1st TF 100 test results

[dougs30al]

Hi, would like to get your feedback on my test results:

water is clear
Chl. 2ppm
PH between 7.4-7.5
TA 140
FC 3.5
CC 1
CYA 50

BTW, I am pleased with the new kit, well laid out, clear instructions.

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Doug,

You posted something that we all need to get in the habit of.....the condition of your water...very helpful.

Your numbers are pretty good CYA and TA and pH are fine.

A couple of things with your chlorine. On a minor technical note, The Total chlorine should always be the sum of Free chlorine and Combined Chloramines. I'm sure what you're posting is the OTO test from the little blue kit. Typically, you would use that as a daily indicator and not post that with your other results. The Total Chlorine you typically post is not really a test but a function of adding the other two so we dummies don't have to do it! :lol: :lol:

Now, the important issue.....The CC result of 1.0 indicates a need to shock your pool....even tho the water is clear. I'd bring the chlorine up to 15-18 one evening pretty soon and that should kick that CC back down to .5 or less where it should be. You'll probably notice a little more sparkle in your water when you do that. Test again for Free chlorine and CC's the next day and, assuming your CC's are back down, just let your Free chlorine drift back down to a 3-6 maintenance range.

Thanks for the nice words about the kit.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

I would run the full FAS-DPD weekly FC and CC test again tomorrow and if the CC is still above 0.5 you should shock the pool. Shocking means bringing the FC level up to 15 (given your CYA level) and holding it there until the CC is zero and the FC level holds overnight.

Your TA is a little high. I would aim for 100. But with an above ground pool it won't cause any signficant problems as long as your CH isn't very very high. I didn't see a CH number. You don't really need to have any CH in a vinyl liner and as long as it is below 500 there won't be any serious problems with the TA at 140. High TA can tend to cause your PH to drift up. If that is an issue for you you can lower the TA to get it under control.

 

[dougs30al]

O:K,
thanks guys.
Tomorrow we'll give it a shock treatment.
BTW, the shock I've been using from the dealer is a "non chlorine" type.
It's made by Swimway. It's called "Blast"
Is that O;K, or use something else?
Also, I'm just using a glass jar sample from the pool. That O:K?

 

[duraleigh]

I personally don't use anything but bleach....it's cheap and I've usually got it on hand.

I don't know what "Blast" is. Sounds like Monosodium persulfate....usually quite pricey.

 

[MikeInTN]

You are correct, sir. "Blast" is MPS. Same stuff I used to use, before I saw the error of my ways..

 

[dougs30al]

So just what is the problem with using MPS?

You say it's pricey, it's running 3.00 a pkg. and I use 2 for shocking my 21,000 gals.
So that's 6 bucks a shock.
Or am I missing something?
Wouldn't bleach run about the same ( 3 gals. to shock @ 2.00 a gal)?

 

[duraleigh]

usually quite pricey.

is what I said.

 

[Guest]

So just what is the problem with using MPS?

You say it's pricey, it's running 3.00 a pkg. and I use 2 for shocking my 21,000 gals.
So that's 6 bucks a shock.
Or am I missing something?
Wouldn't bleach run about the same ( 3 gals. to shock @ 2.00 a gal)?

It't not a problem to use it but it will cost more. MPS (potassium monopersulfate) works differenly than chlorine for shocking. MPS will not break down chloramines but works by oxidizing ammonia compounds before they form chloramines. To do this you must have a residual of MPS in the water at all times which means regular (weekly) additions. A properly maintained outdoor pool shocked with chlorine only needs to be shocked when the chloramines are above about .5 ppm and for many pools that means infrequenly or never!

Also, MPS interferes with TC and CC measurments since it will register as CC on testing unless a special (expensive) reagent is used to remove the interferance, which nessecitates additional steps in testing. For an outdoor pool that is exposed to sunlight using MPS only complicates and increases the expense of pool maintenance. It does have a useful purpose in unstabilized indoor pools.

MPS is often also used as an oxidizer with bromine but this is definitely an unneeded expense since unstablized chloirne is every bit as effective and quite a lot less costly in this application. If the water has sufficient bromide ions then the chlorine is coverted into chloride ions as the bromide ions are converted into hypobromous acid.

In addition MPS does add sulfates to the water and sufates are linked to plaster damage. This becomes even more important when dry acid (sodium bisulfate) is also used since this can cause sulfate levels to rise much faster.

MPS is also acidic so it will tend to lower both pH and TA and if used in conjucntion with trichlor this can happen very quickly, requiring more freqent water balancing.