1rst Time Pool Readings - Advice Please

[BuckeyeMan]

I bought the TF-100 kit and just did my first pool reading, and have some questions.
1. I did not get a CH result. I went by the directions for 10ml mark, add 10 drops R-0010, then 3 drops R-0011L. Showed a very very slight pink color. Then went drop by drop of R-0012, up to 40 drops and quit because color was not changing to blue, actually going more to a clear pink color. This is why I don't have a CH result.
2. Couple of other readings are high. How do I share those readings from my PoolMath?
3. What is CSI?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Forty drops takes your CH to 1,000 ppm. How long has it been since your last water exchange or fill? What is the CH of your fill water? Have you used Cal-Hypo in the past?

 

[BuckeyeMan]

Forty drops takes your CH to 1,000 ppm. How long has it been since your last water exchange or fill? What is the CH of your fill water? Have you used Cal-Hypo in the past?

We just bought the house in May 2020 and pool guy has been taking care of it, till this month and let him go. He told me last summer that he wanted to drain and refill because water gets stale and you have trouble stabilizing pool chemicals. That was his reason. I posted that remark on here last week, and everyone told me that is just another way of pool guys making money. I don't know when the last time it was done. When I saw the neighbors pool guy last time, he said here in Arizona they suggest you do it maybe every 2-3 years. I stopped putting the drops in at 40, because I didn't see anything changing, so it could have gone alot more drops than that.

 

[mknauss]

Do you have scale on the pool surface? Waterline tile?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I'm guessing your main water source is Colorado River water, which is notoriously high in calcium content. When pool water evaporates, it leaves behind the calcium. Each time you top-off, you add more calcium. The only way to get CH in range is to drain and refill. You can greatly reduce rising CH by using a water softener for fill water. Solar covers help to reduce evaporation which can help to control CH rise.

Try testing your tap (fill water). This will not only give you an idea of the CH content, but it will also ensure your testing methods are sound.

CSI is Calcium Saturation Index. It is a measure of the scaling or erosion tendencies of your water. High numbers show the potential for scaling and low numbers show the potential for erosion of plaster surfaces. For plaster pools, you should maintain a CSI between 0.0 and -.30.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

Do you have scale on the pool surface? Waterline tile?

There is some. Been on there since we bought the house, but not bad. The water in this area is not good though, pretty hard from what everyone says. Put water softner in house, but does not affect water going to pool.

 

[ajw22]

you should maintain a CSI between 0.0 and -.30.

However between +0.6 and -0.6 is ok, The lower the better. With a high CH you may have difficulty getting CSI below 0.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

I'm guessing your main water source is Colorado River water, which is notoriously high in calcium content. When pool water evaporates, it leaves behind the calcium. Each time you top-off, you add more calcium. The only way to get CH in range is to drain and refill. You can greatly reduce rising CH by using a water softener for fill water. Solar covers help to reduce evaporation which can help to control CH rise.

Try testing your tap (fill water). This will not only give you an idea of the CH content, but it will also ensure your testing methods are sound.

CSI is Calcium Saturation Index. It is a measure of the scaling or erosion tendencies of your water. High numbers show the potential for scaling and low numbers show the potential for erosion of plaster surfaces. For plaster pools, you should maintain a CSI between 0.0 and -.30.

I am not sure where it comes from , looks like possibly there or Salt River Project. I checked at the fill location for pool, and it tests out to be about 375

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Put water softner in house, but does not affect water going to pool.

Does you pool have an "autofill"? Either way, it would be a good idea to figure out a way to top off evaporative loss with softened water.

I checked at the fill location for pool, and it tests out to be about 375

375 is high, but not impossible depending on your water source. Some providers post an annual water quality report that usually includes average calcium levels (or hardness).

Have some fun and test your softened water. You can check the pool again, but we know it's likely 1000+. Might as well save your reagents and consider a water exchange.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Here's a thread from earlier today from a fellow Arizonian with similar issues...

CH of 1125

Hi All, I've been struggling with rapidly rising CH since my new pool was constructed just over two years ago. Here are my numbers: In-Ground Plaster Pool 10,000 gallons with startup date of 11/2019. I have a T-9 SWG and Hayward equipment including Acid Feeder and Sense and Dispense system...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

Put water softner in house, but does not affect water going to pool.

Best method is to use softened water for fill water. Otherwise plan to dump the water every 2-3 years.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

Does you pool have an "autofill"? Either way, it would be a good idea to figure out a way to top off evaporative loss with softened water.

375 is high, but not impossible depending on your water source. Some providers post an annual water quality report that usually includes average calcium levels (or hardness).

Have some fun and test your softened water. You can check the pool again, but we know it's likely 1000+. Might as well save your reagents and consider a water exchange.

Yes I do have an auto fill. There is no way I could see adding soft water to the pool, everything that is soft water, is inside the house.

Best method is to use softened water for fill water. Otherwise plan to dump the water every 2-3 years.

Just curiosity, do you fill yours with soft
water? Now I need to have someone explain to me how you drain your pool, and how far down to drain it.
16310 gallon, Pebble Tech finish,

 

[mknauss]

I do have a softener for my pool water. My CH has been at 300 ppm since I installed it over a year ago.

In Arizona, you get a sump pump from Home Depot and drain it to your sewer clean out or the street, depending on your local rules. Drain the whole thing.

Only issue draining in your area is from April to November when it is hot. Just do it in the winter.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

I do have a softener for my pool water. My CH has been at 300 ppm since I installed it over a year ago.

In Arizona, you get a sump pump from Home Depot and drain it to your sewer clean out or the street, depending on your local rules. Drain the whole thing.

Only issue draining in your area is from April to November when it is hot. Just do it in the winter.

Yea, I just checked the CH of the bathroom faucet, and is about 50-75. Don't know how I would ever get softwater to the pool, even if I installed a softner for just the pool, seeing the softner is in garage, and pool is in back yard. I wonder if that extends the longevity of the pool and equipment also, especially the heater.

 

[mknauss]

Calcium scale can be detrimental to the plaster surface primarily. It can scale the heater if not controlled.
I installed a RV softener for the pool. It is manually regenerated. CH of my tap water is 250 ppm (pure Colorado river water).

 

[ajw22]

Yea, I just checked the CH of the bathroom faucet, and is about 50-75. Don't know how I would ever get softwater to the pool, even if I installed a softner for just the pool, seeing the softner is in garage, and pool is in back yard. I wonder if that extends the longevity of the pool and equipment also, especially the heater.

I have seen mentions of folks using RV or camper water softeners for their pool. It doesn't have the capacity to fill a pool but can handle fill from evaporation.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

Calcium scale can be detrimental to the plaster surface primarily. It can scale the heater if not controlled.
I installed a RV softener for the pool. It is manually regenerated. CH of my tap water is 250 ppm (pure Colorado river water).

Do you use that just for evaporation refill purposes, cause I just looked an RV softner up and it say enough for 1600 gallons, or 40 days of normal rv use. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[BuckeyeMan]

I have seen mentions of folks using RV or camper water softeners for their pool. It doesn't have the capacity to fill a pool but can handle fill from evaporation.

yea, I just looked on up, say 1600 gallons or 40 days of rv use

 

[mknauss]

Just for evaporation make up. I use a 16000 grain unit. My water is close to 16gpg so after about 800 gallons through it, I regenerate. That is every 3-4 weeks in the summer. Every other month or so from November through March.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

We recently discussed portable water softeners in this thread @Post # 77...Hope it helps.

Ph after water softener First readings

Like @mknauss said - you don’t want to skirt minimum fc for your cya. That’s just asking for trouble. You want trouble free ! Target 🎯 is the place to be 😁

www.troublefreepool.com