Pool water tested at store their recommendations

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I keep a chart taped to the top of the TF100 box, it is just an expanded version of the one on the lid. I added at the bottom a section that notes what source of chlorine I used (since I switch between cal-hypo, bleach 6%, 10%, and trichlor pucks) and what volume I added (jugs, cups), and what FC I was shooting for. Then the same info for acid volume added and pH goal, then other comments, like rain or usage or CYA adjustments.

I test pH and FC every other day now, but tested daily for about the first year. I test the other things once a month or sooner. Since I have the record right there, I can notice when chlorine usage is up a bit or if pH indicates that TA is rising or falling.
 
One thing that I really don't know/understand is how long the pump/ filter should be run. And how long the SWG should be run or the best time of day to do it. My SWG came with a manual but the pool didn't. I did read this a couple of times. pool-school/pump_run_time
so I guess I will spend more time watching the water. hmmm... I also tried to look up the back washing thing. I am not sure what that is or if and when it needs to be done. :shock: :oops: I haven't done that.

Initially I kept pouring 6% bleach in the pool, a lot of bleach! But the CL kept coming back 0. I bought some of the pucks and put them in a float thing in the pool. It has been at 5 since then. I thought maybe I wasn't running the SWG long enough. TFP has FC range of 3-5 for Vinyl with SWG, but it looks like my alkalinity is high. TFP recommends 60-80 for my pool. I guess my spreadsheet will have TFP guidelines for the recommended levels, because that is what I seem to be looking up everytime I test to see if they are where they should be.
 
Those pucks are going to raise your CYA fast. CYA for a SWG system should be 70-80. 10ppm CYA will come at you with a quickness now, I would recommend turning the SWG up instead of using pucks.

For every 10ppm of chlorine added by trichlor (pucks) you will add 6ppm of CYA. If the pucks are what is maintaining the 5ppm FC reading, you've got about 3 or 4 days of them before you're at 80ppm CYA. A week, and you very well could be over 80.

Take them out, and use bleach to top off whatever the SWG isn't doing for you. Also, investigate why the SWG isn't doing the job, adjust if necessary, repair, replace... etc.
 
For now, while it is so hot, try 12 hrs a day for the filter. Since the SWG runs when the filter runs, as far as I know, run it during the day. I know the only SWG Manual that I've read said to begin at a50% setting and adjust from there. You can test pool water at the outlet w while the SWG is running to see if it is higher FC than the rest of the pool. Do all testing after the pool has been on long enough to mix well.

Yes, your alkalinity is high. If you test your tap water you may find that your tap water has high TA. As you should have read in Pool School, as you use muriatic acid to keep pH on range the TA will slowly go down. Aeration will drive pH up, as long as TA is high, and so many splashing kids may have that effect. On busy pool days you will want to check pH and pull the kids out for 30 min if you need to add acid and it has to mix. Of course, you can use the Wall Whale and have it mixed right away.
 
frogabog said:
Those pucks are going to raise your CYA fast. CYA for a SWG system should be 70-80. 10ppm CYA will come at you with a quickness now, I would recommend turning the SWG up instead of using pucks.

For every 10ppm of chlorine added by trichlor (pucks) you will add 6ppm of CYA. If the pucks are what is maintaining the 5ppm FC reading, you've got about 3 or 4 days of them before you're at 80ppm CYA. A week, and you very well could be over 80.

Take them out, and use bleach to top off whatever the SWG isn't doing for you. Also, investigate why the SWG isn't doing the job, adjust if necessary, repair, replace... etc.
Click to expand...

Well, luckily I took them out last night. I turned the filter pump and SWG on and let it run all night. The SWG has a timer on it and it is set for 12 hours. They both have switches to turn on when you want to use them. Hubby has been operating those controls. :wink: I guess I will have to take control away from him. :idea: I found out the other day he hadn't turned SWG on with the pump for a couple of days. The water is clear and sparkly except on one end by the ladder. I did brush the bottom yesterday and used the Wally the Whale vacuum yesterday afternoon.

I am really trying. Reading some of this pool school stuff is kind of like learning a foreign language and has to be read a couple of times. There are a lot of abbreviations out there. :shock:

I just checked CL 5 and PH 7.8 about the same as yesterday. PH is just a bit darker. Yesterday it was 7.5

The CYA with the T100 kit is a bit confusing to measure. The water just becomes cloudy. It doesn't really make the black spot disappear right?
 
anonapersona said:
For now, while it is so hot, try 12 hrs a day for the filter. Since the SWG runs when the filter runs, as far as I know, run it during the day. I know the only SWG Manual that I've read said to begin at a50% setting and adjust from there. You can test pool water at the outlet w while the SWG is running to see if it is higher FC than the rest of the pool. Do all testing after the pool has been on long enough to mix well.

Yes, your alkalinity is high. If you test your tap water you may find that your tap water has high TA. As you should have read in Pool School, as you use muriatic acid to keep pH on range the TA will slowly go down. Aeration will drive pH up, as long as TA is high, and so many splashing kids may have that effect. On busy pool days you will want to check pH and pull the kids out for 30 min if you need to add acid and it has to mix. Of course, you can use the Wall Whale and have it mixed right away.
Click to expand...

Is it better to run it at night or during the day? It ran all night and it is still running. The outlet? Meaning the place/vent the water is coming into the pool? I couldn't find the muriatic acid, so I bought PH down, but I haven't used any yet.

Do all testing after the pool has been on long enough to mix well I didn't think about this, other than not to test after something had been added to the pool. Does that also apply if nothing has been added?

Pool School says "vinyl liners can tolerate high TA levels reasonably well". But then it starts with the foreign language thing when it says.

"ATA or CTA Adjusted or Corrected Total Alkalinity
AN adjustment is sometimes made to the measured TA, subtracting out the cyanurate alkalinity, to more closely approximate the alkalinity as CaCO3. This number is only used when calculating LSI. Here at TFP you should always use the TA result directly from the test." :hammer:
 
mcelaine said:
The CYA with the T100 kit is a bit confusing to measure. The water just becomes cloudy. It doesn't really make the black spot disappear right?
Click to expand...

That means the CYA is very low. Under 20 then. It does make the black dot disappear when it's higher. So the pucks likely aren't causing an issue now, and you do need to add CYA to 70-80ppm. You could put them back in for the time being, but knowing how much CYA is in the pool will be related to knowing if it's registering immediately on the CYA test rather than taking a week to register.

A better option would be to add CYA manually. At least then you know. Add CYA w/caution however, and shoot low rather than high when you do add it. It's a lot easier to add CYA than it is to remove it. HTH stabilizer has been known to disperse rapidly, and at least one other forum member plus myself has been able to test it with valid results 24 hours later. However don't count on it registering for you like that.. A week is the standard add--->test recommendation.

I'd add 40ppm CYA in a sock tied off in front of a return, or the ladder. Squish it hourly till it's all gone from the sock. If you have 10ppm CYA, you'll know you then have 60ppm in the pool. If it's closer to 20ppm, you should be seeing 70ppm on a test within a week. All this assumes you will not use any more pucks. If you use pucks and also add CYA, I would not suggest adding more than 30ppm manually to start and you will need to stop using them for good at some point.

Yes, it does seem like another language. Everyone here has had that feeling when reading all this the first time. That's why re-reading over and over tends to help immensely. Just keep plugging away, soon you'll be fluent :~}
 
Muriatic acid is found at your hardware store, Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace, etc.

Yes, where the water comes back into the pool, that's your return.

Yes, you should test after the pump has been running, I never test unless it's been running an hour.

I wouldn't worry about ATA or CTA.
 
I read Pool School again and again. It actually made my head hurt. Wish I'd just printed out the hard parts. I did keep notes in a binder and that helped when I got confused.

Just know that before long you will be doing just a few tests frequently, and mostly just maintaining chlorine and pH.
 

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fsteve65 said:
Are you using the pool calculator yet ?
Click to expand...

Yes, I have been using it. It has taken a while for me to grasp the concept. I plugged the numbers in this morning. It wants me to add some calcium chloride.
I thought I had posted the results and asked for TFP's opinion, but I don't see that post! I must not have hit submit. :hammer:

I just ran downstairs and got my laptop! Now it is submitted! :p

It also wants me to add 18 oz of muriatic acid. But that is with the PH at 7.8 results last night but with it at 7.5 it doesn't have me adding that. This morning it was 7.5
 
Do I need to try to lower the PH? Wouldn't that lower the TA as well. (Scary I am starting to recognize what all of these abbreviations stand for!)

How do you measure for CSI? Should I be concerned about it? (Now that sounds like a TV show.) With my kit I don't see a way to measure for that. (T100)
 
anonapersona said:
For now, while it is so hot, try 12 hrs a day for the filter. Since the SWG runs when the filter runs, as far as I know, run it during the day. I know the only SWG Manual that I've read said to begin at a50% setting and adjust from there. You can test pool water at the outlet w while the SWG is running to see if it is higher FC than the rest of the pool. Do all testing after the pool has been on long enough to mix well.

Yes, your alkalinity is high. If you test your tap water you may find that your tap water has high TA. As you should have read in Pool School, as you use muriatic acid to keep pH on range the TA will slowly go down. Aeration will drive pH up, as long as TA is high, and so many splashing kids may have that effect. On busy pool days you will want to check pH and pull the kids out for 30 min if you need to add acid and it has to mix. Of course, you can use the Wall Whale and have it mixed right away.
Click to expand...

I don't have any kids! Should I be canvasing the neighborhood! :-D Just my daughter (she just turned 30) and myself on a couple of floats reading a book!

Wally has been running around stirring things up. I had to chase him and make him come to the end of the pool. I'm thinking he may need a couple more lengths of hose attached to him. We let him swim all night and he doesn't like the end closest to the house. :whip:
 
A pH of 7.5 is good. No need for MA now. CSI is calculated for you by the Pool Calculator. You want a value near 0. A high CSI may cause calcium deposits on your SWG and very low levels of CSI are corrosive. If your water is balanced then the CSI will generally be OK.
 
Steve456 said:
A pH of 7.5 is good. No need for MA now. CSI is calculated for you by the Pool Calculator. You want a value near 0. A high CSI may cause calcium deposits on your SWG and very low levels of CSI are corrosive. If your water is balanced then the CSI will generally be OK.
Click to expand...

It says -0.51 it show the target 0.07 The PH this morning though is 7.8 I don't know why it went up overnight?

I will test the rest this evening. The guys are out there leveling/adding dirt/crushed rock around the pool. They are pouring concrete on Monday. :whoot:
 
HA! I know what your talking about with the pool cleaner. We call ours Wanda and she does a pretty good job EXCEPT for one area of the pool. Her hose is plenty long enough but it seems like she is "scared" of that area...lol
 

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