I have three constant operation in-ground pools in Mexico (condo complex, small hotel and a rental house). I have been spending $100s/week for chemicals to maintain these pools. I have left it to my maintenance staff to keep the pools running until now. I have been studying pools like crazy since we had an algae bloom in the large hotel pool our guys couldn't get under control.
I am very interested in the BBB method - not just for the potential cost savings, but to keep a better running pool. I just started purchasing the supplies for my guys. I haven't got them to take the tablets out yet - but we didn't put granulated chlorine in today and started adding bleach and borax. Progress!
Here are the measurements from last night in small hotel pool.
24,000 gal
TC = 0 (my current test kit just gives me this)
Ph = 7.2
TA = 70
CH = 1020
CYA = 55-57 (didn't line up on a line)
Ok, no chlorine, so I added 3 gal of 6% bleach. I was reluctant to add more because of the possibility of lowering the Ph too much. Tested this morning and got these results:
TC = 0.5
PH = 6.8
TA = 80
We added another 1.5 gal of 6% and 4 cups of borax.
I was thinking we would need to remove some of the water from the pool to get the CH under control, but we have REALLY hard water out of our well. Tap test shows shows CH of 500. All the pools are plaster.
I know I need a better test kit (my staff has only been testing Ph and TC for years, I just got a cheapo walmart test kit - because we don't have a pool supply store any where close). Best test kit to order?
I know we need to get more chlorine in the pool, but I don't think I should be adding it all at once because of it's acidity. Our staff has been maintaining the chlorine (TC) levels at 2-3. I am reading that with the CYA levels where they are, we should be looking at much higher numbers. The concern I have with much higher numbers is that we might freak out the government pool testers who regularly come check our pools.
Any help getting going with this is appreciated.
Thanks,
Brian
I am very interested in the BBB method - not just for the potential cost savings, but to keep a better running pool. I just started purchasing the supplies for my guys. I haven't got them to take the tablets out yet - but we didn't put granulated chlorine in today and started adding bleach and borax. Progress!
Here are the measurements from last night in small hotel pool.
24,000 gal
TC = 0 (my current test kit just gives me this)
Ph = 7.2
TA = 70
CH = 1020
CYA = 55-57 (didn't line up on a line)
Ok, no chlorine, so I added 3 gal of 6% bleach. I was reluctant to add more because of the possibility of lowering the Ph too much. Tested this morning and got these results:
TC = 0.5
PH = 6.8
TA = 80
We added another 1.5 gal of 6% and 4 cups of borax.
I was thinking we would need to remove some of the water from the pool to get the CH under control, but we have REALLY hard water out of our well. Tap test shows shows CH of 500. All the pools are plaster.
I know I need a better test kit (my staff has only been testing Ph and TC for years, I just got a cheapo walmart test kit - because we don't have a pool supply store any where close). Best test kit to order?
I know we need to get more chlorine in the pool, but I don't think I should be adding it all at once because of it's acidity. Our staff has been maintaining the chlorine (TC) levels at 2-3. I am reading that with the CYA levels where they are, we should be looking at much higher numbers. The concern I have with much higher numbers is that we might freak out the government pool testers who regularly come check our pools.
Any help getting going with this is appreciated.
Thanks,
Brian