New to chlorine

[5nascar88fan]

Hello, I'm a newbie, too!!! I am so glad I found your site. We installed a new above ground pool last month, we last had a pool about 6 years ago and we used baquacil. We have hot and humid summers and I was always fighting algae. I'm now trying chlorine and I can't get my chlorine and ph levels to stay balanced. The pool store started me off with the tablets in the skimmer and the granular chlorine and algicide.They also had me adding Alkaline and calcium.We filled our pool from our well. No metals. Every time I test I've had to add Muriatic acid to get my ph lower, and it is always high even after adding the acid. I have decided to use bleach and forget all I've been told by the pool store. When I did my cya test my sample does not get cloudy at all. Here are my test results I am using the TF-100 test kit.
FC-2.5
CC-0
TC-2.5
PH-7.2
T/A-60
CH-170
I am not sure what I am doing wrong and I don't want to screw anything up, so before I go out and buy the bleach and baking soda I wanted to see if you guys could guide me along.Please help me the water is getting warm and we want to get in the pool!!

 

[Casey]

Hello Snascar! Welcome!

It looks like your pH and TA are low.

Also, your CYA is pretty low too. See, the sun is burning off your chlorine and that's why it's not holding. You can fix that by running to the store and picking up some Stabilizer/Conditioner. Add it to a sock and throw it over your return. I usually stand at the return and manipulate it to get it all in there and dunk it like a tea bag. Takes about a half hour.

Pick up some Borax, 20 Mule Team and some Baking Soda while you're there. When you come back, check out Pool School in the upper right of every page or on the Home Page. It's required, MANDATORY reading here. It will help you take control of your pool. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. You can also check out the pool calculator in my siggy. It will help you dose accordingly.

Good for you for getting the best kit around! I love my TF100!

 

[Butterfly]

Hi 5nascar88fan and welcome to the forum

I also congratulate you on having the TF100 kit in hand!

As Casey said, apparently you do need some CYA. I'd shoot for 30 for now. You can always raise it to 50 later if you have the need, but we don't want to overshoot your target. You do have at least some CYA in there already, based on your comments.

Add enough baking soda to raise the TA to about 70.

Don't let your FC drop below 2 at any time. See the CYA/Chlorine Chart in my sig. You should dose the pool in the evening (after the sun is off the pool) to a little higher than your target FC.
Now, I would increase FC to 5 for my eve dose. Once you add the CYA (to get to 30), I'd adjust to reach 6 or 7 FC for the eve dose. Kinda depends on the bather load, amount of sun, etc.

We do not want you fighting algae either!

Casey has already referred you to our Pool School

Ask all your questions, we have plenty of members standing by to help! :lol:

 

[Butterfly]

oops, forgot,

Use Jason's Pool Calculator, link in my sig, to calculate the doses.