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AnaI

AnaI

0
Jun 2, 2016
5
Chicago, Illinois
Hi, I am a newbie in this forum and relatively new to pools: 2 Seasons with 2 pools. Last year it was 10x30 easy set that didn't last due to green algae that kept getting worse and lost air from the ring at the top. Didn't know enough and found Water balance too confusing from contradicting info on what's needed.

Rather than forget about family fun from a pool (as I meant to do) I started to get more information to add to my disastrous experience of last year.

So I went with a metal frame and (for now) still using the 530gph Krystal Klear Pump. I searched hard for a better cover, since there are clouds of "snowflakes" flying around my neighborhood.

I still made a couple mistakes till I found this forum: Using Trychlor pucks hoping the Algaecide combined in them would help keep it clean. (Pool Mate brown bucket of 3" chlorinating Tablets).

I used at first a PoolMaster 5 way Kit to check the water every day and thought I was great FC going from 0.2 to 2.0; ph was 7.6 or 7.4.

FC went suddenly up to 5.0 and started researching just how reliable the Tablets and the Kits were. (Lots and lots of reviews on the Tablets describing consistently clear water was perhaps not that reliable! :(

Water is clear and has been since I started 3 weeks ago I had to change the Filter (that came with the Pump) and placed a Unicell filter cartridge, once I discovered that in the forum.

I changed the Kit to the Taylor K2006, I decided to register and ask for help as a result of the new numbers I've been getting these last 2 days: Clear Water, no CYA but the rest and the confusing picture of them is leaving me worried.

I have only 2 Kids using it usually but this Sunday's visits will make it 4 or 5 and I'm unsure what I should change.


Thank you so much, for all the information and clarifications till now and for any further help.
 
Thanks! As I've said above I've been learning a lot just from reading here and found this forum a life saver.
I apologize in advance as I realize despite trying to read and learn on my own I don't seem to figure out the Water Balance.

I have several questions re: the different results in the 2 Kits I have. (last years' Pool Master and the Taylor K2006):

Ph 7.6 / 7.8 with the 5 way Kit and why do I get constant reassuring results of 2.0 FC and the Ph with the 5 way but the K2006 is up / down.
7.4 (yesterday pm) to 7.0 (last night) to 7.4 today.

I am getting no CYA but FC went from 11 to 8.5 yesterday and 6 this afternoon. (K2006)

CC 0.4 (yesterday am) 0.25 hours later and 1 that evening. Today it was 0

TA 90 constant.

I'm not sure if I should keep using the tablets (since the water in the test tube is barely cloudy) or switch to Borax and Bleach?

I keep the pool covered most of the day till the kids get home. Left it off last night. Is that why I have high FC but no CYA?

If the ph is bouncing because of CYA shouldn't the FC be low?

Thanks again,
 
Welcome to TFP and good to have you aboard. I'm not experienced for helping, but this article might be helpful.
Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

Now that you have the K2006, stick with it and save the other kit for later. You can use the 10 ml line (the bottom line) for the FC and CC test. One drop will be 0.5 which is accurate enough for what you're doing and will save on the testing reagent.

Triple-rinse the test tube between tests and follow the instructions in the kit carefully, especially the swirling between drops. Put each drop in slowly so the drop fully forms, like one per second, with the bottle vertical.

Use CYA to stabilize the chlorine. It acts like a buffer. Otherwise the sunlight will cause your FC to bounce around like crazy. FC drops from sunshine and bather load, so keeping it covered vs. open will cause substantial differences in FC drop. Without CYA, it can be gone in half an hour of full sun.

Play around with Pool Math and get comfortable with it (link is in my signature). You can determine from Pool Math how many trichlor pucks to dissolve or dichlor powder before you switch entirely to bleach. I would also determine how much bleach from Pool Math that will get you to 2 or 3 PPM FC to make the pool safe.

Ask any question you like and someone will come along and answer as best they can. I'm a newbie, so experts will correct anything that I've said wrong, but I hope this helps some.

Have fun!!
 
In pool math, try setting your 'Now' figure to 0 PPM FC. Then set your 'Target' figure to 2.5 PPM FC. Then set it to 8.25% bleach. Do you get 4.1 oz to add? (let's call it 1/2 cup)
 
Thanks. I'll do all of the above. I did read those articles and tried the Pool Math but your advise makes it clearer so I'll review them.

Better to keep it covered then? or just keep checking the results to see.

I'll work on it and see what changes.
 
Covered is fine as long as it can breathe through the mesh a bit, or you open it up to breathe occasionally.

What's your plan for providing a little bit of CYA? Be careful with that one so it doesn't get too high. Otherwise draining would be needed if you over-shoot.
 
Thanks. It is meant to breathe through some and lets the water through (say in light rain) very slowly. I've been experimenting off or on but I really can't leave it off too long I get too much "cotton flakes" messing up the water.

I've been worried about wrong results so I held off while i worked on checking a few days, to get an awareness of repeating levels or other kind of pattern or perhaps the opposite. Reading articles and threads I've seen the recommendations to put granular CYA in an old sock in front of the return?

Tonight I finally got a 30 CYA reading:
indoors but I tried it with a light that could simulate sunlight and a different one that is more white than yellow. Is it possible to keep the sample till tomorrow am, would it work in the fridge? Sorry I realize this might be ridiculous but...

I am now more aware that my ph doesn't shift from 7.4 too much: 7.5 is what I got yesterday pm but other than that it stays the same.

Unfortunately the FC is :(:confused: worrisome and confusing: Stays high (6) even after a full day of sunlight:

FC 6 or 6.5 (am and pm same day full sunlight no cover no pucks. I removed them to test how the chlorine would get used up.

Tonight after keeping it covered all night and all day no swimming and the pucks in with the filter running the whole time:

FC is 11 (22 drops at 10 ml. sample).

CC is 1 ( it shifts from 1 drop to 2, but this weekend since Thursday it's at 2 drops.)

I found Friday 7pm little green seedlings in the center of the pool: not like the cotton/snowflakes.. wondered if I'd been stupid leaving the pucks out.
there's less tonight but still there. Am I obsessing over algae too much?

I appreciate the time and the Advice/Suggestions, thank you. I apologize if my posts are a little long.
 
Not too long a post, don't worry :) the detail is helpful. Everything will make good sense with a little more time, and getting ahead of algae is a good thing.

You can take the trichlor out of the pool now, including the floater if that's what you're using. You have enough CYA for now and we'll check it again in a few days.

11 PPM FC is just fine for now and leave the cover on when you're not using the pool. The FC will burn off slowly. When do you next want to use it for swimming? Right away? next weekend?

Could you describe a bit more what you mean by green seedlings in the middle of the pool? Is the water clear or cloudy? Be sure to brush the pool, sides and bottom, every day for the next few days. Probably good to brush it before testing so the water is fully mixed up. Also, take the sample from about 12" down below the surface.

Did Pool Math make sense for you. Did you use it to determine how many trichlor pucks to dissolve to get to 30 PPM CYA? And if so, how many pucks have you dissolved into the pool so far and what size are the pucks?
 

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Took the Trychlor out this morning. We've been using the pool all afternoon: it's usually used most days for 1h or so when the kids are home and sundays all afternoon on and off. It's mostly 2 kids and sometimes 1 or 2 of us as well.

The water was clear yesterday and in the am but it was cloudy by 5/6 pm.
I scoop with the net anytime I see the need and it's uncovered. I have been scooping for longer in the evenings the last 2-3 days because of these tiny little light green plants at the bottom. There was a small discoloration on the bottom of the pool more in the center but slight anywhere else. I brushed the pool bottom sides thoroughly yesterday and an hour ago. It's less cloudy now after working on scooping all I could out and then brushing.

:) My Kids tease me for my (so called) constant working on pool matters. The result sure look very worth it to me when they splash and have fun.

I had been reading a lot about how to get the sample and watched videos so I have been using a plastic bottle upside down, away from the return or the other 2, down to elbow length then invert it and fill it there. I use it immediately or within 5 minutes.

I have been using pool math, uncertainly where the trychlor is concerned. Couldn't find any info on how much are the 3" pucks I have. Still I had placed 2 pucks in the floater when I started. ( I didn't keep it in constantly because the high FC worried me then. I know now it won't hurt the kids at 10 ppm and they weren't bothered by it).
Finally found out 2 pucks are 16 oz, by then the CYA was up at 30 so I took out the floater. The 2 pucks are partially dissolved, half each +- (?)

2 hours ago : FC 4
CC 0.25
PH 7.0 should I add borax? Pool Math says 6.4. I've held off for now.
TA 80 went down by 10ppm

I added 6 T of Bleach 8.25% in front of the return, to get FC to 6. Just because of the cloudy water.

Pool Math ( and the testing) is beginning to make sense. Still cautious but I have been referring to it and experimenting with numbers just to get a hang on how it all works.

Thanks again for the time and Advise/Suggestions.
 
Wow, you got this, Ana. Way to go. I would do it just as you plan. Because of my cautious nature and lack of experience with borates, I'd do the borax in two batches, with a pH test in between.

I kinda know what you mean by CC 0.25, and it's slightly more correct to just report it as 0.5, which is fine. CC at 1.0 and above is where you start thinking about different treatment, unless it's really stubborn at 0.5. After a while, you'll start getting 0.0 unless someone is peeing in the pool.

The cloudiness may just be dead algae that hasn't made it to the filter yet, or just dust. If if doesn't go away in a week or so, you could try keeping your FC at 12 for a few days. It's still swimmable at that level and below.

Experts will jump in and correct me if I'm off base, but I think your pool is in good shape. You'll learn over time how much bleach to add vs. sunlight and bather load and will be able to slow down the testing to every couple of days or twice a week, but for the next while, it's great that you're testing and observing regularly. I think everyone that wants a safe, sparkly pool does lots of testing as they take charge of the pool. Great work so far!!
 
Ok, :D. I should have figured the 0.5,:-o I'm sort of cautious with both pool math and reporting it.
I was wondering if it would be best to do half and then test.

My Family and I thank you and TFP... My husband can tell me: "I told you so"; he's been pretty sure I can work it all out.
 
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