A few quick newbie questions - need help

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omster

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Jul 22, 2010
12
Midland, MI
Ok - bare with me, I'm a 2 day pool owner. I've checked out pool school and am getting familiar with the whole pool chemistry - my TF-100 kit should be in tomorrow.

First newbie question: when adding bleach/chlorine, do I pour this directly into the pool???
How long do I have to wait before it's safe to use the pool once I've added the bleach/chlorine?

And what about conditioner/CYA? On our skimmer basket, it says not to pour any chemicals into the skimmer - but the instructions on the conditioner says to pour slowly into the skimmer?
I started pouring it in front of the skimmer, but a lot of the granules fell to the ground and I can see them spread about on the floor liner... is this okay/normal???

That's it for now... and TIA!!!
 
Yes you can pour the chlorine directly into the pool. Just pour it slowly over one of the returns with the pump running. Depending out how much you add, it's probably ok to swim in about 30 minutes.

I dump my CYA directly into the skimmer and it gets caught in the filter until it can dissolve. If you don't want to do that, you can put it in a sock and suspend it in front of a return and it will dissolve within a day or so. You don't want to let sit on your liner waiting for it to dissolve. You can vac that up and let the filter take care of it.
 
Welcome to TFP!!!! :wave:

First newbie question: when adding bleach/chlorine, do I pour this directly into the pool??? Yes, in front of a return.
How long do I have to wait before it's safe to use the pool once I've added the bleach/chlorine? Depends on how much you've added. For regular additions just to keep your levels up, I think they suggest 15 minutes, just to let it circulate. I've seen some say 30, some 1 hour. Maybe someone who really knows can answer that one better :oops:

And what about conditioner/CYA? On our skimmer basket, it says not to pour any chemicals into the skimmer - but the instructions on the conditioner says to pour slowly into the skimmer? There are two ways to add CYA. You can hang it in front of a return in a sock, yes a sock that goes on your foot or stocking, and let it dissolve. The second way is to place it in the skimmer in a sock to dissolve. If you choose that way, you need to wait to backwash for a week to make sure it's all dissolved out of the filter.

You will also need to wait to test the CYA for a week either way. But you knew that already since you've been reading the Pool School!
 
Ok, first of all, a BIG thanks to all you TFPers! :goodjob: If I need answers in an 'emergency' situation - I know right where to go to!!!

I really didn't want to attempt vacuuming for the first time at 11pm at night (and after a Long Island Iced Tea :shock: ), but went ahead and assembled the vacuum by flashlight and managed to clean up all the visible CYA off the liner... and also some sand from the kids :-D

Also, tonight was the first time I added anything to the pool other than water and the 'pak' that came with the pool package... whoops! I had it running with the kids for two days without adding chlorine or CYA, which I added tonight... hopefully that won't be a problem???
I only had 4lbs of CYA to add... I think I need 6lbs for my size pool - which also sits in direct sunlight. But I've also read that using the 'paks' keeps the CYA high, maybe it wont be so bad since the pool gets plenty of sun? I guess I'll have to wait a week and check the levels on that...

I should have my TF-100 kit tomorrow - what are the first things I should check for in a 3 day old pool?
 
omster said:
I should have my TF-100 kit tomorrow - what are the first things I should check for in a 3 day old pool?
Click to expand...
Do everything but CYA. Test that after a week.

Be sure the pump's been on for a while - at least an hour - so the water is mixed well.

Here's a tip: you don't have to do the test squatting next to the pool. Get a sample in some sort of cup, carry it over to a comfy spot (avoid somewhere where a spill will stain the carpet :wink: ) and do your tests there. Use the pH/ Chlorine block first. Then run the FAS-DPD test. that way you'll get a feel for the colors. Sunlight is best, with a white background. Even concrete isn't white enough - it will skew the results. Then TA and CH. Expect those to take a while, especially CH, if you have hard water in your area. It takes a lot of mixing. You'll be switching hands after a while when you're swirling. That's why I bought a speedstir.
 
Richard320 said:
Here's a tip: you don't have to do the test squatting next to the pool. Get a sample in some sort of cup, carry it over to a comfy spot (avoid somewhere where a spill will stain the carpet :wink: ) and do your tests there. Use the pH/ Chlorine block first. Then run the FAS-DPD test. that way you'll get a feel for the colors. Sunlight is best, with a white background. Even concrete isn't white enough - it will skew the results. Then TA and CH. Expect those to take a while, especially CH, if you have hard water in your area. It takes a lot of mixing. You'll be switching hands after a while when you're swirling. That's why I bought a speedstir.
Click to expand...

Awesome tip!, I'm gonna have to try that out, sound like it would be much more comfortable than going back and forth?

How do you get the water from your sample to your testing vials? Do you just pour it in, or do you have some sort of syringe/dropper?

When I test my aquarium water all of my test vials are 5ml. I just bought a 5ml syringe from the drugstore. The kind that you buy to dose small children, they usually come with a rubber stopper to put on top of a cough syrup bottle etc... Ive been tempted to look for one that can do 10 or 25ml for testing this stuff.

For the FAS-DPD test, I usually use the back of the sticker since it white. (to the OP the TF-100 kit has a vial that has a sticker that reads "Chlorine Only")

Hope those tips help.

EDIT: out of fear of looking a wierdo, I found a link to what I was talking about, something like this http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Dental-Floss/Oral-Syringe/ID=prod6001629-product
 

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I use something like this:

squeezethumb.jpg
 
My local pool stores have been very happy to give me flip top squirt bottles to bring water samples to them for free testing. I've been a little slow to bring them back for testing however.
 
Puffin said:
How do you get the water from your sample to your testing vials? Do you just pour it in, or do you have some sort of syringe/dropper?
Click to expand...
I have a plastic 2 cup measuring cup with a pour spout. I just pour it in. Since I do my testing on the patio table, if I overfill, it's no problem to flip some out in the general direction of the planters.
 
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