0 CYA and 0 FC. Need advise

[mgtfp]

I feel defeated and exhausted with it, to be honest. And I just want my crystal clear pool water back. I’ve spent so much money on a ton of chlorine. Way more than I thought it would take.

I totally get you, this is all very frustrating. But don't give up now, you're nearly there. And then your water will be even more crystal clear.

 

[LovinPoolLife]

You only need to backwash when psi rises 25% over clean pressure.
A slightly dirty sand filter works better.

That’s good to know!!

 

[LovinPoolLife]

I totally get you, this is all very frustrating. But don't give up now, you're nearly there. And then your water will be even more crystal clear.

I’m so proud to say I think I am done with the SLAM!! For the past 2 nights FC hasn’t dropped more than 1 and CC is .5. Water is pretty clear (a very slight haze in deep end) but I live on 2 acres with nothing behind me, a road to the left of my property and a sch with a large field. And we always have wind here. So I’m sure most of the haze is a lot of dirt blowing in plus the pollens, as I haven’t been able to put my solar cover on yet.

Here are my numbers today:
FC 4
CC .5
TA 110
PH 7.3
CH 200
CYA 20 ( this was last nights reading before I added stabilizer to boost this)

I went to the pool store today ONLY to see if my numbers match there and this is what they had:
Surprisingly their numbers match almost all of mine.
FC 4
CC 0
TA 110
PH 7.3
CH 73
CYA 30 (as stated I did add some last night)
METALS: .9

I am not sure if our test kits test for this. Should I be concerned about metals? We have a Nature2 cartridge that we haven’t replaced in 2 maybe 3 yrs. My husband is going to take the insides out, but just hasn’t had the time yet.

 

[Newdude]

I’m so proud to say I think I am done with the SLAM!! For the past 2 nights FC hasn’t dropped more than 1 and CC is .5.

NICE !!

Should I be concerned about metals?

What's done is done. We'll address it if/when any staining appears.

We have a Nature2 cartridge that we haven’t replaced in 2 maybe 3 yrs. My husband is going to take the insides out, but just hasn’t had the time yet.

It's loooooong depleted. Just let it be.

 

[LovinPoolLife]

NICE !!

What's done is done. We'll address it if/when any staining appears.

It's loooooong depleted. Just let it be.

I was worried about the metal balls inside rusting and putting those metals in the water. If it’s not an issue, we will leave it as is. Right now my husbands restoration project on his ‘78 Z28 has taken priority

 

[mgtfp]

That's awesome, well done!

And now back to actually loving pool life...

 

[LovinPoolLife]

I can’t thank you all enough for your advice, patience, encouragement, did I mention patience… I know I asked a ton of questions and you all were so gracious in answering them and helping me thru this!!! I was intimidated at first about the test kit, hoping I’d be able to do it. Well I have mastered it and actually enjoy doing it. My daughter says I’m addicted to playing chemist now. But hey, I have a fully balanced pool without a ton of unneeded chemicals.

I was able to finally put the solar cover on tonight! This will not only keep my chlorine from dropping and debris going into the pool, it will also keep the ducks out!

THANK YOU AGAIN - mgtfp, newdude, Mdragger88, dBsooner, Kul, SunnyBlues & proavia!!! I hope I didn’t miss anyone.

 

[Mdragger88]

If you added cya remember to up the fc.
As per the FC/CYA Levels.
You want to be in target range so you never play with algae again!
Minimum is not to be broached.
Playing kissy face with minimum gets you back to algae city.
Always Dose fc to high target or a scootch above so you don’t get near/below min before your next dose.

 

[Sunny Blues]

If you added cya remember to up the fc.
As per the FC/CYA Levels.
You want to be in target range so you never play with algae again!
Minimum is not to be broached.
Playing kissy face with minimum gets you back to algae city.
Always Dose fc to high target or a scootch above so you don’t get near/below min before your next dose.

Ammonia was her main villain this year. Always extremely difficult to combat.

 

[mgtfp]

I can’t thank you all enough for your advice, patience, encouragement, did I mention patience… I know I asked a ton of questions and you all were so gracious in answering them and helping me thru this!!! I was intimidated at first about the test kit, hoping I’d be able to do it. Well I have mastered it and actually enjoy doing it. My daughter says I’m addicted to playing chemist now. But hey, I have a fully balanced pool without a ton of unneeded chemicals.

I was able to finally put the solar cover on tonight! This will not only keep my chlorine from dropping and debris going into the pool, it will also keep the ducks out!

THANK YOU AGAIN - mgtfp, newdude, Mdragger88, dBsooner, Kul, SunnyBlues & proavia!!! I hope I didn’t miss anyone.


View attachment 569483View attachment 569483

No worries at all. You did great and asked all the right questions. The worst questions are the ones that don't get asked...

 

[Newdude]

To go on record for any newbs finding this thread, we are happy as clams to help anyone willing to try. Even if it takes alot of both us, and them, trying. You'll have folks from here to literal Australia chiming in to help.

If it's difficult, we take it personally and double down with the effort and encouragement because we aren't going to let you get beat.

This place is something terrific, proven on the daily.

 

[mgtfp]

You'll have folks from here to literal Australia chiming in to help.

I mean, we need something to do in our off-season...

 

[LovinPoolLife]

No worries at all. You did great and asked all the right questions. The worst questions are the ones that don't get asked...

Just wait til pool ‘closing’ season - I may be back to asking lots of questions. I don’t want a repeat of this opening!

 

[SJPoe]

I’m so proud to say I think I am done with the SLAM!! For the past 2 nights FC hasn’t dropped more than 1 and CC is .5.

Yay !!!

Keep it (FC) between the lines now, and it will only get clearer and easier.

 

[Newdude]

^^^^^^^ to be clear, 'between the lines' is freeeeeeeeeee and clear away from minimum for your CYA level. Don't sniff it. Don't touch it. Don't even THINK about sniffing or touching it. If you need to dose over target in the peak season to accomplish this when there is more daily loss, so be it.

Minimum is an algae cliff and needs to be respected as such. Hang back in the overlook parking lot and watch the millennials fall off the edge trying to get insta selfies. Then call EMS on their behalf because no matter how stupid they were, it's the decent thing to do.

 

[LovinPoolLife]

Yay !!!

Keep it (FC) between the lines now, and it will only get clearer and easier.

^^^^^^^ to be clear, 'between the lines' is freeeeeeeeeee and clear away from minimum for your CYA level. Don't sniff it. Don't touch it. Don't even THINK about sniffing or touching it. If you need to dose over target in the peak season to accomplish this when there is more daily loss, so be it.

Minimum is an algae cliff and needs to be respected as such. Hang back in the overlook parking lot and watch the millennials fall off the edge trying to get insta selfies. Then call EMS on their behalf because no matter how stupid they were, it's the decent thing to do.

So, just to be clear…. If it says Target is 4 FC, keeping at 5. Got it. (I’ve always kept it above the “recommended 1-3 anyway - usually between 4-6 lol). I was a rebel that way. I thought geez 1-3 FC that’s low and will do nothing.

 

[Newdude]

So, just to be clear…. If it says Target is 4 FC, keeping at 5. Got it.

No. To be clear, and to remain clear, your daily FC loss changes throughout the season like a bell curve with little on either end and lots in the middle. 2 FC may be a 2 day supply over min in April, and it may be a 2 *hour* supply at lunchtime in July.

Min FC for your CYA
+ Recent daily loss (you'll know from testing regularly)
+ 1 or 2 FC wiggle room
----------------------‐------
= stoopid clear trouble free pool.

 

[Donldson]

One might say: To be clear, don't be afraid of running hot with your chlorine level.

Get it. To be clear. Clear water.

I won't quit my day job. But really, you won't notice any difference in feel if you are running a couple ppm over the target but you will notice the complete lack of any algae. It seems counter-intuitive at first that more chlorine will lead to less chlorine smell or feel, but having enough chlorine to break down contaminates and also to break down the byproducts of breaking down the contaminates is a big part of what makes TFPC pools more comfortable than traditionally managed pools with less chlorine but less comfortable to swim in.

 

[SJPoe]

So, just to be clear…. If it says Target is 4 FC, keeping at 5. Got it. (I’ve always kept it above the “recommended 1-3 anyway - usually between 4-6 lol). I was a rebel that way. I thought geez 1-3 FC that’s low and will do nothing.

So your measured CYA is 30

That makes your MINIMUM 2PPM, your target 4-6. If your pool uses 2PPM a day (due to sun, people-juice etc) then your 'real' minimum is 4...you don't want it to drop below 2 before you're topping it up. So you aim to top-up to 6, maybe even 7, knowing that it's going to drop 2-3ppm before the next top-up, therefore keeping it safely "between the lines"

SLAM level is 12, and there is no reason you cannot swim in SLAM level water, as long as the pool is clear to the bottom (for safety reasons), but normally, there should be no reason to keep it this high unless you are SLAMming, but if your FC popped up to 7, it's not going to hurt anything

 

[LovinPoolLife]

One might say: To be clear, don't be afraid of running hot with your chlorine level.

Get it. To be clear. Clear water.

I won't quit my day job. But really, you won't notice any difference in feel if you are running a couple ppm over the target but you will notice the complete lack of any algae. It seems counter-intuitive at first that more chlorine will lead to less chlorine smell or feel, but having enough chlorine to break down contaminates and also to break down the byproducts of breaking down the contaminates is a big part of what makes TFPC pools more comfortable than traditionally managed pools with less chlorine but less comfortable to swim in.

ROFL I caught the “clear” after I sent the reply. Sorry I’m a little slow with puns sometimes- my kids always make fun of me.

I always like to run my chlorine a little above recommended, so it will be no problem for me. And now with my own kit, I’ll be checking it often.

That’s the takeaway I’m getting anyway… to run it a little above recommended to adapt for FC loss in hot summer months and to stay on top of keeping algae away.