First Test - Need Advice

[undrwater]

Introduced myself here:
https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/173694-Thanks!-Just-started-maintaining-my-own-pool

I received a K-2006 test kit today, and completed my first test. Results are:

FC - 4.8
CC - 0
pH - 7.8 *
ALK - 160
CH - 760
CYA - (not sure about this one, see pic)

* My understanding is my pH and ALK is high. I think I need 1.72 QT of Muriatic acid to drop those levels.

As for CYA, I followed the instructions on the kit, and stopped adding liquid after the black dot was completely obscured.



I'm not sure how to read that. I'm guessing CYA is very high?

I'm pretty confident about the pH and alkalinity. Free chlorine looks a little high, but that's likely because I just added the last bag of Power Powder from Leslie's yesterday.

So, now I'd like some advice on how to proceed. I'm working through the school slowly, but feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm trying to source liquid chlorine, but haven't found a good source yet. It appears Home Depot is discontinuing their HDX pool chlorine line. Any of you in SoCal have a good spot?

Finally, I've got some leftover blue-something powder from Home Depot that is intended as a shock. I don't really want to waste it...is there any circumstance when using that product might be useful?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

Your CYA is quite high. Follow Step 8 in Pool School - CYA

You are going to need to exchange a significant amount of your water. Determine how you are going to do that. Are you under draconian water restrictions? Reverse Osmosis may be available in your area. It costs alot, but you will need less water.

- - - Updated - - -

No more solid chlorine. The 'shock' you have has either CYA or Calcium in it. You have too much of both in your water.

 

[duraleigh]

I'm puzzled by your pic of the CYA result. Looking down from the top of the cylinder, you cannot see any of the black dot at all, correct.

The solution (although we are looking from the side, I know) appears to be translucent enough to see the dot even from the top......maybe my eyes are deceiving me.

 

[Dirk]

I'm working through the school slowly, but feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I'll leave the chemistry to the Mod's and Experts. You've got two of the best weighing in so far. Just wanted to suggest the eBook, if you haven't tried that. Do you have a way to read an eBook? Kindle? Or phone app? I found the eBook a much easier read, and organized better for a first pass through Pool School than bouncing around in the online version. Give it a try:

Trouble Free Pool School

Good luck with your pool. Don't be shy about asking lots of questions. People here like to help, and everyone of them started here just like you!

Welcome to TFP!

 

[undrwater]

Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

Your CYA is quite high. Follow Step 8 in Pool School - CYA

You are going to need to exchange a significant amount of your water. Determine how you are going to do that. Are you under draconian water restrictions? Reverse Osmosis may be available in your area. It costs alot, but you will need less water.

- - - Updated - - -

No more solid chlorine. The 'shock' you have has either CYA or Calcium in it. You have too much of both in your water.

I'm going to double check the CYA and chlorine this afternoon, and perform Step 8 as you recommended. I'll bet it's still shows as high though; I see now that in my early attempts to bring back the pool from green, I had been adding CYA based conditioners.

There is plumbing that runs from my pool to a drain in my front yard. I'll check city restrictions, but I think I'm ok draining it to there. I have a backwash valve, so replacing water is just a matter of backwashing for a longer time, yes? Is getting it right just a matter of: drain, refill, retest, repeat as necessary?

I'm puzzled by your pic of the CYA result. Looking down from the top of the cylinder, you cannot see any of the black dot at all, correct.

The solution (although we are looking from the side, I know) appears to be translucent enough to see the dot even from the top......maybe my eyes are deceiving me.

I think the cloudiness in that pic had coagulated near the top of the water column. I definitely could not see the dot from above.

I'll leave the chemistry to the Mod's and Experts. You've got two of the best weighing in so far. Just wanted to suggest the eBook, if you haven't tried that. Do you have a way to read an eBook? Kindle? Or phone app? I found the eBook a much easier read, and organized better for a first pass through Pool School than bouncing around in the online version. Give it a try:

Trouble Free Pool School

Good luck with your pool. Don't be shy about asking lots of questions. People here like to help, and everyone of them started here just like you!

Welcome to TFP!

I've got the eBook, thank you! I really, really appreciate the help here!

Edited to add quote from city about draining pools:

Care must also be taken to prevent storm-water and ocean pollution. Owners planning to drain their pool should make sure it drains to the sewer (not to the street or storm drain) through the pool's "P-trap." The P-trap should have been installed when the pool was first constructed; for help in locating the P-trap, call your pool cleaning or equipment service.

Looks like I should be fine in that regards.

 

[mknauss]

It is not recommended to use backwash to drain the pool. You can lose prime to your pump and damage it. You should get a sump pump to do the drain. It sounds like your city requires you send it to the sewer. You can use your clean out for that.

 

[undrwater]

It is not recommended to use backwash to drain the pool. You can lose prime to your pump and damage it. You should get a sump pump to do the drain. It sounds like your city requires you send it to the sewer. You can use your clean out for that.

Thanks. I don't have a sump pump, so I'm wondering which would be cheaper: buying a sump pump and refilling my pool, or hiring a reverse osmosis service. Did a little research on the RO, but haven't got a sense of the cost yet.

If I go the sump pump route, do I do the drain, refill, retest as necessary?

 

[mknauss]

A sump pump will cost ~$100 for a basic one.

You would want to do a nearly full drain and refill. I assume you have no surface water as you live in S Cal.

Unless you have really super high water costs, RO will cost more. Remember they will still need at least 30% make up water regardless. Also there cannot be any algae in the water.

 

[undrwater]

After performing Step 8, I get ~100 ppm CYA. X 2=200.

OH! I"m going to get a SpeedStir. I get it now.

 

[undrwater]

I ordered the SpeedStir, read the ebook, and installed the Pool Math app. The app has pierced my synapses, and the process has begun to solidify in my brain. So much so, I went ahead and purchased a year's subscription.

I've got a good idea what I need to do going forward, at least until we drain and refill.

Thanks!