My turn: First TF100 Testing questions

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kmeleon

Member
Jun 15, 2020
13
Breinigsville, PA
Hello all! My pool was completed 8/2019 so I'm still in my first year of ownership. I've been reading a ton and learning ALOT!

So I received my TF100 Test kit along with a Speedstir in the mail yesterday. Quick Shipping! I immediately opened the box and read all the material and stared at all the different chemicals in awe. The directions are pretty darn good though and I began testing and worked my way through all of it. I can't say I really liked chemistry back in school but I think I got some decent results for my first time out. I'm driven to have the pool in tip top shape.

My pool installer has given me advice and he always answers my texts but I'm finding after reading here that his advice seems to follow a bit more of the "pool store" type advice then TFP advice. I've had very little issues with my installation and maintenance. Basically I drive the PH down once a week and shock the pool every few weeks. It's worked, the pool looks amazing pretty much all the time. It's been really easy.

But I do have a couple of questions.

1. Calcium Hardness Test: When adding the R-0012 one drop at a time it will change to a purplish color before going to what I would call blue....Do I actually just keep adding one drop at a time till I see exactly a bluish color? I just want to make sure I know exactly when to stop. I stopped after 12 drops which led to what I'd call blue and that is a value of 300ppm.

2. Total Alkalinity Test: When adding R-0009 one drop at a time after I got to about 5-8 drops it started flashing red but would return to green/clear I believe after a second or so. I kept on dropping wiping the tip in between and eventually got to what I would consider pink/red. Am I waiting for it to stay red correct? When it holds pink, is that acceptable, or keep going until I'm seeing it hold a solid red color?

On to my results:

Weekly Pool store results back on 6/10

Salt level - 2800
FC - 3.7
CC - 0.1
TC - 3.8
PH - 8.0
TA - 105
CH - 146
CYA - 33

That day I added 48oz of Lo-n-slo to pull the PH down (this is about all I really ever do to the pool pre-kit). 2 nights ago I filled the pool as it was getting low, I figure roughly 90-120 minutes so about 650 gallons.

Now on to the testing last night...

1st TF100 Testing (yesterday 6/15/20)

Salt Level - 2970
FC - 3.5
CC - 0.5
TC - 4.0
PH - 8.0
TA - 160
CH - 300
CYA - under 20

I will say the FC always shows on the test strips and in the pool store testing even with the low CYA. The pool is always amazingly clear. I run my pump 20 hours a day (3am-11pm) with two high speed sessions scheduled from 8am-10am and 3pm-5pm. SWG currently at 50% and showing 3300ppm in the software.

So I added the last 3 lbs of Lo-n-slo that I had last night. I'll be switching to Muriatic Acid from Home Depot after this. I also ordered 25lbs of CYA off Ebay last night for $48.

So with all that being said, I need to get my CYA up which I can do next week when it shows up. When I do this I will need to raise my FC obviously. How is this usually best accomplished on a SW pool? Do I add bleach to drive it up and then let the SWG maintain that new level (which I assume I'll have to increase my SWG output to be able to do that?)?

I also need to do a few cycles of pushing the PH down with MA, then aerate it back up to get the TA to drop towards optimum levels.

Short of that I think I'm in fairly good shape. I'm taking a road trip next week for a week so I'll likely start all this after I return. I think I'll shock the pool using two of the remaining HTH "4-1" 1lb bags I have just before I leave just to make sure it stays clean while I'm gone unless someone tells me otherwise? It really won't hurt because my CYA isn't at TFP levels.

I'm open to suggestions, I'm really learning a ton about pools from this site. Thank you for the wealth of info maintained here!
 
Use the drops one drop at a time until the solution no longer changes color, then subtract that last drop and use this number as your reading. Using the speedstir for all the drop tests is advisable.

Definitely get your CYA up!

Yes, for large jumps, add liquid bleach to desired level and allow the SWG to maintain that level.
 
kmeleon said:
1. Calcium Hardness Test: When adding the R-0012 one drop at a time it will change to a purplish color before going to what I would call blue....Do I actually just keep adding one drop at a time till I see exactly a bluish color? I just want to make sure I know exactly when to stop. I stopped after 12 drops which led to what I'd call blue and that is a value of 300ppm.
Click to expand...

Iron or copper, even in small non-problematic amounts can cause fading endpoint. If you add 5 or 6 drops of the Hardness Reagent to the sample first, then conduct the test as normal, that should help tie up the metals and give you a more accurate reading.
 
When testing, keep going until it stops changing.
For the TA test for me it usually goes green>green>grey back to green>grey>pink back to grey> pale pink> barbie pink> barbie pink. The eighth drop did nothing, so I deduct it. 7 drops means 70 TA.

CH is the same way. It goes to sky blue. Many people stop at maroon or indigo, but that is not correct. It goes sky blue. And when it gets no more sky blue, the last drop is deducted.
 
Richard320 said:
When testing, keep going until it stops changing.
For the TA test for me it usually goes green>green>grey back to green>grey>pink back to grey> pale pink> barbie pink> barbie pink. The eighth drop did nothing, so I deduct it. 7 drops means 70 TA.

CH is the same way. It goes to sky blue. Many people stop at maroon or indigo, but that is not correct. It goes sky blue. And when it gets no more sky blue, the last drop is deducted.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, that helps me tremendously! I was definitely at an indigo, nowhere near sky blue.
 
Re-tested the PH today when I got home and I'm down to 7.5 after adding PH down last night so that's encouraging. I never get to actually see it at a lower level, by the time the week is up and I go to re-test at the pool store it's back up to 8.0 or so.
 
Added 4lbs of CYA Friday and Saturday night. Waiting till tonight to do my testing, that theoretically should bring my CYA up to about 45. Used the sock method, 1st socks were too good of quality...it took forever for the granules to dissolve. Went to dress socks on the next two lbs, much easier;) . I'll report back with my new test results.
 
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2nd TF100 Testing (yesterday 6/22/20)

Salt Level - 2970
FC - 5.5
CC - 0.5
TC - 6.0
PH - 7.8
TA - 130
CH - 250
CYA - 40

So when I was done I added 63oz of MA. That stuff is pretty crazy, it looks like a sheet of ice as you slowly dump it in front of a return jet:eek:. I definitely need to get some type of storage locker for these chemicals.

Anyway, that should drive my PH down to 7.2 and will continue to drop my TA as the PH creeps up and I add more in the coming weeks. I'm sticking with my CYA at 40 for now because I'm leaving for a week in a couple days. I'll add another 5lbs or so when I return and get it right around 70. Then I'll work on tuning the FC to it.

Paid for the whole version of Pool Math since I can maintain my logs, backup, etc. Worth it's weight in gold for sure.

Pool #'s are coming along and I've learned a ton! Thanks for the info.
 
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