what should my ta level be in fiberglass.Update/question

[eripaulie]

Hello again everyone. This is my second summer with my pool. Opened yesterday with some algae but will be working on that. I should have opened in April, water was clear then. I had the pool closed with just a mesh safety cover on it, had some unusually warm weather here near Detroit in the past month, which must have made the algae grow. So my lesson learned is if only using that cover without a tarp underneath it means open earlier, but thats a different story!
Tested with my kit (that I purchased here) today, here are my numbers from 9:30 am. Pool people opened for me yesterday and added chlorine so here is where I am at today. Water is getting clearer, lots of dirty stuff on bottom.

FC 15.5
CC .5
TC 16
TA 120
CH 210
CYA 20

Haven't vacummed yet, it is pouring rain here, Will be testing again shortly and will do overnight test tonight. Here are my questions.

1. What is the correct level that my TA should be at. The chart on this site for fiberglass pools says 70 to 90plus. Is 120 ok or should it be lowered to around 90?

2. I want to raise my CYA to 40. Since I dont really know yet how much chlorine is being consumed or holding because I havent done the overnight test, should I hold off on adding anything but chlorine (will be using 12.5% liquid, cheap at pool store now) until I know that result? And should I keep my FC level to 10 (shock level for 20 CYA) all day until I know that result tomorrow because of the algae that was present?

3. I need some more of that R-0013 liquid for the CYA test. Can I order that seperately from this site?

 

[Butterfly]

Re: what should my ta level be in fiberglass pool?

1. What is the correct level that my TA should be at. The chart on this site for fiberglass pools says 70 to 90plus. Is 120 ok or should it be lowered to around 90?
As long as you are not having to fight pH rise by constantly adding MA, then your TA is just fine.

If you feel like you are adding MA so often it is annoying, you could then lower your TA using Pool School instructions.

2. I want to raise my CYA to 40. Since I dont really know yet how much chlorine is being consumed or holding because I havent done the overnight test, should I hold off on adding anything but chlorine (will be using 12.5% liquid, cheap at pool store now) until I know that result?

Yes, hold off. If you should need to shock, it is easier/cheaper/takes less chlorine with the lower CYA level.

And should I keep my FC level to 10 (shock level for 20 CYA) all day until I know that result tomorrow because of the algae that was present?
You can, but it does not seem necessary right now. You will do the overnight FC loss test tonight?

3. I need some more of that R-0013 liquid for the CYA test. Can I order that seperately from this site?
No, Even tho owned by the same person (Dave Smith a/k/a duraleigh)TFP is a separate entity.
You gotta' go to the test kit website to order: http://www.TFTestKits.Net

They'll take good care of you

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: what should my ta level be in fiberglass pool?

I typed the same thing Butterfly did so just follow her suggestions.

 

[eripaulie]

Re: what should my ta level be in fiberglass Update/question.

Well, my CC went up to 1 after brushing and vacumming yesterday. Here is a rundown of my numbers. My water is greyish blue and cloudy.

05/07/10

9:30 am
FC 15.5
CC .5

1:45 pm
FC 15
CC .5

5:45 pm (After brushing and vacuum started pouring rain so had to stop)
FC 13
CC 1

8:30 pm
FC 12
CC 1

I added 128 oz 12.5 % chlorine to bring me up to 20ppm hopefully, and tested this morning.

05/08/10

7:15 am
FC 15.5
CC 1

So, my plan is to keep FC at minimum 10 (for CYA of 20) until CC goes down and not so much loss. Is this the correct procedure? Gonna try to vacuum and brush today but winds are very high and its in 40's here, freezing! I added 64 oz. more chlorine after this morning reading. Only want to test one more time today as I am running low on testing chemicals. Ordered more yesterday. Thanks for all your help! Lisa. Also, does brushing and vacuuming cause CC to rise usually?

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, that is a good plan. Testing, and adding chlorine, is most effective in the evening. If you can only test/add once a day, do it in the evening. Of course more than once a day is better when shocking.

Brushing/vacuuming stirs things up. If there is organic debris in the pool that the chlorine hasn't gotten to yet, bushing and vacuuming will stir it up and expose it to chlorine, and that may well raise the CC level temporarily. If the pool is completely clean and sparkling, brushing and vacuuming shouldn't have much effect.

 

[eripaulie]

Another question for you hellpful folks. My current numbers are

FC 19.5
CC 1
TC 20.5
TA 110
CH 240
CYA 30 (want to reach 40, some still dissolving near return, put in couple of days ago)

I know my shock level for CYA is 12. I have to work today and wont be home until 2:30 am. My water is sparkly and clear. I performed the overnight test last night. My FC held, but CC remained at 1. I have been keeping minimum shock level now since I opened my pool on May 6th because my CC remains at 1. A few times it went down to .5, but always goes back up again. I have been only using liquid chlorine 12.5%. Im not sure but when the pool place opened my pool they may have put algaecide in. ( I know, bad that I dont know for sure or what they put in there). Besides stabalizer and calcium plus nothing else has gone in that pool since. Im trying to have POP, but how long can this take for the CC to drop consistently to .5? Also, I want to swim tomorrow, weather gonna be in 80's here finally. Can people swim if my CC remains at 1?

Also side note. Im noticing little black dots in the shallow end and som e deep end. They are smaller than a pencil eraser. Scrubbing doesnt make them go away. I had one on the step, rubbed with a vitamin c tablet yeasterday. It didnt go away at that time, but today it is magically gone. Water is too cold right now to get in and try it on the other ones. Any thoughts anyone? I hope its not the dreaded black algae.

Thanks for all your help! Lisa.

 

[JasonLion]

I expect the black dots are metal stains. I would try the vitamin C tablets on another dot or two, just to rule out coincidences.

CC can take several different forms, some are more annoying than others. If you smell the classic "chlorine" smell, then I would stay out of the water. It is also possible for low CC levels to cause skin irritation. It is also possible that it won't cause any problems.

Now might be a good time to double check your FC/CC testing technique. Make sure that the sample goes completely clear before moving on the the CC test. Some people mistake an almost clear very slight pink for clear, which can cause CC to read higher than actual.

 

[eripaulie]

Thank you for your quick response. I thought hard about my problem being possibly testing errors. I just could not figure out why I passed the overnight test and have great looking water, and have such a varying CC level which has remained pretty steady at 1. Like I said, I have been shocking this pool since May 6th!

I finally found the thread about the "contaminated cylinder" problem. I have used my "chlorine only" cylinder since last summer.I have never wiped it dry, and usually rinse it with my tap water from a well. Last summer my pool always tested with .5 CC or lower.

So, I came home after work and cleaned the cylinder with bleach and a paper towel. I rinsed it several times with pool water, then tested the water, hoping the cleaning of the cylinder would solve the problem.

My CC was .5, and probably even less than that since it hardly turned pink at all after adding the 0003! I hope this is no fluke. I will repeat the test tomorrow and post my result.

So, in summary, either my cylinder was just dirty and needed to be cleaned, or my water miraculously decided to clear up tonight while I was gone. I guess I will see tomorrow, actually it is today, later on. thanks again, Lisa.

7:30 am.

I am now happy to report that my CC is officially 0. I have to admit i was running out of POP! Now I will let the chlorine level drift down to the appropriate level for my CYA. Next I will be working on finding out what the rest of those black dots are.