First pool and in puerto vallarta no less!

[FirstVallartaPool]

Im new to pool ownership. We purchased a house in vallarta that came with a tiled concrete 5000 gaĺlon pool. I have a friend helping me now but his knowledge is limited as weĺl.
I purchased a cheap 2 part test kit but now have a 5 part kit coming. The pool is in fuĺl vallarta sun most of The day and so far we are trying to get chlorine level up.
I purchased a big drum of powder chlorine, acid powder and a water clarifier to be used sparingly once we get balance and clearity all sorted..hopefully we wont need it but there is alot of fine pollen and city dust seasonally .
Lòoking forward to getting helping here and contributing when I can!
Thanks and heĺlo all!
G and a

Pool 4800 gaĺlon tiled concrete
Hayward sand filter S166t.
Pool Pump Silver10/1115 1hp
Heat siphon Sx3.25hp

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! Perhaps the best thing you could do right now is brush-up on our TFP Pool School page (link below in my sig). There you will receive some very essential information related to pool care. Also in my link below are TFP-Recommended Chemicals and Levels to help maintain your pool. If your test kit has a way of testing CYA, you'll want to know that as well so you know how much chlorine the pool should have. Those two items (FC and CYA) go together as you can see on the Chlorine/CYA Chart link below.

Take a look around, and pleas let us know if you have any questions. Have a nice weekend.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

EExcellent wiil go to pool school thanks for quick response!

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP, check out everything and ask some questions

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

My first problem is the cya test. I am managing the pool/house remotely with My friend that lives close by. The pòolmaster 5way kit doesnt test for cya and ordering when im in canada is very expensive. Perhaps in meantime I can get him to take a sample to local pool store for cya test? Hes having hard time keeping chlorine reading up for a wèek. I did math and the entire pool water can be cycled in an hour with the cuŕrent Pump so im running it for 2 hours currently.
Thanks all!


Pool 4800 gaĺlon tiled concrete
Hayward sand filter S166t.
Pool Pump Silver10/1115 1hp
Heat siphon Sx3.25hp

 

[Texas Splash]

He could go to the pool store, but our experience is that the pool stores generally make errors with that specific test either because of inexperience, or simply due to testing indoors under incandescent lighting. But you do need to have an idea what your CYA is. If it's too low, the sun will burn-off all of your FC in a very short time. If the CYA is too high, you can never seem to add enough chlorine to effectively do its job. I can't get to eBay from my current computer, but some people have had luck ordering through eBay when they live outside the U.S.. Perhaps someone else will have an idea or two of how you might be able to obtain the CYA portion.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

• Yay! found this cya only test kit $30 in canada. Reagent refill $9
• So this kit ...Poolmaster 22260 5-Way Test Kit with Case - Basic Collection And the cyanuric listed below should have me covered correct??my other problem is I wont be back till mid july. Should I get my friend to at least take sample to pool Store to test or hold off a couple months till I get there��
• Im starting to realize i have to be a scientist and a P.I. now with my new pool ownership!
• 
  Aquatech Store - Search Results for "CYANURIC"
  
  
  Bottle of 50 Tests for: Total Alkalinity Free Chlorine pH Cyanuric Acid
  ADD TO CART
  Compare
  
  
• ​
  
  
  
  Kit - Rainbow CYA Test #79 (Stabilizer)
  $29.00
  Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid) is a chemical that is added to the pool water to help to keep the chlorine from being burned up too quickly by the sun's UV rays. This test measures cyanurates in water - Comes with a 8 oz Bottle
  

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

Just in test results for ph and chlorine. The only thing added is approx 1/2 cup powder chlorine 3 days ago and looks like chlorine is still holding in strong vallarta sun.

 

[Texas Splash]

Those look like good readings. Of course once your CYA test product arrive, that's when you'll really know what you FC should be based on the Chlorine/CYA Chart.

 

[jblizzle]

To really KNOW the chlorine levels, especially if you run into issues and need to raise it up for the SLAM process, you need to have the FAS-DPD chlorine test.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

So then i dont have all the testing i need with the 5 way pm kit and the cyanic acd test? To get the FAS-DPD test I would need to purchase the taylor k 2006 kit from somewhere. How nessasry is this?

 

[Texas Splash]

You don't need to order an entire kit. This one here will work perfectly: TFTestkits.net.

 

[jblizzle]

IIRC, the k1515 is just the Taylor FAS-DPD.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

They sell k1515 at same pool store $100 just for that test!
KIT - Taylor K-1515 Drop Test, FAS-DPD Chlorine - Aquatech Store
KIT - Taylor K-1515 Drop Test, FAS-DPD Chlorine

So Adding both CYA and FAS-DPD test is 100% nessassry ...sounds like it is?
If So at that price I might as well order the entire k2006 kit for $180 from them�� and add it to my growing test kit collection!
1 poolmaster 5 way kit and 2 way

 

[jblizzle]

Yes, those 2 tests are absolutely necessary. Ridiculous how much they are charging.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

I can order the tayor k2006 from ebay shipped to canada with shipping approx 120$can. If i order from ebay is there any specific reagents i should order at same time? The cya and FAS-DPD probably make the most sense as the rest i have from my growing test collection��
Again its a 5000gal pool that we will be renting out occasionally as well when we arent there so i need to develop a system that my freind and i (occasionally remotely) can apply with bi weekly visits for testing and treatments when guests are regularly using the pool.
So far we are using a big industrial size supply of powder chlorine (my first lesson reading pool school is that it raises the cya levels), acida ph raising powder (havent really needed it thus far), and a big bottle of clearlifier for pollen, city dust etc too fine for sand filter (havent used or needed yet).
There is a huge grocery store 2 blocks away and my friend has a relative that owns a pool supply company in vallarta so we get decent prices (still way too high comparitively to usa and even canada prices) on what we need. The BBBmethod stand alone i would apply If we lived there daily but i dont kmow how practical and realistic it is under the current situation.
Thanks again to everyone i need all the help i can get!

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

Hello again! I have a friend coming across us border to canada in a couple of weeks so I am free to order anything I need pretty much now. I have settled on the tf-100 7way test kit instead of the k2006 or ordering separate cya and fas/dpd test kits (to fill out my 5way poolmaster kit).
Is this a good choice as well any other suggestions as to what to include in this order?
Thanks again!

Pool 4800 gaĺlon tiled concrete
Hayward sand filter S166t.
Pool Pump Silver10/1115 1hp
Heat siphon Sx3.25hp

 

[Texas Splash]

Also get the Speed Stir. Might as well also get the TF-100's "XL Option" which has more reagents.

 

[jblizzle]

I agree at least at the XL option because those are the reagents that are more difficult for you to get. The Speedster is also really nice and helps with the testing but not required.

 

[Casey]

Welcome to TFP!