FC tested high then dropped like a rock

[heatonjax]

Hi,
About 60 days into ownership of new 14,300 gal pool, SWG, gunite, pebble tech finish in NE FL. I’ve gotten my chemistry down fairly well…until last week. I have TTK for salt. I was getting 3800 ppm for my salt but had not added any since taking over the pool. I took sample to local store. Shows my salt at 3600 so better than thought and ok for now but FC at 8 ppm. And it has never been over 5. So they tell me to take my SWG down to lowest setting for a day or so. Two days later, FC is 1.0. We talk to the store and they test phosphates because they say it eats up FC. I got 400 ppb from their test strip. They tell me to turn my SWG back up and add more CYA (it was at 40 ppm) and add phosphate remover. I turned my SWG up to 40 percent - which is what I normally keep it at since temps rose last month. Im back to 4.4 FC. I added 1 pound of CYA. All other numbers are testing great at home. But I don’t have phosphate test kit. I’m nervous about phosphates. I racked my brain as to what could be increasing the phosphates and I realize my newly installed irrigation system was spraying a little bit into my pool for two or three days before it was properly adjusted. My groundwater is gross around me. Given my situation…remove or ignore phosphates??

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Welcome to TFP!

First order of business is to ignore pool store advice and testing. You can ignore phosphates at such a low number.

We can help you out, but you'll need to provide us with some reliable test results from a Test Kits Compared. How are you testing your water now?

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.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! Your Poolmath test numbers from 3 hours ago look quite good, so I don't understand the issue. I have no doubt the pool store is confusing you and sending you on a wild goose chase that is frustrating and costing you $$$. That is why we TFP members test our own water.

Your signature is blank. What test kit do you have at home? How does the water look right now? If it's 100% crystal clear, then you should be fine, but you can always do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to be sure.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Welcome to TFP! Your Poolmath test numbers from 3 hours ago look quite good

Thanks Pat...I missed these.

 

[Bperry]

Hi,
About 60 days into ownership of new 14,300 gal pool, SWG, gunite, pebble tech finish in NE FL. I’ve gotten my chemistry down fairly well…until last week. I have TTK for salt. I was getting 3800 ppm for my salt but had not added any since taking over the pool. I took sample to local store. Shows my salt at 3600 so better than thought and ok for now but FC at 8 ppm. And it has never been over 5. So they tell me to take my SWG down to lowest setting for a day or so. Two days later, FC is 1.0. We talk to the store and they test phosphates because they say it eats up FC. I got 400 ppb from their test strip. They tell me to turn my SWG back up and add more CYA (it was at 40 ppm) and add phosphate remover. I turned my SWG up to 40 percent - which is what I normally keep it at since temps rose last month. Im back to 4.4 FC. I added 1 pound of CYA. All other numbers are testing great at home. But I don’t have phosphate test kit. I’m nervous about phosphates. I racked my brain as to what could be increasing the phosphates and I realize my newly installed irrigation system was spraying a little bit into my pool for two or three days before it was properly adjusted. My groundwater is gross around me. Given my situation…remove or ignore phosphates??

Like above, you can ignore all the advice the pool store gave you. You’ve been poolstored’.

 

[ajw22]

The HEDP based metal sequestrant used by your builder when your pool was filled probably created the phosphates in the water. That is part of the Pool Store racket with phosphates. They sell you one set of chemicals that adds it. Then another to remove it.

Sequestrant - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Phosphate Removers - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[CreedenceTapes]

A lot of county/municipal fill water will contain phosphates. The good news is that, if you choose to, you can completely ignore phosphates.

A common analogy is that phosphates are like food for algae. If you're keeping your FC and CYA levels at TFP recommended levels, you're going to be killing any algae more rapidly than it can eat the food. So keeping your phosphates down is more of a back-up plan/insurance policy.

Personally, I like to keep an eye on my phosphates, but I'm a tinkerer and perfectionist (in some matters) by nature and strange enough to look at pool chemistry as an enjoyable hobby. Even so, I wouldn't think to try to lower phosphates till they were over 1000 ppb.

 

[heatonjax]

Welcome to TFP! Your Poolmath test numbers from 3 hours ago look quite good, so I don't understand the issue. I have no doubt the pool store is confusing you and sending you on a wild goose chase that is frustrating and costing you $$$. That is why we TFP members test our own water.

Your signature is blank. What test kit do you have at home? How does the water look right now? If it's 100% crystal clear, then you should be fine, but you can always do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to be sure.

I use TTK2006Salt.

 

[Texas Splash]

I use TTK2006Salt.

Great. So a K-2006 for the normal chemistry and a salt kit for just the salt. So no reason to go to the pool store. If you have any doubts about the water due to clarify or what might appear to be an unexplained loss in FC within 24 hrs, go right into a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to see if organics is the cause. If you pass an OCLT, then we can go into other areas to assist. But with the proper test kit you should be in a good position to handle things there.

If you still have questions please let us know.

 

[heatonjax]

Great. So a K-2006 for the normal chemistry and a salt kit for just the salt. So no reason to go to the pool store. If you have any doubts about the water due to clarify or what might appear to be an unexplained loss in FC within 24 hrs, go right into a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to see if organics is the cause. If you pass an OCLT, then we can go into other areas to assist. But with the proper test kit you should be in a good position to handle things there.

If you still have questions please let us know.

@Texas Splash - I tested my pool water last evening and then first thing this morning. Very little change in my numbers so I passed the OCLT test. I am concluding that the store guy messed up the FC test when he told me it was 8 ppm - and it was actually lower. And thus, when I reduced my swg for two (sunny and hot) days, it ended up at 1.0 ppm. I should have gone with my gut and told him to retest while I was there...or just stick with the results from the TTK. I will keep a watch on phosphates but won't worry about them at this point. Thanks for all the info!