11 weeks of BBB

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anonapersona

TFP Expert
LifeTime Supporter
Nov 5, 2008
2,598
I am amazed.

I decided to pull up my old posts and noticed that it was only 11 weeks ago that I did my first test with the TF-100 kit. I thought it had been longer; we bought the house at Thanksgiving, 7 months ago, but I guess up until late April I was using the test strips and tabs in the chlorinator and shocking weekly as instructed by the pool inspector or maybe we were unpacking for those months. I know I spent my "pool time" just keeping up with the leaves in the skimmers though we did use the hot tub over the winter.

Then, beginning in April I got my test kit and starting then you all helped me through the high CYA problem, the fake overflow problem, the low CH problem, the leaking pool problem, the broken Polaris problem, the algae in the waterfall rocks problem.

At this point, I understand what rain does to my pool (leaves and pH effects, possible dillution of chemicals), I know when to use cal-hypo for chlorine (if CH is low) and when to use pucks (if CYA is low or vacation) and when to use bleach or liquid chlorine (most of the time). I am not afraid to tear into the Polaris to see what it needs to work correctly. I have hairspray in the pool box so we don't get fiberglass in our arms when opening the filter. I know to grab 6% bleach when it is on sale but don't get too much for it degrades in this heat.

My pool is bright and sparkly. I don't check it everyday, but when it is blowing bubbles out the returns I know what to check. If I do neglect it, and FC gets a bit low (never to zero but I have seen it maybe 1 ppm less than goal) I know to bump it up a bit extra to clean out what may have begun growing. I watch my CYA which mysteriously does change when it shouldn't.

In fact, the hardest thing to do at this point is to take the time to brush the pool. It looks so clean and brushing is so hard. Guess that will bite me before long... "Dear husband, will you brush the pool, please?, pretty please?"

So, anyhow, consider this a testimonial to why this is a wonderful forum and why I appreciate you all so very much. Thank you for your time and for being here to help novices like myself.

Now, where is the "bowing in adoration" smilie?

Anonapersona, proud of my Trouble Free Pool
 
You are apparently a model student. Great job on your pool. We all can only do what we can do and as you have found after a while you do learn the personality of your pool and know just what it's going to take to keep it sparkly.

One thing I might suggest in case you don't have one, yet, is to purchase a wall whale. Honestly, it makes brushing the sidewalls of the pool such an easy task.
 
Anona,

That's a very nice post. Well thought out and well said. I have watched your posts over the months and it's incredibly rewarding to watch people travel down the same path I traveled several years ago. It is such an eye opening experience. :lol: :lol:
 
I'm using bleach now. Fighting an algae war so my chlorine has been high for days now.

My question is, for you long term BBBers, once your pool is "stable" and operating within normal chemical numbers, on average, how much bleach do you add each day (or every other day)?
 
It depends on the size of pool, how high your CYA is, if it's covered or not, etc., every pool is unique. The "average" chlorine use is 2ppm per day. Sometimes less, sometimes more, which is why we advocate testing daily until you "get to know" your pool. :wink:
 
Buggsw said:
You are apparently a model student. Great job on your pool. We all can only do what we can do and as you have found after a while you do learn the personality of your pool and know just what it's going to take to keep it sparkly.

One thing I might suggest in case you don't have one, yet, is to purchase a wall whale. Honestly, it makes brushing the sidewalls of the pool such an easy task.
Click to expand...

Actually I do have that, several folks here claimed it was their favorite product so I got one right away. My problem is that on the back side of the pool is a large waterfall and shrubs that have grown too big and too close to the pool. I have to walk across the waterfall without falling in as I wrestle with the long pole tangling in the shrubs. Sort of dangerous in flip flops but the rocks are too hot for bare feet.

I've tried brushing the walls while *in* the pool, but nearly drown when I get to the deep end. So, I've been gradually getting the husband to do that, though he has as much trouble as I do. He has responded by starting to cut back the shrubs, so eventually it may get better. Last week we had 4 trash cans of green debris from the yard.

Anona, so very tired from yard work in this heat
 
estogo said:
I'm using bleach now. Fighting an algae war so my chlorine has been high for days now.

My question is, for you long term BBBers, once your pool is "stable" and operating within normal chemical numbers, on average, how much bleach do you add each day (or every other day)?
Click to expand...

I guess I am going through about 1.5 ppm a day. On Monday evening 7/20 it was at 3 ppm, so I added one big jug of 6% (182 oz) which should get me from 3 ppm to 7 ppm (I never have tested to confirm this but MA additions per Calculator are right on the money so I figure my pool size is correct). So, its been 48 hours and I test 4 ppm now, so that is 3 ppm in 48 hrs.

I will do a regular test tomorrow, whenever I get around to it, and add 182 oz size of 6% bleach. If it is not 3.0 ppm on test as I expect, I may add more or see if I need to drop a puck or 3 in the system -- I am slowly adding to CYA to get back to 40, will take 10 pucks over the month to do it at 1 ppm CYA per puck per Pool Calculator. I am pretty sure that the few that I added a week ago are long gone and not affecting the chlorine in the pool at this time.

If you play around with the Pool Calculator, you may find an easy number to work with that gets you from the bottom of your range to the top, in my case 1 big 182 oz jug works out just right, or 2 scoops of Cal-hypo or 1.2 gallons 10% but that is an awkward number I find. Then it is just a matter of knowing *when* you ought to need that. I test and in case it is lower than that I need to go higher for awhile to get it all back in shape.
 
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