Did my first test with the TF-100 and here are the results: ph 8.2, TA 120, TC .5, FC 1 and CYA 0. The water is crystal clear, what do I need to work on first?
First test
- Thread starter MK1985
- Start date
Without CYA in the water your SWG can't keep up with the chlorine needs of your pool - the sun breaks the chlorine down as quickly as the SWG makes it. (This is assuming the salt level in your pool is correct for your SWG)
Immediate things to work on :
1) add CYA to 50ppm to start
2) lower you PH to 7.2 ish with acid
3) I would manually add chlorine up to your target level until your SWG is holding it
Longer term -
Your TA is a bit high. This combined with your SWG is going to make your PH tend to rise - possibly quickly. As you add acid to lower your PH you will hopefully be lowering your TA as well.
Immediate things to work on :
1) add CYA to 50ppm to start
2) lower you PH to 7.2 ish with acid
3) I would manually add chlorine up to your target level until your SWG is holding it
Longer term -
Your TA is a bit high. This combined with your SWG is going to make your PH tend to rise - possibly quickly. As you add acid to lower your PH you will hopefully be lowering your TA as well.
aa62579
0
Re: Re: First test
Might want to double check your chlorine. TC cannot be less than FC. You need to be very certain you have FC, CC, and TC correct when posting or you will get inaccurate information.MK1985 said:
Was alittle confused with that test but the ph and cya tests were accurate as best I could tell. I added stabilizer and dry acid going by pool calc readings, how long before I should test again? Also when adding dry chemicals it said on the container to add to the skimmer, I spread it out in the pool and brushed it for awhile, is it ok to put it in the skimmer?
aa62579
0
pH can be tested within the hour, as long as you mixed it well. If you have any doubts, one lap around the pool with the brush will erase them.
Give the stabilizer a week to show up on the test; save your reagent, it won't do any good to test any sooner.
And you need chlorine, now. Or your next thread will be one of those "green pool help!" threads.
Give the stabilizer a week to show up on the test; save your reagent, it won't do any good to test any sooner.
And you need chlorine, now. Or your next thread will be one of those "green pool help!" threads.
Hi MK1985 and welcome to TFP! 
The TF-100 kit works very well.
Use the vial with the white Chlorine sticker on it, fill to 10ml of pool water, use 1 heaping full of R-0871 DPD Powder, swirl well, should turn pink if you have chlorine, now add drops of R-0871 Reagent, each drop is .5 chlorine, swirling as you go, add drops until sample turns from pink to clear, if you went clear with 6 drops, your FC (Free Chlorine) reading would be 3.
Now add 5 drops of R-0003 Reagent, swirl to mix, if you have any CC (Combined Chlorine) it will turn back to some color of pink, if it does, add drops of R-0871 Reagent, swirling as you go and count drops to get back to clear, just as before each drop counts for .5, if you use 2 drops then you CC reading would be 1.
To get your TC (Total Chlorine) you add FC+CC= TC, in this example your readings would be:
FC 3
CC 1
TC 4
If your testing of FC was correct at .5, with a estimate of 6800 gallons of your pool size, the pool calculator said to add 78 oz. of 6% bleach to reach a target of 6 ppm chlorine for a CYA of 50 ppm.
I hope this helps you understand how to use this TF-100 kit and apply the results to the pool calculator to get the added amount of chlorine in your pool.
Chuck
The TF-100 kit works very well.
Use the vial with the white Chlorine sticker on it, fill to 10ml of pool water, use 1 heaping full of R-0871 DPD Powder, swirl well, should turn pink if you have chlorine, now add drops of R-0871 Reagent, each drop is .5 chlorine, swirling as you go, add drops until sample turns from pink to clear, if you went clear with 6 drops, your FC (Free Chlorine) reading would be 3.
Now add 5 drops of R-0003 Reagent, swirl to mix, if you have any CC (Combined Chlorine) it will turn back to some color of pink, if it does, add drops of R-0871 Reagent, swirling as you go and count drops to get back to clear, just as before each drop counts for .5, if you use 2 drops then you CC reading would be 1.
To get your TC (Total Chlorine) you add FC+CC= TC, in this example your readings would be:
FC 3
CC 1
TC 4
If your testing of FC was correct at .5, with a estimate of 6800 gallons of your pool size, the pool calculator said to add 78 oz. of 6% bleach to reach a target of 6 ppm chlorine for a CYA of 50 ppm.
I hope this helps you understand how to use this TF-100 kit and apply the results to the pool calculator to get the added amount of chlorine in your pool.
Chuck
It was hard to grasp everything without having the test kit in hand but now that I have it and with doing some testing it will come. Diffinately will be adding some bleach today and will do another test tonight. I still need an answer about adding any type of chemicals directly to the skimmer, is it a good or bad idea?
The only thing I add to the skimmer is diatomaceous earth.
If you add dry acid to the skimmer, it could clump somewhere in the plumbing and etch something. Like the heater.
Stabilizer is best added by tying it in an old sock or nylon and hanging it in front of a return jet.
If you add dry acid to the skimmer, it could clump somewhere in the plumbing and etch something. Like the heater.
Stabilizer is best added by tying it in an old sock or nylon and hanging it in front of a return jet.
The only thing you would ever want to add to a skimmer are things that dissolve slowly - and even then be careful. These chemicals are meant to be diluted in thousands of gallons of pool water and putting them in the skimmer leaves them concentrated in a confined space. Also many pool chemicals are reactive with each other - so never put more than 1 chemical in the skimmer.
