Oh My Gosh, There Has to be a Better Way.......

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I think it beat me lol!

I am soaked to the bone, it's a monsoon outside today. I tried to stick out it. I did the sock (still in there), I put some more MA in. It's was a steady drizzle during this process. I then started to vacuum, and the rain picked up...now it's a crazy....i'm soaked, and I have mud up to my knees lol. My landscaping isn't down yet, so every time I walk to the filter I am walking through mud.

I am throwing in the towel for today.

I may grab a 2" pump from work tomorrow and just drain her. I thought I could beat this, but I cannot commit the time during the work week.



My wife is concerned about emptying the pool and getting into it and scrubbing it clean with no water in it to support the walls. How else would I drain the pool and clean the bottom/walls? :confused:
 
****UPDATE 7-29-2018******

Pool was vacuumed to waste, scrubbed and drained down to about 1 foot.

Pool is filled about 75% of the way back up and about to hit my skimmer/filter. Water is still green in color.

Used my new TF-100 test kit.
Chlorine 0
PH 7.2
TA 90
CYA 0

Suggestions for first step:....?

While the pool fills the rest of the way can I add ---- 1lb bags of Sunguard Super Cal-Shock. Calcium Hypochlorite 73% - Min available Chlorine 70%. (i do have a pump with the filter bypassed running in the pool to circulate the water)


Thanks
 
MdMcoupe,

I would find all the White papers mknauss posted to you and follow his directions closely. His recommendations have worked for me. Great that you have the TF-100 test kit and hopefully the speed stirrer! If you are willing to read and digest and follow closely the TFP method you are all set and you will not be sorry.

My first experience with our pool was that it was black with not being opened for three years. There were times I was changing my filter every 15minutes and I went through 15, 20 pound boxes of DE over a two weeks. This was before I participated in this forum and only had the advice of people at the pool store. It took three weeks before I could see the bottom of the pool. Don’t give up. Follow the directions of mknauss closely as he is one of the TFP experts.

Good luck! As soon as you can post the water chemistry results like this:

FC (free chlorine)
CC (combined chlorine)
TA (total alkalinity)
CH (calcium hardness)
pH (how acidic or basic is your pool)
CYA. (Stabilizer for chlorine— very important to not have too much or too little)
 
HiddenRiver said:
MdMcoupe,

I would find all the White papers mknauss posted to you and follow his directions closely. His recommendations have worked for me. Great that you have the TF-100 test kit and hopefully the speed stirrer! If you are willing to read and digest and follow closely the TFP method you are all set and you will not be sorry.

My first experience with our pool was that it was black with not being opened for three years. There were times I was changing my filter every 15minutes and I went through 15, 20 pound boxes of DE over a two weeks. This was before I participated in this forum and only had the advice of people at the pool store. It took three weeks before I could see the bottom of the pool. Don’t give up. Follow the directions of mknauss closely as he is one of the TFP experts.

Good luck! As soon as you can post the water chemistry results like this:

FC (free chlorine)
CC (combined chlorine)
TA (total alkalinity)
CH (calcium hardness)
pH (how acidic or basic is your pool)
CYA. (Stabilizer for chlorine— very important to not have too much or too little)
Click to expand...



Thanks HiddenRiver:

FC --- 0
CC --- 0
TA --- 90
CH ---
pH --- 7.2
CYA. --- 0

I am reading through various posts now, I am 100% willing to follow directions. I plug results into poolmath, just don't understand which chemical carries the priority at this crucial stage.


So after some reading, and watching SLAM videos:
Get my PH to 7.5
Get my CYA to 30-60 ppm (i have 4lbs of powder stabilizer to use for this)

I used Poolmath: and to go from 7.2 to 7.5 add 17oz of soda ash. I did this and will test in 2 hours. If it's good I will go to my CYA.

Thanks
 
Great on getting some water exchanged.

Did not need the soda ash. Best to not use that product at all unless you have severely low pH. But it is in the water now. Start adding CYA now. 30 ppm worth. Add Chlorine now. Test pH and TA now. Use acid to lower pH to 7.2. No reason to wait on any of these.

Be sure you space out by a few minutes any acid and chlorine additions. Pump running continuously.

- - - Updated - - -

Please also fill out a signature. See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post
 
mknauss said:
Great on getting some water exchanged.

Did not need the soda ash. Best to not use that product at all unless you have severely low pH. But it is in the water now. Start adding CYA now. 30 ppm worth. Add Chlorine now. Test pH and TA now. Use acid to lower pH to 7.2. No reason to wait on any of these.

Be sure you space out by a few minutes any acid and chlorine additions. Pump running continuously.

- - - Updated - - -

Please also fill out a signature. See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post
Click to expand...


Marty, thank you sir. I will begin adding powder CYA not to bring it up to 30 ppm. I will then wait ~30 minutes to add bleach. I just came back from Aldi's and bought some 6% bleach (3 gallons)......is bleach ok to use?

And it's ok to start adding them both.....as long as I wait 10 minutes or so between CYA and Chlorine/bleach?

Again Thanks!
 
Add the CYA using the sock method. It will take most of the day to dissolve if you squeeze the sock every once in a while.

No need to wait once you start dissolving the CYA powder. Start adding the other items.

- - - Updated - - -

Only should wait a few minutes between muriatic acid and chlorine. Bleach is liquid chlorine. Just different concentrations.

You are going to need A LOT more bleach/LC than 3 gallons of 6%.
 
mknauss said:
Add the CYA using the sock method. It will take most of the day to dissolve if you squeeze the sock every once in a while.

No need to wait once you start dissolving the CYA powder. Start adding the other items.

- - - Updated - - -

Only should wait a few minutes between muriatic acid and chlorine. Bleach is liquid chlorine. Just different concentrations.

You are going to need A LOT more bleach/LC than 3 gallons of 6%.
Click to expand...


Ok getting my sock ready again now...lol.

Ok, just a few minutes between acid and bleach, thanks.

Ok, will go buy more bleach lol....

Marty, full disclosure.....I just checked my PH....it's 8.2. I didn't even add as much as the Pool math said....should I fix that with MA first (target ~7.5).....of just start my CYA/Bleach.....

Thank you so much sir!!!! :)
 
You need to add muriatic acid to lower your pH to 7.2. Add what PoolMath says (you need a new TA value for PoolMath), circulate for 30 minutes and test pH again. Add more MA if necessary.

Please do not use soda ash again.
 

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mknauss said:
You need to add muriatic acid to lower your pH to 7.2. Add what PoolMath says (you need a new TA value for PoolMath), circulate for 30 minutes and test pH again. Add more MA if necessary.

Please do not use soda ash again.
Click to expand...


No problem sir. Adding some MA now...will not use SA any more.

Marty, you sir have the patience of Job, and the wife and I can't thank you and the folks here enough.
 
mknauss said:
No problem. We enjoy helping those that are willing to learn.

If you can swing it, consider CLICK HERE to Become a TroubleFreePool.com Supporter!.

Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

Became a Bronze supporter, it's the least I can for all the help.

Testing PH after 30 minutes, will that give an accurate reading? Will the MA continue to lower even after 30 minutes?

Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

**** no bronze banner lol.....it is because I didn't check the "share my email" on payap? *********
 
I will check on the Bronze badge. Thank you for the support!

With pump running it takes only 30 minutes to circulate in the acid. The pH should be accurate at that time. Be sure to take your pool water sample from the same area of the pool each time.
 
mknauss said:
I will check on the Bronze badge. Thank you for the support!

With pump running it takes only 30 minutes to circulate in the acid. The pH should be accurate at that time. Be sure to take your pool water sample from the same area of the pool each time.
Click to expand...

Thanks Marty,

New TA reading:

FC --- 0
CC --- 0
TA --- 120 (was at 90 earlier this morning)
CH ---
pH --- 7.2 (just checked, dead on 7.2)
CYA. --- 0



So I have two socks with 21oz each of CYA that Pmath recommends for a target of 30ppm. For Free Chlorine Pmath recommends 65oz of bleach for a target of 3ppm.
Is ok to pour bleach directly into vinyl pool?
Am I good to start? Is my targets ok?
 
I would take your FC to SLAM level, or 12 ppm. You started with a green pool. Even though you drained some water, treat the pool as needing a SLAM and then do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tonight.

Pour the bleach in a pencil size stream at the pool return with pump running. The bleach will disburse. Use your brush if you are concerned it did not mix well.

Start. Add 2 gallons of your bleach. Let that circulate and test in a couple hours. Add bleach then to get back to FC of 12 ppm. Repeat and let us know how it goes.
 
mknauss said:
I would take your FC to SLAM level, or 12 ppm. You started with a green pool. Even though you drained some water, treat the pool as needing a SLAM and then do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tonight.

Pour the bleach in a pencil size stream at the pool return with pump running. The bleach will disburse. Use your brush if you are concerned it did not mix well.

Start. Add 2 gallons of your bleach. Let that circulate and test in a couple hours. Add bleach then to get back to FC of 12 ppm. Repeat and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...


Thanks Marty....I am on it now. I will report back.

I have to go grab the wife, she's excited and wants to watch ....lol
 
mknauss said:
I would take your FC to SLAM level, or 12 ppm. You started with a green pool. Even though you drained some water, treat the pool as needing a SLAM and then do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tonight.

Pour the bleach in a pencil size stream at the pool return with pump running. The bleach will disburse. Use your brush if you are concerned it did not mix well.

Start. Add 2 gallons of your bleach. Let that circulate and test in a couple hours. Add bleach then to get back to FC of 12 ppm. Repeat and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...


HOLE_E_COW Marty, after 1 hour my pool is looking BLUE! I went to Aldi's to buy 6 more gallons of bleach, and I come back and go out to "squeeze my socks" and I see the pool.....WOW. :party:

3:30 EST time, will be 2 hours since adding the bleach and CYA. I will take my readings then. I take it I am looking to keep FC at 12, and use Pool Math to calculate?

Thanks Marty & TroubleFreePool.
 
Maintain your FC at 12 ppm. This evening do a final test of your FC after the sun goes down. Take a sample in the AM before the sun hits the pool surface and test FC. You are looking for a loss of less than 1 ppm FC overnight.
 
MdMcoupe said:
HOLE_E_COW Marty, after 1 hour my pool is looking BLUE! I went to Aldi's to buy 6 more gallons of bleach, and I come back and go out to "squeeze my socks" and I see the pool.....WOW. :party:

3:30 EST time, will be 2 hours since adding the bleach and CYA. I will take my readings then. I take it I am looking to keep FC at 12, and use Pool Math to calculate?

Thanks Marty & TroubleFreePool.
Click to expand...

Yay MdMcoupe!!! Thanks for your support too! Stay on it all. Test frequently and be sure to always keep that FC at the level needed for your pool!
 

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