New Guy,Looking for advice...does it just take time?

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J

Jbird2200

0
May 29, 2018
35
Wentzville, MO
Hi All,

I just moved my family in to a wonderful home that we waited nearly 1 and 1/2 years to find. The first time we viewed the property, I told the wife that the pool was "going, first thing". It was obvious it was not well cared for, unkept, filled with tree frogs and their offspring, greener than the lakes I swam in as a kid.

Well, last week she consulted the "pool guy" who made it clear that at some point, someone had spent a lot of money on this structure and it would be a shame to see it go to waste (we have 3 young children who will likely enjoy it). SO....as a good husband must do, I complied to at least look into what it will take. Needles to say, I am in way over my head, and don't have a clue as to what I am doing. He said he thought the filter/pump/etc. "looked good"...well, they weren't. Bought new pump as the old one began smoking as soon as I plugged it in opened up the filter and cleaned out old sand and replaced with new so I knew what I was starting with. The valve seems to work, at least for now.

Pool drained to about a foot:
received_10106303652671470.jpg

Current situation after pump running 24/7 for 7 days, roughly 12g of 10% chlorine, 1/2 gal Acid, constant skimming, backwashing roughly 3x/day, and running the vacuum "robot" thing the previous owner left, not sure if its a "good" one (aquabot???): aquabot.jpg:

received_10106327176494540.jpg

I bought the Taylor K2006 kit and received it today. I got really backed up at work and hadn't added any chlorine x2 days.

Tests today:
FC: 0.2ppm, restested an hour later and got 0, pretty sure I didn't do it right the first time.
Combined: 0.6ppm
pH 7.4
TA: 340 SHEESH
Calcium: 50ppmI still have some algae solids when I run the skim net along the bottom in certain areas, but can't see the bottom. Can see objects (net) until its beyond 3ft deep (4ft total depth).PoolMath says for 15000gal pool, to add:
77oz 10% bleach
nothing for the TA, but I'm wondering if I need to add more acid to reduce pH some more (if lower to 7.0, PoolMath says another 130oz of Muriatic acid)
466oz of calcium chloride

I did not test CYA as I have read it is pointless to do so at this point.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should go about my next steps? Should I buy the calcium and acid and add both at the same time?
Obviously I'll keep the filter running, but how many times do I need to be backwashing a day? I just bought a new pressure gauge because the previous one was not working.

Thanks so much for any help, I've done quite a bit of reading on here already, but this is definitely way more time consuming than I ever anticipated...I still have to work some time!


- - - Updated - - -

Forgot to add, after seeing the FC: 0 tonight, I went ahead and added another 2 gallons of 10% before coming inside.
 
It will take time. You have the test kit so that is the first step. When you have time read through pool school. There’s a link in my signature.

For now update your signature https://www.troublefreepool.com/thr...-to-answer-your-questions?p=684136#post684136

next your ta is high but I would get the pool clear and then work this. Use this https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/129-how-to-lower-lowering-total-alkalinity to lower TA

You need to SLAM. https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

To do this attempt a cya test. At the minimum you need to raise FC to 10ppm which for 15k pool is is 192 oz. If you get a cya you can use the chart in my signature line to figure out how much higher you need to go.

The key to slam is keeping it at or above that level. Which could mean adding bleach every few hours. Or bring it higher than slam to give you a buffer.

SLAMing is the hardest thing you’ll have to do. Once you have clear water maintaining will be a piece of cake. In in the end you’ll be glad and enjoying your pool.
 
Thanks for the quick response. Honestly its the "every 2 hours" part that I am going to have a really hard time with. I'll try to check it again tonight before I go to bed, and see if I can get a CYA.

Is there any better product/cost effective other than 1g 10% chlorine? I'm buying it for about $2.50/gal right now.
 
I am a reluctant pool owner as well. Our dream home that we searched for three years for... has what I think is a crazy enormous pool. The last month has been a steep learning curve but I can tell you that the information on this website works. I just finished my second SLAM (sometimes the learning curve isn’t kind to you :() You are in the right place.

The pool is amazing asset once you get it cleared up....which you might not believe until you swim in it. I certainly didn’t. It feels a bit hopeless and then all the sudden you actually get to swim with your kids and 99% of the uncertainty, pain, and doubt that it could be done disappears! Poof!

Stay away from the pool store... it took me three trips before I got off that bad rollercoaster!

I can’t say I have a lot of advice as I’m new at this too but I highly recommend keeping all your testing info organized in a notebook/clipboard so you can write down your target values, test results, amounts added etc. Otherwise you will be double checking and rechecking.

Take the time to fill out your signature. What kind of pool, how many gallons, what kind of pump, filtration, vacuum, heater, etc. it’s critical to helping you through the process. (I’ve read a whole lotta threads!)

Ask questions, read other threads that involve SLAMing, and know that you can do this!
 
Thanks!

I'll update my sig this weekend, I can't honestly say I'm too sure about much of tthe details aside from the size of the pool.

Just tested the CYA...basically was a null reading, 0. I'm going to hold off adding additional 10% tonight until I can get some CYA in there as it appears I'll just be chasing my tail otherwise.
 
Jbird2200 said:
Oh, and with the calcium being low, would I benefit from getting some calcium hypo as the FC is low too? Worst case would be could lower pH a bit, but I don't think it would be enough to hurt it.
Click to expand...

if your pool is a vinyl liner and I’m reading https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry. No need to worry about CH

- - - Updated - - -

Before my swg I was paying 6.50 for 2gal of 10% so thats a good deal. Don’t forget to check the day code.

I would still get it to 10 ppm and then add the cya stabilizer when you get a chance. This will enable you to keep up killing what’s in the pool. And at night you don’t have to worry about uv light consuming the cl.
 
Whew...it's about 92F out there right now.

I basically just decided to start fresh despite some progress.

Spent the last 90min:
1. Replaced the pressure gauge and am getting accurate readings (I should have been backwashing MUCH more often).
2. Tested
-FC: 0.6ppm
-CC: 0.4ppm
-CYA: 0
-pH: 7.5 - will target 7.0 for now.
Backwash Pressure Pre Wash - 11
Backwash Pressure Post Wash - 5.5: Will continue to backwash when pressure reaches ~8

Added 4.5gal 10% Chlorine per PoolMath
Added 4lbs CYA per PoolMath
Added 32oz MA per PoolMath

Brushed Sides (a LOT of flaky stuff came off)
Brushed bottom
Emptied Aquabot and restarted that goofy comtraption

Backwashed again 90 minutes after the last
Pre Wash Pressure - 9
Post Wash Pressure - 6

Will retest and post again in a few hours.

Going to try to take this weekend and really stay on it, I think I'm going to need a LOT more chlorine! Water is really cloudy now that everything has been stirred up. The settling was giving us a false sense of accomplishment.

I'll continue to update as I can as this seems to be a good place for me to stay on top of it.
 
You can do this! Try to test FC and maintain SLAM level FC every two hours, if you can. If not, just do as often as you can. But first, you need to get some CYA in there. Use Pool Math to target 30.
 

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I hope you didn’t add the CYA directly to the skimmer. If you did, you probably just backwashed some of it.

You need to wait a day or two, after CYA is fully dissolved, to test for it. If you test too early, then add more, you could overshoot your target.

CYA is Best added to pool by putting it in old gym sock and suspending over return or skimmer, not touching any surfaces. Give it a squeeze now and then to help it dissolve.
 
kellyfair said:
I hope you didn’t add the CYA directly to the skimmer. If you did, you probably just backwashed some of it.

You need to wait a day or two, after CYA is fully dissolved, to test for it. If you test too early, then add more, you could overshoot your target.

CYA is Best added to pool by putting it in old gym sock and suspending over return or skimmer, not touching any surfaces. Give it a squeeze now and then to help it dissolve.
Click to expand...

Ah...that actually makes a lot of sense. I did add about a pound of it to the skimmer. Just got home and tested everything again about an hour ago though.

FC: 17
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.6 - Not sure how this went up? Do I need to continue to target a lower pH? Took roughly 25 drops to get it to 7.0 per my test kit
CYA:~30 (hopefully didn't overshoot this, will test again tomorrow evening.
TA: ~300 - Still REALLY high...I'm assuming it will stay this way until all the algae is dead?
Reset the vacuum
Backwashed again.
 
LadyKate said:
TA has nothing to do with Algae. Don’t worry about this value for now. Read this for later. https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/129-how-to-lower-lowering-total-alkalinity

Just concentrate on FC and maintain target SLAM levels. Your pH test isn’t valid when you FC is over 10. Don’t worry about it for now.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the clarification!

6/9 @ 0000:

Filter Pressure Back up to 10, backwashed and now back to 5...crazy how often this needs to be done

FC: 27...didn't lose much over the last 4 hours assuming it actually got up to the 30.

Will add the 60oz of 10% liquid to try to maintain the 30 accurately, and recheck in the morning unless I wake up in the middle of the night now that I'm obsessing over all of this.
 
Is your CYA still 30? If so, you should be dosing FC to 12 PPM, not 30. Anything over 12 PPM will get burnt off even faster. If your CYA rose up to say 40, then you up your FC to 16. Basically, for every 10 PPM of CYA, the SLAM level for FC goes up 4 PPM. So, with a CYA 50, you would dose FC to 20 PPM. Make sure you're brushing a couple of times a day, and continue scooping any sludge or other debris out with your pool net. The SLAM will work a lot quicker if it's only fighting water and algae with no muck in the way.

The more times you can check FC and redose up to SLAM level, the faster your pool will clear up. One other thing, use the 10 mL sample for your FC test and count every drop as .5 instead of the 25 mL sample with each drop counting .2. You will save a lot of reagent that way. If you only bought the K2006 kit that uses the small .75 oz bottles, I'd advise you to order a 2 oz refill of the R0871 liquid because you will most definitely run out very soon with all the constant testing.
 
DeanP66 said:
Is your CYA still 30? If so, you should be dosing FC to 12 PPM, not 30. Anything over 12 PPM will get burnt off even faster. If your CYA rose up to say 40, then you up your FC to 16. Basically, for every 10 PPM of CYA, the SLAM level for FC goes up 4 PPM. So, with a CYA 50, you would dose FC to 20 PPM. Make sure you're brushing a couple of times a day, and continue scooping any sludge or other debris out with your pool net. The SLAM will work a lot quicker if it's only fighting water and algae with no muck in the way.

The more times you can check FC and redose up to SLAM level, the faster your pool will clear up. One other thing, use the 10 mL sample for your FC test and count every drop as .5 instead of the 25 mL sample with each drop counting .2. You will save a lot of reagent that way. If you only bought the K2006 kit that uses the small .75 oz bottles, I'd advise you to order a 2 oz refill of the R0871 liquid because you will most definitely run out very soon with all the constant testing.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the insight!

I basically am kind of shooting in the dark right now with what my CYA is. It was basically 0 to start because this pool has not been touched in about 2 years from what I was told.

I added roughly 6lbs of CYA total yesterday, and tested about 12 hours later and it was just at the lower limit of the test kit (30). As someone stated earlier though, the roughly 1.5lbs or so that I added through the skimmer was likely backwashed out (I didn't take that into consideration). So....I don't really know what my CYA is exactly. I'm planning on testing it tomorrow, a full 48 hours after I added it to try to get an accurate reading.

You're definitely right about the 10ml sample, I found that out REALLY quick. I will need to order additional per your recommendation as it is the 0.75oz bottles, thank you for the heads up.

This morning @0900 (roughly 9 hours after my last check)

Filter Pressure - 10
Post Backwash Pressure - 5
FC: 24
CC: 0.5
Added another gallon of 10% chlorine
Cleaned and restarted the aquabot
Skimmed the bottom of the pool....not getting much up.

Thanks again for all of the advise so far!

- - - Updated - - -

Quick question....should i order additional RO870 DPD powder as well or does it last a while?
 
It wouldnt be a bad idea. Also, with the 10 mL sample, you only need one heaping spoonful to turn the sample a solid pink color. I think the instructions say to use 2 scoops, but it's not necessary.

Again, you're dosing FC like your CYA is at 60 or higher. Let it drift down near 12-16 and once you get a solid CYA reading, dose at the right level (per the CYA/FC chart).

When you test the CYA, do it outdoors in bright sunlight with your back to the sun and the vial at waist level in the shadow of your body. Poor the solution to the 100 line, glance in, and if you see the dot, poor to the next line (90). Repeat until you no longer see the dot. That is your CYA.
 

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