Hello from NC!

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adm525

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2017
125
NC
Pool Size
13500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
CircuPool Edge-25
Hi, my name is Alicia and my husband and I just recently closed on a house with a pool. Neither of us have cared for a pool before but I have researched this site for a few days and I plan on getting my husband to take a look. I have added my pool info in my signature. I have also gathered that I need to ditch the perma salt system. I am a nurse and I have a 2yo so the unsanitized water isn't gonna work! I have not yet uncovered the pool and I'm not sure when or how to. There are leaves and water on top of the cover. I plan on ordering the tf-100 kit, is this ok? I have the instructions from the previous homeowners that I can post if needed to show how the pool was cared for. I'm not really sure what all of the equipment they left is, can I post a pic of that too? Thank you and I look forward to all of your help!
 
Hello Alicia and welcome to TFP! :wave:
I plan on ordering the tf-100 kit, is this ok?
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Absolutely! That a great choice and will provide all the testing you need. As you already may have heard here, the Perma Salt System uses copper which is never good for a pool. Once copper is in the water, you have to change the water or manage the copper levels to avoid staining, green hair, etc. I will mention that many folks express concerns for water sanitation, sensitive skin, and/or family-specific needs. What you'll hear here as a common theme is that when the FC (Free Chlorine) and CYA (stabilizer/conditioner) levels are properly balanced as noted on the Chlorine/CYA Chart (link below) the water is both safe and sanitary. We do have some TFP Experts who's backgrounds are in various fields of science and can elaborate more if you would like. They love to speak science. :blah: Ha.

Once you receive your TF-100, we'll walk you through any questions. The instructions are quite good in that kit, but we can help you with specific testing as well if needed. Nice to have you with us.
 
Thank you! So are you saying that we need to drain and refill the pool because of the copper? Is the tf-100 kit the best option for me? Is there any good way to get the leaves and water off of the cover? And is it too early to open? We are currently getting quite a bit of rain, I was thinking of waiting until after that? I will try to post pics soon.
 
So are you saying that we need to drain and refill the pool because of the copper?
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I'm afraid I can't answer that at this time. It really depends on how much copper the Perma Salt system added to the water. If you are able to add regular bleach to the water and increase the FC level as needed without seeing a reaction to the water, staining, etc, then you may have dodged a bullet. You could consider having the pool store run a free test. Don't worry about all the normal levels they talk about and recommend, just leave with the printout and let us know about the copper reading. It may be a non-factor. But if there is a lot of copper in the water, we can advise you on your options. Let's think optimistically. :)

Yes, the TF-100 is perfect! :goodjob: I use it everyday and can't imagine pool care without it. I also have the magnetic speedstir. For the leaves on the cover, you could try gently raking them off if possible. If you have a lot of water on the cover, you may need to brush/squeegee some of it or use a tiny pump to displace the standing water.

For opening, we normally advise the sooner the better. While waiting on the test kit, you could do a test run on your pump and equipment to ensure it's all working good. That way when your kit arrives you know the pool will be operational. But we can't clear the algae (via "SLAM") until you have that test kit, so it's really up to you.
 
Gotcha, ok, I will get the test kit ordered and try to open once this rain eases up a bit. I'm gonna have to read the equipment manuals because I have no idea on what order to do things. Should I go ahead and remove the perma salt system? If so, are there instructions on how to do that? I guess what I was asking about are the rules for opening. Just no freezing temps? I am clueless sorry! Do you have a recommendation for a pump to remove the water? And should I remove debris and vaccuum before testing water? Thank you!
 
Lets try this again URL=http://s1253.photobucket.com/user/adm52513/media/IMG_2724_zps5vlz3buc.png.html%5D%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh581/adm52513/IMG_2724_zps5vlz3buc.png%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D
 
For most openings, we have a convenient "sticky" at the top of the forum page: Announcements - Swimming Pool Start-up and Closing You'll see a link in there that should help with some questions. Correct about the freezing temps. I think most in your area are already pulling their covers back and getting ready. As for the Perma Salt System, I've not personally used them, so I don't recall what they use for refills and such. But if you can check and perhaps remove any media that may contain the sanitary (copper) product, that should be enough for now. As long as the water can pass-through without utilizing the copper sanitizer it should be okay. For the cover, if there's a lot of standing water, there are various pumps available either on-line or perhaps at a local hardware store. Some people get large sump pumps to drain their pool, but for a cover a simple small one should work. Another thought - siphoning. Since the cover is high, slip a garden hose in the water, and get the water started with the other end hanging low on the ground and it should work well for free. :) For debris in the pool ... if some got in there with the cover on ... then yes. Definitely try to remove any debris that got tin there. It's important to remove any bulk material (leaves, straw, bugs, critters, etc).

Once your system is uncovered and able to run okay, we'll give you some more tips on vacuuming to waste, etc. If you get confused on any pool equipment/valves, post a picture of them and that should help.

PS ~ When using Photobucket, I go to the pic I want to upload and look to the right (IMG Code). Right mouse click & copy back to your thread. :)
 
Good idea about the siphoning, I'll try that first! With photobucket, I thought I did copy and paste, I'm on my phone though, I'll try on the computer. Were you able to see it? When I get results, should I post here or start another thread? Also, do I need to buy copper test strips or just have pool store test for it?
 

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I'm not seeing the pic yet. I'm about to switch computers, so I'll look again in a little bit. Stay on this thread when you get your test kit. It's fine and we'll keep everything together. No need to buy any copper test strips. If you go by a pool store for a free test, that's fine. Just don't let them try to talk you into anything that takes your $$$. :)
 
Don't I need to test for copper though? Just the one time or more than that?
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It might be helpful, but don't buy a copper test kit of your own. You can let the pool store run a regular water sample test and they typically include iron/copper on the report ... usually. :) Once you get that report just post back here to let us know what that copper level is.
 
I ordered the test kit on May 5th and had so much trouble trying to get it through pool supply world that I just cancelled the order :( I'm about to order through tftestkits but had a question. Do I need the magnetic speed stirrer? Hope to open this evening!
 
I would highly recommend the speedstir. It's not just a fancy gadget to impress friends. It really makes mixing more efficient, accurate, and easier on you when counting reagent drops. If I lost mine, I would go through pool test withdrawals and have a panic attack.
 
I finally got my numbers! I plan on taking a sample to the pool store tomorrow to test for copper.

pH-7.5-7.8
Bromine-0
Chlorine-0
TA-121
CYA-0
Calcium-800?
The other chlorine test looked slightly tinged pink and I got 1ppm FC and CC but the other test showed 0 so I don't know.

The water looks pretty clear, I skimmed the surface but have not started the pump yet because it is currently filling up. There is a lot of dirt on the bottom.
 
Okay Alicia, welcome back. :wave: So let's confirm a few things because it's been a while:
- We suspected you had copper in the water form the previous use of mineral products correct? About how much water did you swap-out?
- You got the TF-100 correct? If so, a couple numbers above seem odd so let's verify:
-- You tested the FC with the powder & drop test correct?
-- TA is counted is increment of 10 per drop, so did you have 12 drops to change the solution from green to Barbie pink?
-- Don't worry about bromine on the OTO viewer. Even the chlorine on the viewer is not a big deal. The FAS-DPD (powder & drop test) is all you need.
-- Calcium is tricky sometimes. Do you have a speedstir?
-- CYA will be a critical test. If you drained a lot of water, it could very-well be next to zero. You might need to grab some granular stabilizer from someplace like Wal-Mart or one of the big box stores. It may say stabilizer, conditioner, or Cyanuric Acid on the container. The HTH brand at Wal-Mart is about $16 for a 4lb container.

You'll need that stabilizer and some regular bleach once the water is full. Possibly some muriatic acid as well. Those are the big 3 to get started. The rest we can help with over time.
 
-Yes, the previous owners used a perma salt system. I did not swap any water out, was I supposed to?
-I did get the tf-100
-Yes, I used the powder and drop test but could not tell if it was clear or very slightly tinged pink. It seemed to get clearer with 2 drops so that's how I got 1ppm FC and CC.
-I did not get a speedstir, I had already placed my order.

I need to start the pump and filter before I add any chemicals correct? What about vacuuming? I calculated 60oz of bleach and 54oz wt of stabilizer, is that correct? Should I wait on muriatic acid? Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

The TA I used 11 drops.
 
Okay, no problem. As I mentioned earlier, we'll see soon enough if the Perma salt products added too much copper to the water. Yes, you'll want the pump to start mixing the water for about 30 minutes before you grab a sample for testing. Once you do that, please check the FC as follows: 10 ML water sample with one good scoop of powder. Mix and count drops until clear and divide number by 2. Example: 12 drops = FC of 6. If you have any other questions about that test, you can see the TFP Pool School - FAS-DPD Chlorine Test page. The first tests I'm most concerned with pool full are:
FC
CC
CYA
PH

We'll worry about the TA later. :)
 

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