New Pool Owner Looking For Feedback

[boltjaM3s]

Hey guys- we recently purchased a home with a salt water pool. We had a pool maintenance company from previous owners come and do all the maintenance for us. However, we've decided to save the cash and attempt to maintain the pool ourselves. I've gone through the Pool School and ABCs of Water Chemistry. I've made a chart to help me understand what I need to keep track of. Could definitely use some feedback from the more experienced members on this!

 

[Texas Splash]

That's all good info to know. You have a very reliable test kit already, so simply use your own testing to bounce those numbers against the Recommended Levels and stay within those perameters. That's 98% of the battle. The other "vaiable" at times is weather since very cold or warm water can influence your overall water chemistry a bit. You'll see that on the Poolmath app/tool. So make sure to enter your test results in that Poolmath tool as well. If you have any doubt later, simply post all of your test results for us to see. We'll gladly help.

 

[ajw22]

Ideal range of FC depends on your CYA level. See FC/CYA Chart. Any FC level up to shock level for your CYA level is safe.

You need to find what pH your pool is happy with. Anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8 is ok. Don't try and force it to a number.

Any TA is ok as long as your pH is stable. Advantage of TA down to 60 is it slows pH rise. Don't fool with TA until you see how your pH behaves.

What you target your CH to depends on the CH of your fill water. If your pool will get CH over time from fill water then you start your CH low.

Know what your pH, TA & CH of your fill water is as that may effect your pool as much as the chemicals you use.

You are missing CSI. Keep your CSI ideally between 0 & -0.3 but anywhere between +0.6 to -0.6 is acceptable.

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

Looks pretty good to me, although I have a small personal nit to pic...

Your FC range and effects is not how I like to see it...

High Chlorine will not cause any skin irritation unless it is above our Shock range... So with a CYA of 70, as long as the FC is below 28 there is no issues.

While in theory, with a CYA of 70 your minimum FC is 3, in the real world you would be wise to never let it get that low... I personally run my FC at 6 or 7 and try to not let it drop below 5.. This gives me some extra buffer if I slack off for a day or so... A little too much chlorine is never a bad thing, but not enough chlorine can ruin your whole day..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[boltjaM3s]

That's all good info to know. You have a very reliable test kit already, so simply use your own testing to bounce those numbers against the Recommended Levels and stay within those perameters. That's 98% of the battle. The other "vaiable" at times is weather since very cold or warm water can influence your overall water chemistry a bit. You'll see that on the Poolmath app/tool. So make sure to enter your test results in that Poolmath tool as well. If you have any doubt later, simply post all of your test results for us to see. We'll gladly help.

Thank you TXSplash! I guess down here in Texas the biggest weather issue would be rain diluting the water. Also leaves, where I live requiring me to clean the baskets every other day.

 

[boltjaM3s]

Ideal range of FC depends on your CYA level. See FC/CYA Chart. Any FC level up to shock level for your CYA level is safe.

You need to find what pH your pool is happy with. Anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8 is ok. Don't try and force it to a number.

Any TA is ok as long as your pH is stable. Advantage of TA down to 60 is it slows pH rise. Don't fool with TA until you see how your pH behaves.

What you target your CH to depends on the CH of your fill water. If your pool will get CH over time from fill water then you start your CH low.

Know what your pH, TA & CH of your fill water is as that may effect your pool as much as the chemicals you use.

You are missing CSI. Keep your CSI ideally between 0 & -0.3 but anywhere between +0.6 to -0.6 is acceptable.

That's good to know- I'll make sure the pH is stable, instead of wrangling the TA numbers all the time.

 

[boltjaM3s]

B,

Looks pretty good to me, although I have a small personal nit to pic...

Your FC range and effects is not how I like to see it...

High Chlorine will not cause any skin irritation unless it is above our Shock range... So with a CYA of 70, as long as the FC is below 28 there is no issues.

While in theory, with a CYA of 70 your minimum FC is 3, in the real world you would be wise to never let it get that low... I personally run my FC at 6 or 7 and try to not let it drop below 5.. This gives me some extra buffer if I slack off for a day or so... A little too much chlorine is never a bad thing, but not enough chlorine can ruin your whole day..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks for the insight, Jim. One of my biggest concerns of handling pool maintenance is there's nothing I can do when the family is out on vacation. Few times a year we go on vacation for 2-3 weeks. Your idea of having the FC at the higher end of the range is good- so even if we are out, the pool would be taken over by algae.

 

[Texas Splash]

I guess down here in Texas the biggest weather issue would be rain diluting the water. Also leaves, where I live requiring me to clean the baskets every other day.

Because our water is moderately hard, rain can certaily help keep the CH from escellating. Summer heat tends to drive water temp up which effects water chemistry (CSI - see Poolmath), and the occasional swarm of insects can be annoying. Make sure to use a skimmer sock in yoru skimmer and stay within those TFP recommended ranges. Let Poolmath do the work for you and the biggest concern you shold have this year is what color floats to buy.

 

[kimkats]

I have a set of links for new pool owners. You might have seen a couple/few of them but I don't want to leave any out so here they all are:

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Trouble Free Pool

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

I hope these help!

As far as being out of town. Do you have anyone that can come by every other day or so and dump in some chlorine? OR you can get a SWG!!!

Kim

 

[mknauss]

The pool has a SWCG Kim .....

When we leave for extended periods I have a brother than lives nearby that cleans out the skimmer basket. And since we have a rising pH issue due to our fill water, I put 2 or 3 trichlor tablets in a floating dispenser for their acid. When I return I check the CYA and adjust as necessary.

So a couple week absence is not a big deal. It helps if some one can clean out the skimmer basket, or, if your pool is so equipped, turn off the skimmer and use the main drain.

 

[setsailsoon]

Bolt,

Looks like you've gotten all the great advice you need already. Only thing I'd add is don't hesitate to ask questions. No need to wonder or worry about anything. There's an army of experts just waiting for your questions. It's what they do and they enjoy it a LOT!

Welcome to TFP. I started here 3 1/2 years ago with very similar situation. My pool has been the envy of neighbors ever since. I've paid about $10/mo for chems, they pay $80+ for services. And my chems just went down a LOT because I finally switched to SWG. You're already one ahead of me!

Good luck!

Chris