Newbie with questions

[dlgunn1]

Thanks for the add and thanks for the great site.

We just uncovered our pool last week. Looks great with a little trash on the bottom. This will be our third season with the pool.
We have the perma salt system and have had no problems. We were pool stored. The guy only had us add a bag of salt. So he sold us a partial Perma salt system.
I keep the Cu level at .3 and have been shocking every 2 weeks. After reading here I wanting to go to the BBB system.
My question is if i go to the BBB system would it help or hurt to keep the Perma salt system in place? My thinking is that the Cu has taken car of the algae and could continue to do this until the chamber needs to be replaced.

OTO & Phenol red
Ph-7.4
Ch-0.6
Intsa Test strips expired 10/15
Alk-40
Ph-6.8
Cu-0.3

I ordered a Taylor k-2006 before i found your site. What is the difference in your test kit and this one?

Looks like i need to add borax, baking soda & bleach

Any suggestions on warming the pool? We have a solar blanket. Do i run the pump during the day or night or both? High speed or low?

24' AG Round 12,700 Gallon ( w/ 45" level) Vinyl Liner
Pentair Sand Dollar SD-40 Sand Filter w/ 1.5 HP 2 Speed Pump
Perma Salt system

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome! To your main question.....discontinue use of that Perma Salt right away and remove any related products. One of the issues with that system is it's adding copper to your water. That's no good at all. The Taylor kit will accurately test pH, TA, CH CYA, and in addition test FC and CC levels well-over 5 ppm which is important when a pool has a high CYA or needs to be "SLAMmed" (link below) to remove algae. Regular liquid bleach is your best sanitizer with next to no by-products added. Ordering the K-2006 was a good choice. Until then, I wouldn't do too much other than just add about 1/2 gallon or so of bleach to your pool each day. The K-2006 will confirm everything you need to know. Now let's just hope that the copper level hasn't gone-up any more which could complicate things for you later. Great to have you with us.

 

[RobbieH]

Yeah, I'd rather wait for your K2006 to get there than try to work with these numbers, we will be here when you have it!

 

[dlgunn1]

Thanks for the responses. My daughter is driving me crazy to swim so i took a sample to the pool store. I did not buy anything. Here is their findings.

Ph-7.4
Ch-0.5
Alk-50
Cal 110
CYA 60
Looking at the calculator it is telling me to add 12 oz of borax & 120 oz of baking soda.
I was thinking of adding 12 oz of borax and 30 oz of baking soda. What do you guys think? I have some old 3" chlorine tablets should i put a couple in the strainer basket and run the pump om high until dissolved?

I also thought the tablets would help raise the CYA.

 

[Texas Splash]

I think it's great that you are using the Poolmath calculator. But unfortunately I wouldn't recommend taking any action on those pool store test results. I know it' shard to believe - a pool store right? But we often find just about everything they test to be incorrect to a point that a pool owner may add too much chemicals, not enough, or add something never even needed. Right now your best bet is to just add about 1/2 gallon of regular bleach each day. You're correct that tabs increase CYA, but you don't need that at the moment. The bleach is pure chlorine and won't effect anything other than give you some FC for sanitation. Now if this is really difficult on you, there's the option of purchasing a very small, cheap HTH-brand drop test kit at Wal-Mart. It's about $6 I think. With that you won't get accurate FC (only up to 5) but you also get pH. I just don't want you to spend a ot of money on things you don't really need.

 

[dlgunn1]

Thanks i mis read the CYA in pool school. Dose not look like i need anymore CYA at the time. I will wait on my kit.

 

[dlgunn1]

Guys
I vacuumed the pool Monday and then brushed the walls. I had a lot of brown stuff on the bottom this morning. Vacuumed again today about 1:00. Now at 7:00 more has appeared. Is this algee? I have never had this before. What should i do. My test kit is not supposed to be here until tomorrow or Friday. Checked water with a different brand of test strip. Looks like they expired 10/15

FCl between 0 & 0.5
Alk80
PH 6.8
TH 0

 

[Texas Splash]

Just keep doing what you're doing - brushing & sweeping. Add about 1/2 gal of bleach each evening. Once you have your test kit in-hand, we'll be ready to roll.

 

[dlgunn1]

IS it ok to slowly pour the bleach into the skimmer? If not how do you guys handle adding it?

 

[Texas Splash]

Don't pour into the skimmer. That's too close to the pump. Near return jets is best then manually help move around if needed.

 

[dlgunn1]

Finally received my kit
FC 2.0 ppm
CC 1.0 ppm
PH 7.5
ALK 80
CYA 3

Looks like i need to raise the FC to 3. Is that what you guys suggest? I bought some sodium hypochlorite 10% at wally word. How much do i add?

Thanks

 

[triptyx]

How are you getting a CYA of 3?

 

[dlgunn1]

Sorry should have been 30

 

[pooldv]

FC at 4 is better. Use Poolmath, link above, to calculate how much bleach to add.

 

[dlgunn1]

FC at 4 is better. Use Poolmath, link above, to calculate how much bleach to add.

Thanks

 

[dlgunn1]

Once i get the FC at 4. How much 10% chlorine liquid should i add each night?

 

[triptyx]

That depends on your target FC and pool volume. Each evening, measure FC (as well as Ph), plug the result into PoolMath, set your target , and add the suggested amount of bleach.