I need some advice on fine tuning my #'s. Just got the Taylor FAS-DPD kit.

[Bamabelle76]

We drained and started over with fresh water for this season. Just trying to get everything fine tuned I know I need to tweak a few things, just not sure what to do first, how long to wait in between, etc.

CC .2
FC 3.4
pH 8.0
TA 110-120
CYA 38
CH 70 I am confused here as to whether this matters, because the chart here on the forum says do not add on the vinyl pool section.
AD 2 drops
Salt 1880

Also, I'm not sure which #'s I should be going by when it comes to pool math. Should I go by the defaults when I put in the gallons of water, my own info from the specific pool, etc? We added the salt/sand, after we got the pool, so, I just don't know on this one.

Any help appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Richard320]

pH first. When it's between 7.2 and 7.8, it's safe to swim in. I'd target 7.3. That gives a margin of error while still lowering pH enough to affect TA. pH will come back up pretty quick with the high TA and the SWG.

Then add some more CYA to get to 70ish. It'll take a day or two to dissolve. As it starts dissolving and rising, you'll lose less FC to the sun so the SWG should be able to keep up with the demand and FC will rise along with the CYA.

Add salt to get to the target for your SWG so it works better.

In poolmath, go to the last row and choose vinyl/SWG/TFP and let it autofill the recommendations. If your readings are within the guidelines, make the target the same as now. No adjustment needed. Easy, huh? Your TA is a little high, but it will come down as you maintain the pH, so don't worry about it yet. Get everything else squared away before you start fussing with that.

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

Poolmath, fill out the bottom, this gives you the TFP recommends levels, use the bottom of pool math to find the gallons Length x width x depth of your water
TFP, SWG, Vinyl
add chem with pump on, brush pool 10 minutes, add next chem

using MA drop your PH first, this will also drop your TA also Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity
add bleach to bring your FC to 4 Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
add CYA to get you to 70 using a sock
add salt to get to 3200, wait 24 hours and see turn SWG on and see if the SWG likes it there (making chlorine)

Ch of 70 is fine, no need to add as you have a vinyl pool

I hope this helps

 

[Bamabelle76]

In poolmath, go to the last row and choose vinyl/SWG/TFP and let it autofill the recommendations.

Totally forgot I had done that already

Thanks!!!

 

[Bamabelle76]

Welcome to TFP

Poolmath, fill out the bottom, this gives you the TFP recommends levels, use the bottom of pool math to find the gallons Length x width x depth of your water
TFP, SWG, Vinyl
add chem with pump on, brush pool 10 minutes, add next chem

using MA drop your PH first, this will also drop your TA also Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity
add bleach to bring your FC to 4 Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
add CYA to get you to 70 using a sock
add salt to get to 3200, wait 24 hours and see turn SWG on and see if the SWG likes it there (making chlorine)

Ch of 70 is fine, no need to add as you have a vinyl pool

I hope this helps

So, I can do all of that in the same day?

Is the sock going into the skimmer basket or just in the pool?

I thought I had stuck it to the man by getting a bucket of calcium chloride off Amazon, instead of the $60 one they tried selling me at the pool store. I guess I'll be throwing that on a local buy/sell group now :uhh: At least I didn't put it in the pool! I don't give the pool store my money anyhow, but this really shows me how little they know/care!

Thanks for the help!

 

[Richard320]

So, I can do all of that in the same day?

Is the sock going into the skimmer basket or just in the pool?

I thought I had stuck it to the man by getting a bucket of calcium chloride off Amazon, instead of the $60 one they tried selling me at the pool store. I guess I'll be throwing that on a local buy/sell group now :uhh: At least I didn't put it in the pool! I don't give the pool store my money anyhow, but this really shows me how little they know/care!

Thanks for the help!

Sock goes either. Skimmer is easiest, no rigging to figure out. But if you don't have a skimmer or if the sock blocks too much flow, suspend it off a pole in front of a return.

It can all be done in under an hour. The CYA won't all be dissolved that fast, but it will be in progress.

You can save that Cal-hypo for times when you want to boost FC in a hurry, like before or after a swim party or if someone has an accident. No different than adding bleach except it leaves CH behind. You've got lots of room for more CH. A 25 lb bucket will only add 146 CH to your pool, which will still leave you well below maximum recommended. Keep the bucket closed up and it'll last a year at least. Poolmath does have a dropdown selection on the FC line for using Cal-hypo, if you didn't know.

 

[Bamabelle76]

Thanks! Off to get MA now!

 

[Saturn94]

So, I can do all of that in the same day?

Is the sock going into the skimmer basket or just in the pool?

I thought I had stuck it to the man by getting a bucket of calcium chloride off Amazon, instead of the $60 one they tried selling me at the pool store. I guess I'll be throwing that on a local buy/sell group now :uhh: At least I didn't put it in the pool! I don't give the pool store my money anyhow, but this really shows me how little they know/care!

Thanks for the help!

Sock goes either. Skimmer is easiest, no rigging to figure out. But if you don't have a skimmer or if the sock blocks too much flow, suspend it off a pole in front of a return.

It can all be done in under an hour. The CYA won't all be dissolved that fast, but it will be in progress.

You can save that Cal-hypo for times when you want to boost FC in a hurry, like before or after a swim party or if someone has an accident. No different than adding bleach except it leaves CH behind. You've got lots of room for more CH. A 25 lb bucket will only add 146 CH to your pool, which will still leave you well below maximum recommended. Keep the bucket closed up and it'll last a year at least. Poolmath does have a dropdown selection on the FC line for using Cal-hypo, if you didn't know.

The OP said he bought calcium chloride. Calcium chloride isn't the same as cal-hypo.....is it?

 

[Richard320]

Oops. my mistake I'll go fix that.

 

[Bamabelle76]

So, I added the bleach, MA, and the CYA that we had left (had to send hubby after more). I rechecked very late Saturday night and had the following results.

pH 7.5-7.6
FC 5
CC .2
TA 80-90

I jumped for joy, thinking I had everything nailed and once I added the additional CYA and the salt, we'd be good. Got more CYA today and hubby is adding salt now. I checked again, just to make sure things are where I thought they were. I'm a little confused, because the pH has gone back up and the FC jumped to 6. The TA went back up some, as well.

Today's readings are
pH 8.0
FC 6
CC .2-.3
TA 110-120
CYA 46

So, I'm looking at adding the salt, 33 oz. of CYA, and another 14 oz of MA. Does that sound right? Is anything else I'm doing contributing to the rise in FC, other than the bleach I added? No one has swam in the last few days and there has been no rain.

 

[Richard320]

So, I added the bleach, MA, and the CYA that we had left (had to send hubby after more). I rechecked very late Saturday night and had the following results.

pH 7.5-7.6
FC 5
CC .2
TA 80-90

I jumped for joy, thinking I had everything nailed and once I added the additional CYA and the salt, we'd be good. Got more CYA today and hubby is adding salt now. I checked again, just to make sure things are where I thought they were. I'm a little confused, because the pH has gone back up and the FC jumped to 6. The TA went back up some, as well.

Today's readings are
pH 8.0
FC 6
CC .2-.3
TA 110-120
CYA 46

So, I'm looking at adding the salt, 33 oz. of CYA, and another 14 oz of MA. Does that sound right? Is anything else I'm doing contributing to the rise in FC, other than the bleach I added? No one has swam in the last few days and there has been no rain.

Recheck that TA before you add any acid. The R-009 can develop static electricity which makes the drops smaller which makes the reading higher. Just wipe the tip off with a damp paper towel between drops.

Also, if you added any makeup water (autofill?) and you have high TA/high pH fill water that could do it. Or maybe the first TA test was wrong. Just confirm the number and then add acid to adjust pH.

I get pretty much the same numbers you do in poolmath.

 

[Bamabelle76]

Recheck that TA before you add any acid. The R-009 can develop static electricity which makes the drops smaller which makes the reading higher. Just wipe the tip off with a damp paper towel between drops.

Spot on. Recheck shows 90-100. At 90, there was a clear change in color. At 100, it actually turned bright pink. Which # do I go by?

We haven't added any water. I just realized that the return shooting up out of the surface can cause the pH to go up though. Could that be the issue with it going back up?

 

[Richard320]

Spot on. Recheck shows 90-100. At 90, there was a clear change in color. At 100, it actually turned bright pink. Which # do I go by?

We haven't added any water. I just realized that the return shooting up out of the surface can cause the pH to go up though. Could that be the issue with it going back up?

You add drops until the last one makes no difference and then deduct it.

So at 9 it went pinkish. At 10 it went Barbie Pink. If number 11 didn't do anything, subtract it. 10 drops = 100 TA. For next time.

Yes, aeration can drive up pH and not effect TA.

 

[Bamabelle76]

Redirected the return and added everything. I'm hoping to hear a choir of angels sing, when I check chemicals tomorrow morning :angel::angel::angel:

Thanks for the help!

 

[Bamabelle76]

So close...

FC 8.0
CC .3
pH 7.4
TA 90
CYA 70 - maybe 75
CH 80
Salt level around 2700 - pool math called for 98, but we had 80 on hand and went with that for the moment.

Not sure about the 8.0 on the FC I know the target was 5, just not sure if we are in a problem zone on this one?

I did point the return down into the pool and we added about 4 inches of water to top it off (and help the return stay below the water level). We are now at the max water level in the pool.

 

[Richard320]

So close...

FC 8.0
CC .3
pH 7.4
TA 90
CYA 70 - maybe 75
CH 80
Salt level around 2700 - pool math called for 98, but we had 80 on hand and went with that for the moment.

Not sure about the 8.0 on the FC I know the target was 5, just not sure if we are in a problem zone on this one?

I did point the return down into the pool and we added about 4 inches of water to top it off (and help the return stay below the water level). We are now at the max water level in the pool.

That high FC is not a problem. If you had the pump/SWG on all night, it would be expected. You don't lose any FC to UV at night with no sunlight. If it keeps climbing, dial the SWG back or reduce how long the pump runs.

 

[Bamabelle76]

That high FC is not a problem. If you had the pump/SWG on all night, it would be expected. You don't lose any FC to UV at night with no sunlight. If it keeps climbing, dial the SWG back or reduce how long the pump runs.

So, can I look for the FC to drop down (kind of level out), once the pump/SWG is only running a few hours a day?

My youngest will be so glad for me to give the all clear to swim today! Thank you so much for your help!!!

 

[Richard320]

So, can I look for the FC to drop down (kind of level out), once the pump/SWG is only running a few hours a day?

My youngest will be so glad for me to give the all clear to swim today! Thank you so much for your help!!!

Yep. Now comes the balancing act, to figure out what % and/or how long to run things to maintain the FC. That's what the test kit is for. If you find yourself coming up short, raise it. If it keeps climbing, lower it. Eventually you'll find your happy place. The happy place will change as days get longer and hotter and the pool gets used more. It's actually a lot easier than it sounds.

 

[Bamabelle76]

Yep. Now comes the balancing act, to figure out what % and/or how long to run things to maintain the FC. That's what the test kit is for. If you find yourself coming up short, raise it. If it keeps climbing, lower it. Eventually you'll find your happy place. The happy place will change as days get longer and hotter and the pool gets used more. It's actually a lot easier than it sounds.

Re: Maintenance - One more question - I read somewhere that I should be monitoring FC and pH on a daily basis. What about TA and CYA? How often on those? I've already blown through one of the CYA reagent bottles, in just a few days. I'm guessing that's a common problem

 

[Griswald]

I check FC and pH daily, or at least every other day. The red and yellow drops into the square tube thing is good enough for that. If I see ANY odd or unexpected results, I do a full test.

I do full checks every weekend before pool parties just in case.

Once you get your SWG % dialed in and your pH correction figured out (like 2 ounces once a week), your pool will stay remarkably consistent. That's a lot of water for anything to change quickly...