Tips for a new pool owner?

[negativez0]

My pool was installed 11 days ago. I currently have a Frog mineral/chlorine system that uses the Trichloro-s-Triazinetrione canisters.
The water was crystal clear with no odor or color. The store told me to skip any shock and just start adding Chlorine to get the Free Chlorine level to .5-1 by setting the Frog dial to 6. After a few days FC was at 3ppm so I rolled the dial back to 3.

The Total Alkalinity was off the charts and I was told to add a gallon of muriatic acid and test again in 24 hours. I've been doing that until today when I finally got it down to 70ppm.


This evening, 11 days after install, I measured the following 4 hours after adding 2 gallons of muriatic acid. I also noted the water is just the tiniest bit cloudy. I've also purchased a Taylor K2006 test kit.
pH at 6.8
Free Chlorine at .6
Combined Chlorine .4
Total Alkalinity 70
0 Stabilizer (this result is from a test strip).

I'm set on learning the TFPC method, but am overwhelmed and am trying to figure out how to at least get my pool on track to be used and not damage any equipment. My thought at this point, (which is worth nothing since I'm lost!), is to bump the Frog dial back up to 6 to get the Chlorine back in the system. Then start aerating to try and bring up the pH without raising the Total Alkalinity.

Am I on the right track for a temporary solve while I continue to learn more about this method? Any advice/tips are welcome as I feel like I'm drinking from a fire hose trying to take in all this new info that contradicts the box full of chemicals the pool store left me.

 

[Flying Tivo]

You need to stop using your Frog system which is adding metals to your water(remove the cartridges). Start using Liquid chlorine. Your test kit has a test for cya but if you have not added since the fill, it will be 0. You need to follow this FC/CYA Levels. Raise your CYA to 30ppm. forget about the other numbers for now. Start reading Pool Care Basics and use PoolMath app to keep track of your test results.

Welcome to TFP, and keep asking questions, we are here to help.

 

[negativez0]

I'm trying to calculate how much chlorine to add. The app asks for my CYA level. When following the directions in my Taylor kit, the black dot doesn't go away. I believe there's 0 since that's also what a test strip shows for Stabilizer.

Should I just enter 0 in the app and add the appropriate amount of bleach? I have 10% bleach with no other additives.

 

[negativez0]

Disregard my previous post. I just went back and read the earlier reply.

With CYA being 0, is it raised by adding bleach?

 

[Lake Placid]

Disregard my previous post. I just went back and read the earlier reply.

With CYA being 0, is it raised by adding bleach?

CYA levels are raised by adding cyanuric acid, often marketed as stabilizer. Granular form is best to use.

Stabilized chlorine (trichlor and dichlor) will also add cya to the water, but long term use can lead to CYA levels that are way to high to mange effectively without draining.

 

[bertschb]

I'm trying to calculate how much chlorine to add.

If it were my pool, I'd dump a half gallon of your 10% bleach in right now and then get some stabilizer today and add that to boost your CYA. The other thing I'd recommend doing after adding liquid chlorine and stabilizer is get a cold beverage and sit down and spend some time here. There is a TON of great information. After reading these articles you should be MUCH more comfortable maintaining your pool yourself.

 

[negativez0]

Thanks! I just found some cyanuric acid in the box of chemicals. The app says to add 8lbs so I'll have to go buy some more since I only have 4.

Should I be adding chlorine while raising the CYA or wait on the CYA to go up? The stores notes say to sprinkle it into the water or hang it in a sock by the jet to allow it to dissolve. Is this right?

You are all awesome. Thanks for walking me through this

 

[bertschb]

Should I be adding chlorine while raising the CYA or wait on the CYA to go up?

I would add the chlorine first. Chlorine is what prevents algae from forming so I would always focus on staying above the minimum recommended levels. Since it doesn't appear that you have a salt water chlorine generator, grab several gallons of liquid chlorine while you're at the store getting stabilizer.

 

[bertschb]

The stores notes say to sprinkle it into the water or hang it in a sock by the jet to allow it to dissolve. Is this right?

Most people here hang a sock with dry stabilizer in it in front of a return. After the sock has been in the water for a while, gently squeeze it from time to time.

I prefer liquid stabilizer because it's more convenient but I'm the odd ball here on the forum. Liquid stabilizer is also much more expensive than dry.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Never pour granular CYA directly into your pool or skimmer. It dissolves very slowly and can clog your pipes if it hits a bend and clumps up. Always use the sock method. From Pool School:

Solid/granular cyanuric acid (CYA) should be placed in a sock and the sock put in the skimmer basket or suspended in front of a pool return. After adding CYA you should leave the pump running for 24 hours and not backwash/clean the filter for a week. Squeezing the sock periodically will help it to dissolve faster.

 

[Lake Placid]

It’s not clear to me how you are testing. Has your kit arrived and you’re using it, or are you running off test strips?

 

[negativez0]

I've added the recommended amount of bleach and have a couple socks hanging with 4lbs of CYA. I've also ordered another 4lbs to get me up to the recommend amount from the app. I also have the jet aiming up which is aerating the water to hopefully bring up the pH since it was significantly reduced by the amount of muriatic acid I had to add to get the alkalinity down.

My understanding is next steps are:
1. check chlorine daily and add needed amount of bleach
2. add the remainder of the CYA.

Please let me know if I'm off base.

I've been reading through many of the Pool School articles and really appreciate you all helping to validate my understanding and push me in the right direction. I can tell I'm going to like this method of care. It seems like science instead of guess work!

I'm currently testing with both my Taylor kit and test strips. Only because I'm curious how far off the test strips are after reading so much about them being useless.

 

[PieterS]

Sounds like you have a good plan!

My only comment - on the CYA, take another reading first (after a day or two of letting the first 4 lbs get into the pool). It's slow to register on the test, and you don't want to overshoot and have to deal with high CYA levels. Much easier to add than take out!

 

[negativez0]

I need to figure out my signature later, but in case it helps in these conversations-
The pool is a Doughboy Silver Lake 18x34' with a dug in deep end. I have a Sequel II Diatomaceous Earth Filter, Silen 1 150 pump, and a 266k BTU Raypak Heater

 

[Lilypad]

Be sure that the CYA sock isn't touching your liner as it can bleach it.

 

[bertschb]

I agree with @PieterS . Wait a day or two after adding your first 4lbs of stabilizer before you add any more. Only make decisions based off testing from your Taylor test kit. Toss your test strips.

 

[PieterS]

I need to figure out my signature later

Click on 'Settings' on the left hand side, then signature...

 

[negativez0]

Be sure that the CYA sock isn't touching your liner as it can bleach it.

Yikes good to know. Any recommendations on how people keep it off the liner?

 

[PoolStored]

Yikes good to know. Any recommendations on how people keep it off the liner?

Put the sock in your skimmer. Or hang it off a pole a foot out into the pool.

 

[Lilypad]

Tie sock to a pole or board. Weight the pole or board so it is stable.