New here and need help!

[Ashbourne]

Hi everyone,

First, thank you in advance for your help. I found this forum 3 days ago and have been voraciously reading ever since! I wish I'd found you 3 years ago!

A little backstory:
We moved into this house August 2006, pool was built in 1989. Looked to be in pretty good shape, "inspection" was favorable. Since then we've replaced pretty much everything but the hole in the ground. The last 2 years we had an obvious leak - then last summer we were losing 3+ inches per day. Obviously this meant a constant chemical imbalance!

We have just had the following done:
New liner. New skimmers. New light. Added piping for automatic cleaner. Replaced all decking (previously brick pavers and rotted wood) with cement pavers.

So we had the pool refilled - about 60% trucked in, 40% from our well. Now I'm trying to get where I need to be, having never started from scratch. I've got the other numbers (TA, CH) up from 40 ppm, but I need to shock (not holding chlorine overnight at all) and I'm not sure the best way to do it. I bought a "real" test kit and this morning the results are:

TC = .5
FC = 0
pH = 7.4
TA = 110
CH = 200
CYA = 0? - Not sure I know how to use the test vial! The black dot never "disappears"...

I've got a big tub of Power Powder Plus from Leslie's, purchased some time last year (not sure why we ended up with this, it's not meant for vinyl, right?) - but is there any way I can use that up so I don't waste that money already spent?

Goal is to convert to BBB, so I've got about 7 gallons of 6% bleach on hand at the moment and it's on sale for 1.49/gallon across the street at our grocery store through end of June.

The water is beautiful and has been other than right after the first chlorine addition, it turned yellow. Looked like metals so I added 2L of Metal Free and has been clear since.[attachment=0:gacgei3w]pool051610.jpg[/attachment:gacgei3w]

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, that does sound like metals. Try HTH Metal Conrol from Walmart instead, works a little better than the metal free and is probably cheaper.

Your other numbers look good.

I think that powder is Cal-hypo but since your CH is already in range (and vinyl pools don't need CH) just save it and use bleach.

You can purchase CYA ("stabilizer/conditioner" it's also called) at Walmart in the pool department or other stores with pool departments. Look for Cyanuric acid on the label. You don't have any in fresh fill water, you have to add it.

So your plan is to chlorinate with bleach daily? For now add enough each evening to reach 2ppm, get some CYA dissolving via the 'sock method' and target 50 on your CYA level. Do you know how to work the pool calculator yet?

Once the CYA is dissolved adjust your FC levels accordingly.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[257WbyMag]

Welcome to TFP! You have a lovely pool.

 

[Ashbourne]

Thank you both for the welcome and for the assistance

Got the CYA at Home Depot this morning and I now have a sock full of about 2 lb. tied in front of the deep end return. Sometimes it doesn't "flutter" and settles back to one side (so it is touching the vinyl/side of the pool) - will this be a problem, should I tie it so it's out from the edge?

Yes, I am learning to use the Pool Calculator - looks like I'm going to need about 12 lb. of CYA.

Yes, my plan is to chlorinate with bleach daily.

 

[257WbyMag]

Nah, your sock is fine where it is. If you want to move it then you can. I always put mine right in the middle of the opening to the skimmer (being careful to not let the sock get IN the skimmer). Either way is fine though.

 

[Ashbourne]

I'm back with a concern after having shocked the pool.

Since I last posted I added CYA and shocked high enough, apparently, that having not added any chlorine since Tuesday night, it is just now coming down to 6.0. I had the DPD test so I could not test above 5 until yesterday when the FAS-DPD test came in.

Here are my numbers last night:
FC 7
CC 0
pH 7.4
CYA 45
TA 140
CH 220

And this morning:
FC 6
CC 0
pH 7.4

So that means I'm done shocking, right?

Since Monday-Tuesday (when I did have to add some of the Cal Hypo 73%) the water has been cloudy/milky. Seems to be getting ever so slightly better, day by day, but it is not sparkly clear. I can see the main drain without a problem. (I can try to take a picture of the water if that will help.)

Any ideas on what might be causing the cloudiness?

Thanks!

 

[coloeb]

Yes you are done shocking ). Have you cleaned / backwashed the filter?

 

[Butterfly]

Based on your #'s, it appears that you are done shocking.

The cloudiness is most likely dead algae. With filtering, you should see daily improvement.

With a CYA of 45, you should maintain a FC of between 4 & 8. You might want to keep it around your target of 8 until the cloudiness is gone.