Opened for the season...balancing question

[TN94z]

I opened our pool a couple days ago and tested the water. I used the pool calculator to get figure out how much bleach I needed to shock the pool. Here was my list of tested chemicals:

TC=0
TA=50
CH=50
CYA=40
pH=7.2
Salt=2420

So I added the bleach that the calculator told me to add. I was out of town yesterday but have had the pump running 24/7 since I opened. I tested the chlorine today to make sure it was still up and it's 30! I was shooting for around 16 going by the chart. Anyway, where is the best place to start in getting the chemicals balanced? I am assuming I need to get the chlorine adjusted, then start with salt, CYA, TA, pH, and the CH in that order, right?

Or should I just start with the salt and allow the chlorine a few days to naturally come down? My intentions were to have the pool ready to go for this weekend since we are having my little girl's first birthday party. Thanks

 

[Richard320]

Just to be sure... because it has happened here recently... you are multiplying drops by the correct factor to get the FC reading? If the sample is 10 ml, each drop is .5 FC. If 25 ml, each drop is .2 FC.

If FC is really 30, you need to figure out why it's so high. Wrong number input for pool volume? Wrong bleach strength entered in poolmath? SWG is on and working?

Also if FC is really 30, then your pH test is almost certainly wrong. FC above 10 reacts with the reagent. So you can do nothing with pH until FC falls.

TA is a little low. Baking Soda will fix that. Did the test go green>pink or blue>yellow. WIth 30 FC it should have been blue not green. Was it?

CYA is too low for a SWG, but keeping it low until the FC burns off is probably the best idea.

Low CH is not a problem with a vinyl pool. You don't need to worry about damaging plaster. Whatever your CH tests at, use that as the target and move on.

My advice: doublecheck that FC reading and if it's really that high, leave everything alone until it burns off to below 10. You can certainly brush and vacuum to your heart's content while you're waiting. Then repeat the tests and then fine tune things. But right now the pH is doubtful so you don't want to mess with it or the TA just yet, and the CH is okay and the CYA should stay low to speed up the FC burnoff, so there really isn't anything to do chemically right now.

 

[TN94z]

Just to be sure... because it has happened here recently... you are multiplying drops by the correct factor to get the FC reading? If the sample is 10 ml, each drop is .5 FC. If 25 ml, each drop is .2 FC.

If FC is really 30, you need to figure out why it's so high. Wrong number input for pool volume? Wrong bleach strength entered in poolmath? SWG is on and working?

Also if FC is really 30, then your pH test is almost certainly wrong. FC above 10 reacts with the reagent. So you can do nothing with pH until FC falls.

TA is a little low. Baking Soda will fix that. Did the test go green>pink or blue>yellow. WIth 30 FC it should have been blue not green. Was it?

CYA is too low for a SWG, but keeping it low until the FC burns off is probably the best idea.

Low CH is not a problem with a vinyl pool. You don't need to worry about damaging plaster. Whatever your CH tests at, use that as the target and move on.

My advice: doublecheck that FC reading and if it's really that high, leave everything alone until it burns off to below 10. You can certainly brush and vacuum to your heart's content while you're waiting. Then repeat the tests and then fine tune things. But right now the pH is doubtful so you don't want to mess with it or the TA just yet, and the CH is okay and the CYA should stay low to speed up the FC burnoff, so there really isn't anything to do chemically right now.

Yes, I was using 10mL and .5. It was 60 drops. to clear the water from pink.

The pH was like 6.8 initially before adding bleach. The 7.2 was after the high chlorine. So that may be wrong, but it was 6.8 initially.

THe FC is that high because I obviously messed on the calculator and possibly used the wrong strength, I'll have to double check that. The pool is usually very easy to get balanced. . SWG is on and working with low salt at the moment.

TA test was green, but the test numbers above were before the bleach add which raised the chlorine so high. I usually test the chemicals before doing anything to the pool. Then I shock and clean. Then I start balancing. It has worked well in the past.

I didn't raise the CYA because I like it low when I'm shocking so it requires less bleach.

I'm usually around 50 on CH.

Ok, that's what I was looking for. Should I run the pump without the SWG on to speed up the FC lowering?

- - - Updated - - -

Update:

I went back and double checked my calculations. It was my fault. When using the calculator, I used 6% instead of 8.25% which is what I bought. Oooppss... So that's why the chlorine is that high. Should have used 6 gallons instead of the 10 I added. Oh well, I guess if anything was living in there, it's not now...haha

 

[Richard320]

Yes, I was using 10mL and .5. It was 60 drops. to clear the water from pink.

The pH was like 6.8 initially before adding bleach. The 7.2 was after the high chlorine. So that may be wrong, but it was 6.8 initially.

THe FC is that high because I obviously messed on the calculator and possibly used the wrong strength, I'll have to double check that. The pool is usually very easy to get balanced. . SWG is on and working with low salt at the moment.

TA test was green, but the test numbers above were before the bleach add which raised the chlorine so high. I usually test the chemicals before doing anything to the pool. Then I shock and clean. Then I start balancing. It has worked well in the past.

I didn't raise the CYA because I like it low when I'm shocking so it requires less bleach.

I'm usually around 50 on CH.

Ok, that's what I was looking for. Should I run the pump without the SWG on to speed up the FC lowering?

If the pool needs clearing, leave the pump on. Yes, turn off the SWG. And if the pH and TA readings were before adding bleach, raise the TA to 70ish now. It will help buffer wild swings in pH when you get around to adjusting it. Lots of circulation and the higher TA should push the pH up a little, too.

 

[TN94z]

If the pool needs clearing, leave the pump on. Yes, turn off the SWG. And if the pH and TA readings were before adding bleach, raise the TA to 70ish now. It will help buffer wild swings in pH when you get around to adjusting it. Lots of circulation and the higher TA should push the pH up a little, too.

Will do. Thanks. It's good to know that I'm learning a lot. I made this post to pretty much double check with the pro's.

 

[TN94z]

I have been cleaning the pool, left the SWG off, and the chlorine is now around 18, so it is coming down. I also got the TA to 80. I am basically just waiting on the chlorine to drop some more, then I'm going to get the rest of the chemicals lined out. The pool is super clean and the water is very clear.

I also have a new pump coming in today as I have been having issues out of this one, so I'll be changing that out as well.