New house new pool

[nick.simpson19]

Hello,

So I have finally just moved into my new home which has been 4 months in the making.

I thought ahead and purchased TF-100 test kit, and ran my first test today, some interesting figures considering the pool has been maintained by a very reputable pool company.

I have estimated my pool to be 10000 gallons it’s a kidney shape so not so easy . I also attach a drawing of pool which I used to work out by volume. It’s 5ft deep at deep end and around 3ft deep in the shallow end.

The pool has been maintained using Pucks up this point which would explain the increased CYA.

Im going to go the hardware store tomorrow, I do have some calcium chloride to increase calcium hardness.

What else do I purchase?

I think I’ll go away from pucks and use bleach with daily tests. Unless I go on vacation.

thanks

nick



==========================================
Simpson pool
------------------------------------------
Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 10000 gallons
------------------------------------------
Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 9.0 (10 hours ago)
pH: 6.2 (10 hours ago)
TA: 70 (9 hours ago)
CH: 0 (8 hours ago)
CYA: 100 (10 hours ago)
==========================================

 

[Texas Splash]

Hi Dave! Congrats on the TF-100 and posting your first set of results. For a plaster pool, some of those numbers are indeed alarming. I would recommend a couple things:

1 - Do the diluted CYA test as seen on the Pool School - CYA page starting at step #8. Once you confirm how high the CYA really is, then you'll know how much water to exchange. There's no sense adding anything to the water that will just get washed away.
2 - I'd be sure about the pH and CH. See the Pool School - Extended Test Kit Directions page. Since the pH test (viewer) only goes down to 6.8, I'd be cautious about it being 6.2. Also surprising to see no CH at all recording, so just review those instructions and the method for each of those tests to be sure. I'd hate to see you later overshoot any of those.


Once you confirm, we'll help you move forward to get that water balanced not only for sanitation, but to ensure the water is good for that plaster. Let us know how it goes.

 

[ctrav]

Congrats on the new home and pool! Post some pics. Here are some links...

The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Pool School Book

Chlorine/CYA Chart

Pool Care Schedule

Chemicals-Recommeded

 

[ajw22]

Figure out what your CYA situation is and what you will do before you add calcium chloride to increase calcium hardness. You may be draining water and refilling which will change your CH. Your CH can wait and is often the last to be dealt with.

FC/CYA and PH should be your priority.

 

[nick.simpson19]

Ok I’ll run those two tests in the morning at first light and let you know, I’m slightly apprehensive with being new to pools, I don’t want to make any expensive mistakes.

Especially if I have to do a partial drain, this worries me quite a bit.

 

[ajw22]

Test PH, TA, and CH of the fill water that you would use with a drain. Post it and it will give us an idea of which way it would take your pool chemistry.

You may want to buy some of the standard solutions from TFT to confirm that you are doing the tests accurately - Standard Solutions

 

[nick.simpson19]

Hi Dave! Congrats on the TF-100 and posting your first set of results. For a plaster pool, some of those numbers are indeed alarming. I would recommend a couple things:

1 - Do the diluted CYA test as seen on the Pool School - CYA page starting at step #8. Once you confirm how high the CYA really is, then you'll know how much water to exchange. There's no sense adding anything to the water that will just get washed away.
2 - I'd be sure about the pH and CH. See the Pool School - Extended Test Kit Directions page. Since the pH test (viewer) only goes down to 6.8, I'd be cautious about it being 6.2. Also surprising to see no CH at all recording, so just review those instructions and the method for each of those tests to be sure. I'd hate to see you later overshoot any of those.


Once you confirm, we'll help you move forward to get that water balanced not only for sanitation, but to ensure the water is good for that plaster. Let us know how it goes.

I ran the extended test on the diluted CYA extended test
CYA = 100

for the PH I used the probe yesterday which may be why it read so low my understanding is that it’s lower than 6.8 I just used Taylor k-1000 for test and colour is a shade lighter than 6.8 .

CH test I tried to do it following instructions using the speed stir and it remained pink with no color change what so ever. I don’t believe it’s 0 though because it never turned blue?

In in the interim I’m adding some bleach to raise FC a little

 

[nick.simpson19]

I also just tested my tap water

FC=1.5
CC=0.5
CH=25
TA=30
PH=7.2

 

[mknauss]

Pool School - Calcium Hardness

A CH of 2.5 ppm is not possible. How did you get that number?

Do you have metals in your water? Iron, copper?

 

[nick.simpson19]

Sorry it’s meant to be 25 ppm I’ve corrected it. How do I check for metals?

 

[mknauss]

The one test we recommend having the pool store do is for metals. Just do not buy anything they attempt to sell.

Iron would show up in toilets, sinks, etc as red or brown staining. Copper would be from items you or the previous owners have used that added it to the water. Things like algaecide, solid chlorine products with the word 'blue' in their name, etc.

 

[JasonJoel]

Also, if you test the tap water make sure or is from the same source as your pool fill water...

I've seen a few people test it from their inside tap, not remembering they had a water softener on the inside water...

 

[nick.simpson19]

Can any one help me with the CH?

CH test I tried to do it following instructions using the speed stir and it remained pink with no color change what so ever. I don’t believe it’s 0 though because it never turned blue?

am I doing something wrong

 

[mknauss]

The CH would not be 0 if it stays red/pink. It could be metals though that usually results in a purple color.

Be sure you are using the correct reagents.

R-0010, R-0011L, R-0012.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

With the CH test-
I use the old directions as that is how I learned it. New directions call for half the amounts but I can't get used to that change so still use the old way by memory.

I fill the vial to 25 ccs of pool water. Drop my bean in and start the SpeedStir.
I add 20 drops of R-0010.
I then add 5 drops of the dye stuff, R-0011 which makes the fluid light red
Then adding the R-0012 one drop at a time I watch for a change from red to blue, and add another drop to see if it gets blue-r.. and another again. Until the last drop does not change any more. Count the drops but don't count the last one and multiple by 10.

Is this what you're doing, albeit with the newer instructions using 10 cc of water instead?

Maddie

 

[nick.simpson19]

I calibrated my PH monitor tonight and i did a test with k-1000 I believe my PH is 7.1.

 

[nick.simpson19]

==========================================
Simpson pool
------------------------------------------
Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 10000 gallons
------------------------------------------
Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 6.5 (17 minutes ago)
CC: 0.5 (17 minutes ago)
pH: 7.2 (17 minutes ago)
TA: 90 (17 minutes ago)
CH: 0 (2 days ago)
CYA: 90 (17 minutes ago)
==========================================


So ran test this evening and still CH had no color change followed Maddies instructions above it remained pinky in color.

my test results tonight

 

[JimMarshall]

Nick,

I just went out and dipped a sample and made a quick video and uploaded to YouTube. Notice that the sample remains pink until it doesn’t.

https://youtu.be/0Okq6NS4F-s

 

[nick.simpson19]

Thanks for the video I also recorded myself doing the test and by my understanding it turned blue at 20 drops x 25 = 500ppm CH

my pool is absolutely crystal clear, it seems a shame to drain but CYA is high and calcium hardness is high

https://youtu.be/OPldch3CYQQ

 

[JimMarshall]

Thanks for the video I also recorded myself doing the test and by my understanding it turned blue at 20 drops x 25 = 500ppm CH

my pool is absolutely crystal clear, it seems a shame to drain but CYA is high and calcium hardness is high

https://youtu.be/OPldch3CYQQ

Just a couple things:

1: You should be holding the dropper bottles vertically when you do your tests. This can affect the size of the drops that come out, and therefore the results. The ideal is *perfectly* vertical, but I’ve found that to be something easier said than done most times (especially while trying to concentrate on making sure you’re catching everything on video)

2: CH IS approaching the high end, but there are many members here from our desert regions who start with 400 CH water out of the tap and regularly manage their pools up to or over 1,000 PPM. 500 is not an automatic drain.

3: CYA is high for a manually chlorinated pool, but not off the charts like some pools we have seen. You COULD, theoretically, SLAM Process your pool at this CYA and run maintenance levels at this CYA according to the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA], and CYA will EVENTUALLY come down on its own through natural degradation, splashout, and dilution from overflow from rain. It will tak a lot of bleach though. I think you just have to balance water cost against bleach cost. I have to think the drain and fill to lower CYA will be the more economical option.