I just want to cry!

[barkers landing]

Everyone tells me it's easy to take care of a pool (if you have it under control). It seems so complicated that sometimes I just want to cry. But I am a big girl and I'm willing to learn.

The CYA level needs to come down. Just reduced pool water to skimmer level but how do I know whether pool equipment is able to pull water from pool? How much water needs to be drained?
FC - .1
TC - .3
CC - .2
pH - 7.7
Hardiness - 450
Alkalinity - 130
CYA - 150
Cooper - .0
Iron - .0
Total Dissolved Solids - 1000

Please Help,
Jeanne

 

[sammm]

A sump pump will drain it as low as you'd like. I wouldn't drain more than 1/2 at at time. Pumps can be rented at your local home improvement store or rental shop. You can buy a decent one for well under $100 if you want your own.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Welcome to the forum...

No worries...I left the Pool Store in tears before I found TFP 2 years ago, and as a matter of fact I had the same problem, too high CYA level.

I take it these are their results?

My first advice would be to order a test kit, I recommend the TF-100 (I have one) or a Taylor K-2006. There is an article in pool school comparing the kits. There is a link to TF Test kits on the home page. A good test kit is a must, especially in your situation. Once you have one you will be in total control of your pool and no longer in tears.

Do you have a bottom drain? If not, can you access a submersible or syphon pump? This will allow you to drain past your skimmer. I'm sorry if your CYA is really that high, you need to dump at least 50% of your water. But it's possible that you'll have to do a series of drains and refills to lower it, especially if you can only drain to your skimmer. You don't want to run the pump without water, it will damage it.

You risk damage your pool by draining too much water all at once. You may want to do 1/3 and then refill, retest, and repeat till the CYA is in range. I think if you have a shallow end, it's okay to go down leaving several inches of water in the shallow end, without hurting anything, but always err on the side of caution.

You have come to the right place, you will be fine. NO worries

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Ohm_Boy]

You will be just fine. You are correct in that the CYA needs to come down. You probably need to replace roughly half of your water to drop it to ~70. You can do it a bit at a time, it'll just take longer. In the meantime, you will want to get some chlorine in your pool - probably a couple of jugs of bleach.
Jason's pool calculator may help - http://www.poolcalculator.com/

 

[TizMe]

If you don't have a drain to drain it or access to a siphon or sump pump I have in the past stuck a garden hose in there and siphoned it off that way as well ...... it is a little slow but I would suspect that is something you have on hand and you wont have to spend any $$ on it ......

It would also be help to us in giving you advice if you add your equipment to your signature. Pool size ,type, filter equipment etc ...

Do lots of reading in our pool school section. There is ton of great info there for you to read up on. As well getting a good reliable test kit is going help you get control of your pool. There is the TF-100 test kit sold by a member that a lot of use use here or there is the Taylor K 2006 test kit which I am not familiar with.

Your in good hands here! At one time or another we have all had issues with our pool so your not alone!!


Welcome to the forum too !

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You will be just fine. You are correct in that the CYA needs to come down. You probably need to replace roughly half of your water to drop it to ~70. You can do it a bit at a time, it'll just take longer. In the meantime, you will want to get some chlorine in your pool - probably a couple of jugs of bleach.
Jason's pool calculator may help - http://www.poolcalculator.com/

What color is your water? Is it clear, cloudy? Green?

If it's clear, you could add more like three small jugs, if you plan to do small, partial drains, a little at a time, then yes, bring your FC to avoid a full blown algae bloom.

If you already have green or cloudy water, you need to shock, and there is zero point in doing that because it would take gallons and gallons of bleach to bring your pool to shock level, with a CYA of 150. And then you would have to hold it there...nah, not worth it.

So if it's cloudy/green, and you plan to drain more than a few inches.... I would hold off on adding bleach....yes your chlorine is too low but if you plan to drain half your water anyway, then your just draining off the bleach you add. Money wasted, IMHO.

Drain first, refill, circulate, retest. Then go from there. Just my .2 cents....