Newbie: new to BBB

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Ogre

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Apr 11, 2010
12
I have owned my house for 5 years with a 24` above ground pool with 13500 gallons. First two years we great but expensive to run the pool with chemicals my local pool store recommended. I was unable to tend to the pool the last two years due to work travel issues and the water turned almost black with all the leaves decomposing in the pool. I have found this forum over the winter and have learned a lot.

I opened the pool two weeks ago, drained 2/3 of the water, refilled and just now have gotten most of the leaves out. I put 3 bottles of 128 oz of 6% bleach in two days ago and this evening my FC was 0 again. The pool went from black to a cloudy green. I added a sock of 3lb of stabilizer in front of my return and added another 3 bottles of bleach tonight, waited about 1 hour and performed a test with my new TF-100 kit. I am going to convert the pool to a SWG sometime this season once I get everything balanced, but right now I am using straight bleach (giving the BBB method a shot this year). I have a few questions.

First the numbers
Temp around 60 degrees Fahrenheit
FC 12.5
CC 1
Total Chlorine 13.5
PH 7.5
TA 190
CH 200
CYA 9 (was under the 20 mark on the test kit so I am basing this off my pool stores test)
Borates 0


Now on to the questions
1) Should i concentrate on removing the algae first then balance or try to do it all at once? Once I start balancing, what order should I perform the balancing?
2)The TA is a bit high (especially for a SWG pool) what is the best method for tackling this, muriatic acid to lower PH and TA and aerate or is there a better way? Or should I just ignore it?
3) I have a DE bump filter with the dreadlock looking things a 1HP pump. My gauge started at 20 this season and there only is a small flow of water out into the pool from the return. I have never been able to get the pressure right on this filter and have fought with it since I bought the house. Is this normal or is there something wrong with the filter?
Note: I didn't realize the power was on when I hooked everything up so my pump ran for about 30-60 minutes before I added DE. With my algae problem should I take the filter apart again and re-clean everything with filter cleaner?
4) What is the best way with the TF-100 kit to get a CYA reading below 20?
5) Is the speed-stir worth looking into?
6) Any other advice for a newbie to the BBB method (besides reading the pool school, I have done that like 10 times)

Thanks in advance for any help
Scott
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave:

1) Yes, deal with the algae first. Balancing everything else can come after that's dealt with; your numbers are fine for now.
2) Depends on how soon you're thinking about SWG. If it's going to be next year, let the TA settle on its own. If it's going to be next month, then go after it now (well, after you clear the algae).
3) Given that you're clearing a swamp, the most likely cause of low flow is that the filter is just too clogged, and you need to open it up and clean it out. This is just life with a swamp.
4) You can't. Fortunately, CYA levels below 20 aren't useful. If the sample seems a bit cloudy, start by assuming it's 10 and add some CYA based on that assumption. Fine-tune it after you get the CYA up in the range where the test is able to tell you something useful. I'd shoot for the 20-30 range until you're done clearing the algae.
5) If you have the spare change, it makes the TA and CH tests easier. But it's not critical.
6) Don't go out buying baking soda and borax just because that's what BBB stands for. :-D
--paulr
 
Paul gave excellent advise but be aware that in the beginning you're going to use chlorine at an alarming rate. We recommend checking FC as often as every hour and adding chlorine if that's possible. After a while it'll start holding more and you can start testing less.

Here's a good article to read Turning-your-green-swamp-back-into-a-sparking-oasis.
 
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