Need help with my pool - and questions about testing

[ajw22]

How much do you think I shoudl run my pump besides chlorination? Just 1 hour a day? I can do maybe 4 hours a week tops.

The more you run your pump, the better. You are looking for fixed numbers. Every pool and its environment is different. You have to experiment some and find what works for your pool and budget.

 

[Roy Lyon]

I'm not a expert but I've been in your situation before I think I would fill the pool and get your levels right for 30 or 40 cya run the pump for 30 minutes after adding chlorine and see how that works. If you have a sump pump you might be able to use it to circulate the water instead of your main pump and just run the pool pump for cleanig the pool a few hours a week not exactly the tfp way but might get you thru the summer. Just remember not to leave a sump pump in the pool when swimming.

 

[JackHarkness]

I use the legacy calculator as it's a bit more transparent. Do you all still recommend I try to approach the goal CH?

 

[tim5055]

I use the legacy calculator as it's a bit more transparent. Do you all still recommend I try to approach the goal CH?

What is your pool made out of? If it's cement/gunite then yes. If it's vinyl then no, you already have too much for vinyl.

Please edit your signature and add the following information so we can better frame our answers to you.

• List what test kit you use to test your water
  
• The size of your pool in gallons
  
• If your pool is an AG (above ground) or IG (in ground)
  
• If it's IG, tell us if it's vinyl, plaster/pebble, or fiberglass
  
• The type filter you have (sand, DE, cartridge)
  
• If you know, tell us the make and model of your pump and filter.
  
• List any other equipment you have: SWG, second pump, etc.
  
• Please mention if you fill the pool from a well or are currently on water restrictions

Information in your signature will show up each time you post and it makes advice more accurate as we know what equipment we are dealing with.

 

[JackHarkness]

Thanks ! I did that.

My concern is this: TA is 140 - on another thread someone says a TA that high can start drifting PH higher and require more pH adjustments. I rather work on dropping TA to about 70-90 like the calculator recommends. Thoughts? I realize I have to go to pH 7.2 and aerate - can swimming after pH 7.2 be okay for aeration? If so, how long does one have to wait to swim after chemical additions like acid, chlorine etc?

Lastly - I'd like to keep my CH level under the recommended 250 for plaster. It's 220 right now. I know the pool calculator says that in the "about CH" that if its under 250 it can lead to corrosion...but then again the calculator also says the CSI is "balanced". So...it's confusing when it gives conflicting information like that? So is my 215 ok? Is it corrosive to the plaster, etc?

Very lost what targets I should be hitting.....especially pH wise. What frustrates me is with a TA of about 80 - it seems the only pH that wouldn't mess up the CSI and cause issues for the plaster is the range of 7.4 to 7.7 pH. Is this good or bad range? I want a TA that allows some flexibility in change when I add chemicals but not so much it's easy to "overshoot". At the same time, I don't want a TA high that I end up having to do acid additions every week.

- - - Updated - - -

Signature test.

 

[ajw22]

My concern is this: TA is 140 - on another thread someone says a TA that high can start drifting PH higher and require more pH adjustments. I rather work on dropping TA to about 70-90 like the calculator recommends. Thoughts?

Every pool responds differently depending on its environment and TA of fill water. You have to find what TA best keeps your PH within range.

I realize I have to go to pH 7.2 and aerate - can swimming after pH 7.2 be okay for aeration?

You can take PH down to 7.0 and aerate to raise PH to 7.4, check TA, and repeat as needed. TA drops the most with lower PH, as PH rises TA drops less. Swimming in PH of 7.2 to 8.0 is okay.

If so, how long does one have to wait to swim after chemical additions like acid, chlorine etc?

An hour or two to be safe. 30 minutes is probably OK. One complete turn of your pool water so it depends the speed you run your pump if it is a VS pump.

Lastly - I'd like to keep my CH level under the recommended 250 for plaster. It's 220 right now. I know the pool calculator says that in the "about CH" that if its under 250 it can lead to corrosion...but then again the calculator also says the CSI is "balanced". So...it's confusing when it gives conflicting information like that? So is my 215 ok? Is it corrosive to the plaster, etc?

I will leave it to the chemistry gurus to explain this one.

Very lost what targets I should be hitting.....especially pH wise.

PH between 7.2 and 7.8 is ok. Some pools like running lower and some pools are best running at 7.6 to 7.8. When you hit PH 8 then lower your PH to about 7.6. If your PH stays in the low 7's then great.

What frustrates me is with a TA of about 80 - it seems the only pH that wouldn't mess up the CSI and cause issues for the plaster is the range of 7.4 to 7.7 pH. Is this good or bad range?

PH of 7.4 - 7.7 is fine. If you can find a TA that keeps you there then you are good.

I want a TA that allows some flexibility in change when I add chemicals but not so much it's easy to "overshoot". At the same time, I don't want a TA high that I end up having to do acid additions every week.

You can't manage TA precisely. You can try lowering the TA through the process described above and see if the low TA sticks. The TA in your pool may drift up and you need to find a happy medium.

Focus on keeping your PH in the 7's. The TA is a secondary effect of managing the PH. Don't try and manage the TA directly. You will only mess up your PH and end up chasing your tail.

 

[JackHarkness]

Every pool responds differently depending on its environment and TA of fill water. You have to find what TA best keeps your PH within range.



You can take PH down to 7.0 and aerate to raise PH to 7.4, check TA, and repeat as needed. TA drops the most with lower PH, as PH rises TA drops less. Swimming in PH of 7.2 to 8.0 is okay.



An hour or two to be safe. 30 minutes is probably OK. One complete turn of your pool water so it depends the speed you run your pump if it is a VS pump.



I will leave it to the chemistry gurus to explain this one.



PH between 7.2 and 7.8 is ok. Some pools like running lower and some pools are best running at 7.6 to 7.8. When you hit PH 8 then lower your PH to about 7.6. If your PH stays in the low 7's then great.



PH of 7.4 - 7.7 is fine. If you can find a TA that keeps you there then you are good.



You can't manage TA precisely. You can try lowering the TA through the process described above and see if the low TA sticks. The TA in your pool may drift up and you need to find a happy medium.

Focus on keeping your PH in the 7's. The TA is a secondary effect of managing the PH. Don't try and manage the TA directly. You will only mess up your PH and end up chasing your tail.

Thanks for your brilliant advice. I do fee llike I'm chasing the TA! It is frustrating. I haven't begun the chase and my head was spinning. Your answer makes sense. pH SHOULD be my priority - TA should be a secondary monitor to that given environmental conditions.

Thank yoU!!!!

 

[JackHarkness]

Hey all!

Last question from me probably: How often should I test the Chlorine, CYA, and pH levels? I tested my CYA/PH/TA again. PH at 7.2 - aerated a lot to bring down TA but now I know TA is secondary so not too worried.

CYA was surprisingly 40! Did the Taylor test twice...The black dot just disappears around the 40 mark (on the back of the 44mL comparator tube).

I put in 4 lbs of CYA and every pool calc said it would only reach 33 according to my estimated 14,600 gallons in the pool. It went from 0 to 40 with 4 lbs though (way over 33)!

I adjusted gallons to 12,000 gallons - which then lines up with 4 lbs of CYA = 40 CYA.

Does this mean I measured my pool gallons wrong?

I measured in the deep end when the pool was drained and lengthxwidth from above....

Dimensions roughly: 4.9ft x 21.8ft x 17.9ft.

I did put the 14,600 gallons amount of pH recommended to go from 7.8 to 7.2 - and that hit the mark right on 7.2 pH today. So I'm very, very confused here....one of the values match the adjustment amount for the calculator @ 14,600 gallons - the other doesn't (CYA).

Thank you!

 

[cantplay]

Heya Capn, glad to hear things are going well! Saw your before pic and looking forward to your after pic. They say CYA test has a margin of error and you should always round your results up to the nearest 10. So a 33 reading would be counted as 40. (and a reading of 40 could actually be the 33 you were shooting for) Search CYA testing in the forum and you will get much more information about the CYA test and best practices for conducting it. One way is to fill the tube up by the hash marks so fill it to 10 level or whatever and see if you still see the dot, if you can still see it fill tube to 20 and check for dot, 30 and check for dot, 40...and the first level that you can't see the dot is your CYA.

Also, the fact that your pH dropped to expected level is most likely to mean that you estimated the gallon size of your pool correctly at 14,600.

Good luck!

 

[JackHarkness]

Hi Cant'play

Good to know! I'll get an After pic up here soon.

I'm confused about the 33 as 40 and 40 as 33 :/ Little confused which is which? The Test repeatedly said 40. The way you describe, is exactly how I conducted it

I'm just lost how I aimed for 33 and got 40....seems like tryign to aim for the exact CYA isn't as easy as aiming for pH. Or seems random at best....unless one adds very small amounts at a time. With the sun temps here exceeding 90 and sometimes 100 - I didn't have time to add CYA in "slowly" without the sun blasting away all the chlorine....so it is what it is. I believe 40 is a very healthy CYA....I also never plan on using dichlor/trichlor or any pool shocks...

Good to know my gallons is in fact 14,600! Thank you!