HELP! New pool, just tested my water!

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frost4mama

frost4mama

Member
May 31, 2020
22
Fulton, Michigan
I am brand new pool owner, just installed last week! I stumbled upon TFP while deciding on liner choices and have gained so much knowledge from TFP!! I purchased the TF-100 test kit and just did my first test. Can anyone help me with my results?!
I have a SWG and a 40k gallon inground vinyl pool.

PH 8.2
FC 3
CC 4
TC ? is this FC+CC...so 7?
CH 200
TA 100
CYA the black dot never disappeared

Also, my saltwater system shows 3000 on my salt reading. Is this okay?
 
4,

Welcome and congrats on finding this site... took me a little longer than you but I've been doing this ever since (6 years now). Dirt cheap sparkling pool ever since. You're gonna need to SLAM. What does your pool look like? Please watch the video below and read this ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry. Ask any questions you may have. We don't worry about TC. FC and CC are what drive your pool requirements.

Chris
 
So the number that jumps out is the CC of 4. I would double check that number and make sure you dont have a testing error, as that is pretty high and would indicate a lot of chlorine is being used. Also have there been any other chemicals added, as some of those can give false high CC readings.
 
You need to bring up your CYA before you do anything else. Bring it up to 30 or 40, lower your pH to 7.2 using either muriatic acid or dry acid (aka pH Down), and then start the SLAM Process. Remember to brush every time you test, which is at least three times a day. I usually test give times during the day, and at sunrise and sunset.
 
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Don’t forget to drop PH to about 7.2 before slamming.
I would add enough dry stabilizer to get to 30. In 2 shots. First add enough to to 20 and check. You may actually have 10 but not seeing it.

Wobbler too fast typing! 😀🤪
 
frost4mama said:
Thanks for your responses! How do i know how much stabilizer/conditioner i need to add to get me to 30-40? Is this a powder or liquid? And how do I know how much muriatic acid to take PH down? Sorry, I'm super new...i have no idea what i'm doing
Click to expand...
You need to download the PoolMath app. Fill in your test results above and also you pool capacity Into the app. There will be guides on the qty required to achieve the recommended chemical levels.
 
For a 40,000 gallon pool, Pool Math estimates 10 pounds of dry CYA to get you to 30ppm. That much CYA will also lower PH by about 0.6, so make sure you don’t overshoot with the muriatic acid getting your PH to 7.2. If you’re 8.2 now, the CYA will likely take you to around 7.6. So you won’t need as much MA to get down to 7.2.
Just don’t want to see you take your PH down to the mid 6’s.
 

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frost4mama said:
Thanks for your responses! How do i know how much stabilizer/conditioner i need to add to get me to 30-40? Is this a powder or liquid? And how do I know how much muriatic acid to take PH down? Sorry, I'm super new...i have no idea what i'm doing
Click to expand...
If you have a 40,000 gallon pool, 3 bags of this will take you to 36 CYA.
 
To add...
The 12lbs of CYA should likely take your PH to about 7.5.

Then, about 44oz of this should take you from 7.5 to 7.2:

Best to test in between chemical additions, and verify values using the PoolMath app as suggested above.
 
Be careful assuming the pH changes shown in Poolmath for CYA additions. The disclaimer stands ----

Note: pH calculations are not exact. These numbers are only suggestive of the relative magnitude of the pH change you can expect. Small changes, +-0.4, with pH between 7.2-7.8, TA around 80-120, and Borate near zero will be approximately correct. The further you go from those ranges the less these pH changes will correspond to reality.
 
mknauss said:
Be careful assuming the pH changes shown in Poolmath for CYA additions. The disclaimer stands ----

Note: pH calculations are not exact. These numbers are only suggestive of the relative magnitude of the pH change you can expect. Small changes, +-0.4, with pH between 7.2-7.8, TA around 80-120, and Borate near zero will be approximately correct. The further you go from those ranges the less these pH changes will correspond to reality.
Click to expand...
Fair point, thanks for clarifying. In my case when I filled it was spot on. I definitely recommend retesting after the CYA is dissolved to verify how much MA to add.
 
If you shop at Meijer they will have Muriatic Acid in the paint section, it is a lower concentrate but easier to handle. They also carry liquid pool shock. 10% and $12 for 4 jugs and is usually very fresh. I have an SWG but always keep a case on hand. If you use the CYA pods (also at meijer or Walmart) the coating will dissolve and the dry cya will end up in your filter so put them in a sock and hang in front of the return or i use a mesh laundry bag and drop it in the skimmer. The taylor k1766 will test the salt levels, it is good to check with that instead of trusting the salt cell reading.
 

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