BBB and Tabs best for me

[Lowertc]

Just became a member and posted on opening issue, Now that that is clear i need to start my daily maint. I am a 16yr pool owner who has run Pucks except for last year whe n i switched to prestine Blue... Well back to CL.. Ok, After dowing alot of reading i believe the best method for me(Every weekend we go to summer place) I feel Bleach during the week and run pucks on a low setting to carry thru the weekend Fri-Sun. I am ordering the kit to do my own reading but here is what i have so far.

FC: 3 Based on my CYA should run around 7(what is the quickest way to bring up)
PH 7.2
TA70 Added Soda ash per pool calc. to raise to target of 90
CH 150: Low do to using Blue last year(is this an issue)
CYA: 90. I Am not doing a waterchange, will get done slow during Backwash(on well and can not afford to fill from there!
Salt 0. Was thinking of adding to pool to give the salt feel (is this ok)
Borate 0- can or should i bring this to goal?(best way to add?)

Time wise I know to check levels daily but normally how ofter am I adding CL? On avg how much Cl do most go thru in a season?

long post i know Sorry

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Will you be able to use a solar cover during the weekend?

 

[Lowertc]

NOPE dont have one?

 

[JasonLion]

You really want to raise CH to around 300. Keeping PH, TA, and CH all low like that for a long time is likely to cause pitting of the plaster eventually.

Bleach and cal-hypo (because your CH level is low) are both good ways to raise FC.

Salt is fine, optional but fine. For feel, raise salt to around 2000.

I'd put off adding borates till later. Get everything else balanced before you worry about borates.

I hope you mean that you added baking soda to raise TA. Soda ash is primarily used to raise PH.

 

[Lowertc]

Thanks Jason, Yes baking soda. I been using that for years

what do you think about the weekends? Pucks in the feeder at a low level.....

once I get to FC 7 how often on a normal basis do i need to top off evey 1-2 days dependning on wether and bathing load?

Great site will be looking to order a kit in a day or so!

whats the cheapest way to get hardness up!!!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

To chlorinate then I would try shocking the pool on Friday, and having one or two tablets in a floater. This however will continue to raise the CYA level, which will be eventually become a problem for you, despite the backwashing. At some point you will have to likely have to deal with it.

When you are home you'll need to use bleach or cal-hypo daily. Since you have to raise the CH anyway, Cal-hypo granular is probably your best bet.

If you had a solar cover, it would cut down on the UV loss, and you could cover it all weekend and then you wouldn't need the tablets at all, just bump up the FC a bit.

 

[JasonLion]

once I get to FC 7 how often on a normal basis do i need to top off evey 1-2 days dependning on wether and bathing load?

Yes. Just at first check FC every day. Then as you get more experience with the pool and how the FC level changes you can most likely test and adjust FC less often.

 

[Lowertc]

Adding Cal Hypo daily seems like $ i can shock with it on Friday prior to weekend but daily?

I was thinking of getting the initial CH to around 200 then with the weekly friday shock of Cal hypo that will raise it slowly? if this is done this way do i need to buy Calcium Chloride in the pool store or is there a cheaper alternative?

oh, normally run the filter 10 hours a day, 12 in mid summer!

 

[PaulR]

Cal-hypo will increase CH by 7ppm for each 10ppm FC. This is a fixed proportion, independent of the cal-hypo strength or how much you use.
Because you want to increase CH, your comparison shopping should be cal-hypo versus the equivalent bleach+calcium chloride.
Cal-hypo is sometimes available in big buckets rather than the 1-lb bags, and would be cheaper that way.
--paulr