pH & TA
- Testing and Balancing Your Water
- 37 Replies
I'm guessing with what my ATO water readings are this will be a fight always.



Awesome. What kind of filter ? Does the Psi rise or stay constant ?27ft diameter 48" tall roughly 16000-17000gal round above ground.
Yes sir. I am reading them now. Going to print and put in my pool notebook that I have started from TFP for future references. Thank you so much for being so kind to help me.Subtract the last drop. I find that with new R-009, you typically have to wipe it once to remove static. I ended up just keeping the practice. Did you read the water testing errors article?
Did you get pool math? Effects of adding function can help you.
This time of the year with full sun in GA, you might be using 1-2 FC per day.
Your cell, set to 50% and 12 hours of runtime will make 2.1 FC. I'd probably start about there or maybe a bit higher (you can always lower it...saves you from FC getting low.
You can then play with output and runtime from there.
We don't recommend running a cell at 100% for long periods.
I just replied to another member, and I’m surprised to learn that I need to run the pump for such a long time to get my pool in good shape. I didn’t really know about this before.Did you get pool math? Effects of adding function can help you.
This time of the year with full sun in GA, you might be using 1-2 FC per day.
Your cell, set to 50% and 12 hours of runtime will make 2.1 FC. I'd probably start about there or maybe a bit higher (you can always lower it...saves you from FC getting low.
You can then play with output and runtime from there.
We don't recommend running a cell at 100% for long periods.
Subtract the last drop. I find that with new R-009, you typically have to wipe it once to remove static. I ended up just keeping the practice. Did you read the water testing errors article?Should I do that on all of them or just the R-009?
I appreciate your help, and others' too! But I’m a bit shocked to hear that I need to run the pump for 17 hours a day. I’ve always heard that 5-7 hours is enough—maybe that was for fresh water pools? I recently converted to a saltwater pool, so I’m not sure if that changes things.Pro,
An IC40 will make 1.4 lbs. of chlorine gas when run 24 hours at 100%.. This will increase your FC by 8.4 ppm. or .35 ppm per hour (Kind of why you need a 40K cell on a 20K pool..)
Most pools use 2 to 4 ppm per day in the summer. So, let's use 3 ppm per day.. We will need to add about 3 ppm of FC per day.. That means at 100% output you will need to run your pump about 8.5 hours.. And.. since no one wants to run at 100%, as you would have no room to adjust, let's run at 50%.. That means you would need to run about 17 hours a day.
If you are going to have to run 17 hours a day, why not run 24/7??? (Kind of why a VS pump is the only kind of pump to have with a SWCG..)
Pool math can help you figure all that out.
To start off with, set your SWCG output to 50% and then routinely test and determine if you need to go up or down..
It is best to not try to micromanage the cell.. It never hurts to have too much FC and it is a disaster to have too little FC.. So, you try to keep your FC at or above the recommend FC for your CYA level.
I am sure all this is kind of overwhelming.. But trust me.. After a week or so, it will all make sense. And, once you learn how it all works, you can cut back testing to once a week or less once you learn how your pool works.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Can't really have any with zero pool details and no signature.thought/opinions are welcome.
yes.Would my fill water with such a high TA be causing it and if so will this be a forever fight?
I do have an ATO. The fill water is a pH of 7.4 & TA of 210TA does not rise unless you add something to raise TA. Like baking soda or water that has high TA.
Do you have an autofill?
Test your input water for TA.
On the test, are you adding drops until the sample doesn't change color, and subtract the last drop?
Are you wiping the tip of the R-009 with a wet paper towel?
It may just come down to testing error...have a read:
Water Testing Errors - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
hi Jim, lots of stuff to learn from you guys. So my pool size is 15x30 ft, about 20k gallon. I just want to ask, let's say my actual salt level I measured is normal, what percentage should I setup for sanitizer output? Here is a picture of my pool and IC40.Pro,
Just want to make sure we are all on the same page...
The % of output is just how long the cell will be on in each cycle.. So, at 50%, the cell will be on for about 2.5 minutes and then off for 2.5 minutes.. The cell is just an on and off device.. it is either on or off... The cell is dumb as a rock.. It has no clue how much chlorine is in the water. It has no brain. You have to be the brain on how it works.. You have to measure the FC in the water, then decide if you need more or less.. If you need the SWCG to generate more chlorine, you will have to increase the output or run the pump longer.. If you need the SWCG to generate less chlorine, you will have to lower the SWCG's output.. or reduce your run time.
I can't see where running your pump for 5 hours, even if the cell is set to 100% is going to be long enough to generate the amount of chlorine your pool will need..
The amount of FC (Chlorine) you need in your pool has a direct relationship with the amount of CYA in the water..
See the saltwater section of this chart.. FC/CYA Levels
Please tell me the size of your pool in gallons.
When you put a lot of salt in your pool you should not even test it, for 24 hours...
Thanks,
Jim R.
I just did, thank you for suggestion. It will really help to understand what's going on right?Would you take a moment and fill out your signature? Would really help us...help you.
Create Your Signature - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
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thank you so much I downloaded and installed the app. will start logging the numbers.I would get a test kit and make sure that it includes a salt test. If we are going to work on chemistry next, you need a proper kit. Link-->Test Kits Compared
I'd get the TF-100 SALT or the TFPro SALT. The drop kits are much more accurate and less fussy than the digital testers. I have two of them sitting unused for a couple years. I'd return the digital.
Get pool math. Link-->PoolMath
Log in with the same TFP UN/Password.
Configure your pool, including the salt cell...it will know how much your cell makes.
You can then play with runtime and % output to see how much it produces in your pool. My guess right now in GA, you are using 2FC per day.
Some like them, I am on team thicc.I believe is way too thin.
Mine was nominal, $350 maybe ? Peanuts for a more durable liner holding all the water, IMO.They said it would be an upcharge for thicker liner.
Looploc traditionally has 20 and 28. Certain patterns are only available in one or the other.Is there a middle ground of thickness I can go without going 28 that would make sense?