somebody help me!!!!

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C

cbooth8674

0
Jun 15, 2016
19
marion/ohio
Hi! I am new to tfp.com, as well as a new pool owner, as well as new to the bbb method lol
i need help!
I have an 18x52 intex above ground. after filling it i began testing and trying to get chlorine to balance first. however after googling for days, i keep finding different steps/order to balance a pool. some sites say start w/alkalinity and get that balanced first, other say to balance ph first, then others say to get ph balanced then "slam" the pool. i was wondering if anyone can tell me what order do i start my pool chemical balancing???? im so overwhelmed w/all of this. i know things have to be tested to balance. but should i focus on one test/chemical at a time to balance?
heeeeeeeeelp!!!! any advice would be so appreciated.
thank you!
*starting to get sticky hot in ohio*:cool:
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

Step 1 is to post up all test results and what kit you used to get them.

Based on that, we can see what should be done first.

If it is a new fill, you should add 2ppm of FC with bleach immediately and get 30ppm of CYA dissolving. The rest is less important initially.
 
More importantly than adding chems is testing them. How are you testing now? You will get great advice here but you need to be able to test then accurately and not rely on the Pool store's inaccurate test or strips, which don't provide enough information to practice TFP. The chemical addition order is really dependent on the test results. I highly suggest spending $70 on a TF-100, i don't think you will regret it.

Since you have fresh tap water that is simplified somewhat. Right now you can get a cheap test kit to test FC and pH and get those in range. Next you can buy enough CYA to get to 30 ppm and hang that in a sock in front of your pool return. CH is pretty much irrelevant with a vinyl liner. TA can be dealt with later.

Post any questions and take a deep breath, you're in a good place here.
 
It can be a bit overwhelming, at least it was for me but here you go.

1. Add Signature information so folks can see all the details of your pool set-up. Go to Getting Started to see what info is helpful info.

2. What are you testing your pool with? Order reliable test kit. I use TF-100. I ordered from tftestkits.net.

3. If you do have a good test kit like the one mentioned above, post your results:
FC
CC
PH
TA
CYA
CH

4. Stay tuned to this site and don't go wondering around in the wilderness. I promise you will not get any better advice than you will here on this forum.

5. You might want to be sure you put some bleach in there. Use Pool Math to see how much for the # of gallons for your pool.
 
i have a taylor k 2006. my brother tested everything last weekend, i do not have those numbers, but we did add 18 oz of chlorine to bring it up? lol im sorry i sound so "dumb" to this. we were unsure where to start... what to add. it is a new fill. so i should start with balancing chlorine and cya first?? or should i now skip the chlorine and go straight to cya? or retest everything this eve and post to you all? thank you so much for such a quick reply
 
If you added FC over the weekend, it is most certainly gone by now. You need to test to find out what you need to add ... that is the cornerstone of what we teach.

I would assume the FC is 0 again. Get the CYA dissolving and add more chlorine.

And get a test kit ordered!
 
thank you so much, i have added a signature, and have been reading off this website for 2weeks now, then finally joined today. i will post test results after i retest, as i replied to the person above, my brother is helping me with that, and we went straight for the chlorine, lol, may have been a boo boo on our part. but will def post results this eve and hope you all are here to help.
thank you, and no wilderness for me:)
 
You will get a handle on it and once you do, you will enjoy your pool and not fret over it! For me being a first time pool owner, I worried over every little thing as it was a lot to learn but the folks here are patient and generous with their help. Once you have your tests results then you can get a handle on what you need to do. It will all make sense once you have all of the pieces of the puzzle!

Best wishes & happy swimming!
 
Chlorine never hurts and test yourself unless your brother is always there. It might intimidating but it is simple. Just do it a few times and you will get comfortable. We were all "dumb" to this at one point or another. The only thing we are judging are your test results! You'll get the hang of it in no time!
 
jblizzle said:
If you added FC over the weekend, it is most certainly gone by now. You need to test to find out what you need to add ... that is the cornerstone of what we teach.

I would assume the FC is 0 again. Get the CYA dissolving and add more chlorine.

And get a test kit ordered!
Click to expand...

how do i know how much cya to get dissolved? without testing? last night i couldnt get a read on the cya. that is why there is none it?
that black dot would not disappear lol that is why i am retesting hoping you all can help. :)

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i have been trying to find if you add cya from the beginning...how much? but all i could find was "test test test" lol
is there a rule of thumb for new filled pool on adding cya right away w/out testing?
 

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CYA takes time to dissolve into the pool. Your fresh fill most likely has no CYA. Should use Pool Math to calculate how much CYA you need and trust that it will go up within a week. Adding chlorine without any other adjustments is THE most important thing to add with a fresh fill. As soon as sunlight hits the water, algae can start to grow. Chlorine will keep that in check regardless of any other water balance issues. Your chlorine is used up in 2 ways, 1) sunlight and 2) breaking down biological matter. The CYA will help protect the chlorine from the sunlight, but too much CYA causes the chlorine to be ineffective. So you need to be careful adding CYA. You will loose chlorine every day, so you must add it regularly. Without a test kit, you will not know how much chlorine you are loosing each day. Cheap test strips from a big box store can get semi-accurate chlorine numbers until you get a REAL test kit like the TF-100 or Taylor 2006.
 
thank you so much. can i add any other chems to this as i am testing??
FC 1.8
CC .8
Ph 8
CA 150
TA 70
I HAVE 8.25 % sod hydrochlorite bleach
baking soda
borax
muriatic acid

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i have the taylor k 2006.
can i add bleach and cya together?
 
Good job on having the good test kit! Nice start!

I have some link for you. They are what I give to new pool owners. I hope you find the helpful!


Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.

Kim:cat:

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The only two chemicals you can NOT add at the same time are chlorine and Muratic Acid (MA). There should be at least 30 mins between these two.

CYA can be hung in a sock (like you wear) in front of the return. You can and should squeeze it often to help it dissolve. When you are using pool math put your target level of CYA in the NOW box even if it is not dissolved all of the way.

Kim:cat:
 
You are going to want to bring your ph down a bit. You will use Muriatic Acid to do that. Pool Math will let you know how much. Read the label of the bottle to get the concentration and plug that in the the pool calculator. A STRONG word of caution...Muriatic Acid is VERY dangerous. Not to be afraid of it, but a full understanding of it is necessary. Make sure you have quality chemical gloves and eye protection. Hold it FAR away from you as the fumes can be overwhelming.
 
that is what i got, thank you :)

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MarianParoo said:
Here is a PoolMath tutorial to help you out: Pool School - PoolMath

I get 29oz by volume to get CYA to 30. Do the PoolMath above and see if you get that.
Click to expand...

that is also what i got, thank you

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Davejavu said:
You are going to want to bring your ph down a bit. You will use Muriatic Acid to do that. Pool Math will let you know how much. Read the label of the bottle to get the concentration and plug that in the the pool calculator. A STRONG word of caution...Muriatic Acid is VERY dangerous. Not to be afraid of it, but a full understanding of it is necessary. Make sure you have quality chemical gloves and eye protection. Hold it FAR away from you as the fumes can be overwhelming.
Click to expand...

am i able to add that since i just put the cya in??
 
great! thank you :)

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the pool math does not have my percent of hydrochloric acid?
they have 28% and 15%, mine says 20%? any advice

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and the one i have does not have a ?baume? number?
i have jasco green muriatic acid
 

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