Newb- used the pucks. Halp!

[newb with hard water]

*is the pH high due to the amount of bleach?
Should it go down as that does?

(hoping I can do a few more mini drain/fills this month to lower the CYA...)

Mod note: This post and the next one were moved from another thread.

 

[Mr Bruce]

Re: New pool (9 months), new Taylor test kit, I also think I have algae!!

I think you should probably have started a new thread, but I'll take a stab anyway.

Moved it for her.

No your pH does not go up because of bleach*. However the pH test is invalid with a FC over 10.

You should do more drains. If you are testing 95 CYA you are possibly higher. Try the dilution method to see what you get.

After you get your CYA in a better place and have properly SLAM-ed you need to up your CH up also.

Order of importance:
1st ph / FC / Cya
2nd CH / TA

*Ok technically it does, but it goes right back down as it's being used. It is not the cause of constantly high pH.

 

[newb with hard water]

Hi all!
Newly built, little pool...only the 3 of us... figured I could get by on my own with the strips.
Similar to many, I kinda tried the tabs/dispenser thing since we had so many...builder didn't explain options... was doing fine, then bam!
Light green, and I had yellowish dust.
Halp!
Sorta freaked and poured tons of bleach in, having done two tiny drains/fills waiting on my Taylor kit...
talked hubby into draining a bit- but left pump on- woke up at around 3 something and turned it off. Was maybe a 25% drain.
Paranoid about the pump, I have filled it back up... tiny pool, so I think I'd rather swing the bleach needed... Texas frowns on water use.

We have pretty hard water, and as I said, I just kinda poured bleach every once in a while...but I think my pool #'s right now are around:
FC.......30 (added another gallon of 8.25 % after seeing the numbers)
CC.......1.5 CH......175
pH.......8
TA.......170 (from the CYA?)
CYA.....95 (average of 3)- still way high, but water is getting a lot better...? had probably been like 150...

I am a convert- the pucks almost got me.
Already used one of the CYA testing bottles, though...


!


What should I do?


thanks!!

https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.ne...=d2de74890aca61fc4f371309f2f99f6a&oe=587648AC

 

[Jimrahbe]

newb,

You really need to get your CYA level down to a manageable level. 95 is still too high. It really needs to be down between 30 to 40...

You don't have to use your pool pump. You can buy a cheap sump pump, or just use a garden hose as a siphon.. just like you used to do when you were stealing gas from your neighbor's car.... oh, wait they may have been me..

Jim R.

 

[domct203]

What test kit are you using?

If your CYA is over 90ppm you should do an extended test to get a more accurate CYA level.

Extended CYA test

Shock FC level is 40% of your CYA. If your CYA is indeed 100ppm, you would need to maintain a FC of 40ppm for the duration of the SLAM.

 

[JEC11718]

Don't be discouraged! It's a learning process. Take you time, do the diluted cya test. It will give you a better idea of cya. Then you can drain and fill with fresh. But don't stop adding just bleach. Then a SLAM! It will require less bleach if your cya is down.

 

[newb with hard water]

Morning!
thank you!
Think I actually managed to kill whatever had started (SLAM'd to ridiculously high numbers-tiny pool, comparatively- and seemed to have passed an OCLT!)
Water is blue.

Yay!
Now, I need to decide what my next move is.
Hubby just hates the idea of draining much- we have had a decently wet summer here for Texas, but we still had some crazy high water bills a few times, trying to keep a
fairly large yard green! We drained initially with hoses (after a couple of those tiny drains I did by opening the secondary skimmer thing at the pump while it was off- this will drain to
skimmer level... then I filled kinda high...). I think we will buy a pump soon, but not now. I guess I can keep doing little draind to bring the CYA down slowly, but I will need to keep up the bleach pretty strong until I get it down.
I think I must have started at 150 or 175... just got an average of just under 60 for CYA using the diluted test... not sure how I went from 90 to that, but not complaining. Did the test slowly and accurately with very fresh water, so
I am confident in the number (running low on that reagent already! Ack!).
So, I need to develop my long-term strategy for this pool using liquid bleach, and tabs only if gone...
Any help would be appreciated!

 

[newb with hard water]

ok, after coffee, redid cya.. um, yeah...
final step of doubling fairly vital.
120.

draining via skimmer at pump... will get abot 10%... ack.
will have to convince hubby to drain like 50%, huh??

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Do you have a lower section of yard that you can extend a regular garden hose to then allow the water to drain passively via siphoning? That way you don't have to run the pump at all while draining.

 

[newb with hard water]

thanks- yes- for once the slope is in our favor-
drained about 30ish (again, small pool... 4 hoses draining)- water running now.
Going to check levels once it is a little too full.
CYA reagent is not going to be enough... I have strips for a guesstimate.


*Hubby almost convinced on the CYA/bleach thing... we just cringe at using water.
Hoping the high bleach/pH wasn't too much for the vegetation it hit.
lol
So hard for us to "waste" good looking water...
It looked good, but the dust at the bottom was creeping back at the crazy high beach level.

 

[phillijp]

My advice based on the same experience: draining a little at a time is a waste of water because you're only diluting the CYA each time you drain/fill. Someone here recommended doing a large drain, one time and refilling. Their advice was spot on and using pool math I hit my target CYA and most importantly I did all of this in one day.

 

[newb with hard water]

Hear ya, but trying this this time...
thinking I'll keep higher bleach levels, and lower the % slowly.
Longer, and more time consuming, but...
if it doesn't work (with it getting cooler, I figure almost no usage, and easy to keep sanitized),
we'll get the pump and do a 75%.

but, yikes.



thank you!!

 

[MarianParoo]

Did you order more CYA reagent? The test strips will not be accurate.

What testkit do you have?

 

[newb with hard water]

bought the Taylor K-2006 /
Leslie's 81329 online- there is a Leslie's around the corner- will splurge.
Have the leftover Leslie's strips, and surprisingly, maybe since I am pretty good at color shade detecting (part OCD, part whatever),
I can get semi-accurate guesstimates!! But only know for sure since I just play with one while doing real ones!!
Water still happy.
With such a small pool, the jets/pump keep it swirling! We won't freeze for real here, so I won't do an actual shut down, but I will need to get the CYA down slowly and just keep the bleach right until
I get it there. Our tap water seems to run with a drop high pH/alkalinity; guessing trying to keep the ick in the old pipes? lol
San Antonio has some old pipes.

thanks!!