Just overwhelmed

[Squatting Hen]

Note the poolmath app is a calculator only and not telling you to do anything. It includes default values for water tests and you can adjust those targets as needed. Don’t blindly follow the app. All your results are fine.

From what I see it does show items out of range and tells me how to fix them. Isn’t that what the app is mainly used for? That’s what I need. A place to enter my numbers and be told what to do.

 

[PoolStored]

From what I see it does show items out of range and tells me how to fix them. Isn’t that what the app is mainly used for? That’s what I need. A place to enter my numbers and be told what to do.

Don't be a slave to Pool Math. It is just a calculator.

Follow this advice...

General advice.

• CYA: Keep your CYA 60-80. This will help the life of your cell.
• FC: Maintain your FC based on your CYA. Keep it at the high end of the range to account for high FC demand days. Link-->FC/CYA Levels
• pH: Manage your pH to keep it in the 7s. If TA is > 80, then when pH gets to 8.0, lower it to 7.6 with muriatic acid. Pool math will tell you how much is needed. When you lower pH you also lower TA. When TA gets to 60-80 range, only lower pH to 7.8 when it gets to 8.0.
• TA: measure it but don't worry about it or change it. Manage your pH.
• CH: you need at least 200-250ppm to protect the pebble. Unless your CH gets above 600, you don't have to worry if it is at least 200-250. Test the CH of your fill water.
• Salt: Get the manual for your SWG and look up the required salt levels. Maintain your salt in the center of the range for your SWG.

 

[Newdude]

That’s what I need. A place to enter my numbers and be told what to do.

Let's take just FC, but expand that to all of them for similarly unique parameters for you.

FC gets depleted by the sun every day, even on overcast days. PoolMath tells you that 4 to 7 FC is OK, but if you are testing before the daily UV loss, a 5 isn't enough to get through the day for most of the season. If you were testing in the evening, it would be OK for right then, but would not account for tomorrow's loss before you dosed again.

It also doesn't know your fill water parameters or how often you fill to predict how they'll alter things. Somebody in the desert with high CH fill water and lots of evaporation will want a lower CH because it will quickly rise on its own. While myself with lots of rain and low CH fill water would struggle to keep enough CH in there if it mattered for me. Everyone in between is, well, in between.

Until you just know what your pool needs, post up the numbers whenever you wonder, or if anything drifts out of range. We'll tell you where you want to be, specifically for you, so that you can tell poolmath where you want to be.

For now, you're sitting pretty until then. Manage the FC loss so that you remain free and clear above min at all times. If you know your nest test/dose time will be later than usual, dose accordingly so that you're still above min when you test.

 

[proavia]

For the CH and TA tests, continue to add drops until the last drop doesn't change the color any further - and then subtract the last drop that doesn't change the color.

The CH test should turn baby blue.
The TA test should turn Barbie pink.
But still add drops as I outlined above.

 

[pjt]

I struggle with reading the PH levels

A consistent background is key. To get good backlighting, hold the block in front of your computer monitor/tablet/phone with a blank white screen displayed. Also, try holding the block sideways or upside down. Sometimes that helps distinguish colors better. I also use two old hotel keycards to mask off areas and narrow down my decision.

CYA….that dot….is it when it starts to disappear but you can still see it, or when you can’t see it at all?

 

[Squatting Hen]

Let's take just FC, but expand that to all of them for similarly unique parameters for you.

FC gets depleted by the sun every day, even on overcast days. PoolMath tells you that 4 to 7 FC is OK, but if you are testing before the daily UV loss, a 5 isn't enough to get through the day for most of the season. If you were testing in the evening, it would be OK for right then, but would not account for tomorrow's loss before you dosed again.

It also doesn't know your fill water parameters or how often you fill to predict how they'll alter things. Somebody in the desert with high CH fill water and lots of evaporation will want a lower CH because it will quickly rise on its own. While myself with lots of rain and low CH fill water would struggle to keep enough CH in there if it mattered for me. Everyone in between is, well, in between.

Until you just know what your pool needs, post up the numbers whenever you wonder, or if anything drifts out of range. We'll tell you where you want to be, specifically for you, so that you can tell poolmath where you want to be.

For now, you're sitting pretty until then. Manage the FC loss so that you remain free and clear above min at all times. If you know your nest test/dose time will be later than usual, dose accordingly so that you're still above min when you test.

Thanks everyone. Those pictures do help. So if my numbers are fine now, should I not try to lower my TA, raise my CH, Raise my CYA and try to lower my PH a little?

Also going to order a replacement test kit from TFtestkits and I am thinking about the PH reader. That might help with my color issues. Also, am I supposed to be testing inside the house? I just test everything outside.

 

[proavia]

Thanks everyone. Those pictures do help. So if my numbers are fine now, should I not try to lower my TA, raise my CH, Raise my CYA and try to lower my PH a little?

First - rerun the test using the guidance provided and post them here.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water temperature

 

[pjt]

Also, am I supposed to be testing inside the house? I just test everything outside.

It's up to you. I do the titrations at the kitchen sink since I can dump and rinse the vials easily. I walk the pH test to my office to use the computer monitor. CYA test is done outside at waist level with back to the sun.

 

[Squatting Hen]

It's up to you. I do the titrations at the kitchen sink since I can dump and rinse the vials easily. I walk the pH test to my office to use the computer monitor. CYA test is done outside at waist level with back to the sun.

Thanks. So don’t stare 4” from the black dot looking for it? Lol. Dang. My CYA and PH are the most difficult. My results from the others this morning I feel good about. My guess is my CYA is between 40-50 and PH was probably 8. I can test again later.

 

[proavia]

Thanks. So don’t stare 4” from the black dot looking for it? Lol. Dang. My CYA and PH are the most difficult. My results from the others this morning I feel good about. My guess is my CYA is between 40-50 and PH was probably 8. I can test again later.

CYA test

• Mix the pool water and R-0013 as directed in the instructions
• Outside on a sunny day (near noon if possible)
• Back to the sun
• Mix the testing bottle again
• Fill vial to a line on the test vial - say 70
• Lower vial to waist level in the shadow of your body
• GLANCE and look away
• See the dot? Fill vial to next line
• Rinse, repeat until you don't see the dot
• If you see the dot at 50 but don't see it at 40, your CYA is somewhere between 40 and 50 - so it gets rounded up to 50

Remember, GLANCE to see the dot - do NOT stare.

You can put the test solution back into the mixing bottle numerous times and do the test again.
Some do the CYA test this way three times to better determine the result during that testing cycle.

You may not have taken the CH and TA test to their true end result. See the recommendation for these two test in post #24 above.

 

[Squatting Hen]

Because I don’t for sure know what I am doing yet, I still have a pool guy come out every two weeks. He came today and it shows he added some acid because the ph was “a little high”.

This was around 1:00 cst. So I guess it’s best for me to test it all again tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Newdude]

a little high”

Long story. They chase a low Ph unnecessarily. His 'little high' and ours is probably different.

 

[Bperry]

Also going to order a replacement test kit from TFtestkits and I am thinking about the PH reader. That might help with my color issues.

It’s up to you but those have their own set of issues. They need to be calibrated with special solutions, cleaned with special solutions and stored in a special solution. Just my opinion but the pH test is easier if you just let go of knowing the exact number. If it’s 7.8 or 8.0, it’s not a big deal. If it’s higher than 8.0, add some acid to lower it. Don’t sweat it if you can’t tell the difference between 7.7 and 7.8 cause it really doesn’t matter.

 

[TinFoilHat]

You should cancel the pool service because you can certainly do this all yourself.

 

[Squatting Hen]

It’s up to you but those have their own set of issues. They need to be calibrated with special solutions, cleaned with special solutions and stored in a special solution. Just my opinion but the pH test is easier if you just let go of knowing the exact number. If it’s 7.8 or 8.0, it’s not a big deal. If it’s higher than 8.0, add some acid to lower it. Don’t sweat it if you can’t tell the difference between 7.7 and 7.8 cause it really doesn’t matter.

Well, that’s disappointing about the tester. Thanks.

Make this sound so easy: pH Tester

 

[Squatting Hen]

Retested just now, 24 hours after the pool guy added some acid.

FC - 8.5
CC - 0.0
pH - seems to be 7 or a little less - see picture
TA - 6 drops was light but 7 was a good red, so 70 (pictures of both)
CH - looks like 200. Never got a good blue, just light blue. Harder to tell in bright light. Adding more drops didn’t seem to change the color.
CYA - 50
Water temperature - 84

 

[pjt]

CC - 8.5

Are you sure? Most likely it's zero or 0.5

pH - seems to be 7 or a little less - see picture

pool guy added some acid

Yep. Don't add MA for a while and let the pH drift back up into the 7s. Your pool guy added a lot of MA.

CH - looks like 200. Never got a good blue, just light blue. Harder to tell in bright light.

The color change is subtle from a light purple/red to a light blue. I normally do my testing indoors, which helps with color discrimination. If I have a helper available, for the CH test I have them stare at the sample while I add drops.

CYA - 50

Your CYA is a bit lower than 50. Keep filling up the tube until the dot disappears at a glance. Reference the sight pictures above.

 

[Squatting Hen]

Are you sure? Most likely it's zero or 0.5



Yep. Don't add MA for a while and let the pH drift back up into the 7s. Your pool guy added a lot of MA.


The color change is subtle from a light purple/red to a light blue. I normally do my testing indoors, which helps with color discrimination. If I have a helper available, for the CH test I have them stare at the sample while I add drops.


Your CYA is a bit lower than 50. Keep filling up the tube until the dot disappears at a glance. Reference the sight pictures above.

Cya is probably 40-45.

I just did the one chlorine test and it was 8.5. I added the other drops and nothing changed so I guess that’s 0

 

[Newdude]

I would add 20 mule borax ($6 for 4 lbs in any laundry aisle). Dose +0.4 per PoolMath, mix for 15 mins and test to verify its in the 7s. If not, dose another 0.4 and retest.

The problem with being off range is that a 5 (etc) looks like a 6.8. So if you just add without confirming you could still fall well short.

If your pool drifted into the 6s on its own, I wouldn't be worried about bevause it would come back on its own as said above, but seeing how the service folks like to overkill the snot out of it, I'm concerned 'some acid' was 3 gallons.

 

[Squatting Hen]

I would add 20 mule borax ($6 for 4 lbs in any laundry aisle). Dose +0.4 per PoolMath, mix for 15 mins and test to verify its in the 7s. If not, dose another 0.4 and retest.

The problem with being off range is that a 5 (etc) looks like a 6.8. So if you just add without confirming you could still fall well short.

If your pool drifted into the 6s on its own, I wouldn't be worried about bevause it would come back on its own as said above, but seeing how the service folks like to overkill the snot out of it, I'm concerned 'some acid' was 3 gallons.

Thanks. I will try that this weekend or see what happens after the rain that is supposed to happen. I did order some stabilizer and some calcium hardness increaser. I was going to add those too. Unless I shouldn’t.

Looks like my CYA should be between 60-90 and my CH should be a lot higher. That’s what pool math says.