Correct way out of balance levels

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anothernewpoolguy

Active member
Feb 24, 2024
33
Santa Rosa, CA
Hey guys, I moved into a house with a pool (first time owner) and have been reading up as much as possible about getting it properly maintained. This site has been invaluable. Two weeks ago I tested the water with these results:

Hardness: 250 ppm (acceptable)
TC: 20 ppm or more (maxed test limit)
FC: 20 ppm or more (maxed test limit)
pH: 6.2 or lower (maxed test limit)
Alkalinity: 0 ppm
CYA: 0 ppm

I removed the chlorine tablets and tested a week later with the exact same results. Water temp is in low 50F. Clearly the balance is way out of wack. I want to get it back in balance but unsure which chemicals to add first as I've read ultra high/low values can throw readings off of the others. I was going to start with pH, then CYA, then alkalinity, and let TC/FC slowly burn off, but would it be better to address the high TC/FC levels first then get to the others?

What would be your recommendations on the order of steps to get it back in balance?
 
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I used AquaChek 7-Way strips. I bought those before I found this website and will eventually switch to those recommended by this site. I figured the strips can’t be that far off from truth, but maybe that’s an incorrect assumption. The previous owner did add an unknown amount of liquid chlorine a couple months before we moved in.
 
Very incorrect assumption.
The 0 TA implies a pH of 4.5. IF true, it is destroying the pool. It likely has already destroyed a heater if you have one.

Get a proper test kit, ASAP.
 
A tip off of how inaccurate the test strips are is your 0 CYA. If you chlorinate with the tablets as your post suggested, it’s virtually impossible your CYA is 0.
 
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anothernewpoolguy said:
For what it's worth
Click to expand...
It's worth bupkiss. And here's why. Forget the inaccuracies for a moment. They simply don't tell you anything. We need CYA to a 10 to set the appropriate FC level.

lc_chart.jpg

What shade is 70 for my SWG ?

Screenshot_20240224_155334_Chrome.jpg

Is your CYA a 30 or a 40 or a 50 ? The targets above are different for all 3.

The other values on the strips are similarly vague. Then add the inaccuracies and they are beyond useless.
anothernewpoolguy said:
they were relatively accurate vs. pool store testing:
Click to expand...
Pool stores exist to sell you chemicals.

Testing accuracy is of little importance to them. But you have a great kit coming and we look forward to helping. :)
 
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Newdude said:
View attachment 555280

Is your CYA a 30 or a 40 or a 50 ? The targets above are different for all 3.
Click to expand...
The color on my test strips are pegged to the lowest/highest values. I get how they can only provide very coarse estimates, but if my CYA is pegged at the light orange, and the strip isn't completely worthless, wouldn't that suggest that CYA is at least way too low? I understand it's not terribly useful for dialing it in, but I've got to assume it's at least an order of magnitude in the ballpark. So I doubt my actual CYA is literally "0", just that it's way too low and needs attention. Anyway, I got the K-2006C coming will be able to compare.

My pool is an in-ground with PebbleTec. I don't know the volume but my napkin estimate is maybe 15,000 gallons.
 
The previous owner put an unknown amount of liquid chlorine (my guess is way too much) in a couple of months prior to our arrival. We had a trichlor tablet in there for about the past two months, until recently when I removed it. Previous owner didn't add anything else for years (likely a decade), didn't test nor professionally service, and basically neglected any kind of proper maintenance other than filtering. So I know the chemistry is in really bad shape.
 
anothernewpoolguy said:
I understand it's not terribly useful for dialing it in, but I've got to assume it's at least an order of magnitude in the ballpark
Click to expand...
Take it from one Newdude to 'another'. ;)

Read up.

Read and read and read. You'll see thousands of threads/posts from real world members that found the strips to be inaccurate.

Everybody hits a threshold where they believe it too.

But to answer your question, let's say you're low like the test strip says, which you very well may be. But what do you do from the test strip ? You know it's not 0 but if you add 30, or whatever lower amount you add registers at '30-50', then what ? What's your FC target ? How do you sanitize at the proper level without knowing what the CYA is ?

We call them guess strips as the reading and the dose from it are both guesses.
 
If the TA is zero and the FC is "Off the Charts", then the tests are not going to be accurate because the test strips will bleach out.

See what the good test kit shows and go from there.

I would not add CYA.
 
Yeah I tried exactly that brand of strips when we got our pool, before I found TFP...happily not long before. When I got my Taylor kit, I used it side-by-side with the strips until they were gone, just because I had them. They're basically junk. Run away.
 
Wait the few days till its arrival and do not add anything to the water until proper test results are in. Don't miss the next trash pickup so get them out there in a hurry. I promise you'll never miss them. Let's get some pictures of your equipment in advance of the new kit. Add your pool signature with the link in mine below.
 
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Ok, I won't add anything until the K-2006 test results are in.

Previous owner had a Polaris 280 cleaner, which worked ok but the common parts were worn out. Installed a rebuild kit and it worked a lot better. Then shortly after that I decided to try something else and got a Betta SE solar skimmer and Seauto SE vacuum robot and both are working very well. For the cost, not sure the long return on investment period and unknown reliability make it a good value, but they are fun to watch and easy to clean.
 
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