Newb Needs Help With Testing / Chemicals

[tim5055]

OK, I'm confused - but I can get that way often. Yes, don't mess with he CYA for now. Don't add chlorine today, let's see where it is after the sun is on it all day today. A non-salt pool with your CYA should always be kept above 4.

The color match DPD test you have is not as exact as the FAS-DPD drop based test, but we should be able to get an idea of your chlorine loss.

 

[cfiiman]

OK, I'm confused - but I can get that way often. Yes, don't mess with he CYA for now. Don't add chlorine today, let's see where it is after the sun is on it all day today. A non-salt pool with your CYA should always be kept above 4.

The color match DPD test you have is not as exact as the FAS-DPD drop based test, but we should be able to get an idea of your chlorine loss.

Ok, I'll test it tomorrow morning same time and see what the chlorine is and how far away from 7.5 it is, thanks.

 

[cfiiman]

Ok, just wanted to update. I've started writing my testing / chemical additions down on a calendar to keep track. I tested again today for FC, PH and for the first time TA. Here were my numbers:

FC 7.5
PH 7.7
TA 70

The numbers looked almost the same as yesterday, with FC maybe slightly less but no where near the 5 in my comparator tube. PH also looked almost identical to yesterday if not slightly higher towards the 7.8 so I added another cup of HA. First time testing TA and it was an easy test (wait to change color and multiply drops by 10). My book says 80-120 is ideal, so at 70 i'm almost there. Wasn't sure if I should add some baking soda yet or not thought I'd ask? I've heard that TA will rise naturally on its own didn't know if that was true or not. What I have learned is to go slow with changes and it seems to be serving me well. I do one thing at a time and wait and retest the next day, I like this system. Question though, if I need my PH to come down a bit and my TA to go up slightly how does that work when the chemicals seem to do the reverse of each other? Thanks for the help again!

 

[tim5055]

We actually find TA is a little better in the 70-90 range, but even lower can work out. Generally you don't want to chase a "perfect" book number with TA, but see what your pool likes. You will find our recommendations do not always match the book or what the pool store will tell you.

TA moderates pH rise, so see where it ends up as you adjust pH.

My TA sits at 40-50 and then my pH becomes rock solid, barley moving even with my sheer decent waterfall.

But, if you are going to have something that far outside recommended range then use Pool Math to see what your CSI is.

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Pool Math

 

[cfiiman]

Tim, thanks. Ok, so today I finally saw a bit of a FC drop, looks like I'm at 5 so I went ahead and added a little more than a cup of Chlorine as the bottle says that should raise it .6-1 ppm which would keep me between 5 and 7.5 on my scale. I know that is a tad higher than I need but is there any reason not to do that? I feel like it would be better to keep it a bit high than to let it get low and risk algae or whatever right? My PH is also staying rock steady at what I'm guestimating is 7.7 (lighter color than the 7.8 but slightly different then the 7.6, but probably closer to the 7.6). Also the wind has been whipping the last couple days and even though I have a screened lanai the surface of my water gets what I can only describe as "dust" or something all over it, just wanted to ask if this was normal? Seems the same kind of look when the wind whips up on a freshly washed car and you get that "film" over the paint if that makes sense? I skim it but it is a lesson in futility as long as these 30mph winds are around, thanks for any help.