Well received my test kit today...

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M

mww

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Mar 27, 2017
34
Leander, Tx
Pool was filled in August 2016. I have no clue what the numbers were when they started up the pool. Followed the builders instructions until this week. Basically was to keep my chlorinator on 3 (I turned it to 1.5 over winter). Filled chlorinator as need, instructions were is it goes below .5 chlorine add bleach/liquid chlorine and keep it below 3. My original test kit did not measure above 3. I have Muriatic Acid they gave me but I never added any because ph was always 7.8 or less. After researching this site and wanting to know more info and understand the chemistry better, I let my chlorinator run out this weekend. I do not have nay issues currently with water quality. I received the K-2006 test kit today and here are my numbers:

FC - 2 This is about what I expected as the chlorinator was off and I was just adding with Bleach and could not measure above 3
CC - 0 This is good
pH - 7.6 about as I expected but my other kit had it at 7.8 yesterday
TA - 80. My other kit had 70 but I was unsure on this one because at 7 drops it went very faint pink 8 to red
CH - 180
CYA - 100 Wow

So Pool math tells me I need to add 293oz of 8.25% bleach to get to 12 (11-13 is recommend). That seems insane to me. Am I off here? Any suggestions besides drain half the pool?
 
MWW- if you've read our website for long you'll be familiar with the problem of high CYA requiring more FC to maintain the pool algae free. That you used such an amateur kit all this time and haven't had bigger problems is a *miracle*.

First off- we need to figure out how much over 100 that CYA is. The test tops out at 100, and you might actually be 200..... so to find out: Take equal parts pool water and tap water <which doesn't contain cya> and use this mixed water sample to perform the test again, but double the results. So if it now says 80ppm CYA your result will be more like 160ppm.

The only way to deal with high CYA like that is to drain and refill. Until we know how much CYA for sure we can't tell you exactly how much to drain. If you can start with halfway that will jump start this process.

You have a plaster pool that needs more CH... take it up to 300ish (as water evaporates the CH will rise a bit more). You need it higher than it is or the water will leach calcium out of the plaster and shorten its lifespan.

Your FC is wayyyyyy too low. Hows the water looking? Did you add those two and a half jugs of bleach yet?

Yippee :flower:
 
Water is perfectly clear have not had any issues. I was just wanting to understand the chemistry better. I added bleach but only 1 jug. I want to check what my levels are before adding more. FC is low because I turned off the chlorinator but I had been instructed to keep it below 3 by the builder and above .5. After reading this site I released that was probably an issue but could do nothing but guesstimate. I added a gallon of bleach on Monday. It was over 3 yesterday still. At this point I'm just extremely frustrated. I have a UV sanitizer as well, but research here says that may not be too helpful.
 
You're going to have a problem as the weather warms up. That is far too low a FC, and builders do not exactly major in chemistry. They're kinda clueless about it.

Your pool didn't require as much FC over the fall and winter as it will now.

Yippee :flower:
 
Pool Math says it will take 62% drain to bring it down to 50ppm (not an unreasonable amount considering you're in hot, sunny Texas).

If you don't have any ground water issues under the pool, can you drain it by half and refill? Then retest and drain 1/3 again and refill?

Yippee :flower:
 
I'm on top of a hill on limestone. No ground water issues. I have a bit of an aversion to draining over half my pool and refilling when I wasn't having an issue in the first place. I understand the reasoning but...
 

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Keep reading the forum posts here. You'll read time and time again how new pool owners have been misled by pool stores, pool builders, clueless neighbors about pool chemistry and then WHAM! They realize they've got a problem and are blown away.

Read and learn grasshopper. Read. And. Learn. :study:
 
YippeeSkippy said:
Keep reading the forum posts here. You'll read time and time again how new pool owners have been misled by pool stores, pool builders, clueless neighbors about pool chemistry and then WHAM! They realize they've got a problem and are blown away.

Read and learn grasshopper. Read. And. Learn. :study:
Click to expand...

i think I'm just going through the first stage of grief. Denial. I'm bordering on the second Anger at the builder. Hopefully I get to acceptance before my pool turns green!
 
Great exchange (=

I also just had to correct my high CYA by draining 40%. I cheated and switched to SWG at the same time so I didn't have to drain anymore. Yippee is only speaking the truth. You can run it how it is and at some point in the not too distant future, you will be disappointed in your new pool. It is really sad that this industry does not say, "hey, we are going to take lots of your money to sale you sugar pills and eventually you will have to replace water anyways, but don't forget you get reward points for every dollar spent"
 
Followup: (aka I reached acceptance)

Ok I was able to lower CYA to about 55. I didn't drain the pool but I turned off the pump and stuck the hose in the shallow end opposite the overflow drain. Put it all the way at the bottom and assumed that the cooler tap water would force out the warmer pool water out the drain. I ran it for around 8 hours. This morning it was down to 55. I think I can live with that for now.

so now I have
FC - 4
CC - 0
pH - 8
TA - 80
CH - 180 (did not retest)
CYA - 55

SO I need to bring the pH down. Should I do anything with TA first or just leave it at 80? I guess I need to raise the FC a bit as well. I have not rechecked the CH, but I already ordered stuff to fix that so when that comes in I'll retest and see where that is at now.
 
Hey, mww,

I have been reading your journey. It is so very pleasing to see the light turned on for alll the newbies. You have already done a great job self-managing your pool water.

Your numbers are close to perfect. Your drain techniques was innovative and effective, too.

So, yes, bring the pH down with muriatic acid. I would suggest a target of around 7.6 ppm (the TA will come down with it.....probably to around 60 ppm.....leave it there.

Don't let your FC get below 3 ppm and your pool will stay pristine all swim season.

Absolutely no rush on CH.....it'll likely be higher when you re-test
 

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