Test Results - new pool owner

Jump to latest Follow Reply
4x4tx

4x4tx

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2007
401
Greater Houston
Pool Size
17500
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Just got back from leslies with test results of:
FAC - 5
TAC - 5
PH 7.2
TA 80
CALCIUM HARDNESS 250
CYA - 100

They said these numbers are perfect? What about the CYA?
FYI I am new here..just bought a house with a pool built in 2000...previous owner did not take care of pool as my plaster is very rough and I have lots of calcium build up on my tile..also have some stains in the pool..will vitamin c get them out?

.pool was a swamp when I got it...its 16x32 approx 16K gallons...
I have already replaced my cleaner with a new jet vac and the cleaner pump with a new polaris...also my filter grids and repairs to my jandy rs4....replaced skimmer baskets, doors.....need to install a new bulb in my spa as its burned out but I really have no idea how to do it..Is it ok to do this with water?

also my pool appears to be unlevel..in houston we have had a ton of rain lately and one end of my pool is right at the top and the other end is probably 3 inches lower..is that a big deal or normal?

Appreciate the help
 
CYA of 100 is too high, particuarly since many of the CYA tests will show any number higher than 100 as 100. Even if it is only 100, I recommend replacing water to get that down below 100. Pool stores often say that CYA is good up to 200, but problems and complications tend to mount starting around 100 and getting worse towards 200. As it is you should maintain a FC level of at least 8 with that CYA level.

Your PH is a little low, nothing to worry about as 7.2 to 7.8 is fine for swimming. Ideally it is better to keep it between 7.4 and 7.6.

Vitamin C is easy to test. Get a few vitamin C tablets. Crush them and put them in a sock. Gently rub the stains with the sock and see if the stains disappear. If that doesn't work you could try gently rubbing them with a trichlor puck and see if that does anything. Dealing with the calcium scale can be more complex.

More than 1 inch out of level is considered out of level. How much of a serious problem that is isn't clear. If the ground is solid then you can live with it, but if the ground is still shifting it could become a serious problem. I don't know of any way to tell the difference other than watching to see if it stays the same or gets worse over time.
 
Yes its an inground pool..thats what i figured about CYA

So what is the best way to get that down? we are having a ton of rainfall here in houston so if its adding fresh water we are getting it...

also if my jet vac already shows some rust, what does that mean?

How do I get my PH up? With all the rain its been crazy..i was shocked to hear leslies say my pool was in good shape...seriously we have had 8-10 inches of rain over the past month
 
To lower CYA just replace water. Adding rain water, or tap water, and removing water to keep the level more or less constant is the right approach. 10 inches of rain might not be enough. It depends on what your CYA level really was to start with.

Rust on specific parts generally means that that part was made out of inferior materials and will need to be replaced eventually.

You raise PH with borax, 20 Mule Team Borax in a green box, is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and places like WalMart and Target. You can also use washing soda, PH Up, or soda ash though they will raise TA a little extra as well. Approximate amounts can be calculated with my Pool Calculator, see the link in my signature.
 
Ok I will pick up some borax. Thanks

As for the Jet Vac, are these known as POS? I was more under the impression that rusted parts meant I needed to add some type of metal remover?
 
Oh yeah, how hard is it to replace the pool light in a spa? Do I need to drain the spa? Kinda scary messing with electricity in water...i have been told I dont have to but want to make sure.
Appreciate the help
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
one other thing about the level - Would a pool builders warranty cover this? I have a lifetime warranty on the shell, but I'm not sure if it's transferable. Not sure if someone more knowledgeable could weigh in on that.
 
4x4tx,

I was recently faced with problems with both my pool and spa light. My spa light was tripping the ground fault interrupter (GFI) circuit breaker back at the pool equipment pad panel. When I turned off the GFI circuit breaker, all I had to do was remove a Phillips head bolt from the top of the outer ring of the spa light. The spa light then tilted out from the top in order to clear a tab at the bottom of the light. If your pool builder did a good job, there should be enough extra cable wrapped around the spa light in order to place the spa light up on the spa decking.

In my case, I was surprised to see water in the spa housing. With knowledge gained later, I learned that there should be NO water in the spa housing.

All you should have to do to replace your burned out bult (it is only a burned out bulb??) is to remove the glass lens and rubber gasket and replace the bulb. BE SURE TO REPLACE THE GASKET WITH A NEW GASKET. MIne was only $8 or so at the local pool store my Pentair Amerlite spa light. Mine was a 400 watt bult, and evidently the pool store will sell you either a cheaper one that is round and clear, or a more expensive one that looks like an outdoor flood light bult with a reflective coating around the base and neck. Supposedly the reflective coating keeps some of the massive amount of heat from degrading the epoxied-in-place electrical components in the base of the light housing.

Reassemble with the new gasket, wrap the cord back around the housing, and place back in the light niche in the spa, and turn on your GFI breaker again. By the way, DO NOT turn on this light for more than 10 seconds or so out of the water. The amount of heat generated by this large wattage bulb is immense and NEEDS the cooling effects of being immersed in water.

Once the light is under water, you should not see any air bubbles leading from the spa light. If you do, you will need to get the light back up on the spa deck and do a better job of assembly.

Did I mention that you can't reuse the old gasket?

Good luck!

Titanium
 
Thanks guys. Appreciate the help.

As for the warranty, I doubt the builder would cover it but its worth checking in to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply