Spring Pool Preparation

[EquestrianNancy]

Hi all,

This is my first post to Trouble Free but I've been following and using advice for several years. I am in the process of preparing our pool for the summer and it is in a sad way right now. As soon as the weather turned briefly warm, it turned green. We added bleach and vacuumed the resulting fall out but the water is currently very cloudy so that vacuuming is difficult due to lack of visibility. We may have a slow leak that will require a repair to the vinyl eventually which just means that between adding water and backwashing throughout the winter, the water chemistry has been diluted. Here are the results of my morning test taken with the pump running but also in bright sunshine:
FC = 0
CC = 0
pH = 7.8 (if accurate and not any higher?)
Alkalinity = 50 ppm as calcium carbonate
Calcium Hardness = 20 ppm as calcium carbonate (but this is a vinyl pool)
CYA = 0 ppm
Sodium Chloride = 400 ppm salt as sodium chloride
The Pool Pilot reads 1200 ppm salt

Obviously we need Stabilizer and Salt for the chlorine levels! Baking soda and muriatic acid for alkalinity and pH.
What recommendations do you have on the order of these additions? The weather has turned cooler again and both the air temp and water temp is around 60 degrees. I'm not sure at what temp the SWG is able to produce chlorine well (am I right that it doesn't do much when temperatures are cold?).
Will adjusting the chemistry, especially pH solve the cloudy water issue?

Thank you for your patience as I learn to post!

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello Nancy and welcome to TFP! Your first order of business is getting that water clean and algae-free again which will also help you when looking for any potential leaks. Here's what I wold recommend:
1 - Lower pH to 7.2
2 - Increase FC to "10" for now using only regular bleach. Forget the SWG right now; turn it off or to a very low %.
3 - Check FC in about 10-15 min to ensure it held to about 5 or more. If so, add stabilizer for a CYA goal of "30", then increase and maintain the FC at "12" until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria (link below). Follow that SLAM page and all should go well for you.
** If for some reason your FC dropped to zero or close to it after 10 min, let us know.

After the SLAM, then you can address all other levels and thing about increasing the CYA higher to start using your SWG again. During the SLAM however, use just regular bleac to maintain the FC level. Good luck!

 

[EquestrianNancy]

Got it - Thanks! Off to check my bleach, acid, and stabilizer supplies. I also read the caution about CYA testing truly zero or not. Thank you!

 

[EquestrianNancy]

Thank you again for my welcome!
I lowered the pH to 7.2 and my FC to 4.2 when I checked it 10-15 minutes after adding bleach (I may have underestimated to the partial jug amount). I need to go purchase more Bleach to continue into the SLAM. A question about CYA before I continue:

My CYA level appears to be zero when I tested it. I have been using stabilizer for years and did have good levels last year, but of course, the pool has been diluted since last summer. I have an opened 4 lb container which is mostly full. It is a powder so it will take a while to take effect. Per the pool calculator, I need 4 lbs 7 oz to adjust the CYA from 0 to 30. I'm thinking I can add what I have and proceed with the SLAM? Do I need to wait for it to take affect and show up when I test the water? Should I purchase a liquid stabilizer for faster results?

I would like to start the SLAM as soon as possible because I am going out of town on Friday. I'll be in Florida where I can get in my sister-in-laws pool and not worry about the pool chemistry. I am jealous of their screen cover as we are in a wooded area and leaves are blowing into the pool as I type. Unless I can teach my daughter to continue the SLAM, it will have to wait until I return.

Thanks again!
Nancy

 

[Texas Splash]

I'm thinking I can add what I have and proceed with the SLAM?

Yes, go ahead and measure out what you have and try to get as close to a CYA of 30 as possible per the calculator. If the amount you have estimates only getting to a CYA of 20, then you can add a little more tomorrow once you get a chance to hit the store. Once the stabilizer dissolves from the sock/nylon, consider the CYA at its desired goal per the calculator. As soon as you have the stabilizer soaking in the water via the sock-method, go ahead and increase the FC as well (FC of 12) and do your best to maintain it there. Follow everything on the SLAM page and you'll do great. Good luck!

 

[EquestrianNancy]

This sock method is great, I had not seen it until now. I've got my socks filled with enough cyanuric acid/stabilizer in them to obtain a CYA of 30. I'm not planning to test the water until they are dissolved. My final FC test for the night was at 12.5 ppm. It could be my imagination, but I think that the water is a bit less cloudy!

 

[Texas Splash]

Sounds good! If you didn't know, the water will soften those granules rather quickly, so the more frequently you squeeze those socks the faster they will dissipate.