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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

PoolStored
You have low CYA. I have no idea what cell you have or output capacity or pump runtime. It is highly unlikely, even if you run a 2x cell size your pool volume you will not exceed SLAM level FC running for 24 hours at 80%.
Chorine is king. Creating chlorine will stave off any algae growth you have.
I chose 80%, because running at 100% is one of the quickest ways to kill a cell.
For OCLT you need at least 3 FC.
You are at 2.5. with CYA of *mabye* 20.
Slam level fc with cya of 20 is 8.
Likely your cell at 80% *might* increase your FC from 2.5 to 8 maybe not.
Fill out your signature, and post your pump runtimes.
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

P
PoolStored said:
Pool Essentials Liquid Chorine from Walmart.

Sure, you can up the SWG % tomorrow. Are you running 24/7? If so, set it to 80% output.

Still need your signature to know your cell and output% and pump runtime to help you. Fill out your signature.
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Why so high if you don’t mind me asking? Won’t the FC shoot really high at 80%. What is normal run %?

I’ll fill out that signature now
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

P
Newdude said:
Walmart is probably your best bet up north. There will be a # stamped on the bottle like milk. 25 (2025) 023 (made on the 23rd day of 2025) and then other #s we don't care about.

View attachment 642000

Do simple math in the aisle with 30 day months. 25 100 is 3 full months plus 10 days, so April 10th, 2025.


You want 3 months or less old, the fresher the better. Dig in the back of the shelf, also like milk.
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Makes sense. I’ll get a couple gallons.
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

PoolStored
Pas_pool said:
What liquid chlorine do you recommend when I have more time to get it?
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Pool Essentials Liquid Chorine from Walmart.
Pas_pool said:
Also, instead of liquid chlorine, can’t I just up the percentage on my SWG. I lowered it a couple days ago to 20% from 40% after analyzing a test strip. Should I put it back to 40% tomorrow when I turn my SWG back on from adding the salt tonight?
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Sure, you can up the SWG % tomorrow. Are you running 24/7? If so, set it to 80% output.

Still need your signature to know your cell and output% and pump runtime to help you. Fill out your signature.
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Hayward Heater Small Leak and Won't Fire

dailygenesis
I wasn't able to get around to trying to diagnose this myself. But I had a guy from a pool company I like out (my original pool builder has not been good to work with in support) and he showed me where there is a lot of corrosion around the heat exchanger and water leaking out from there. So, it seems that it's going to need a replacement.

This new company I'm working with is a Pentair shop and so they are recommending the Pentair 460736 400K Ng Mastertemp Heater. They also said I could go with the 250K unit, but I'm inclined to spend the extra money for the faster heating. We use our pool heater a lot for the spa and to heat the pool and extend the season, so I want something that is going to work and work well.

Any thoughts on this recommendation? Any considerations I should keep in mind with this Pentair unit? Any issues I will potentially have working the Hayward controller and Pentair heater together?

Also, I am planning to have them plumb in a heater bypass when they do the work. Someone on this forum recommended that a while back. Is that a good idea?

@ajw22
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

Newdude
Walmart is probably your best bet up north. There will be a # stamped on the bottle like milk. 25 (2025) 023 (made on the 23rd day of 2025) and then other #s we don't care about.

Screenshot_20250430_213523_Gallery.jpg

Do simple math in the aisle with 30 day months. 25 100 is 3 full months plus 10 days, so April 10th, 2025.


You want 3 months or less old, the fresher the better. Dig in the back of the shelf, also like milk.
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Screenshot_20250430_213523_Gallery.jpg

Newdude
Screenshot_20250430_213523_Gallery.jpg

New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

P
PoolStored said:
You have, at least, proven the reliability of the test. Good Job!

You will get there and the angst and time will greatly reduce. In 6 mos., you will say pffft, testing? Easy.
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Also, instead of liquid chlorine, can’t I just up the percentage on my SWG. I lowered it a couple days ago to 20% from 40% after analyzing a test strip. Should I put it back to 40% tomorrow when I turn my SWG back on from adding the salt tonight?
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Opened pool, tested CYA with it possibly being under 30

Newdude
summertimesadness said:
What is the recommendation for the CYA so I can get started for SLAM.
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To mix it for 24 hours before you trust it. It takes the same time to re-disperse as it does to disperse the first time. :)

Then if its under 30, make a judgements call if you should add 10 / 15 / 20 because you likely have some, its just a question of how much.

Welcome back. :wave:
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White Cloudy Pool

D
Newdude said:
Yes to both questions. If you can see the bottom for swimmers safety, you can swim at slam and its less harsh than tap water with 0 CYA and 1 FC. Tap water may have up to 4 FC. Think that through. Maybe don't take a shower. :ROFLMAO:

FC loss may be all over the place depending how much you brush up off the surface. Each pass of the brush removes another protective layer (biofolm) and there's more algae to be killed. It's why brush and vac are daily chores. Then there is the normal UV burnoff which spikes during the day too.

Anywho, when it seems better then gets worse, don't get discouraged. Progress is still progress, even if its 2 steps forward and one back.

I like to look at it as its going to take X gallons to fix. (Every slam is different). Whatever the value of X is, each gallon added brings you closer to X. Focus on that.
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I have been brushing down the pool and vacuuming these last 3 days and will continue. You guys are a great support group! Lol
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Sun ledge/baja shelf build

kimkats
Hi and welcome to TFP! What a scary time in your life as they work on building just what you want!

The one thing I want to ask about is the WATER depth of the shelf. Sit on the floor and think about where you want the water to hit you when you sit on the shelf. Not over your legs? Just over your legs? Over your hips? Up to your belly button? etc. No answer is wrong as it is what YOU and your family wants. Me? I love the water to be just over my belly button.
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White Cloudy Pool

D
proavia said:
With a CYA of 40 (35 gets rounded up to 40), your SLAM Process FC level is 16.
See the SLAM part of the FC/CYA Levels chart.

Each time you test, are you adding enough liquid chlorine to get up to SLAM level again?
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Thanks again. I see my problem as I was using 12 for my SLAM. Tomorrow morning I'll set my target to 16 and see how much more to put in. Thank You!
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Aiper Scuba S1 First Impressions

sirhicksalot
Hello all,

I'm still a relatively new pool owner, just have about 2 months under my belt so I'm still getting my bearings in some areas. Pool chemicals are balanced and stable though, and that's what matters. Anyway, I got tired of manually vacuuming the pool, and having the cartridge get clogged up often because of it. It was getting to the point that as I was vacuuming I could see debris coming out of the returns. Just frustrating. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or my cartridge isn't functioning properly. Or maybe that's just par for the course with vacuuming directly into the pump.

Enter the Scuba S1. After a lot of research, and mostly decent reviews of the product here I decided to pull the trigger. It arrived today, and the box was honestly pretty beat up. I was surprised because it came FedEx, and I ordered it directly from Aiper. Interior packaging was solid though, and the unit was unharmed. After a quick charge to full I threw it into the pool on auto mode. We all watched it work on the walls for a minute, and it appeared to be doing a fine job. It came up and scrubbed the tile line for probably 5 seconds before heading back down. Then we wanted to see it work the floor so I put it on floor only mode, and it instantly started picking up debris. The pool wasn't terribly dirty, I just vacuumed it this past weekend, but after running for about 2 hours I fished it out because it was getting dark and I was curious. It was showing a yellow light, so it used most of the battery. I was honestly pretty surprised at how much it picked up, especially all the sand you can see in the bottom left of the basket. I'll be picking up the ultra fine cloth filter when it gets released for this model, but I am very pleased with the first run, and more pleased that I'll be able to swim without cleaning the pool when the weekend comes around.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to drop it in on the eco mode, which is supposed to clean for 45 minutes every 48 hours and we'll see how well it maintains the pool. This weekend I'll send it on a walls mission when I have time to watch how it progresses.
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

P
Pas_pool said:
Missed that part. I was trying to figure out why yesterday’s reading was 4 and today’s was 2. I don’t have any liquid chlorine yet. I’ll have to go out and buy some tomorrow. I’m going to go out and test again now. Maybe it was just a bad reading. Still learning how to test with this kit.
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Just tried again and it was 2.5 for FC. So I’ll have to stop and get some liquid chlorine to add tomorrow and do the overnight test tomorrow night
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New pool owner trying to understand test strip reading

P
PoolStored said:
Dude, you didn't print out or read the OCLT instructions. Really need FC to be greater than 3ppm.

Do you have liquid chlorine? Then follow this from the OCLT instructions:

If your FC is less than 3 ppm, add enough liquid chlorine to achieve 3 ppm FC, wait 30 minutes, then retest with the FAS-DPD test.

It really does help, for new members to print out test instructions, OCLT, SLAM and keep them with you when doing the first time.
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Missed that part. I was trying to figure out why yesterday’s reading was 4 and today’s was 2. I don’t have any liquid chlorine yet. I’ll have to go out and buy some tomorrow. I’m going to go out and test again now. Maybe it was just a bad reading. Still learning how to test with this kit.
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