Brand new pool & choosing the BBB way of life!

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h2omama

0
May 5, 2009
8
Covington, Louisiana
I've been putting off this post in fear that I will be kicked back into Pool School :? I understand & like this method of pool care...but I'm having a lot of trouble with the Chemistry part of it (especially the math). So I'll just post my test readings and hope that I can be educated...BTW...Test results are from the TF-100 I ordered Thursday & received Saturday (super-fast IMO)

FC 1.5
CC .5
TC 2.0
ph 6.5 (Probably lower)
TA 50
CH 10
CYA 40
Temp 82

I did use the pool calculator, but I don't understand it. It states that I need to raise TA by adding 0.1 oz. of baking soda either by weight or by volumn. That's the math I don't get! :hammer: As I've read in many places on this forum, the Pool Calc will tell you how much of what chemicals you need to add...so, I would probably go out there and add 0.1 oz of baking soda. :oops:
Pool was set up Friday using Trichlor Tabs in auto cholrinator. After reading ALOT of posts over the last week or so, Kinda getting worried about that CYA using Trichlor.
I have on hand 1 - 4lb. box of Baking Soda (last one on the shelf @ Wally World)
Borax was completly gone. Gussing lots of people opened their pools this weekend

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Welcome to TFP!

To make best use of my pool calculator you need to know what your current levels are, and what you want your final level to be. You also need to enter the number of gallons in your pool up near the top in the Size field. The result you are getting right now looks like you have the pool size set to 10 gallons and default values in the Target column.

Your immediate problem is that your need to raise your PH up to at least 7.0 as soon as possible. PH below 7.0 can damage the vinyl liner if it stays low too long, so you want to get that up right away. The PH test in the TF100 can't measure PH below 6.8, so I assume you are guessing about just how low the PH really is.

I suggest adding one box of borax (76 oz), running the pump for at least an hour, and then measuring the PH again. If it is still below 7.0, add another box of borax, run the pump for another hour, and keep repeating as needed until the PH is at least 7.0.

If you can't find borax, use washing soda, or soda ash, or PH Increaser, or PH Up, or any similar product, but add 2 lbs at a time, instead of the whole box of borax.
 
Okay! Here are the new readings...

FC 3.5
CC 0
TC 3.5
ph 7.2
TA 90
CH 20
CYA 40

Not too bad huh 8)
I know the CH is low but I added some on Sunday. As I learned in Pool School, it can take up to a week for that to show up on a test. Therefore, I will wait a couple more days but will have some on hand just in case.
 
h2omama said:
Okay! Here are the new readings...

FC 3.5
CC 0
TC 3.5
ph 7.2
TA 90
CH 20
CYA 40

Not too bad huh 8)
I know the CH is low but I added some on Sunday. As I learned in Pool School, it can take up to a week for that to show up on a test. Therefore, I will wait a couple more days but will have some on hand just in case.
Click to expand...

Okay, back to Pool School. :hammer: Just kidding.

CH is 20? Added some on Sunday, or added CYA on Sunday? CYA takes up to a week to dissolve, not CH, and since you have an AG pool, you don't even need to worry about the CH. So lets clarify which you added, and what you have more on hand of....

Your other numbers look very good, and remember, with your CYA of 40, you never want to let the FC drop below 3. This means adding chlorine daily to keep it between 3-5.

If you added more CYA on Sunday, the CYA test result number could rise, which means your FC should rise too....refer to the chart in my sig.
 
FPMom,
I am following your advise on "getting to know my pool". The trichlor tabs ran out on Wed. so now I am strictly on the BBB method. On Friday, my FC dropped to 3.0, & off to the pool calc I
went :whip:.
Added 2 quarts of 6% bleach and brought the level up to 5.0. All of the other levels stayed the same except the ph went up to about 7.3(ish) after a small pool party we had! :mrgreen:
As of today...
FC 4.5
CC 0
TC 4.5
ph 7.4(ish) closer to 7.5 than 7.2
T/A 90
CH 20
CYA 40 (no change from adding 4# one week ago)

Thanks to everyone at TFP for this forum!
And thanks to you FPMom for taking the time to work with me.
 

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