Test - Do I remember what I am doing? - new liner installed at end of last season

[ionizer]

Alrighty experts, tell me if I am finally getting the hang of this or not.

Just opened yesterday. Pretty darn clear, minus the usual dirt at the bottom. Robot is cleaning that up at the moment and backwashed once already. I had installed a brand new liner at end of season, so it was a fresh fill of water prior to close, with little to no chemicals at the time of close:

First measurements since opening:

FC: 0 (expected)
pH: 7.1
TA: 50
CH: 40
CYA: 0 (expected)
Temp: ~60 degrees give or take

Do I have the order of steps below correct? Anything in the wrong order?

Step 1: Get pH to 7.5. Add soda ash/washing soda as per Pool Math

Step 2: Get some CYA in there to a measure of 30! I have some old "liquid gold" as you guys refer to it - should I try using that first and then if it is too old or not helping sufficiently, use the granular (in a sock/skimmer) ?

Step 3: You need chlorine bro! Once CYA is at 30, get to my FC measure

Step 4: Continue step 3 and apply SLAM.

Do I have it right? Is anything out of order? Should I put liquid chlorine/bleach (12.5%) in now as a preventative even though there is no CYA?
I read some posts where people said it might be better to shock while pH is in the lowers 7s. So if that is true, should I then get CYA to 30 and then perform shock? Do I shock first then maintain CYA? Never had a "no CYA" situation so not sure exact order

Thanks - PS: I just donated to become a gold member in appreciation of all past support. Hope to have my badge up shortly!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Don't worry about the pH, all your mixing and swirling while adding other chemicals should have that raised soon. Or just a smidgeon to bring it up to 7.2.

Get some CYA in there (to bring to 30ppm) and as soon as you drop that sock on to the stick or pole over the water (or in the skimmer as long as you keep the pump running) go ahead and add some liquid chlorine. No need to wait for the CYA to be completely dissolved first. Algae won't wait so you can't either.

Your heater may need increased calcium. Take it up to about 200.

If your water is clear, and there is no sign of algae, do you really need to SLAM? I don't think so. Your test results will tell you. Do you have CC's??

Start your testing to routinely monitor and treat the pool as needed.

Thanks for the support! We all wouldn't be able to be here online without it.

Maddie

 

[ionizer]

Don't worry about the pH, all your mixing and swirling while adding other chemicals should have that raised soon. Or just a smidgeon to bring it up to 7.2.

Get some CYA in there (to bring to 30ppm) and as soon as you drop that sock on to the stick or pole over the water (or in the skimmer as long as you keep the pump running) go ahead and add some liquid chlorine. No need to wait for the CYA to be completely dissolved first. Algae won't wait so you can't either.

Your heater may need increased calcium. Take it up to about 200.

If your water is clear, and there is no sign of algae, do you really need to SLAM? I don't think so. Your test results will tell you. Do you have CC's??

Start your testing to routinely monitor and treat the pool as needed.

Thanks for the support! We all wouldn't be able to be here online without it.

Maddie

thanks Maddie. I put the liquid CYA in - was actually a pain in the butt because of how thick it was. had to keep mixing more into a bucket. Then some pieces were on the floor and has to try to break them up.

my heater is dead - awaiting some gas pipe re-doing and then purchasing a new one.

didnt get to run a test again tonight to see where my CYA is, but i suspect i only put in enuf with the liquid to get it to 10, so ill need to get the granular going soon. I put some chlorine in, but not much right now. Working on getting the CYA up but ran out of time today with so much going on. Thanks for your help.

 

[ionizer]

Man, this CYA stuff really doesn't mix at all very easily.

I put two socks (one in each skimmer), but i had still some extra from the 5lb container I bought , so i figured id try to mix the excess in bucket. Stuff just doesn't want to dissolve. had to pour it in the skimmer over and over again with extra water.

Im betting tomorrow I come out and look at the socks in the skimmers and find them still absolutely full of CYA granulars still.

and this is only getting me 2/3 to the way of 30 CYA - right now, my CYA is still "off the chart" from the test - meaning i can see the black dot even at the top which starts at a 30 measurement.

gonna be a few days i guess before I get the CYA at 30.

 

[kellyfair]

The highly technical maneuver called “squishing the sock” can help to dissolve the CYA faster.

When you do get it dissolved and test again, you probably want to let your sample warm up a bit first.

 

[ionizer]

The highly technical maneuver called “squishing the sock” can help to dissolve the CYA faster.

When you do get it dissolved and test again, you probably want to let your sample warm up a bit first.

my sample testing for CYA needs to warm up? hmm. a bit difficult to do since im usually testing at around 7-8pm at night. how impactful is that to my testing?

 

[kellyfair]

It’s better to do your CYA test outside in full sunlight (sun behind you). I’ve done mine inside and ended up with about a 10 point difference between them. So, you may want to experiment doing both ways to see if you get a difference.

Cold water can also skew results. Just let the sample sit at room temp for a while.

 

[ionizer]

It’s better to do your CYA test outside in full sunlight (sun behind you). I’ve done mine inside and ended up with about a 10 point difference between them. So, you may want to experiment doing both ways to see if you get a difference.

Cold water can also skew results. Just let the sample sit at room temp for a while.

yeah, there is usually still enough sun, but definitely not full sunlight. im not at home during most weekdays, so not possible at the moment to measure before dusk.

at the moment, I am not even on the chart (pool refill end of last season from new liner), so ill recalibrate when i finally actually hit 30.

Does cold water skew the results UP (higher CYA) or down (lower CYA)?

and how cold is "cold"? I'd say water temperature is about 60

 

[kellyfair]

From what I’ve seen, it skews down. Your water isn’t super frigid, so maybe wait a few min to get the chill off, then proceed. Wisdom around here says shoot for about 70 degrees.

 

[ionizer]

From what I’ve seen, it skews down. Your water isn’t super frigid, so maybe wait a few min to get the chill off, then proceed. Wisdom around here says shoot for about 70 degrees.

thanks. ill grab that water sample first and then perform my FC/pH testing while it warms up a bit in the setting sun