Trying to get started with TFP method

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The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test is to check if you have organics consuming FC. If you lose 1 ppm FC or more overnight, it is best to follow the SLAM Process

Tomorrow morning test your FC. Add enough to get to 6 ppm . That is the low end of your target range. I would prefer you add to 8 ppm FC until you see how your water reacts. You do not want to let your FC go below 4 ppm.
 
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Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tells if the SLAM is finished or if you need to start a SLAM. This article says how to do the OCLT.
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If your FC level remained the same, or went down by 1.0 or less, the water is clean. There isn’t any living algae or other organic contamination in the pool.

If you lost more than 1.0 ppm of FC, then there is something in the water that needs to be removed and you should SLAM, or continue SLAMing, the pool.
 
Tested this morning.
FC 4.5 ppm
CC 0.5 ppm
PH 7.8
TA 80 ppm
CA 350
CYA between 30 and 40

If I am raising to target FC of 8 it says add 160 oz of 6% bleach ( about 1 1/4 jugs). Am I getting this right. Appreciate your help!
 
Also I am realizing I am doing all this great precise testing and then I am eyeing up the bleach for 1 1/4 jugs. Is there a bucket or large measuring container you recommend you use to put in bleach or liquid chlorine more precisely?
 
Your volume of bleach is correct according to pool math. You can pour the 1 jug in, that leaves you with 39 oz to measure. You can buy a 4 cup measuring cup (be sure it’s plastic, as you don’t want glass around the pool)
 
A nice thing about a large pool is you can usually eyeball the volume of bleach or MA you are adding and be close enough/perfectly fine. Usually you are adding at least a quart of either which is relatively easy to estimate.

But as you begin, you may choose to measure so you can see your that your additions are getting you very close to where you expect on subsequent testing. But once you have the hang of it, pouring by feel/sight works pretty well by the quart or larger volumes.
 
Ph will rise as your FC is increased. FC over 10ppm will read false pH and should be ignored. Do not adjust pH with an FC above 10ppm. As far as your CYA fluctuating, the only way it can go up is if you add some form of stabilizer. It can only be diluted to remove by splash out, draining and adding water.
 

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Yesterday first test had FC 0, pH 7.4, CYA 50. I added 274 oz bleach which was a target of FC 6. This morning FC 4.5 pH went up to 7.8 and CYA was at 35. I added 160 oz to a target of FC 8 like you suggested. The decrease in CYA and increase in pH is still within normal range right? But since the CYA dropped to 35 now the target FC is 4-6. So did I overchlorinate this morning? Also for tomorrow should I test for CYA again (do you run the full list of tests everyday ?) or just test FC?
 
CYA shouldn’t be dropping very quickly without a water loss, but the light you do the test in can make a difference. I did mine for a few days to get used to it and then you only really need to test CYA every couple of weeks as it shouldn’t change, so long as you’re chlorinating with liquid chlorine.
 
Also when you complete the CYA test, you can dump the CYA test regent back into the bottle and then back into the cylinder to get a feel for the test. Hold the cylinder at waist level and read it with your back to the sun or run it indoors and read it there. The CYA level shouldn't drop dramatically without a big water change.
 
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Tested this morning again.
FC 3.5
CC 0.5
PH 7.8
CYA 35. * I repeated the test a few times with same reagent like you suggested to practice and did it in better lighting.
1)So with this CYA my target FC should be 6 ppm not 8 ppm right?
2) I added the 160 oz bleach yesterday morning and ran the pump all day and according to Pool Math that would have made my FC 8 ppm but I never confirmed that. Being that it is 3.5 ppm now is that considered a rapid FC loss or just normal for sun and pool use?
3) The pH being 7.8 is on the higher end of normal right? I understand you said pH can increase when increasing FC and it did not change since yesterday, should I adjust it at all? Also do you use the acid or base demand test for adjusting pH if I do need to?
4) Still trying to get the idea idea about the TFP method and what to do daily vs weekly. Test FC and CC daily? PH, TA, CA, CYA weekly?
I appreciate you answering my questions, I am enjoying learning about this
 
A CYA of 35 is rounded to 40. Follow the FC/CYA Levels for that level.
That FC loss is a little high. See how it goes for the next few days. Keep adding chlorine to get to a FC of 7 or 8 each day.
When pH reaches 8, lower it to 7.6. Use Poolmath for how much acid to use.
FC daily for now, pH twice a week for now, TA once a week, CH and CYA monthly unless you have large water exchanges.
 
FC2.5
CC 0.5
Got some 10% pool essentials chlorine so added 128 oz to target of FC 7. Is the 10% pool essentials what you use? Been using the pool a lot and has been hot so that amount of FC loss is what is expected?
 
The Pool Essential is a good product.
If using the pool alot, you can always add a bit of chlorine right after everyone is out of the pool for the day. Your daily FC use will be up this time of year.
 
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FC 3.5
CC 0.5
Added to target of 7. So seems like FC is being maintained pretty constant now.

In regards to CC...when testing with a 10 mL sample do you still use 5 drops of R003 or reduce to 3 drops? Either way it turns a very pale pink and clears with 1 drop so probably less than 0.5. No evidence of growing algae but am still am getting a little sediment only when filter is running. I backwashed earlier this season and no change. If I brush or vacuum the pool and then leave the filter off overnight literally no sediment but if filter is running and pool not being used it settles into same folds in liner. Been reading on here a few old forums and seems like others have said pollen/dead algae but wanted to get your opinion on it. I do have a tree near the pool.
 
I still use 5 drops. I figure I'm not running out of that before it will go bad anyhow, even with daily testing. :)

I had some stuff that poofed away when I brushed it accumulating in spots in my pool (right before the shallow goes to the deep end, corners of the deep end). Wasn't sure if it was just dust or algae. I raised the FC to SLAM levels and the next day there was less of it. Kept vacuuming, and after two days at SLAM level it was gone. So I figure it's dead algae and the extra bleach to really get rid of it was warranted. Now I don't get any of it.
 

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