First Timer Needs Help

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Stever39

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May 30, 2016
28
Des Moines Iowa
Thanks for the help. I have a 16x32 21,100 gallon pool with a SWG, sand filter, and 1hp pentair pump.

Other than ph my water was extremely close to clear on Sunday. I shocked last night with liquid chlorine and added 4 bags if salt. This morning my pool water was clearer but green. My CYA randomly jumped from 70 last night to over 100 this morning. I added some metal free today at the advice of Leslie's pools.....don't judge the newb. Tonight late I added enough soda ash to get to 7.6 ph by what my test kit booklet told me.

Test kit is a Leslie pool one but pretty sure it is the Taylor k-2005.

My last numbers
FC - above 10
TA - 100
CH - 90
PH - Less than 7
CYA - over 100
 
Hi! :wave:

With a PH < 7, you need to raise it with Soda Ash, Baking Soda or Borax. See here: Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals - use pool math to calculate the amounts.

CYA doesn't increase on it's own, definitely not overnight. Did you add any CYA? It sometimes takes hours or days to appear on the test. If not, is a testing error possible? Did you do the test each time using the same method and similar light condition?

In either case, you should do a diluted CYA test to see what your actual number is. Here are extended instructions for the CYA test, the part about the dilution test is in bold.

CYA - Cyanuric Acid
From Extended Test kit Instructions

  1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water. The lower mark may be labeled as 7 ml, 15 ml, or not labeled.
  2. If the pool water is below 70 degrees, allow the water sample to warm up to room temperature before continuing.
  3. Continue filling to the upper mark with R-0013. The upper mark may be labeled as 14 ml, or not labeled, or there may not be a mark and you fill to the base of the neck of the bottle.
  4. Cap and then shake the mixing bottle for 30 seconds.
  5. Stand outdoors with your back to the sun and hold the view tube at about waist level. If sunlight is not available, find the brightest artificial light you can.
  6. Looking down into the view tube, slowly pour the mixture from the mixing bottle into the view tube.
  7. Continue pouring until all traces of the black dot at the bottom of the view tube completely disappear, even after you stare at it for several seconds, or you fill the view tube.
  8. Reading the result:
    • If the view tube is completely full, and you can still see the black dot clearly, your CYA level is zero.
    • If the view tube is completely full and the black dot is only partially obscured, your CYA level is above zero but lower than the lowest level your test kit can measure (20 or 30 ppm).
    • If the tube is not completely full, look at the scale on the side of the view tube. The labeled mark closest to the liquid level indicates your CYA level.
  9. If your CYA level is 90 or higher, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:
    • Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
    • Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
    • Shake briefly to mix.
    • Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
    • Continue the test normally from step 3, but multiply the final result by two.

ALSO:
- Why did Leslies to recommend a metal product? Are you having any metal problems? We generally don't recommend everything the pool store pushes to sell.
- The Taylor K2005 kit is a great start. To upgrade it to all of the recommended tests, you need the FAS-DPD powder/drop Chlorine test: TFTestkits.net
 
I did not add any CYA but I was originally using dichlor. Last time I used it was Friday night. I tested it Sat and Sunday and it was between 60 and 70. Tested today after only adding the chlorine and salt last night. I did the CYA black dot test. I will try tomorrow doing the one with the salt water.

They recommended the metal free thinking my pool turned green because of high metals.
 
Stever39 said:
I did not add any CYA but I was originally using dichlor. Last time I used it was Friday night. I tested it Sat and Sunday and it was between 60 and 70. Tested today after only adding the chlorine and salt last night. I did the CYA black dot test. I will try tomorrow doing the one with the salt water.

They recommended the metal free thinking my pool turned green because of high metals.
Click to expand...
Dichlor powder and Trichlor Pucks add CYA to your water. We recommend Liquid Chlorine (bleach) or salt water generators. Good info on that here: Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool

If your CYA is <100, you need to replace a bit of water to get it down to a manageable level, pool math can calculate the exact amount after you do a dilution test. After that, you can SLAM - ShockLevelAndMaintain to clear the water.

You should stay away from the pool store, your pool turned green due to high CYA levels, not metals. I know I've linked a bunch of reading material, but this article will give you a great overview of the FC/CYA relationship, and how all the other test numbers are relevant - Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
 
Let's clear the pool up first and then worry about whether there are metals. Yes, you will definitely need the FAS/DPD chlorine test for some of the things we recommend here.

Dichlor adds almost as much CYA as it does chlorine. Do the extended test and let's get an idea where the CYA really is. Des Moines is a city in 4 or 5 states. Which Des Moines? Update it over there <-----. Are there water restrictions? You will need to partially drain and refill your pool to lower the CYA to make it more manageable. Is your pool vinyl? Fiberglass? Plaster? It makes a big difference in many recommendations we give including how to properly drain.
 
Pool has a vinyl liner and I update my sig and info. I originally was using dichlor and kept because my cya was down at 20. I used liquid chlorine with my last shock. Menards had it on sale for 2.59 for a 12.5% gallon

I will do the dilution test tomorrow morning.

- - - Updated - - -

No water restrictions here.
 
Woke up to a nice foam on most of the pool this morning. Mostly white with some yellow mixed in. We have had a ton of rain the past week. I did the extended method of adding the tap water for the cya.

Current levels:
FC - 5-10
CC- 7.5-15
PH- 7.4
TA - 140
CH - 90
CYA - 110

Is draining the pool the only way to get the CYA level down?
 
Yes, I'm afraid it is. That CYA will be problematic until you lower it through water exchange. No sense adding any new chemicals to the water until you take care of that. The good thing is that by being in control now, you know it will never increase in the future unless YOU want it to. But for now, best to get it back down to at least 50, maybe even lower if possible. Once you exchange the water, run new tests and post back here what they are so we can help get you back on track as soon as possible.
 

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Yes, CYA at 70-80 is good for a saltwater pool.

Did you add algaecide to the pool? That could be causing the foaming.

Draining down about 2 feet should get you there. You don't need to drain more than that now, but it is important to know that anytime you drain a vinyl liner pool you need to leave a foot of water in the shallow end to hold the liner in place so that it does not shift or shrink.
 
I added Ultima Nix which is kind of an algaecide? But that was a few weeks ago. When I added the soda ash last night I just broadcast spread it. The tub said that was okay but not sure if that is part of my foam problem.

I have volleyball until 8 tonight then I will come home and get to draining. In my new town we have to put salt water drainage in to the sanitary sewer. Luckily I have an outside drain for that.
 
Had to pick up a small sump pump and hose. Got about 8 inches out last night and I will get the rest done today. Luckily, although green, my water has stayed nice and clear since the foam cleared out the other day.

How full should I put the water up to? I saw somewhere recommend between the 2nd and 3rd bolt on the skimmer.
 
Two questions before I get this thing filled back up tonight.

1. How long after filling with fresh water and running the pump can I start doing tests on the water levels?

2. I have some pesky pine needles and leaves that are lodged down around my main drain. What is the best way to get them out? Skimmer vacuum gets some of it each time and has great suction but doesn't want to get them all out. My plan was to switch from the brush to vacuum over and over until I got it all. Is there a different attachment for the pole to get in there or is there a better manual vacuum than the cheap-o triangle see through one I can get?
 

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