Just ordered the TF-100 today and I was wondering if there is anything else I should order online while Im waiting? I have had the pool for 4 yrs (its about 10 yrs old though) , and seems like everytime I get things looking good I get another algea outbreak. First off, I have added very little if any sanitizer since I have owned it (never had a way to test for it). I have a bottle of SUN conditioner and wondering if I should just throw that out (its old). I have added over a gallon of MA in the last week and pH keeps going back up to around 8.2+. I also tested my Acid demand today (using the homedepot test kit) and it came out around 200? I have also added alot of Chlorine in the last month or so and doesnt seem to be helping either. Also, in the last month or so, I have noticed my swimming trunks and towels have a musty smell to them, never had that problem before now.
While im waiting for test kit
- Thread starter JMan
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
There isn't a great deal you can do without reliable numbers. Do work at getting the PH down. Chlorine is much less effective at high PH, which might relate to your problems.
There isn't a great deal you can do without reliable numbers. Do work at getting the PH down. Chlorine is much less effective at high PH, which might relate to your problems.
Hi, Jman,
Welcome to the forum. I would suggest getting a pool water sample to the pool store and post the results. Get tests for Chlorine, pH, Alk, CYA, and Calcium. I'm confident you're going to need muriatic Acid and Bleach (lot's of it) but don't know about anything else until you post those results. Don't add anything else to your pool for now.
Next, get familiar with Jason calculator in any of his posts. You'll need it to apply proper dosage to your pool. Also, get familiar with the stickies section.....tons of good info there.
Thank you for your kit order....it'll ship Monday and, if I remember, UPS get to AZ in four days...Thursday. You'll never need to go to the pool store for testing once you get it but I think it would be a good idea to get some test results pretty quickly.
Use Jason's calculator and get your pH down around 7.2-7.5 as soon as you can. I'm not sure why it's going up....you don't have an SWG, do you?
Welcome to the forum. I would suggest getting a pool water sample to the pool store and post the results. Get tests for Chlorine, pH, Alk, CYA, and Calcium. I'm confident you're going to need muriatic Acid and Bleach (lot's of it) but don't know about anything else until you post those results. Don't add anything else to your pool for now.
Next, get familiar with Jason calculator in any of his posts. You'll need it to apply proper dosage to your pool. Also, get familiar with the stickies section.....tons of good info there.
Thank you for your kit order....it'll ship Monday and, if I remember, UPS get to AZ in four days...Thursday. You'll never need to go to the pool store for testing once you get it but I think it would be a good idea to get some test results pretty quickly.
Use Jason's calculator and get your pH down around 7.2-7.5 as soon as you can. I'm not sure why it's going up....you don't have an SWG, do you?
Thanks for the replies, I do not have a SWG. Ill add some more MA and a gallon of chlorine later tonight
Jman,
Your algae issues are probably coming from under-chlorination. One gallon will raise a 12k pool by 5ppm.......you probably need to raise it to 20-25ppm and keep it there for a few days and your algae issues will be history.
I'm not recommending you do that tonight because without tests, the process is too much guesswork. What I am saying, tho, is that it will probably be the course of action that will be suggested once you post up test results so be prepared for a lot more bleach.
The pH has me puzzled for now but we'll figure out why it's going up. Meanwhile, getting it down and keeping it down should be your priority 'til you get test results.
Your algae issues are probably coming from under-chlorination. One gallon will raise a 12k pool by 5ppm.......you probably need to raise it to 20-25ppm and keep it there for a few days and your algae issues will be history.
I'm not recommending you do that tonight because without tests, the process is too much guesswork. What I am saying, tho, is that it will probably be the course of action that will be suggested once you post up test results so be prepared for a lot more bleach.
The pH has me puzzled for now but we'll figure out why it's going up. Meanwhile, getting it down and keeping it down should be your priority 'til you get test results.
You didn't say what your chlorine levels were when you tested the pH but be aware that high chlorine levels will cause an interference with pH testing and give you a false high reading on the pH test. With some cheap test kits this interference can occur with chlorine levels starting at aroung 4 or 5 ppm! The better test kits, such as the TF100 or the Taylor kits will give accurate pH results with chlorine levels up to about 15 ppm. it is possible that your pH is actually ok but you are getting interference from the chlorine.
You also said that you have been using trichlor tablets. If so then I would make a guess that your pool is overstabilized and that is why you are having the algae outbreaks and other problems. You need to post a full set of test results and then we can help you better. You might want to take a sample to a pool store and have them test it (make sure they DON'T use strips) and then post it while waiting on your test kit to arrive.
You also said that you have been using trichlor tablets. If so then I would make a guess that your pool is overstabilized and that is why you are having the algae outbreaks and other problems. You need to post a full set of test results and then we can help you better. You might want to take a sample to a pool store and have them test it (make sure they DON'T use strips) and then post it while waiting on your test kit to arrive.
Thanks again for the replies, and the trichlor tablets explains why I have a CYA reading as I have never added anything for that! Anywho, here is my first readings( the pump hasnt been running for about 5 hours if that matters and it was about 4:30 pm when I took the tests.
FC .5
CC .5+ (a tiny,tiny hint of pink was showing)
TC 1.0+
ph 8.2
T/A 170
CYA 75
What should I do first? Thanks again for the help.
FC .5
CC .5+ (a tiny,tiny hint of pink was showing)
TC 1.0+
ph 8.2
T/A 170
CYA 75
What should I do first? Thanks again for the help.
1. Put enough chlorine in your pool to raise it to 20+ppm. That'll shock the pool and should get rid of most of the organics residing there.
2. Reduce your pH to around 7.2 with muriatic acid.
3. You can do those simultaneously. Next, tell us how your water looks. Still got some algae issues? Musty smell? Dull looking? What is recommended after 1 and 2 above will depend on what you report as water quality and problems you've been having with it.
2. Reduce your pH to around 7.2 with muriatic acid.
3. You can do those simultaneously. Next, tell us how your water looks. Still got some algae issues? Musty smell? Dull looking? What is recommended after 1 and 2 above will depend on what you report as water quality and problems you've been having with it.
I suggest doing the PH change first. Once you add the chlorine it will be difficult to test for PH (high FC interferes with the reading) and you will want to test it to make sure you got it right and didn't undershoot or overshoot. Large PH changes are difficult to calculate exactly so I would expect it to need some touch ups after the initial addition. Muriatic acid mixes fairly quickly, you can retest after half an hour to an hour with the pump running. In either case both PH and chlorine should be done soon.
jman,
Be thankful there are good folks like Jason on here to protect you from my advice. As he said, do the pH first (I'll get that right one of these days, Jason). Once your pH is corrected, you can get the chlorine in there immediately.
I see nothing in your numbers to cause your pH to rise like it has done in the past.....check that pretty frequently and post it up so we can figure out why it's doing that.
Be thankful there are good folks like Jason on here to protect you from my advice. As he said, do the pH first (I'll get that right one of these days, Jason). Once your pH is corrected, you can get the chlorine in there immediately.
I see nothing in your numbers to cause your pH to rise like it has done in the past.....check that pretty frequently and post it up so we can figure out why it's doing that.
(From the peanut gallery) - What's the pH of the fill water, if you've been refilling a lot, or have had heavy rains?
We have very hard water here, probably around ph of 9 (which is great if you own a salt water reef tank) and its been really hot here. I added 6 gallons of chlorine last weekend after I got the ph down to about 7.2. I will test my water later today and post my results.