Old Dog learning New Tricks!

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kimkats said:
Had to jump in and say WELL DONE on the siggy!!! LOL a bunch of leaves hehe good one!

When you say "2 side drains" what do you mean? Can you take and share a pic?

Now know this...............we WANT you to ask any and all questions you might have. You don't know what you don't know and we were ALL there when we started.

Kim :kim:
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Here you go Kim...sorry for the ripples, it started to get really windy here!
Drains.jpg
 
Waiawa said:
Do I need to store my chemicals separately from each other, or is it ok to have them in on storage area?
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The two most important considerations:

- is to not store liquid chlorine in the same place as muriatic acid, certainly not inside. The fumes from both can combine to create a very toxic gas. And...

- not to store muriatic acid near any metal. The acid fumes will quickly corrode metal.

I store mine in separate, all-plastic bins. They both get excellent air circulation outside. Acid outside year round. I'll store one gallon of chlorine in the outside bin, for convenience, but store the rest in my garage, where it's cooler. Chlorine breaks down and heat speeds up the process. Here's my setup. The center bin is for misc pool gear (hose, vac heads, tools, etc). None of these Suncast bins have any metal in them.

deck boxes.jpg
 
Waiawa said:
Thanks on the Sig!
What? :mrgreen:
Oh boy, my brain is getting a frying on all this info.
I'll post up once I get one of those kits and run some test.
I just tested this morning and this is what I have:
CL - 1.5
TA - 120
PH - 7.2
According to the Pool Calculator, I now need to add 43oz Liq Chlorine and 5lbs Borax...which I did however, I haven't retested yet.
I can't test for anything else other than do an Acid Demand, which I didn't think I needed to do.
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Lay off the borax for now. CYA is the test result you're missing and the TFP method places a lot of importance on your CYA level. So when the test kit arrives, that will be part of your initial testing, which you'll then report here. Keep your CL (FC) up, 1.5 is too low.

Let's take a look at a full posting of test results before we "disassemble" your method of sanitation. Don't worry about that just yet. For now, keep your FC around 5 and your pH in the 7s. Ignore TA for now.
 
Dirk said:
The two most important considerations:

- is to not store liquid chlorine in the same place as muriatic acid, certainly not inside. The fumes from both can combine to create a very toxic gas. And...

- not to store muriatic acid near any metal. The acid fumes will quickly corrode metal.

I store mine in separate, all-plastic bins. They both get excellent air circulation outside. Acid outside year round. I'll store one gallon of chlorine in the outside bin, for convenience, but store the rest in my garage, where it's cooler. Chlorine breaks down and heat speeds up the process. Here's my setup. The center bin is for misc pool gear (hose, vac heads, tools, etc). None of these Suncast bins have any metal in them.

View attachment 170808
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Thanks Dirk!
I have one a storage bin like the one on the left, and a much larger one for chemicals...I'll take the acid out now, away from the liquid chlorine.
 
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Here's a pic of my test results for CL and PH after adding what was suggested by the Pool Calculator.
CL is higher than 3, but I'm not sure how much since the vial doesn't go higher than 3...yes I know, I need a better test kit.
The PH is in the 7.6 area...I know the pic doesn't do much, but it gives an idea of where it's at.
12.13.20 Test.jpg
 
For now I like that bright yellow as it means you have a good deal of chlorine in the pool. This will work until the good test kit gets there.

So I am thinking you are talking about what we would call "main drains". They work like the skimmer only on the bottom of the pool to take in the stuff and water from the bottom of the pool.

How many "returns" do you have? Those should be round and towards the top of the pool. This is where the pump/filter "returns" the water to the pool.

That is some clear looking water right now. You are doing something right already for it to look like that BUT just wait until you get it balanced to TFP levels! It will look like gin!

Kim;kim:
 
Waiawa said:
Here's a pic of my test results for CL and PH after adding what was suggested by the Pool Calculator.
CL is higher than 3, but I'm not sure how much since the vial doesn't go higher than 3...yes I know, I need a better test kit.
The PH is in the 7.6 area...I know the pic doesn't do much, but it gives an idea of where it's at.
View attachment 170815
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Looking good! Just keep that CL nice and yellow like that and you'll be fine until the new kit arrives...
 
No need for the videos. The laminated card that comes with the kit is as simple as can be. Glancing at the whole card seems scary. Look at one test and get the supplies together beforehand and follow it step by step. It’s literally ‘fill vial to 10ml’. Ok check. Add #XXX drops and count how many. Ok check.

that. easy.

keep the bottles upside down and not tilted on an angle. Squeeze slowly and let them fall themselves for uinform drops.
 

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Here's a couple tips I've made good use of. They help me "remember" the test steps without having to refer to the instructions every time.

(1) I organize the reagents in the order I use them. So, say a test needs three reagents, when I open my kit's lid, the reagent closest to me is the first one I need. Then the next farthest away is the second one, etc.

(2) I used a Sharpie and wrote the number of drops needed of each reagent. For the ones with which I need to count drops, I use an "X". I always replace caps immediately after use, so they've never gotten mixed up.

These two tips really help me minimize the time it takes to do a suite of tests, and definitely increased test result reliability (since I'm now far less likely to go out of order, use the wrong reagent or the wrong amount).

Now that I think about it, I should probably write the multiplication factor on the lids with an "X"...

test kit.jpg
 
Thanks for the tips!
Newdude, yes I didn't bother with the videos once I started reading...just did one test at a time.
It's pretty straight forward, and bottles were upside down...some of the bottles will drop fast while others take a little time, but they were all uniform from what I could tell.
Dirk, good idea!
I see you got the Taylor kit and with the TF-100 the bottles lay down, but I can still write the amount of drops.
I like the stand style better makes it easier to organize.
 
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Ok, here's my test results using the TF-100 Kit.
I got the SpeedStir and it wasn't working...switched out the batteries and even tested the batteries, but it still didn't work!
Then when I was finally done with my testing and stirring by hand...such fun, I packed up the SpeedStir and decided to try it once more.
Low and behold, it started up....sheesh!:brickwall:
See Pics
  • I need some help reading the CYA as I filled the tube and I could still see the dot, but I'm not sure if I'm not supposed to see it at all or just barely!
  • Also need some help with the test strip for the Borate.
CYA Test 12.24.20.jpg
Borate Test 12.24.20.jpg
Anyway, here's my results:
Temp 54
FC 3.0
CC 0.5 (YIKES!) Is it time to Shock the Monkey?!:shock:
TC 3.5
CH 500 (Oh Boy!)
TA 150 (Time to drop some Acid!)
PH 7.7
CYA 20 (I'm surprised!)
Borate 80

Here are the suggestions from Pool Calculator based on TFP suggested goal levels:
FC add 34oz Bleach 10%
PH add 41oz by weight of Borax
TA lower PH to 7.0 - 7.2 then raise, then aerate to increase PH
CH replace 36% of water with new water
CYA add 144oz of liquid stabilizer

So, please let me know/suggest what I should do from here....follow the Pool Calculator suggestions?
 
I have the least cost effective kit, but that's the one I started with. I like it's small size, and even the SpeedStir fits inside.

I, too, don't like the idea of the reagents laying on their side, but I've never heard about any problems with that. If you can't lay them in order, you could always write "A" or "B" or "C" on the lids to convey the order of use.

As I mentioned, I'm going to add the multiplier value to the lids with an "X" so that I know what to multiply the number of drops by to get my result. I sometimes forget that multiplier for tests I do less frequently, which means a trip back to the teeny-tiny-text instructions. Some of my tests, like salt, I only do a few times a year, months apart, which nowadays exceeds the 5-minute limit of my memory retention! 🤪
 
Waiawa said:
CC 0.5 (YIKES!) Is it time to Shock the Monkey?!:shock:
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We don't really like the term shock, because it implies the pool-store/pool-guy methodology of sanitation. We use the term SLAM (even thought the S stands for shock) because the SLAM method maintains the shock level of FC until algae is gone. M stands for Maintain. Pool stores have you throw in their "shock" and that's it, and that doesn't work reliably against algae, which often comes back after a single shock treatment.

Anywho, CC 0.5 is fine, and normal. It just means your chlorine is working on something in the pool. Expect to see zero sometimes and up to 0.5 other times. It's not until you see CC 1.0 or above that you have to be concerned.
 
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There actually was nothing really needed to add. But what you did will not hurt.
The CYA test should be done outside, sunny day. Back to the sun, vial at waist height. Glance for the dot. What amount of CYA had you added prior to that test?
 
Can you test your fill water for TA and CH and post those results? Make sure it's not a faucet that is connected to a water softener, unless you fill your pool from a faucet that's connected to a water softener.

Waiawa said:
PH add 41oz by weight of Borax
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Your pH is 7.7. Borax raises pH, what are you targeting to raise pH? A pH of 7.7 is fine, and according to the strips you are roughly ~80 ppm of borates or more. You should probably not add any borates at this time. There are other ways to raise the pH, borax should not used continuously do that as the borates build up over time and are not reduced except by water changes.

Step 1 for raising pH if needed (and it's not needed for you) is some aeration, especially with your current TA of 150.

Waiawa said:
TA lower PH to 7.0 - 7.2 then raise, then aerate to increase PH
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I'd hold off on doing this, at least until we see what your fill water TA is. It's not critical to lower this right now.

Waiawa said:
CH replace 36% of water with new water
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I'd also hold off on this for a bit until we get the whole picture.

Right now your CSI, which is calculated primarily from TA, CH, borates, and water temp, is 0.30. This is acceptable, which is why I'm suggesting to hold off on doing anything drastic right now. Your test results show no emergencies, so slow down, take a breath, and we'll discuss this a little more. :)

Waiawa said:
CYA add 144oz of liquid stabilizer
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You'll want more that 20 ppm of CYA, but here in winter this isn't quite critical. Obviously don't add this before you do a water change, if you end up doing one, or you'll just end up doing more later.

Waiawa said:
I need some help reading the CYA as I filled the tube and I could still see the dot, but I'm not sure if I'm not supposed to see it at all or just barely!
Click to expand...
The general consensus here is if possible to do this test outside with back to sun, holding at waist level, add some liquid to the tube without looking, then glance at it. If you see the dot with a glance, add some more without looking, then glance again until you don't see it with a glance. You can pour the liquid back out of the vial into the mixing bottle and repeat the test multiple times if you'd like.
 
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Thank you Gents!
So in summary, no need for SLAM...whew!
Don't replace water yet, until I test fill water for TA & CH.
Keep my back to the sun, vial at waist and fill vial, but don't look at it, just glance at it.
CYA test can be done multiple times with the same solution.

I'll get a test of my fill water and report back....Great idea jseyfert3!
 
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Forgot to ask this question when testing CH.
The instructions says:
Add R-0012 on drop at a time until the color changes to blue.
It doesn't say to mix between drops or to mix at all.
Do I just add drops until the color changes without mixing?
The first time I mixed between drops.
 

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