Made a friend in the pool store needs help with his water

[QingGuy]

I overheard a pool store guy telling this gentleman all the things he needed to buy for his pool to fix his water. He just lost his old pool guy and doesn't have a new one starting until next month so he's trying to maintain it until the new guy starts. He told the clerk helping him to give him a minute so he could read the labels on everything he was telling him to buy and he walked to the side. I couldn't take it anymore so I walked over to him and mentioned this website. Turns out he's not a computer guy which I took as he doesn't have a computer. I offered to try and help him.

He gave me his test numbers, these are pool store numbers, however, it's the only pool store whos numbers I trust. Just for kicks whenever I buy acid or we're going to be in the area I'll test my water, then take a sample by this store and have them test it. They're consistently very close if not exactly to my numbers. I did one of these comparisons as recently has Thursday when I was doing a CYA test. We both got the same numbers on all tests so I feel good about his numbers. His pool is about plaster, 20,000 gallons and he believes built around 1990, sounds as if it's new to him:
FC - 10
CC - .2
CH - 500
CYA - 120
pH - 8

Numbers we usually don't look at here
Phosphates - 0
Dissolved Solids - 3300

His new pool guy has told him he needs to drain his water for him, guy at pool store also told him he needed to drain his water. Both are focusing more on the hardness vs. CYA and when they've told him they need to drain it they're talking about COMPLETELY drain.

So two questions. To my novice eyes I'm thinking drain a little to get the CYA in check, it will lower the hardness a little and he should be good to go. However, I'm a novice no expert and outside of adjusting CC, pH I'm not qualified to give advice. What do you guys think? He really seems to be worried about draining the pool completely this time of year as we're in Vegas and it will be 90+ and sunny for the next 4 - 5 months. If he has to drain his pool he could cause some damage, correct?

I'd really like to help this guy, he really seemed overwhelmed and was about to spend hundreds of dollars at the pool store. Thank in advance for any advice.

 

[Richard320]

I overheard a pool store guy telling this gentleman all the things he needed to buy for his pool to fix his water. He just lost his old pool guy and doesn't have a new one starting until next month so he's trying to maintain it until the new guy starts. He told the clerk helping him to give him a minute so he could read the labels on everything he was telling him to buy and he walked to the side. I couldn't take it anymore so I walked over to him and mentioned this website. Turns out he's not a computer guy which I took as he doesn't have a computer. I offered to try and help him.

He gave me his test numbers, these are pool store numbers, however, it's the only pool store whos numbers I trust. Just for kicks whenever I buy acid or we're going to be in the area I'll test my water, then take a sample by this store and have them test it. They're consistently very close if not exactly to my numbers. I did one of these comparisons as recently has Thursday when I was doing a CYA test. We both got the same numbers on all tests so I feel good about his numbers. His pool is about plaster, 20,000 gallons and he believes built around 1990, sounds as if it's new to him:
FC - 10
CC - .2
CH - 500
CYA - 120
pH - 8

Numbers we usually don't look at here
Phosphates - 0
Dissolved Solids - 3300

His new pool guy has told him he needs to drain his water for him, guy at pool store also told him he needed to drain his water. Both are focusing more on the hardness vs. CYA and when they've told him they need to drain it they're talking about COMPLETELY drain.

So two questions. To my novice eyes I'm thinking drain a little to get the CYA in check, it will lower the hardness a little and he should be good to go. However, I'm a novice no expert and outside of adjusting CC, pH I'm not qualified to give advice. What do you guys think? He really seems to be worried about draining the pool completely this time of year as we're in Vegas and it will be 90+ and sunny for the next 4 - 5 months. If he has to drain his pool he could cause some damage, correct?

I'd really like to help this guy, he really seemed overwhelmed and was about to spend hundreds of dollars at the pool store. Thank in advance for any advice.

Assuming the water is clear, even 70 CYA would be easily manageable. That's less than half the pool and yes, CH would also drop some.

500 CH is really not all that high, anyway. My pool has only been below that once since I;ve owned it, and I don;t have scale.

Your new friend needs to understand that pucks are what got him where he is, and if he's going to do the chemistry, it means daily dosing.

 

[Texas Splash]

I applaud your efforts to help, but it will be difficult on your and perhaps frustrating for him if he can't tale charge and take ownership of the process. Still, I can tell you a few basic about your friend's scenario:
- We don't trust pool store tests; so the CYA/CH could be much high that what they believe - maybe even lower.
- When CYA is over a 100, yes, we recommend a partial drain; how much depends on how high it is; how much to drain at once depends on the water table and if the pool could "pop-up" or shell become compromised. In areas that are questionable, we recommend not draining any more than the lowest step or around 12-18 inches to the bottom. I don't think there's a water table issue in the Vegas valley, but your friend would have to decide on how much to drain at once.
- Yes, a drain should help lower both CYA and CH, although CH results are dependent upon the hardness of the new water going in.

Really not much else I can say other than encourage your friend to take the wheel and connect with us directly. That would be the best for everyone concerned ... along with purchase the "right" test kit (TF-100 or Taylor K-2006). Have a nice evening.

Oh ... and what Richard said.

 

[kimkats]

Do you have his phone number? If he does not have a computer you can still help he with TFP ways. That is neat the pool store's number are so close to your real tests.

I would print this out for him.

Pool School - Recommended Levels

I would also offer to run the numbers through pool math for him as needed.

OH and print this one out for him as well!

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Make sure to point out where he can buy this stuff.

He does need to lower his water BUT not all of it! With your sun and heat your CYA needs to be on the higher side than others to buffer the sun.

He can lower it a little at a time. It will take longer but will also be safer for his pool.

Let me now how involved you want to be with him. I have some ideas.

It was very sweet of you to step in like that! Good job!

Kim:cat:

 

[QingGuy]

Thanks for the comments.

Yes explained that pucks are what got him here and if he drains he'll be back here with new guy if he floats pucks. I can test his water with my kit for confirmation depending on how involved I want to get as someone said. I suppose I wanted confirm for him whether or not he needed to drain his pool for him, I surly knew he didn't have to put all the chemicals in it that they were trying to sell him.

Without a computer it's going to be difficult for him to do research and maintain on his own not being able to post questions.


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[pabeader]

depending on where you live, public libraries have computers for folks to use. Might be good for him to make use of them for all types of things.

 

[QingGuy]

@pabeader I'll mention it.


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[duraleigh]

Without a computer it's going to be difficult for him to do research and maintain on his own not being able to post questions.

I would say, "impossible", not just "difficult"

The back and forth that's needed will soon have him hopelessly lost. I think he needs a pool service or a computer.

 

[duraleigh]

Without a computer it's going to be difficult for him to do research and maintain on his own not being able to post questions.

I would say, "impossible", not just "difficult"

The back and forth that's needed will soon have him hopelessly lost. I think he needs a pool service or a computer.

EDIT: I just re-read this negative post. Didn't mean to be sour but I do think he will have an incredibly difficult time trying to follow us.

If you do it for him, that'd be different.