lowest my kit can detect.

 

[Fathead657]

How did you get a cya reading of 10? 30 is the lowest my kit can detect.

lol it was more of a guess because i filled tube all the way up and it was barely visible. so it could be zero. either way i will add 5 pounds of stabilizer tomorrow when pumps get running

 

[proavia]

Just let the pump run for an hour or two before taking a water sample.
Do all the tests at once so you have a baseline. It only takes a few minutes to complete all the tests anyway.

If you have zero FC and CYA, test for ammonia.

 

[Fathead657]

Just let the pump run for an hour or two before taking a water sample.
Do all the tests at once so you have a baseline. It only takes a few minutes to complete all the tests anyway.

If you have zero FC and CYA, test for ammonia.

i will have to research the ammonia test. never heard of it

 

[Newdude]

i will have to research the ammonia test

Ammonia - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Towards the bottom of any forum page is the TFP Wiki link. If you have a thought, such as 'I wonder about ammonia' or 'sand filters' or 'how does my TA/PH interact'.....

There's probably 3 topics about it, alphabetized for easy finding.

Come ask if there are still any blanks after.

 

[Fathead657]

Ammonia - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Towards the bottom of any forum page is the TFP Wiki link. If you have a thought, such as 'I wonder about ammonia' or 'sand filters' or 'how does my TA/PH interact'.....

There's probably 3 topics about it, alphabetized for easy finding.

Come ask if there are still any blanks after.

thank you. its part of my ocd i must know why everything does what it does

 

[Newdude]

its part of my ocd i must know why everything does what it does

There there. You're amongst your people here.

We like to call ourselves 'enthusiasts'.

 

[Fathead657]

There there. You're amongst your people here.

We like to call ourselves 'enthusiasts'.

I like enthusiasts better.

My enthusiasm make want to know why every does what it does

 

[Newdude]

My enthusiasm make want to know why every does what it does

See ???? Much, much better. OCD isn't alphabetical and being disorganized causes its own stress just by mentioning it.

 

[Fathead657]

See ???? Much, much better. OCD isn't alphabetical and being disorganized causes its own stress just by mentioning it.

Never thought of that lmao

 

[Fathead657]

Lol

Also wife was looking on test instructions and there is a weird thing she found. The test for hardness on website says use 25ml water and 20 drops but paper with test kit says 10ml with 10 drops. Which is correct?