Can my readings be right? Looking for advice

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Mojin7

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Jul 14, 2015
22
Coventry, CT
Hi all,
I have read pool school a couple times and read up quite a bit on testing. I just opened my first pool the first time in my life. I have never owned a pool before.

I have everything hooked up right. Confirmed by pool guys who added water. Everything is running great. But I do have a failed pressure gauge I will be changing today. It reads 0 at all times. The pump is pumping very well and filtering and backwashing properly.

I just had about 2500 gallons added to my pool to bring it up to full height. I just moved into my new house with a pool. Appears they took very good care of it. I got it uncovered and the water looked ready to jump into aside from being about 12" low. Perfectly clear and just smelled like pool. So now it is full and filtering as of last night around 6pm.

I used my new K-2006 and ran some tests. Here are my findings. (NO CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN ADDED WHATSOEVER AT THIS POINT)

FC = 4.6
CC = .4
PH = 7.5
TA = 120
CYA = 50-55

I am getting lost in the pool of information I am finding here. All the research I have done has gotten me to this point and I thank all contributors to this sight! What a wealth of information. But can somebody tell me about these numbers and what the "next" steps are? My buddies at work all say "shock the H out of it and go from there." That doesn't feel right to me.

Maybe somebody can point me to the next piece of info I need to get going? Or where to start? Or can we jump in? The numbers from what I have been reading all look within range aside from a high FC?

The pool gets sun from maybe 8am til maybe 6pm. Its way out in a big yard so when the sun is bright it is in the sun basically.

Thanks for any help!
 
First, Welcome to TFP!!:handwave:

Second - ignore your buddies at work. Go swimming.

But, if you are going to follow our methods, your AFC is a little low. CYA 60 means your FC should never be below 5, and you should target 7 to make sure it never gets below 5. Add some bleach to bring it up to 7.

What does "smelled like pool" mean? The chlorine smell many assign to a pool is actually the CC, which should get burned off by the suns UV rays.

Also, it appears you are using 25 mL sample for 0.2 ppm accuracy. You can go ahead and use 10 mL sample for 0.5 ppm accuracy. It will save you reagents and is close enough for us.
 
Wow that was fast! And thanks for welcoming me!

Could it be that easy? All I did was have a pool company top off the water... It just feels too easy I guess. I was going to watch the FC daily and keep it up close to where it is now? Looks like Im looking for a FC reading of 6. Ill keep an eye on things and post back if anything comes up.

Thanks again!
 
Welcome to TFP! I agree with Tim, get in that pool! I would round up your CYA to 60 and make sure your FC stays between 5 - 7. Target 7 and do not let it go below 5. You can do this by adding plain old household 8.5% bleach. Use the Pool Math app to calculate the amount of bleach to add. Great value brand bleach is what I use...
 
Welcome!

Yes, go back and read up in Pool School. Start again with the ABCs, and onto other items like recommended levels. Read around in the forum, and ask questions if you need too. We are here to help as long as you are willing to learn. If your water is clear, I am slightly concerned with the CC. Double check the CC reading first, and do that test with a 10ml sample instead of 25. It's the only thing I see, but if it shows 1.0 or more then hold off. Let us know what you get on a new 10ml test. Running a smaller sample in this case saves on that tiny amount found in the 2006 kit. It is more than accurate enough at 10ml just FYI, so no worries there.
 
jaduck said:
Welcome to TFP! I agree with Tim, get in that pool! I would round up your CYA to 60 and make sure your FC stays between 5 - 7. Target 7 and do not let it go below 5. You can do this by adding plain old household 8.5% bleach. Use the Pool Math app to calculate the amount of bleach to add. Great value brand bleach is what I use...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response!

Definitely following the BBB method. I stocked up on Great Value brand last week after reading pool school and all about BBB. It is 8.25 and I found it for $2.49 at a local Walmart. That was for 128 oz I believe. I also grabbed some Borax and Baking Soda to have on hand as I didn't know what I was getting into. I will retest when I get home from work and add what is needed based on the pool math app.

So adding CYA to get up to 60. I assume you advise this based on the sun exposure? Just learning where this is coming from. I see 30 to 50 most places but have read in pool school to go higher if I get lots of sun on the pool. To add CYA is it best to go to the pool store and buy "Cyanuric Acid"? Or should I be looking for a Chlorine/CYA additive like I see in stores?
 
Mojin7 said:
Definitely following the BBB method. I stocked up on Great Value brand last week after reading pool school and all about BBB. It is 8.25 and I found it for $2.49 at a local Walmart. That was for 128 oz I believe. I also grabbed some Borax and Baking Soda to have on hand as I didn't know what I was getting into. I will retest when I get home from work and add what is needed based on the pool math app.

So adding CYA to get up to 60. I assume you advise this based on the sun exposure? Just learning where this is coming from. I see 30 to 50 most places but have read in pool school to go higher if I get lots of sun on the pool. To add CYA is it best to go to the pool store and buy "Cyanuric Acid"? Or should I be looking for a Chlorine/CYA additive like I see in stores?
Click to expand...
No need to change the CYA for that little bit, it's within the margin of error. Just tredat the pool as if it's 60. Test every month or so and if you see it drop to 50 just change your dosing schedule.

We really don't "promote" the BBB name anymore due to the fact that folks like you stock up. You may never need the Borax and if you need baking soda it's going to be a long time from now.
 
Patrick_B said:
Welcome!

Yes, go back and read up in Pool School. Start again with the ABCs, and onto other items like recommended levels. Read around in the forum, and ask questions if you need too. We are here to help as long as you are willing to learn. If your water is clear, I am slightly concerned with the CC. Double check the CC reading first, and do that test with a 10ml sample instead of 25. It's the only thing I see, but if it shows 1.0 or more then hold off. Let us know what you get on a new 10ml test. Running a smaller sample in this case saves on that tiny amount found in the 2006 kit. It is more than accurate enough at 10ml just FYI, so no worries there.
Click to expand...

Loving pool school and definitely loving the direct help. Thanks for the recommendations. Using the K-2006, here is how my FC and CC test went. I did this all twice.
1. 25ml sample
2. Added two dippers. Turned VERY pink. How do you measure with the dipper? Two full tall scoops? or two level scoop? I did 2 level scoops.
3. I added R-0871. It took 23 drops to turn is totally clear. Took my time. Swirled well each drop after the first few.
4. 23 drops times .2 = 4.6ppm FC
5. Added 5 drops R-0003. It turned SLIGHTLY pink.
6. Added R-0871 again. The second drop turned it totally clear.
7. 2 drops times .2 = .4 ppm

Does this sound like a good test? I did the whole thing again using the 10ml method. FC was 5 and CC was .5 as it only took on drop. But again, the first time I added the R-0871 it was very red, second part of test, slightly pink.
 

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tim5055 said:
No need to change the CYA for that little bit, it's within the margin of error. Just tredat the pool as if it's 60. Test every month or so and if you see it drop to 50 just change your dosing schedule.

We really don't "promote" the BBB name anymore due to the fact that folks like you stock up. You may never need the Borax and if you need baking soda it's going to be a long time from now.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

When you say "dosing schedule" are you referring to adding CYA or adding Chlorine?

Also, I only stocked up on bleach luckily. I didn't buy any more Borax or baking soda then I would need around the house anyway. Thank you for clearing that up.
 
Thanks. The test procedure instructions are great but as a first timer I was trying to distinguish pinks and reds and wondering how things should look. Thanks for confirmation on that.

Patrick had mentioned that the CC may concern him due to the water being clear... "If your water is clear, I am slightly concerned with the CC. Double check the CC reading first, and do that test with a 10ml sample instead of 25. It's the only thing I see, but if it shows 1.0 or more then hold off." I don't know what to make of that. If CC is that low should the water be cloudy? Looking for a little clarification of the concern so maybe I can know what to look out for.

- - - Updated - - -

tim5055 said:
Yup, good test. One heaping scoop of the powder will work, i never use two.

10ml water sample size testing with .5 accuracy is fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I felt like it was so scientific until I thought to myself "well how big of a scoop?" That doesn't throw things off?
 
Thanks! And thank all of you for the information. I'm gonna go home... Check my FC... and add bleach as needed. Looks like for my pool I should need about 22 Oz to raise 1 ppm? Approximating 15000 gallons. ..

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
that is done perfect :)

But, isnt there always a but.... Your FC is below 5, if you have been taking it to 7 every day and its below 5 in the morning you should probably take it to 8..
 
cowboycasey said:
that is done perfect :)

But, isnt there always a but.... Your FC is below 5, if you have been taking it to 7 every day and its below 5 in the morning you should probably take it to 8..
Click to expand...
Gotcha. But (of course another but) I just had the water added to full level at 3 pm yesterday and did my tests at 7 pm last night. But I'll see how it goes. I see what you mean about compensating. That makes sense.

Now to figure out my filter time and schedule. Been running it since it was filled.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
 
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