Making the Switch to BBB

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Lolly

Lolly

0
Jun 6, 2009
20
Concord NC
Hi. I just joined yesterday but have been reading through the forum for about 2 weeks now. Since that time, which is about when we opened our pool, we've spent over $500 at the pool store and still have 0 FC. So we are ready to pull the trigger on BBB. After reading all the info on here, I'm pretty sure our problem is CYA - last pool store reading on Fri 6/5 was 100. (Their "Ideal" range is 30-200 so of course this isn't an issue in their minds.) I won't go into the BS "recipe" they gave me to try to correct the FC problem. I just took my reading and left without spending another dime.

Anyway, I ordered our TF-100 test kit yesterday. My original plan was to try to manage the pool until it got here and we could do our own reading and go from there. But I'm wondering if we should go ahead and start replacing water to get the CYA down rather than waste anymore bleach. I put the rest of the bags of shock we had in yesterday (6 bags) because the water was getting cloudy and a little algae was coming back. This morning, I am actually getting a reading w/ my cheap-o drop kit. It just reads Chlorine so I don't know if it's FC or TC, but it's reading about 2.0-3.0.

Here are the readings from the pool store on Friday:

pH - 7.8
TA - 149
FC - 0
TC - .2
CH - n/a
CYA - 100

Should we wait to start replacing water until we get our test kit, and keep adding bleach until then?

Also, when I tested pH yesterday with the cheap-o drops, it looked to be about 8.0. We purchased some Muriatic acid at Lowe's yesterday but haven't added that yet. I was going to hold off on that as well. Thoughts?

Thanks, can't wait to get rid of this throbbing Pool Headache we've had for the past 6 years!
Laurey
 
well, it depends on if you want to replace water or not. you need to make the decision and stick with it, cause everything else depends on that decision. if you do not drain, you need to follow the chlorine/cya chart for a cya of 100. pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
you should also get your ph in range. adding a bit to make it 7.5 or so shouldn't affect whether it's truly 8.0 or 7.8, but if it is 8.0 you want to drop it some. see www.thepoolcalculator.com for amounts for your pool
but if you decide to drain, I would go ahead and start and hold off on everything else, then retest when you're done refilling.
 
Hi Laurey, Welcome to TFP! :wave:

Your CYA could be 100 or it could be 150, 180 or even 200. As it stands right now, 100 is high. I'd personally start a partial drain refill, maybe a couple inches below the skimmers <no more than that!!!> and fill it back up, have it tested again and let us know what it is. If it's still over 100, that means it's way high and you'll have to do another partial drain refill! The thing is, the test for CYA only counts to 100. If you have to test at the Pool Store, that's okay, just test and don't buy anything! Unless you need a new floaty or something but NO CHEMICALS! Go to the grocery store for that! :goodjob:


Lowering the CYA maybe a one, two or four time process. We won't know until you get your test kit and you can post your own results. You should have it soon though! Don't fret! We'll help ya out! Your goal is a CYA of 40-50.

Have you read up on Pool School too? It's awesome! You'll never spend over $500 bucks for chemicals again!
 
I would take a second sample to the pool store and see how CYA comes out this time. It might be only 70-80 and they misread it high. Of course it could also be 200 and the test only goes up to 100. Until you get your own kit there's no good way to tell.

When you do get your kit... If you get a CYA over 90, you can dilute the sample 50-50 with tap water (which has no CYA) and try again. That doubles the range of the test at some loss of accuracy, but it's not that accurate a test to begin with.
--paulr
 
Hi, Laurey,

Welcome to the forum. I suggest start draining now. Worst case is you might overshoot and take out a little extra CYA but that will cost you about $10.00 at most.

The process will take a while (I would assume your CYA is 100 at least) so drain and refill until you calc you have replaced at least half your water. Kit should be there by then (Tuesday) and you'll know for sure.

Secondly, move your pH into the mid 7's now. The cheapo kits and the good kits use almost the same methods to test pH so yours' is most likely accurate.

I predict that you will have a smile on your face when you think about your pool in just a week or so. You are about to take charge of your pool instead of the other way around. :-D
 
Hi Laurey,

Welcome to the forum :wave:

Lolly said:
.......can't wait to get rid of this throbbing Pool Headache we've had for the past 6 years
Click to expand...
....and $500 in two weeks to try to open :shock: No wonder why you got a pool headache!

Well, I agree w/ the others in doing the drain/refill dance to get your CYA in line.

Congrats on ordering the TF100. You will love it and now you will be in charge of your pool!

So glad you found TFP and we are happy to have you :lol: .
 
Thanks, everyone, for the welcomes and advice. I def want to get our CYA down b/c, if I'm understanding everything correctly, you CAN keep it higher than 50, but that means more product you have to add to keep your FC high enough. Right? Dropped it about 6" today and refilled. Didn't drop more than that b/c we had heavy rains on Thur & Fri and dropped it 3" twice. Will try to get a sample to the pool store tomorrow. Their hours aren't very accommodating for us working folks. I'll check back in once we get our test kit.

Hope most of you are actually enjoying your pools today! :sunny:
 
We rec'd our test kit on Tuesday and we have for the most part been able figure things out pretty easily.

Re: our CYA - it was tested 2x by the pool store the week before last with readings at 100 and 85 ...we are getting 30-35 after 3 tests with the TF-100 so are going with that. Sound good?

I do have two questions re: shocking. (Yes, I checked Pool School and previous threads but wasn't able to find the answers so forgive me if these have already been answered 1000 times already!) :hammer:

1. When shocking, is there a minimum amount of time you should wait to check your FC after adding bleach when trying to determine if you need to add more?

2. If your FC reading is higher than the goal FC for shocking, do you base the overnight test on the goal level or the actual level? i.e....

Our goal level is 12. Our reading before bed is 14.5. Tomorrow morning when I check it, if it drops 2.5 to 12 is that okay, or should I base the drop level on 14.5? Does that make sense?

BTW, we actually SWAM today! First time this year. Way too late for North Carolina!
 

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lolly said:
Re: our CYA - it was tested 2x by the pool store the week before last with readings at 100 and 85 ...we are getting 30-35 after 3 tests with the TF-100 so are going with that. Sound good?
Click to expand...
Yep, sounds good.
Did you see this CYA test pic from Taylor? http://www.taylortechnologies.com/Chemi ... ntentID=44

The overnight test, just to clarify, use the actual FC reading of 14.5. That is what you use for comparison for the following morning. So, in the morning if you test at 13.5 or higher (loss of 1ppm or less), you are good.

Congrats on swimming today! 8) Out pool hit 87* this afternoon :shock: :lol:
 
So we were successful in shocking our pool. Started Sat evening and by Tues am the FC held. Last full set of tests I did Tuesday evening were:

FC: 6.5
CC: .5
pH: 7.6
CH: 150
TA: 160-180
CYA: 30

Water looks BEAUTIFUL and FC has been holding at at least 5 all week, today was the first day I had to add a little.

Regarding TA, PS says it should be between 70-90+. Define "+"?

PS also says "There are two reasons to lower your total alkalinity (TA). High TA combined with aeration can cause rapid PH increases. High TA can also contribute to a high calcium saturation index (CSI). Make sure you actually have one of the above issues before lowering your TA."

I don't think I have either of these issues - pH has been holding at 7.6 all week - so are we okay w. TA at 160-180?
 
Lolly said:
Regarding TA, PS says it should be between 70-90+. Define "+"?
Click to expand...
"or more" meaning lower is likely to be trouble but higher can be okay, depending.

Lolly said:
PS also says "There are two reasons to lower your total alkalinity (TA). High TA combined with aeration can cause rapid PH increases. High TA can also contribute to a high calcium saturation index (CSI). Make sure you actually have one of the above issues before lowering your TA."

I don't think I have either of these issues - pH has been holding at 7.6 all week - so are we okay w. TA at 160-180?
Click to expand...
If your pH isn't climbing then there's no reason to fuss with the TA.
--paulr
 
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