Test levels - beginner

[Newdude]

Hey MC !! I got this Calcium Chloride based on seeing it from members here and it did exactly what it was supposed to. I will gladly buy it as needed again. Amazon.com : Puri Tech Pool Chemicals 25 lb Calcium Hardness Increaser Plus for Swimming Pools & Spas Increases Calcium Hardness Levels Prevents Staining on Surfaces : Garden & Outdoor

I am learning less is more with these darn pools

This is a great mantra until you become one with your pools appetite. Many things can only come out with a drain, like calcium, CYA and salt. TA can take quite some time to reduce as well. If you are adjusting any of those upwards, aim low and make little corrections to get the rest of the way.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, and pool stores should have calcium increaser. I doubt you are going to find many deicing products in Houston. When I bought calcium increaser I think it was about $10 for a bag at Walmart and found in the pool section. I suspect the same bag could be found at Leslies but marked up a bit higher.

 

[MCF50]

Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, and pool stores should have calcium increaser. I doubt you are going to find many deicing products in Houston. When I bought calcium increaser I think it was about $10 for a bag at Walmart and found in the pool section. I suspect the same bag could be found at Leslies but marked up a bit higher.

Yeah....haven't found any at Lowes or Home Depot.....Have not checked walmart but based on the 19lb I may need I'm looking at close to $50 at Leslie Pool. I will check out wal-mart. As I am new to this I don't feel like waiting for the Amazon delivery. I'll run to Leslie's tomorrow like a good little new pool owner and start adjusting right away. LOL

 

[JJ_Tex]

Ok. Just dont overshoot your target, and also know that while low calcium can leach calcium out of your plaster it happens over time so you don't need to be in a huge rush.

 

[MCF50]

Is this normal? I am new so testing much more frequently than a veteran. Right when I think I have something correct it goes crappy! Nothing has been added. I added muriatic acid yesterday to get water from 8 to 7.4. Now back up over 8 in 12 hours.

 

[mknauss]

Did you confirm the pH dropped to 7.4 after adding the acid? You are reporting a TA on the low end, which would normally not allow a pH rise like that. Are you using Poolmath to determine how much acid to use for the expected pH adjustment?

 

[MCF50]

Yes....confirmed PH drop after adding acid. Yes, using poolmath.

 

[ajw22]

Is this normal? I am new so testing much more frequently than a veteran. Right when I think I have something correct it goes crappy! Nothing has been added. I added muriatic acid yesterday to get water from 8 to 7.4. Now back up over 8 in 12 hours.

Yup, and the lower you take down the pH the quicker it bounces back.

Try just lowering your pH to 7.6-7.8 when it hits 8. Lower is not better for pH.

Do you have your spa spillover or water features running?

 

[mknauss]

Yes....confirmed PH drop after adding acid. Yes, using poolmath.

Using Poolmath, with a TA of 50, pH of 8, 13500 gallons, you would have added 13 oz of 31.45% Muriatic Acid to lower the pH to 7.4. Does that agree with what you did?

 

[MCF50]

So mu chlorine leve was getting a big low so I turned up the SWCG to about 25%.....here are my readings:
Salt - 3400ppm (good)
TA - 80 (good)
CYA - 30-35 (Good for this time of year)
FC - 7 (too high)
PH - 8 (too high)
Hardness - 210 (Good)
Water Temp -

Lowered SWCG to 10% output.

Suggestions on getting chlorine and Ph stabilized. THey still seem to bounce around quite a bit. Or maybe I am just checking too frequently. A lot of people around here are the "my pool guy checks it once a week and I'm happy"....and their pools look like Crud...hehehehe. But on the flip side I don't want to have to add a cup of muriatic acid everyday. Don't like the inconvenience and the less handling of acid the better.

 

[MCF50]

Water temp 54.

 

[mknauss]

Keep pH in the 7's and your FC based on the FC/CYA Levels

Your water temperature is very close to when your SWCG will be turning off due to cold water.
If you plan to leave the SWCG on during the winter, I would suggest you set it to create 0.5 ppm FC per day so that when it is on, it adds some chlorine. Test the pH and FC twice a week during the winter and adjust as necessary.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I honestly would not touch a thing right now.

Reading the FC/CYA chart, your FC is right at the top of the target range for your CYA (round up to 40).

While generally you want to keep your pH in the 7's, if you track your CSI you will see that your CSI is where you want it, but gets to be a bit negative with a pH in the mid 7's. So your choices are to raise your calcium or keep your pH in the upper 7's or 8.0. Since adding calcium can cause scaling when the water warms back up, I would rather see you with a pH of 8.0 in the winter months.

 

[MCF50]

Thanks!!!! How do I figure out how to make the SWCG create 0.5ppm (or any ppm for that matter) per day?

 

[MCF50]

Also, I know you should keep the CYA low during winter....but it seems pretty low based on chart for SWCG - says 70-80....so maybe I should be closer to 60?

SWCG Pools

CYA (Stabilizer)	Minimum FC	Target FC	SLAM FC
60*	3	4	24
70	3	5	28
80	4	6	31

 

[ajw22]

Your SWG is likely to shut down soon with your pool water in the low 50's. Then you follow the non-SWG levels in the FC/CYA Levels. A CYA of 70 would have target FC of 7-9.

Having your CYA at 40 since we round up if the dot disappears between 40 and 30 gives you a non-SWG FC target of 5-7.

So best to leave your CYA ta this level for the winter until the water warms up in the spring. CYA acts as sunscreen for the chlorine and protects it form the Suns UV rays. In the winter the sun angle is low and days are short and you don't need as much sunscreen anyway.

 

[mknauss]

Thanks!!!! How do I figure out how to make the SWCG create 0.5ppm (or any ppm for that matter) per day?

Use PoolMath. Effects of adding Chemicals. 3 hours at 30% setting will add 0.5 ppm FC to your pool volume.

 

[MCF50]

I use poolmath and paid for premium. Ok, so no need to point to it every post. Maybe explain how to use it to get calcs instead of just 'selling' the app. I run pumps at 50gpm for 8 hours a day. Don't ask why, I just like to. 24 hours output for IC40 is 1.4. Run time at 8 hours puts % at 11% to increase FC 0.5ppm

 

[mknauss]

Sorry - you are not sharing your Poolmath data so there is no way for me to know you have Poolmath.

I explained how, go to Effects of Adding Chemicals.

 

[Leebo]

I use poolmath and paid for premium. Ok, so no need to point to it every post. Maybe explain how to use it to get calcs instead of just 'selling' the app. I run pumps at 50gpm for 8 hours a day. Don't ask why, I just like to. 24 hours output for IC40 is 1.4. Run time at 8 hours puts % at 11% to increase FC 0.5ppm

When you’re entering your data, are you saving the results by checking the “check mark” on the upper right hand corner? The assumed “path” for users is to,

1. Click New Log
2. Click Log Test Results
3. Enter their test results as they test (or directly after they’ve tested)
4. Click the check mark in the upper right corner

Once these are done you’ll see your results are all saved and then go to individual tiles if you need to calculate how to get from point A to point B.