maybe they didn't add too much 
Just try not let them add anything else but Liquid chlorine
Just try not let them add anything else but Liquid chlorineActually, I think the OTO test kit was completely thrown off when they added Silvercide. I feel like a dumbass now because I called the pool service company to complain and argued with the owner for 30 minutes.It's possible that the algae you see is burning off your free chlorine faster than they are adding it. If the CYA is indeed 25, then 40 is more in line for the guidelines. With a low CYA it's possible the sun is burning off the free chlorine faster than they are adding it as well, or a combination of both. Here are the basics for that. It probably wouldn't hurt in the meantime to add some liquid chlorine (bleach) to try to keep your levels up.
The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship
Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.www.troublefreepool.com
The chlorine looks higher now (1.0 - 1.5, but I suspect it's higher). My new test kit should arrive on Saturday so I'll have a better test soon!
They are adding cyanuric acid next week and that should get CYA up to at least 40.
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- Jul 17, 2019
- 4,084
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Don't let the do that, as that will just cost you more $ in chlorine when you SLAM. What is stopping you from firing them?
So far I'm just testing to understand what's going on. I'm getting a new test kit on Saturday. I believe the cya is low right now at 25 and ideal is around 40. They are adding cyanuric acid next week on Tuesday to get it at the right level.
I'm totally new at this, so please correct me if I'm wrong. I believe low cya means chlorine will burn off faster.
The pool service is paying for chlorine so I'm not worried about cost right now. I still want to fire them because they are not doing the job.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,007
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
We round up. CYA testing is only accurate +/1 10 ppm at best. We call CYA 25 to be 30.
With the winter coming with shorter days and lower sun angle the sun intensity is lower and need for CYA is less.
A 10 ppm increase in CYA makes a small difference in chlorine consumption. I suggest you wait on adding CYA until you can do your own test and most importantly do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test will tell you if your chlorine consumption is due to algae and the fix is the SLAM Process, not raising the CYA level.
With the winter coming with shorter days and lower sun angle the sun intensity is lower and need for CYA is less.
A 10 ppm increase in CYA makes a small difference in chlorine consumption. I suggest you wait on adding CYA until you can do your own test and most importantly do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test will tell you if your chlorine consumption is due to algae and the fix is the SLAM Process, not raising the CYA level.
Rattus Suffocatus
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- Jun 5, 2019
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If you look at the CYA versus FC chart I linked to earlier, you can see that, although you probably do need to raise CYA up a bit eventually, you want to completely deal with the algae problem first, as adding CYA first will require you to have much more FC to SLAM (or "shock") the pool to kill off the algae in the first place.
If it were me, I'd tell them to take care of the algae and to wait until early spring to bring up the CYA.
If the silver threw off the chlorine test, then that's another reason to avoid using chemicals like that.
If it were me, I'd tell them to take care of the algae and to wait until early spring to bring up the CYA.
If the silver threw off the chlorine test, then that's another reason to avoid using chemicals like that.
The new test kit arrived (Taylor K-2006C)! I haven't tried it yet. I'm still reading the instructions. I'm hoping I can get a good test to see where it's at before they come on Tuesday.
To be honest, I'm going to have to let them do what they are going to do for now. I'm not up for another argument with the owner. She's not the kind of person that takes instructions from customers. So yes, I want to fire them ASAP, but I don't have a replacement and I don't know enough yet to take over on my own. I'm getting there..
My biggest complaint with them is they don't provide a record of anything they do. They have their own charts that they don't share with the customers. I only got a copy of the last two months after complaining they weren't doing the job properly. After that last argument with the owner I'm sure they won't be sharing anything with me again.
When we came down to Florida to help out my father-in-law in July, I checked on the pool the first day. The main drain cover was off and floating around the other end of the pool. The pump impeller was clogged and the motor was buzzing as soon as it turned on. I'm sure all that didn't just happen to fail the night we arrived - so who knows how long it had been in that condition? With the pool guy, just vacuuming and dumping in some chlorine each week... So I called them and had a technician replace the motor and dive down to replace the drain cover.
The owner actually told me "Your pool is old. All pools get black algae." Umm, maybe the black algae is due to the lack of cleaning and maintenance? I'd hate to see how she brushes her teeth.
To be honest, I'm going to have to let them do what they are going to do for now. I'm not up for another argument with the owner. She's not the kind of person that takes instructions from customers. So yes, I want to fire them ASAP, but I don't have a replacement and I don't know enough yet to take over on my own. I'm getting there..
My biggest complaint with them is they don't provide a record of anything they do. They have their own charts that they don't share with the customers. I only got a copy of the last two months after complaining they weren't doing the job properly. After that last argument with the owner I'm sure they won't be sharing anything with me again.
When we came down to Florida to help out my father-in-law in July, I checked on the pool the first day. The main drain cover was off and floating around the other end of the pool. The pump impeller was clogged and the motor was buzzing as soon as it turned on. I'm sure all that didn't just happen to fail the night we arrived - so who knows how long it had been in that condition? With the pool guy, just vacuuming and dumping in some chlorine each week... So I called them and had a technician replace the motor and dive down to replace the drain cover.
The owner actually told me "Your pool is old. All pools get black algae." Umm, maybe the black algae is due to the lack of cleaning and maintenance? I'd hate to see how she brushes her teeth.
- Jul 17, 2019
- 4,084
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- 13000
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Totally understand, and ultimately it is your pool to do with what you want. Just know that you now have the tools to take care of your own pool, with thousands of people on here willing and able to help you. I just got my pool a year ago and received wonderful help on this site and am trying to pay that back, as are many others.
One food for thought item. If you let them add the CYA and they overshoot the target, that means the headache of a partial drain. If you dont have them add the CYA and it truly is low, we can send you to walmart for a $10 bag of stabilizer to get you to your target.
One food for thought item. If you let them add the CYA and they overshoot the target, that means the headache of a partial drain. If you dont have them add the CYA and it truly is low, we can send you to walmart for a $10 bag of stabilizer to get you to your target.
Thanks. I think they are OK with managing the chemistry, maybe not great, so that's where I'm at for now.
I don't think they're going to overshoot CYA. They think the pool is 17,000 gal. Digging through some old files, I found out when the pool was built someone put 20,000 gal in and when it was resurfaced someone put 24,000 gal in. They can't all be right . Anyway, according to Pool Math if they add 3 pounds it will be somewhere between 40-46, so in range where it should be.
I don't think they're going to overshoot CYA. They think the pool is 17,000 gal. Digging through some old files, I found out when the pool was built someone put 20,000 gal in and when it was resurfaced someone put 24,000 gal in. They can't all be right
. Anyway, according to Pool Math if they add 3 pounds it will be somewhere between 40-46, so in range where it should be.
Rattus Suffocatus
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- Jun 5, 2019
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You are 75% of the way there already to maintaining it yourself.
If the pool is odd shaped, by the way, you'll never truly know the correct volume, but ballpark usually is good enough. I have four different sizes based on the PB's estimate, my calculations, what I calculated by filling (during a heavy rain, so that isn't as accurate as you'd think) and by the results of chemical additions. The two closest ones were my calculations and what the addition of chemicals did.
But yeah.. you are almost there.. It really is as simple as entering everything in Pool Math and getting CSI and FC in their proper ranges based on what Pool Math is asking for. Good Luck!
As long as you measure 1-2x a week, stuff won't get away from you. It can and does if you start going out 2 weeks plus between testings. Don't ask. I am dealing with that right now.
If the pool is odd shaped, by the way, you'll never truly know the correct volume, but ballpark usually is good enough. I have four different sizes based on the PB's estimate, my calculations, what I calculated by filling (during a heavy rain, so that isn't as accurate as you'd think) and by the results of chemical additions. The two closest ones were my calculations and what the addition of chemicals did.
But yeah.. you are almost there.. It really is as simple as entering everything in Pool Math and getting CSI and FC in their proper ranges based on what Pool Math is asking for. Good Luck!
As long as you measure 1-2x a week, stuff won't get away from you. It can and does if you start going out 2 weeks plus between testings. Don't ask. I am dealing with that right now.
Play around with the test kit and post your test results. Just starting out add the drops slow and swirl around.
also for hat your paying them you can probably buy a SWG and making pool management a non issue. Well 95% of it
also for hat your paying them you can probably buy a SWG and making pool management a non issue. Well 95% of it
Thanks, everyone. Based on the shape and depth I calculated it at 20,000. So that's the number I'm starting with.
I'm going to try out the kit tomorrow.
I'm going to try out the kit tomorrow.
They're not going to be taking care of the black algae. Their solution was "Have our guy dump in some silver and it will go away. Trust us."
***And they will no longer be employed by us in early spring!
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- May 3, 2014
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Black 'Algae' is not really an algae. It is a bacteria.
"They're single-celled organisms called cyanobacteria that can be black or dark blue-green. Black algae are so tough to kill because they're an encapsulated bacteria – they have a hard outer shell that makes them able to weather various harsh conditions."
Read Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool
Thanks for pointing that out. That's why dumping in silver is not going to make it magically go away. I've been brushing them. They actually look like rings or mini doughnuts about dime-size or smaller.
OK, I did the first test. It's raining a lot today so it might not be accurate. I'm just trying to take a stab at it and understand. First test is FAS-DPD using a 25ml sample. I'm talking about free chlorine and combined chorine. I added 20 drops R-0871 to get to get from pink to clear. So somewhere I'm supposed to multiply that by something to get drop equivalence - so that should be free chorine? I don't understand how that works.I appreciate all your help so far.
OK I think I figured it out:
20 drops x 0.2 = 4.0 ppm free chlorine
1 drop x 0.2 = 0.2 ppm combined chlorine
Total chlorine = 4.2ppm ?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
OK I think I figured it out:
20 drops x 0.2 = 4.0 ppm free chlorine
1 drop x 0.2 = 0.2 ppm combined chlorine
Total chlorine = 4.2ppm ?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Last edited by a moderator:
- May 3, 2014
- 62,786
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You are right. TC does not mean anything. FC and CC is what is used.
In the future use a 10 ml water sample. Each drop to clear is 0.5 ppm FC.
In the future use a 10 ml water sample. Each drop to clear is 0.5 ppm FC.
Try the CYA test..Things that help me are let the solution sit for a minute after you shale it to get air bubbles out. Then do it with the sun behind our back and wait a second between drops.