New Homeowner - 1st Time Pool owner!

nick.simpson19 said:

Have you downloaded the pool math application to your smart phone and put in your test results? the app will tell you exactly what to put into the pool?

You will have to raise your FC to around 4-8 PPM using liquid chlorine (but as your CYA is low you can use SHOCK to raise the FC and the CYA) lower your PH using Muratic Acid to around 7.5. Then check again.

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FC: 1.5 -> 10FC--- 2.5 Jugs of 10% Liquid Chlorine
Edit: Re-read the FC/CYA Chart and with a CYA goal of 40, I should target an FC of 6. Which is 1.3 Jugs
PH: 8.2 -> 7.4 --- 33oz of 20° Baumé 31.45%
TA: 50 -> 70 --- 8lbs 8oz of Baking Soda
CH: 100 -> 175 --- 20lbs of Calcium Chloride
CYA: 0 -> 40 --- 9lbs of Stabilizer.

Does this seem right?

jimmythegreek said:

Are sure you are doing test right? If that pool water was already in the pool when you got it there has to be CYA in the water. The only way would be if they refilled pool before winterizing and didnt treat the water. It doesn't evaporate it stays with the water not like chlorine that gets used up.
Anyway give us the dimensions of pool and its depths and where it changes we will get you an estimated gallons # from there if no CYA you will add stabilizer which is CYA using the pantyhose or sock method and bo from there. Your FC needs to stay way up at slam level the whole time. Is the 1.8 reading even with you adding a gallon a day?

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The pool sat roughly about 6" above where the water begins to slope toward the deep end. So I added about 4' of water in the pool recently ( around when I made this post). Since I've added 3 gallons total to the pool. One a day.

I just got the test kit today and yeah that's from today at 6:45pm. I will retest everything again tomorrow and hopefully at least be able to repeat the results. I'm pretty sure I did the test accurately but I will try again.

Pool is 18x36' 4' on the shallow and roughly 8' on the deep end. Roughly 29,000 gallons I believe.

Before beginning the SLAM process should I start with getting my CYA levels up first and then begin everything else?

FC: 1.5 -> 10FC--- 2.5 Jugs of 10% Liquid Chlorine
Edit: Re-read the FC/CYA Chart and with a CYA goal of 40, I should target an FC of 6. Which is 1.3 Jugs
PH: 8.2 -> 7.4 --- 33oz of 20° Baumé 31.45%
TA: 50 -> 70 --- 8lbs 8oz of Baking Soda
CH: 100 -> 175 --- 20lbs of Calcium Chloride
CYA: 0 -> 40 --- 9lbs of Stabilizer.

Is there any particular order I should be working on adding the different chemicals, do I do it at all the same day?

kimkats said:

The only two you cannot do at the same time is muriatic acid and chlorine. They do NOT play well together. All you do for these two is wait about 15 mins between additions (with the pump on to mix the water).



Everything else can be added at anything with anything else.



I would put the CYA in a sock (like you wear) and hang it in front of the returns from a broom handle or such.



Get some muriatic acid in to lower that pH. Do keep a close eye on the TA as the acid will lower it as well.



I would not worry about the CH as you have a vinyl liner so don't really need it.



It really looks like you have a good handle on what needs to be done! Good job!



Kim

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Awesome! I’m going supply shopping today and will post updates throughout the weekend!

splashpad said:

FC =

edit =

PH =

TA = I wouldn't up the TA, since your PH is riding high, no need to increase that fight, once a week you can check it and once it drops to 20-30 bump it back to 50 or so

CH =, in vinyl pool, calcium is not needed and can either cause cloudiness OR start scaling (especially with your higher PH)

CYA = Always add half or aim for lower than your "final" goal, I would suggest a target of CYA/30



Poolmath suggests 19400 gallons = 18 x 36 x ((8+4)/2)





No, adjust your PH first (measured muriatic acid poured slowly in-front of return w/pump running). Because once you have FC reading over 10, the PH reagent reacts with a false high result

You can add the liquid chlorine, but again add half the amount and check 15-30min later, if it is less than desired amount, adjust up using PoolMath and/or app

The CYA will not likely show up in testing until 24-48hrs, depending on pool temp and how long the pump is run.

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Ok awesome. I’ll work I’m getting my PH in check first then adjust accordingly. I will post results throughout the weekend.

Based on your formula I’m still getting 29,100 gallons and the same result if I plug it in online.



I think the error in the pool math app is typing in an average 4 instead of 6. That variation gives me 19400 instead of 29100

ManiacalMama said:

Hopefully OP didn't make the same mistake I did and test CYA with really cold water. I did and got a zero reading. I then added enough CYA to bring me up to 20 or so. Retested a few days later but with water I let warm up in the house to room temp and now it's at 50.

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It’s been about 80 degrees out water wasn’t cold but it wasn’t warm either. I’ll definitely retry this again just to make sure!

So after my first go round with my testing and cleaning I had given up because I couldn’t quite get it.

After continually reading it finally clicked that I was suppose to maintain the FC level at shock value lol.

Attached is a pic of how it’s progressed since buying the home. It looks a little more like the second pic right now but the chemicals are a lot better

Here’s a log of what’s transpired between yesterday and today.

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Test Results 05-08-2019 @ 07:29 PM
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Free Chlorine: 12.0
CYA: 30

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Test Results 05-08-2019 @ 03:52 PM
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Free Chlorine: 9.5
CYA: 28

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Chemical Addition 05-08-2019 @ 03:52 PM
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+ 56 FluidOunces of Bleach

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Chemical Addition 05-08-2019 @ 03:51 PM
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+ 7.7 Ounces of DryStabilizer

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Chemical Addition 05-08-2019 @ 03:50 PM
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+ 19 FluidOunces of Bleach

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Test Results 05-08-2019 @ 10:22 AM
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Free Chlorine: 11.0
pH: 7.2

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Test Results 05-07-2019 @ 10:43 PM
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Free Chlorine: 15.0
CYA: 25

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Chemical Addition 05-07-2019 @ 07:29 PM
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+ 39 Ounces of DryStabilizer

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Chemical Addition 05-07-2019 @ 07:28 PM
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+ 167 FluidOunces of Bleach

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Test Results 05-07-2019 @ 07:28 PM
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Free Chlorine: 5.5
Total Alkalinity: 40
Calcium Hardness: 100
CYA: 20

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I have been brushing, leaf eating and vacuuming. I thought I had gotten most of the leaves in the deep end and boy was I wrong. I took out about three bag fulls today.(would’ve been 4 but unfortunately I lost a bag it came undone when pulling it out ). I will keep hitting this tomorrow.

Also I’m having a kind of weird issue with my pump or maybe it’s just me. Whenever I turn on the pump I get great flow and the pool water really gets moving but after about a minute or two everything kind of just stops. I can see the surface moving ever so slightly but can’t tell if it’s the wind or not. In the return jets I can’t really feel anything but the pump I can clearly see the water moving. Not sure what it could be.

Quick clip of how it looks when I turn on the pump.

splashpad said:

I'm not familiar with cartridge filters, does it need cleaned?

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They do! Previous home owner had 4 of them and I tend to rinse em out and swap them every couple of hours but I’m honestly not even sure how old they are. So I just went ahead and ordered a new on. I just remember having more “suction” before but I’m not sure if it slowed down when I vacuumed the other day. Wether the suction is on the skimmer or main drain they both move water equally but it’s like the pump basket only stays 3/4 full not filled to the top with a little bubble swirling.

kimkats said:

I think the slow down is the because of the cartridge doing it's job so it needs to be cleaned. Good job filter!!

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I swapped to another one that I had cleaned.l but “looked dirty” so I was not confident in using and I have much more pool movement now!

When I vacuum the pool should I vacuum to the waste or back into the filter??

This morning
FC: 9
CC: 1

Bumped it up to 12 will Vaccum, Brush, Leaf when I get back.

On my steps I see tiny particles of light green algae and on the floor of the shallow end I can see the bottom it’s still clouding/greenish but there’s like algae their now? I’m guessing it’s dead stuff cause it moves when I touch it !

splashpad said:

I would suggest to test & raise your FC more frequently if at all possible!

• Are you confident in the CYA being only 20?
  • Is it hazy at all between 30 - 20 (in the tube)?
• Only asking because if you are confident it is 20...
  • I would use PoolMath to bump CYA up 10,
  • you would slam at CYA/30 shock level,
• and that would protect the FC from the UV more, but allow you to raise your FC shock level

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I don’t think I posted it but no as of yesterday I’m closer to 30 I’m using pool math at 28 which tells me to bump up to 12. That’s what I left it at this AM. It gets hazy between 40-30 but between 20-30 it disappears.

kimkats said:

How you vacuum is up to you. You lose a LOT of water when you go to waste BUT you get up and out of the pool fast so.........

If you want to deep clean your filter you can get a plastic trash can and put some TSP (found at Lowes and such) in with water mixed up good. Soak the filter in it overnight then spray it good! It might still be "dirty" looking but that should get rid of any stuff the could clog it up.

Kim

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I may give that a go today and see how that works! Also had no idea about that method. I actually have TSP and contractor bags at home so I’ll definitely do this tonight. Thanks for the pro tip!!

Teald024 said:

Once the cartridges have been in the filter for a bit, then never really come clean (white) after you rinse them off. That doesn't mean they are "dirty" though. The cartridges will still work good. I would continue to vacuum through the filter. This will prevent you from dumping water and having to add water back in and change the balance of your chemicals. Unfortunately, it's one of the downsides of a cartridge filter, PITA when you clean after an outbreak.
The patches of green are live algae, probably brushed loose. Dead algae is white or brown in color.

Use a CYA of 30. we round up.

Good job so far! Continue to test, dose, brush, filter 24/7, have let the process work.

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Ok awesome I will use CYA of 30 in measurements. Ok cool I’ll give it a nice vacuum today and keepnpost updates.

I have a ton of tiny white particles floating in my pool and was wondering what that was. I guess that’s a good thing! The algae on the bottom is like a very dark green/ brownish color. At first I was worried it was black algae which I’ve read can be hard to deal with? But just touching it it’ll disperse like a cloud.

kimkats said:

Make sure to brush as often as you can. Twice a day if at all possible.

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I sure have I have been brushing in the morning and when I get back from work I use the leaf eater and brush again.

Plus every chance I get I come out to see if the water is clear yet haha.

splashpad said:

Yup go with 30, the CYA scale is logarithmic (there is no "midway" point) it's in whole tens

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Yep I tested again today in the afternoon and it was definitely closer to 30.