1st Time Pool Owner

[momalley]

We moved last July and had a new 20x42 vinyl liner saltwater pool installed in the late fall. We opened the pool a week ago and I just received my Taylor K-2006 test kit. Below are the our current readings

FC - 3.0
CC - 0.5
pH - 7.4
TA - 130
CH - 40
CYA - 75
CSI - -1.20
Water Temp - 64

2 days ago water was tested at Leslie's and had the following readings, which I then added 16lbs of stabilizer

FC - 1.0
CC - 1.3
pH - 8.2
TA - 120
CH - 41
CYA - 7
Salt - 2930
CSI - -0.34
Water Temp - 66

I guess my question is, what should i be addressing 1st? Don't really anticipate the pool getting any use the next week or so due to weather. Do I just let it settle and test again in a couple of days?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Texas Splash]

Well Mike, you definitely don't need anymore stabilizer. Even though your water is still chilly, I would increase the FC just a little bit more to about 5 ppm. Best to keep the FC balanced to that elevated CYA of about 80 per the FC/CYA Levels. Everything else is fine for now.

 

[momalley]

Tests as of this afternoon....CYA has gone up....I'm guessing that my be due to me just adding the 16lbs directly to the skimmer and it getting stuck in the filter so the last test didn't pick all of it up? Live and learn.....

FC - 5.0
CC - 0
pH - 7.8
TA - 120
CYA - 100
CSI - -1.04
Water Temp - 61

Should I drain some water and replace in order to get CYA down? Still don't anticipate using the pool for another 2 weeks due to schedules and weather (lots of rain in the forecast). Water still looks crystal clear

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

 

[Texas Splash]

Should I drain some water and replace in order to get CYA down?

You have a couple choices. Sure, you could exchange a little water. Or, you can maintain a higher FC level until the CYA falls. But to be sure, in a day or two you might do a diluted CYA test as noted below. If your diluted test is 50 (equals 100), then you might squeak by. But if y our diluted test comes out to be 60 or 70 (CYA of 120 or 140), you will want to exchange some water.

**** If your CYA level is 90 or higher, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
5. Continue the test normally from step 2, but multiply the final result by two.

 

[Bperry]

Tests as of this afternoon....CYA has gone up....I'm guessing that my be due to me just adding the 16lbs directly to the skimmer and it getting stuck in the filter so the last test didn't pick all of it up? Live and learn.....

FC - 5.0
CC - 0
pH - 7.8
TA - 120
CYA - 100
CSI - -1.04
Water Temp - 61

Should I drain some water and replace in order to get CYA down? Still don't anticipate using the pool for another 2 weeks due to schedules and weather (lots of rain in the forecast). Water still looks crystal clear

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Notice how bad the pool store CYA test result was compared to your test kit. Good example to learn from and not go back there again. Welcome to TFP!

 

[V___25]

Tests as of this afternoon....CYA has gone up....I'm guessing that my be due to me just adding the 16lbs directly to the skimmer and it getting stuck in the filter so the last test didn't pick all of it up? Live and learn.....

You added 16lbs of stabilizer to the skimmer? Did the pool store tell you add that based on their CYA of 7? With a SWG, you can have a CYA of 70 or 80. But give a day or so and if it's still high, drain down and replace.

 

[momalley]

You added 16lbs of stabilizer to the skimmer? Did the pool store tell you add that based on their CYA of 7? With a SWG, you can have a CYA of 70 or 80. But give a day or so and if it's still high, drain down and replace.

Pool Math app showed 16lbs of Dry Stabilizer should have increased CYA by 53...so 7 to 60......but obviously that does not seem to be the case. I'm guessing the test results showing CYA @ 7ppm from Leslie's were way off

I used Clorox Pool & Spa Chlorine Stabilizer....their packaging shows that 16lbs in my 36k gal pool should have raised CYA by roughly 47ppm.

 

[momalley]

You have a couple choices. Sure, you could exchange a little water. Or, you can maintain a higher FC level until the CYA falls. But to be sure, in a day or two you might do a diluted CYA test as noted below. If your diluted test is 50 (equals 100), then you might squeak by. But if y our diluted test comes out to be 60 or 70 (CYA of 120 or 140), you will want to exchange some water.

**** If your CYA level is 90 or higher, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
5. Continue the test normally from step 2, but multiply the final result by two.

Did the diluted test this evening and CYA looks to be between 120-140....looks like i'll be exchanging water

 

[Texas Splash]

looks like i'll be exchanging water

That's for the best. Once you get the CYA down to a better level visit us back and let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[momalley]

Went to Leslie's today to get some DE so I brought a water sample for them to test......I had them test it twice, fine minutes apart and here were the results

1:33pm
FC - 4.75
CC - 0.4
pH - 7.6
TA - 96
CH - 42
CYA - 87
Salt - 2670
CSI - -1.19

1:38pm
FC - 4.97
CC - 0.02
pH - 7.6
TA - 95
CH - 43
CYA - 96
Salt - 2596
CSI - -1.20

 

[BMerrill]

What are your test results to compare with the Fool Store results.

 

[momalley]

What are your test results to compare with the Fool Store results.

 

[Bperry]

View attachment 408768

what are your current test results with your Taylor kit. Logs from 3 days ago aren’t current.