Cloudy again..

[PoolStored]

Right! It makes no sense to me. I hate to raise the cya in case I have to slam again at some point, but I feel it’s too risky not too if I’m losing this much to sunlight. Also, the LC I’m using is Pool Essentials from Walmart or Lowe’s. Is that a decent brand. It is not expired.

Retest your CYA. It was 50 a month ago. I find I lose about 10/month. It may be that you are in fact not at 50 any more. Because I lose 10 a month. I have a good understanding of my pool usage, and I actually start at 60 CYA and keep my FC at 7-9, and watch CYA drop to 50 and adjust my FC appropriately. I'm not saying that YOU should do that, but if you have a good understanding of the chemistry and your pool, you will learn how YOU want to manage it, and how it behaves.

If you are at 40, the loss from 9.5 to 6 is not surprising, given 40 CYA will not buffer much above 6-7. If it was hot, sunny and you had swimmers, it easy to lose the other 2.5 (from 6 to 3.5) in a day. You and I both have large pools, large surface area. My 20x40 has 18K gallons in just the first 3' of the pool. Easy to lose FC with heat and sun and swimmers. I have a pool that is 1/2 shaded by 40 foot trees, and on an 80 degree day, sunny, swimmers, I lose 2.5-3. By your picture, you have nothing shading the pool.

Check your CYA.

 

[Newdude]

Is that a decent brand. It is not expired.

Yes its a great 10%er. If it is weaker you will add and it won't raise the FC as much as you thought it will. Yours has been behaving exactly as it should so I'm pretty sure I full strength. But, even if it wasn't, you'd be 2ppm (?) Short after adding, and that's the end of it. Whatever it raised the FC by is there and good. That part doesn't deplete quicker due to being weakened.

Hang tight though in case the others have a different thought. The CYA can't easily be undone. It would go down on its own in a month and a half, but still. You'd be adding more chlorine for 6 weeks, and the whole point is that you've already added WAY more than your fair share lately.

 

[CTFocusST]

We're you able to get the weir door off to double check/scrub that clean?

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

Retest your CYA. It was 50 a month ago. I find I lose about 10/month. It may be that you are in fact not at 50 any more. Because I lose 10 a month. I have a good understanding of my pool usage, and I actually start at 60 CYA and keep my FC at 7-9, and watch CYA drop to 50 and adjust my FC appropriately. I'm not saying that YOU should do that, but if you have a good understanding of the chemistry and your pool, you will learn how YOU want to manage it, and how it behaves.

If you are at 40, the loss from 9.5 to 6 is not surprising, given 40 CYA will not buffer much above 6-7. If it was hot, sunny and you had swimmers, it easy to lose the other 2.5 (from 6 to 3.5) in a day. You and I both have large pools, large surface area. My 20x40 has 18K gallons in just the first 3' of the pool. Easy to lose FC with heat and sun and swimmers. I have a pool that is 1/2 shaded by 40 foot trees, and on an 80 degree day, sunny, swimmers, I lose 2.5-3. By your picture, you have nothing shading the pool.

Check your CYA.

Good point! I will retest my cya tomorrow and see where it’s at. You are right, there isn’t a single thing shading my pool. It’s in direct sunlight from sunup to sundown.

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

We're you able to get the weir door off to double check/scrub that clean?

I was not able to get it by myself. I’m going to try again tomorrow since my husband will be home.

 

[PoolStored]

Good point! I will retest my cya tomorrow and see where it’s at. You are right, there isn’t a single thing shading my pool. It’s in direct sunlight from sunup to sundown.

I think you are ok. Ohio. I took cover off at noon, sun clouds no swimming, I lost 1.5. CYA 60. I add chlorine during day, when hot, sunny, and/or swimmers. I have chlorine pump, just turn on/off switch with Alexa. Maybe an SWG would be a good solution for you?

you also might just keep your FC at top of range. I add chlorine at night, with target at top of my cya range. You could even go 1ppm above top of range until you know your pool. No one will smell and it won’t irritate. Would protect you while you are learning.

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

I think you are ok. Ohio. I took cover off at noon, sun clouds no swimming, I lost 1.5. CYA 60. I add chlorine during day, when hot, sunny, and/or swimmers. I have chlorine pump, just turn on/off switch with Alexa. Maybe an SWG would be a good solution for you?

you also might just keep your FC at top of range. I add chlorine at night, with target at top of my cya range. You could even go 1ppm above top of range until you know your pool. No one will smell and it won’t irritate. Would protect you while you are learning.

My cover was off all day today. It was mostly sunny with a few clouds and no one swam. When people do swim, I lose more. I usually bring my FC up to 9 ppm every night, which would be 1 over where I should be if my cya is still 50. Even then, I still lose a ton to sunlight.
I have actually been discussing a SWG with my husband. I think it would be a wise investment for us. The quote I got was around 3500. Does that sound about right?

 

[PoolStored]

BTW, I was surprised at first, that I could use lose that much. When I calculated that I had 20k gallons in first 3’, it made more sense. Now I don’t sweat it, I “dance” with my pool. I track and give it what it needs. With solar cover I lose .5. Cover off 1/2 day, mixed sun, I lose 1-1.5. Full sun, swim etc, up to 3.

if weather changes (hotter),or people decide to show up and swim, I turn chlorine pump on for 25 minutes, it will add .5 protection.

 

[PoolStored]

My cover was off all day today. It was mostly sunny with a few clouds and no one swam. When people do swim, I lose more. I usually bring my FC up to 9 ppm every night, which would be 1 over where I should be if my cya is still 50. Even then, I still lose a ton to sunlight.
I have actually been discussing a SWG with my husband. I think it would be a wise investment for us. The quote I got was around 3500. Does that sound about right?

I don’t have the experience to advise on SWG price. I do know, for your pool, INSIST on a 60,000 gallon cell. Gives you protection (you can make more Chlorine when needed), cell will last longer, and you will run pump less saving electricity.

 

[PoolStored]

My cover was off all day today. It was mostly sunny with a few clouds and no one swam. When people do swim, I lose more. I usually bring my FC up to 9 ppm every night, which would be 1 over where I should be if my cya is still 50. Even then, I still lose a ton to sunlight.
I have actually been discussing a SWG with my husband. I think it would be a wise investment for us. The quote I got was around 3500. Does that sound about right?

I will be surprised if your CYA is 50.

 

[Newdude]

The quote I got was around 3500. Does that sound about right?

I paid $1500+ tax for my 60k Pentair unit and controller recently at the highest price its ever been. 2k for the labor of install is utterly outrageous. It's even more outrageous if the unit isn't a premium brand which is equally expensive.

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

I paid $1500+ tax for my 60k Pentair unit and controller recently at the highest price its ever been. 2k for the labor of install is utterly outrageous. It's even more outrageous if the unit isn't a premium brand which is equally expensive.

I just went a checked the estimate again. I was 1000 off. Here is a pic of the estimate and what they included in that .

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

I will be surprised if your CYA is 50.

You are probably right.

I don’t have the experience to advise on SWG price. I do know, for your pool, INSIST on a 60,000 gallon cell. Gives you protection (you can make more Chlorine when needed), cell will last longer, and you will run pump less saving electricity.

Will do! Thanks for the info!

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

BTW, I was surprised at first, that I could use lose that much. When I calculated that I had 20k gallons in first 3’, it made more sense. Now I don’t sweat it, I “dance” with my pool. I track and give it what it needs. With solar cover I lose .5. Cover off 1/2 day, mixed sun, I lose 1-1.5. Full sun, swim etc, up to 3.

if weather changes (hotter),or people decide to show up and swim, I turn chlorine pump on for 25 minutes, it will add .5 protection.

I always test morning and evening and even sometimes in the middle of the day. I always seem to lose a ton of FC during the day. I will begin to think that I’m finally stating to get the hang of it all..The water will look perfect until we have more than 4 swimmers, then it gets cloudy and I will fail an OCLT. It like a never ending cycle.

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

Retest your CYA. It was 50 a month ago. I find I lose about 10/month. It may be that you are in fact not at 50 any more. Because I lose 10 a month. I have a good understanding of my pool usage, and I actually start at 60 CYA and keep my FC at 7-9, and watch CYA drop to 50 and adjust my FC appropriately. I'm not saying that YOU should do that, but if you have a good understanding of the chemistry and your pool, you will learn how YOU want to manage it, and how it behaves.

If you are at 40, the loss from 9.5 to 6 is not surprising, given 40 CYA will not buffer much above 6-7. If it was hot, sunny and you had swimmers, it easy to lose the other 2.5 (from 6 to 3.5) in a day. You and I both have large pools, large surface area. My 20x40 has 18K gallons in just the first 3' of the pool. Easy to lose FC with heat and sun and swimmers. I have a pool that is 1/2 shaded by 40 foot trees, and on an 80 degree day, sunny, swimmers, I lose 2.5-3. By your picture, you have nothing shading the pool.

Check your CYA.

How do you lose 10 a month on your cya? Evaporation and backwashing? I get a lot of evaporation but I don’t have to backwash much since my pump pressure doesn’t ever seem to go up. I do it every once in awhile just because. Lol

 

[PoolStored]

I always test morning and evening and even sometimes in the middle of the day. I always seem to lose a ton of FC during the day. I will begin to think that I’m finally stating to get the hang of it all..The water will look perfect until we have more than 4 swimmers, then it gets cloudy and I will fail an OCLT. It like a never ending cycle.

My gut tells me your CYA is not where you think it is. Call me crazy, but we will see in the morning!

 

[Newdude]

just went a checked the estimate again. I was 1000 off. Here is a pic of the estimate and what they included in that .

Ok much better. They markup on the unit isn’t bad. They all get a pretty penny. $200 for install is amazing. (Even an easy one).

thennnnnnnnnnnnn they are charging you for fancy small bag salt. You wil need 10-12 of the 40 lb bags of salt that cost $6-$8. ($60-$96)

there is always a catch. Lol.

But. It way better than $3500 and $2500 is what a lot of PBs are getting. Which part or parts they are marking up really is irrelevant in the end.

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

My gut tells me your CYA is not where you think it is. Call me crazy, but we will see in the morning!

Just checked my cya and the water was cloudy at all. Like, at all. I filled the bottle with pool water to 7, added R-0013 reagent to 14, mixed for 30 secs and it’s clear. How can that be? After I tested the last time, I took it to the pool store to verify and it was right on target at 50. The pool store verification was only like 3 1/2 weeks ago. Could I have lost that much already??

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

Ok much better. They markup on the unit isn’t bad. They all get a pretty penny. $200 for install is amazing. (Even an easy one).

thennnnnnnnnnnnn they are charging you for fancy small bag salt. You wil need 10-12 of the 40 lb bags of salt that cost $6-$8. ($60-$96)

there is always a catch. Lol.

But. It way better than $3500 and $2500 is what a lot of PBs are getting. Which part or parts they are marking up really is irrelevant in the end.

I think we have decided to go for it and have them install at the beginning of next season!

 

[3kidsAndAPool]

Just checked my cya and the water was cloudy at all. Like, at all. I filled the bottle with pool water to 7, added R-0013 reagent to 14, mixed for 30 secs and it’s clear. How can that be? After I tested the last time, I took it to the pool store to verify and it was right on target at 50. The pool store verification was only like 3 1/2 weeks ago. Could I have lost that much already??

I don’t even think I’ve backwashed since then! The loss would be from evaporation/refill only. My reagent is not expired and I’ve done this test successfully before.