azy introduction, and my challenge: high TA & cya, chalky skin and exiting pool

[azy]

Hello all,

I'm new to the TFP community, joining after reading some helpful threads over the past week. I've been caring for my pool myself for the past year and a half, with a little "professional" help last summer. My wife and I fired them when they clearly intentionally broke some equipment. Guess they needed work... Well, they didn't get it.

Until recently, I'd had no problems keeping things in good shape with HTH and/or homedepot bought supplies. I'm coming around to the TFP methods after having some challenges and learning more about pool chem. Mostly hardness and CYA.

Right now I'm challenged with this: A month and a half ago I jumped in the pool and noticed a very heavy body odor from myself after getting out. I thought little of it at the time. A few weeks ago I jumped in again and not only did I notice it again, but also did my wife. It was very bad. Like I hadn't showed in a week from one 10 min swim. So I tested, adjusted, and restested, adjusted and all. The heat here in AZ has driven my chlorine out every few days. I use HDX liquid to replenish and tabs to maintain. And while I'm changing that practice ... That's how I'd started.

Measured with aquacheck silver 7 way (I just ordered a proper Taylor 2006)
hardness 1000
tc 5
fc 5
ph 7.6
ta 240
cya 300

right now the pool looks great - totally clear and BUT, the obvious above. And now when I get out of the pool my skin feels... Like I'm covered in chalk is the only way to put it. And later I get a bit itchy. Never happened before!

I have been aerating and putting in muriatic acid to lower ta and keep pH ideal. But that's a long road it seems. I also tried Bio-Active Pool stabilizer to lower CYA. But like many others have said... It didn't work.

my questions ...

• what the heck is that body oder? It's NOT a "chlorine smell" - this is distinctively a BO smell
• should I have someone come in and do what ... refill / adjust?
• shall I just empty this beast myself and start fresh?
• can I do that by Saturday?
• How do I empty using my combo skimmer? Once the water line is below the skimmer the combo skimmer starts sucking air. Do I use a diverter for that? I don't have one.
• Should I rent a submersible pump from Home Depot and just do it?

Now, we don't use the pool every day. But now that the heat has set in here in Arizona and we'll have a house full of kids next week, I need to make sure the pool is swimmable and safe.

Thanks!
azy

 

[cowboycasey]

Re: azy introduction, and my challenge: high TA & cya, chalky skin and exiting pool

Welcome to TFP

With test strips they just do not work well but they do somewhat good at picking up CYA and 300 is about as high a CYA level I have seen... for your area and no salt water generator we recommend 40 or 50 CYA... We don't want you to empty the pool without knowing exactly what your CYA is.. how fast are you getting the 2006? thursday?

What to do,take the pucks out now and only use bleach/liquid chlorine pour 1 gallon of bleach/liquid chlorine in a day and brush until your kit arrives

read pool school and wait for your test kit and then post numbers..

If your CYA is really over 100 you will need to empty some or all, it just depends on what your CYA level is... with that said, you can empty it and start over and we can help with new water fill, it is your pool and we will help any way we can

I hope this helps

 

[azy]

Re: azy introduction, and my challenge: high TA & cya, chalky skin and exiting pool

...
If your CYA is really over 100 you will need to empty some or all, it just depends on what your CYA level is... with that said, you can empty it and start over and we can help with new water fill, it is your pool and we will help any way we can

I hope this helps

It does help. Unfortunately, I expect the kit next week. If I get a pool store (Leslie - I know the sentiment around here is generally not good) to test it in a pinch, would you think their test is reliable enough to work from? If not, perhaps there is a CYA test kit I can run out and pickup in the meantime from a pool store or Home Dept/Lowes? I'd really love the peace of mind knowing this is settled... Or well on its way!

Thank you! ��

 

[Rossterman]

Re: azy introduction, and my challenge: high TA & cya, chalky skin and exiting pool

You are likely going to have to do some dilutions and retests to accuratley determine CYA as readings at or near 100 could actually be much higher. Pool store will likely not do that. I required a 4:1 dilution to get midrange on the test and verify level accuratley. In my case, both pool stores reported in the low 100s when it was actually 320. Quite frankly im surprised you dont have an alge problem if your CYA is so high, FC level typically needs to be way higher... Let us know what you find from your own testing of the water.