So, recently sold a house and leased a temporary place that had a pool. Figured there was lots that I didn't know that I didn't know...but NO WORRIES, there's a pool store a half mile away! (And then the insanity started...)
So to try to keep this somewhat short...I want to make the best of this pool for the 2-3 years I'll be in this house (and don't want it to be an eye sore/mosquito breeding ground if I didn't) so I have to learn a few things. Pool had a mesh cover over it that kept most debris out but I don't believe it had been maintained in a year and a half. Home owner gave me almost zero instructions on this thing (he is literally on the other side of the country...never met him). I asked a few friends, watched a few YT videos and started hitting the pool store like it was a Vegas slot machine. Adding a little of this, little of that, and by some miracle of modern chemistry the water actually is pretty clear. Problem was there were nasty stains on all the fiberglass parts...and later I realized that dingy liner was actually not PERMANENTLY stained, just kinda stained (leased house...obviously not replacing a liner out of my pocket for someone else, so it is what it is). I start talking to the pool lady (heretofore referred to as PL) who quits making much sense when I asked about the staining, so back to google and YT. I read that it was most likely iron based or copper-ish based and vitamin C tablets would work great on iron stains. Quick run to the medicine cabinet and 5 minutes later I deduce (assume?) that it is in fact iron. I've already figured out the pool store lady isn't afraid to swipe my debit card and very little of what she/they have told me turned out to be very helpful (4-500 hundred dollars worth of it ) so more googling lots of questions, watched some videos and I keep getting referred to this forum. Took a step back, registered on the forum, read the getting started section, ordered a Taylor K-2006C test kit (received already) and a K-1766 salt test kit(not received yet) and the cool little stirrer thing (not received, but doing the first full battery of test stirring by hand, I'd pay easily double what the stirrer cost LOL). I've waited to start blasting questions till I read enough to have a little clue. Got the test kit (better than the test strips the pool store begrudgingly sold me...made me think they wanted me coming to them to test things...hmmmmm
) yesterday, and read the manual that came with it, and got my first "real" numbers...here goes.
So my FC is 6.2 ppm with CC @ .4 ppm.
PH= 8.0
TA=120 ppm
CH= 310 ppm
CYA=< 30
Hayward Aquarite says the salt level is 3400 ppm but can't back check that myself yet (PL said 3200 I believe)
The PL said not to worry about CYA until it got up around 90 degrees...I didn't know any better so I ignored that up till now. The pool math calculator (which is awesome BTW) basically wants that info to determine the target FC, so probably need to get the CYA where it needs to be next? I did pick up some muriatic acid from the local Home Depot and brought the PH down to a nice 7.5. This pool has a SWG (and will get plenty of sunlight) so according to the TFP for beginners I should get the CYA between 60 and 80. It will be partially shaded in the morning and evenings so maybe go for the lower end of that @ approx. 60?
So I believe I need to
A. add CYA and inch up on the goal of 60ish
B. back down the dial on the SWG to lower my FC to the target of 4 for a CYA level of 60
Then things get fuzzy...my TA and CH are probably on the high side and at least the CH part of the problem will require water drain/fill? Is that worth messing with at this point...or wait and get the CYA and FC right then see where it is and reevaluate?
Somewhere sooner than later I need to think about dealing with the stains. According to my VAST knowledge of the subject I'm probably looking at lowering the FC and adding abscorbic acid? I understand that I then have to bring the FC back up slowly so as not to let the iron just redeposit? I've read some mentions of filter media to help remove the iron from the water...but will need more info on that one. Scrubbing with a vitamin C tablet makes it sparkly clean immediately. (see picture below)
Please don't judge me by the Crud floating in the water in the above picture. It is pollen season in Alabama and this yard has a couple of trees next to the pool...till it quits dropping this mess in a few weeks it isn't going to stay pristine. Back fence neighbor asked if I bought the house because he was willing to pay me to cut the tree down LOL...(he has a pool across the fence).
Crushing up a handful of tablets and dumping them in the shallow end makes the liner clean in a few minutes...(see picture below)
That is probably more than my allowable questions right out of the gate, so I'll stop.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Jeremy in Alabama (using pool maintenance as a great excuse to social distance)
So to try to keep this somewhat short...I want to make the best of this pool for the 2-3 years I'll be in this house (and don't want it to be an eye sore/mosquito breeding ground if I didn't) so I have to learn a few things. Pool had a mesh cover over it that kept most debris out but I don't believe it had been maintained in a year and a half. Home owner gave me almost zero instructions on this thing (he is literally on the other side of the country...never met him). I asked a few friends, watched a few YT videos and started hitting the pool store like it was a Vegas slot machine. Adding a little of this, little of that, and by some miracle of modern chemistry the water actually is pretty clear. Problem was there were nasty stains on all the fiberglass parts...and later I realized that dingy liner was actually not PERMANENTLY stained, just kinda stained (leased house...obviously not replacing a liner out of my pocket for someone else, so it is what it is). I start talking to the pool lady (heretofore referred to as PL) who quits making much sense when I asked about the staining, so back to google and YT. I read that it was most likely iron based or copper-ish based and vitamin C tablets would work great on iron stains. Quick run to the medicine cabinet and 5 minutes later I deduce (assume?) that it is in fact iron. I've already figured out the pool store lady isn't afraid to swipe my debit card and very little of what she/they have told me turned out to be very helpful (4-500 hundred dollars worth of it ) so more googling lots of questions, watched some videos and I keep getting referred to this forum. Took a step back, registered on the forum, read the getting started section, ordered a Taylor K-2006C test kit (received already) and a K-1766 salt test kit(not received yet) and the cool little stirrer thing (not received, but doing the first full battery of test stirring by hand, I'd pay easily double what the stirrer cost LOL). I've waited to start blasting questions till I read enough to have a little clue. Got the test kit (better than the test strips the pool store begrudgingly sold me...made me think they wanted me coming to them to test things...hmmmmm
) yesterday, and read the manual that came with it, and got my first "real" numbers...here goes.So my FC is 6.2 ppm with CC @ .4 ppm.
PH= 8.0
TA=120 ppm
CH= 310 ppm
CYA=< 30
Hayward Aquarite says the salt level is 3400 ppm but can't back check that myself yet (PL said 3200 I believe)
The PL said not to worry about CYA until it got up around 90 degrees...I didn't know any better so I ignored that up till now. The pool math calculator (which is awesome BTW) basically wants that info to determine the target FC, so probably need to get the CYA where it needs to be next? I did pick up some muriatic acid from the local Home Depot and brought the PH down to a nice 7.5. This pool has a SWG (and will get plenty of sunlight) so according to the TFP for beginners I should get the CYA between 60 and 80. It will be partially shaded in the morning and evenings so maybe go for the lower end of that @ approx. 60?
So I believe I need to
A. add CYA and inch up on the goal of 60ish
B. back down the dial on the SWG to lower my FC to the target of 4 for a CYA level of 60
Then things get fuzzy...my TA and CH are probably on the high side and at least the CH part of the problem will require water drain/fill? Is that worth messing with at this point...or wait and get the CYA and FC right then see where it is and reevaluate?
Somewhere sooner than later I need to think about dealing with the stains. According to my VAST knowledge of the subject
I'm probably looking at lowering the FC and adding abscorbic acid? I understand that I then have to bring the FC back up slowly so as not to let the iron just redeposit? I've read some mentions of filter media to help remove the iron from the water...but will need more info on that one. Scrubbing with a vitamin C tablet makes it sparkly clean immediately. (see picture below)Please don't judge me by the Crud floating in the water in the above picture. It is pollen season in Alabama and this yard has a couple of trees next to the pool...till it quits dropping this mess in a few weeks it isn't going to stay pristine. Back fence neighbor asked if I bought the house because he was willing to pay me to cut the tree down LOL...(he has a pool across the fence).
Crushing up a handful of tablets and dumping them in the shallow end makes the liner clean in a few minutes...(see picture below)
That is probably more than my allowable questions right out of the gate, so I'll stop.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Jeremy in Alabama (using pool maintenance as a great excuse to social distance)
LOL It will come down slowly with the cooler temps. Now if you want to spend MORE money (man you got pool $tored for sure before. I am SO sorry 
