Definitely wait till you can run your own tests. There's nothing there that needs to be handled immediately.
Brian & Dorie, Phoenix
- Thread starter B&D
- Start date
Using my new TF100 test kit and Speedstir, for the very first time, I had the following results today:
FC: 28.5
CC: 0
TA: 230
CYA: 100+
Calcium 3000+ (after 300 drops I gave up on it changing color)
PH:7.8
Cl/Br: quite a bit darker than the darkest shade on the standard
Water is cloudy and 60 degress. I've not had the filter on more than 6 hours or so since changing the sand last week(some fun!).
Off to the lessons section....
Hey Shane, here's your pics
FC: 28.5
CC: 0
TA: 230
CYA: 100+
Calcium 3000+ (after 300 drops I gave up on it changing color)
PH:7.8
Cl/Br: quite a bit darker than the darkest shade on the standard
Water is cloudy and 60 degress. I've not had the filter on more than 6 hours or so since changing the sand last week(some fun!).
Off to the lessons section....
Hey Shane, here's your pics
- Nov 4, 2010
- 33
Welcome, I am a newbie her myself but not a newbie to Arizona pool problems. You have a serious problem which I call "former owner #### stupid". If you are here for answers you are in the right place. Relax; you have until the first week in April to resolve your problem. We have a Reverse Osmosis company in the valley that that may be able to help you. I have not tried them yet but am looking forward to it. I am sorry to tell you this but if you invited me to a pool party I would not swim. The cloudiness of your pool indicates neglect. You need to drain and fill your pool entirely. I mention the first week of April as a rule of thumb because after that we may have the sun shining on your plaster enough to cause drying and that causes plaster problem. Your TA, CYA, And CA are way out of line. Fix them and you will enjoy empty nester pool fun at a higher level.
I sure hope there is something wrong with your CH test results. CH levels around 3000+ are a major problem. Your FC TA and CYA levels are also reading very high. The only way I can think of to get all of those tests to read higher than actual is if you are using too much pool water for your test sample. Double check you are starting with the correct amount of pool water.
What color did the sample turn when you added the dye for the CH test? You might also want to read the extended test kit directions for the CH test to see if there is anything you might be doing wrong.
Also, you should test your fill water to see what your fill levels are. The extra practice with the test kit will help and if your levels really are that high, we are going to need to know your fill water numbers. Finally, what part of the country are you in? In some areas high TA and CH levels are quite common, in other areas they are extremely unusual. It would be nice to know which area you are in as a quick sanity check on your readings.
What color did the sample turn when you added the dye for the CH test? You might also want to read the extended test kit directions for the CH test to see if there is anything you might be doing wrong.
Also, you should test your fill water to see what your fill levels are. The extra practice with the test kit will help and if your levels really are that high, we are going to need to know your fill water numbers. Finally, what part of the country are you in? In some areas high TA and CH levels are quite common, in other areas they are extremely unusual. It would be nice to know which area you are in as a quick sanity check on your readings.
Jason, thank you for your reply. I'll perform the CH test again tomorrow morning using the extended test directions.
I've not checked the fill water but I will do that tomorrow as well. I'm in metro Phoenix.
I've not checked the fill water but I will do that tomorrow as well. I'm in metro Phoenix.
Phoenix is known for very high TA and CH levels, so the levels you measured are possible.
If your test results are real, which seems much more likely now, you may want to look into getting an RO treatment, which will remove most of the TA and CH from the water. One possible company in the Phoenix area is Calsaway.
If your test results are real, which seems much more likely now, you may want to look into getting an RO treatment, which will remove most of the TA and CH from the water. One possible company in the Phoenix area is Calsaway.
Jason,
I requested an RO treatment quote from Calsaway this morning. At 7500 gallons it's not prohibitively expensive to drain and refill the pool. On the other hand, the thought of starting a water maintenance program with post RO numbers is appealing.
Again, due to it's small size (a lap pool really) I've wondered throughout the day if I wouldn't be better off over the long term by investing in a full time pool RO system. One thing I do know, I'm too ignorant as this point to make any type of informed decision. I've got a lot to learn yet.
I requested an RO treatment quote from Calsaway this morning. At 7500 gallons it's not prohibitively expensive to drain and refill the pool. On the other hand, the thought of starting a water maintenance program with post RO numbers is appealing.
Again, due to it's small size (a lap pool really) I've wondered throughout the day if I wouldn't be better off over the long term by investing in a full time pool RO system. One thing I do know, I'm too ignorant as this point to make any type of informed decision. I've got a lot to learn yet.
B&D thanks for the pic, I like the dolphins. That pool is going to give you lots of enjoyment. Your numbers seem a little bit out of whack so if I were you I would test them a couple more times until you get reliable results and a better grasp of how the test works. Also You could take a sample to Leslies just to compare, you could do that for your fill water as well. Compare your results and bring they data here for expert advice.
- Nov 4, 2010
- 33
I regret not draining and refilling my pool when I bought the house I have now. Who knows what the former owners put in it. Your pool looks like a recent build. How old is it?
Most RO systems, especially the ones used for home drinking water, are low efficiency. That means that only between 1/8 and 1/4 of the water that goes through the RO system would be returned to the pool. It is better to simply replace the water then it would be to use an RO system of that style.
The special high efficiency RO systems used for pool treatment use large expensive high pressure pumps to be able to return 80% of the water, or better, to the pool. No one seems to make a small high efficiency RO system. I expect that if they did it would be too expensive to be practical for residential use. For now, it is far simpler and less expensive to get a commercial RO treatment once every year or three, rather than trying to buy a home RO system for the pool.
The special high efficiency RO systems used for pool treatment use large expensive high pressure pumps to be able to return 80% of the water, or better, to the pool. No one seems to make a small high efficiency RO system. I expect that if they did it would be too expensive to be practical for residential use. For now, it is far simpler and less expensive to get a commercial RO treatment once every year or three, rather than trying to buy a home RO system for the pool.
I had decided to wait to do another water sample analysis until after I could get a quote for a RO treatment from Calsaway in Scottsdale. Sadly, despite multiple attempts at getting someone to contact me, I've had no response from them to date. Do you think they're simply too busy for new customers?
I just received a call from them. His quote was $300 to do 7500 gallons and that it would take 7 - 8 hours. If you're thinking of calling them be forwarned, he said they are having problems with both their website and their e-mail. He also said that below 70 degrees or so of water temp the efficiency of the treatment is only around 55%. Sigh...my head hurts.
Once you rerun your test please post back the numbers. One thing to keep in mind when doing the CH test is to let the speedstir run for several seconds between drops. It takes a long time to run that test especially if you have high CH but you don't have to run it very often.
While you're at it you should run all the tests except CYA and maybe CC on your fill water. That way you'll know what you're dealing with every time you add water to the pool.
While you're at it you should run all the tests except CYA and maybe CC on your fill water. That way you'll know what you're dealing with every time you add water to the pool.
Since the daytime temps have been climbing into the high 80's/low 90's, and the RO company has yet to call back to notify us that they and their equipment were ready to go, we decided to drain and re-fill. Drain will be complete in a few more hours.
I tested the fill water and had the following results:
FC: 1.0
CC: .5
TC: 1.5
pH: 7.8
T/A: 140
CH: 180
CYA: black dot never disappeared, fill water with reagents was clear
Temp: 72F
I tested the fill water and had the following results:
FC: 1.0
CC: .5
TC: 1.5
pH: 7.8
T/A: 140
CH: 180
CYA: black dot never disappeared, fill water with reagents was clear
Temp: 72F
Those numbers look good for fill water. It's not surprising that there was no CYA in there. When you get it filled back up you'll be in good shape to begin balancing.
Have you decided how you're going to add stabilizer?
Have you decided how you're going to add stabilizer?
Dave,
To be honest, I'm not really sure what a stabilizer is. I want to go the BBB route if possible, if that's what you mean. I'm reading as much, and as quickly, as I can in the pool school section. I think I need to make a three ring binder and populate it with the reference material so I can flip back and forth. Maybe that way it will stick in my brain. I find myself saying, "What was that again?" much too often.
This morning I'll get the pump primed and running and the vacuum in the pool. It was a bit windy yesterday and there's some debris in it already.
Thanks for looking in on me, I'm still a bit overwhelmed with the whole thing.
To be honest, I'm not really sure what a stabilizer is. I want to go the BBB route if possible, if that's what you mean. I'm reading as much, and as quickly, as I can in the pool school section. I think I need to make a three ring binder and populate it with the reference material so I can flip back and forth. Maybe that way it will stick in my brain. I find myself saying, "What was that again?" much too often.
This morning I'll get the pump primed and running and the vacuum in the pool. It was a bit windy yesterday and there's some debris in it already.
Thanks for looking in on me, I'm still a bit overwhelmed with the whole thing.
Re: Brian & Dorie, Phoenix
Stabilizer is CYA or cyanuric acid. Also called "conditioner" by some.
Stabilizer is CYA or cyanuric acid. Also called "conditioner" by some.
Thanks Carlos31820
I was just looking at the terms again in pool school. I noticed on the pool calculator that the numbers change depending on the setting for "Use suggested goal levels from". Do you know what the differance is between Traditional Pool and TroubleFree Pool.com?
I entered my fill numbers into the calculator and it says I need to add chems. Man, I really don't want to screw this up.
I was just looking at the terms again in pool school. I noticed on the pool calculator that the numbers change depending on the setting for "Use suggested goal levels from". Do you know what the differance is between Traditional Pool and TroubleFree Pool.com?
I entered my fill numbers into the calculator and it says I need to add chems. Man, I really don't want to screw this up.
Re: Brian & Dorie, Phoenix
I think traditional pool uses guidelines recommended by the pool industry in general where the TFP settings are the recommended levels suggested by this site and its members.
I think traditional pool uses guidelines recommended by the pool industry in general where the TFP settings are the recommended levels suggested by this site and its members.
Trouble Free Pool (This site) recommends chem balance a little different that traditional pool people recommend. I always recommend using the Trouble Free Pool setting in the Pool Calc.
With your fill water numbers the calc should recommend adding some chems. What are you putting in the target column for the chems?
pH =
FC =
TA =
CH =
CYA =
Post the targets and we'll help fine tune.
If you'll post the numbers here before you add anything we'll hold your hand (figuritivly speaking
) until you get comfortable doing it.
With your fill water numbers the calc should recommend adding some chems. What are you putting in the target column for the chems?
pH =
FC =
TA =
CH =
CYA =
Post the targets and we'll help fine tune.
If you'll post the numbers here before you add anything we'll hold your hand (figuritivly speaking
) until you get comfortable doing it.
