Taking over pool care, don't know what I'm doing!

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kimkats said:
I would wait on the OCLT until you have it open and everything is like it should be for the coming summer.

:hug:

Kim:kim:
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That's what I'll do! The pool guy came by today to give me a quote on my salt cell and he said it will probably be 2-3 more weeks til the trees are done. He's going to install my new cell tomorrow. I tested my water tonight for a few things:

FC is 6.5
pH is 7.8
Temp is 72

When I last checked CYA it was 50, which seems to be okay when I wasn't using the SWG. But since I should be back in business tomorrow, I am guessing I need to raise it. How urgent is that? I do not want to mess up my new cell!
 
Raising CYA isn't that urgent yet, it needs to be up around 80 ppm by Apei-May-ish so that the FC is protected from the summer sun. Lower CYA won't hurt your SWG cell other than making it work a bit harder to produce a little more FC.
 
Nursenini said:
Look at you go, mama!! You are doing so well!! I'm super proud of you!

You need to edit your siggy- you are no longer "clueless"!
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Thank you, Nursenini! I'm trying, but I don't feel like I understand anything I'm doing. When this SWG is working, I will be having to learn how to set it up and how to adjust things, oh my.

pooldv said:
Raising CYA isn't that urgent yet, it needs to be up around 80 ppm by Apei-May-ish so that the FC is protected from the summer sun. Lower CYA won't hurt your SWG cell other than making it work a bit harder to produce a little more FC.
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Thank you so much! I am glad to know it's not urgent, that is a relief. I will try to get it done soon-ish, though. It'll bug me if I let it go too long.
 
Leebo said:
You're nailing it!! Awesome job!!! Those little ones are gonna be enjoying that pool before you know it. :D
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Not sure about nailing it but thank you just the same. I'll probably have to drag my teens out there with me, no more little ones. LOL!

kimkats said:
Mama, Have you seen this yet?

Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

I have it printed out and taped to the inside of the cabinet door I have the test kit in. This helped me make sure I was staying on track with caring for the pool.

Bake some brownies and bribe your pool guy to help you set it up and such!

Kim:kim:
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I have not seen that, thank you! The pool guy has been super nice so far - he showed me how to clean the filter but I pretty much decided I won't be doing that for awhile. My plan is to do the chemistry myself and hire help with equipment for the most part (after consulting y'all first about stuff to make sure it's needed). :) I don't think he would understand the way I'm doing the chemistry. He was talking about how using chlorine tabs works out roughly the same cost-wise as using the SWG (because of the cost of replacing the cell) and I had read the tabs are not ideal so I just didn't say anything about what I'm doing as far as chemicals. ;)
 
You are doing a great job and have learned so much.

I'm going to suggest to keep the FC above 6ppm for now as I still think there is a small amount of nascent algae in the water. The reason why I'm leaning towards this is that the pool is still cool, it is covered and it is using about 1.5 to 2 ppm of FC each day and it did not pass the OCLT when you did it before you left.

Do not add more CYA until the pool passes an OCLT.

I would go ahead and run another OCLT tonight to confirm if the pool needs to be SLAMmed or not. Make sure the SWG is off for the test.
 
It is a wise move to maintain the chemistry yourself. Most pool service people believe in the tabs as they are oh so easy but............they add CYA (stabilizer) to the water and the only way to remove it is to drain and refill (not all but quite a bit).

I am going to share a couple of links with you to start teaching you the whys of TFP. Here is a tiny link to get your started. The first couple of posts are THE one I want you to see:

TFPC for Beginners

I will share the bigger, more in depth one in a couple of days.

:hug:

Kim:kim:
 
ping said:
You are doing a great job and have learned so much.

I'm going to suggest to keep the FC above 6ppm for now as I still think there is a small amount of nascent algae in the water. The reason why I'm leaning towards this is that the pool is still cool, it is covered and it is using about 1.5 to 2 ppm of FC each day and it did not pass the OCLT when you did it before you left.

Do not add more CYA until the pool passes an OCLT.

I would go ahead and run another OCLT tonight to confirm if the pool needs to be SLAMmed or not. Make sure the SWG is off for the test.
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So even though there are styrofoam floats in the pool that could have algae on them, I should still do it now? These are the floats keeping the cover out of the water. Once the trees are done dropping seeds in a couple of weeks the cover and floats will be out.

A new cell was installed about an hour ago. The SWG is set at 100%. I was thinking of testing FC this evening after it's run a few hours anyway, so if I can drag myself out of bed before the sun hits it tomorrow I can do the OCLT. Will that work? I will turn the SWG to 0% for the test.

I will not add CYA yet!

kimkats said:
It is a wise move to maintain the chemistry yourself. Most pool service people believe in the tabs as they are oh so easy but............they add CYA (stabilizer) to the water and the only way to remove it is to drain and refill (not all but quite a bit).

I am going to share a couple of links with you to start teaching you the whys of TFP. Here is a tiny link to get your started. The first couple of posts are THE one I want you to see:

TFPC for Beginners

I will share the bigger, more in depth one in a couple of days.

:hug:

Kim:kim:
Click to expand...

Okay, I have actually read some of that and have it open as a tab in this browser. I have a browser with just pool tabs up, LOL! I do think I need to read it a few (hundred) more times. Thank you for reminding me of it and I will read it again in the next day or two.

Oh I have a question about the salt cell because I missed the pool guy. :( Is the cell supposed to come with "port plugs" for use when you clean the cell? The instructions mention it but I could not find them for the old cell and have no idea what they look like. The pool guy installed while I was gone so I don't know if it came with them and he didn't leave them or what. I have asked him (via text message) but I don't know if he knows what I am talking about. I am so bummed. Of course, I couldn't even get the old cell off so what makes me think I can take it off ever to inspect or clean it? :p

UPDATE! He does have the plug and it's in his truck. He needs to bring it back. Yay!

Thank y'all for your help!
 
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Well, I went out to get a water sample to check FC and start the OCLT and I noticed a layer of WHITE STUFF on the bottom of the pool around the drains, like a foot or more out around them - it was not really deep or anything, below the level of the drain covers. I freaked out and got the brush on it and it dispersed in the water. Then the water got all cloudy from that. I swear that was not there yesterday - I could see it THROUGH the cover. I open the cover right there in the deep end to get water samples and there's no way I would miss that. I added salt on Saturday (3/18) and brushed it til it was mixed. I checked the water 3/20 and 3/21 and there was not this white stuff then. I did text the pool guy just now to ask if he added anything when he changed the salt cell, he did not. Could it be due to having the cell set at 100% for a few hours? I cannot figure out what it was or why it was there.

I came in and did the following tests:
FC =11
TA = 90
CYA = 50
CH = 350
Salt = 3400
The SWG reads 2.9 for salinity and water temp of 72 degrees.

Now I am not sure if the OCLT will be valid if whatever I brushed around is considered a chemical addition. Besides, I'm really tired from lack of sleep so I may just do the OCLT another night and let myself sleep a bit tomorrow if I don't wake up early enough.
 
Sleep in. The OCLT can wait!

White stuff-pollen or dead algae with your cell working and producing now???? I would not worry too much. Just keep an eye on it until you can get the cover off. I am hoping for a good rain to knock all the stuff out of the trees so I can stop cleaning the skimmer basket!

Kim:kim:
 
I woke up anyway so I tested the FC. It is 10. Which means it dropped 1 ppm which seems to mean it passed this time. I guess that is good news!

There wasn't any white stuff on the bottom this morning, either. The pollen does seem worse this year so maybe that's what it was.
 
All right, tonight I tested FC again. I left the SWG off today because FC was at 10 this morning, which I believe is a bit high. Tonight it is down to 8. Here's what I tested tonight:

FC = 8
pH = 7.8
TA = 80 (I turned on the waterfall last night because the TA was 90 so that has come down in that 24 hours).

Last time I checked CYA it was 50 which is not even on the Chlorine/CYA chart for SWG pools. I am thinking my next step may be to add CYA - since I passed OCLT, can I do that next? I still left the SWG off right now (it isn't running again until tomorrow.) We are supposed to get storms starting early tomorrow morning but should mostly be past us by noontime.

I am thinking after the rain is done I will go out there and test again and probably turn on the SWG. Maybe I can get CYA added Saturday. Should my next step be adding CYA? Or should I mess with the TA (acid to lower pH, then aerate)? Any recommendation on what percentage you'd start the SWG out at? Or am I missing something else all together (highly likely!)

I also took a brief unplanned dip in the pool when I was getting my water sample. Yes, I fell in! The water was not shockingly cold, at least, but I did get right on out of there.
 
:swim: hehe mama when swimming! BURRRRRR

Did you know you can use a piece of PVC pipe to collect the water with? So long as your thumb can cover the hole it will work. Put the PVC piece down into the water with the top hole open. When you have it down as far as you need to get enough water put your thumb over the top hole and bring the pipe up and out of the pool. Have something (pitcher, bowl, etc) to put the water into. That might help keep you from going swimming when you only want test water.

Yes add CYA as soon as you can.

Yes turn on your swg. Set it at 50% to start with. That gives you room to go up or down as needed.

TA-leave it where it is and keep good notes on the PH. If the PH jumps up every day or so then we need to work on the TA but if the PH is happy where it is then the TA is fine where it is.

I think I covered it all. :hug:

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
:swim: hehe mama when swimming! BURRRRRR

Did you know you can use a piece of PVC pipe to collect the water with? So long as your thumb can cover the hole it will work. Put the PVC piece down into the water with the top hole open. When you have it down as far as you need to get enough water put your thumb over the top hole and bring the pipe up and out of the pool. Have something (pitcher, bowl, etc) to put the water into. That might help keep you from going swimming when you only want test water.

Yes add CYA as soon as you can.

Yes turn on your swg. Set it at 50% to start with. That gives you room to go up or down as needed.

TA-leave it where it is and keep good notes on the PH. If the PH jumps up every day or so then we need to work on the TA but if the PH is happy where it is then the TA is fine where it is.

I think I covered it all. :hug:

Kim:kim:
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Hey, I'm going to blame my swim on the cover since I was trying to flip the edge over when I fell in. It was also really windy so maybe it was a wind gust that pushed me in? Just kidding, I am fully aware that I am a klutz! The water wasn't shockingly cold thankfully, and the air temp was warm so I wasn't freezing when I got out. Silver linings! Here's another - my brand new phone was in my pocket and it survived, whew! :D

However, that PVC method may mean I can unhook less of the cover to get water. I'll give that a try soon (need to find pipe, probably have something in the garage). Thank you for the idea!

Thanks for the info on what to do next - exactly what I needed to know! Supposed to be a pretty afternoon here and tomorrow looks good, too!
 
Hey y'all! I'm trucking along over here, but I have a question down below in bold type.

I started with the SWG at 50% but the FC went up so I tried 30% and it still went up a bit. So I'm trying 20% right now and we'll see how that goes. I am enjoying having a working SWG!

Last night when I was thinking about needing to add CYA I started to wonder if I was doing the test correctly because I was not sure how "gone" the dot needed to be. I searched this site and in one of the threads I read, there was a link to this: Extended Test Kit Directions. I totally geeked out over that! Printed out the tests I use and put them in a notebook. I love this site! Seems like a good time to use this guy: :lovetfp:

This morning I got up and tested the water again and used half the CYA recommended by PoolMath to start since my pool may be smaller than the pool builder said based on past results. Kim, I am sorry to tell you I did not use a cute sock. Just a plain old crew sock.

I'll wait a few days to test CYA again and see where I'm at. I about used up the dry CYA we had, too. I have a feeling I'm going to need some more. I have a question... Is the stuff called "TAYLOR TECHNOLOGIES INC R-0013-E CYANURIC ACID" actually the CYA or is it just the stuff you test with… or both? I couldn't figure out if the reagent is just liquid CYA for sure.

I did read that the dry stuff is cheaper but when I search my amazon order history I see both that Taylor stuff and the dry Clorox stuff have been ordered in the past.
 

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