New pool first test numbers

Jump to latest Follow Reply
copotay

copotay

0
Aug 7, 2011
146
Lafayette, La
Brand new pool about two weeks full and testing with Leslies tlr complete Chlorine DPD kit. We are going to try the BBB approach from here on out , (we got our Clorox, Borax, and Baking soda today), and have only added a few tiny chlorine pucks to the floater and skimmer over the last few days to get some chlorine in the pool until we were ready to BBB. Here are our numbers from this mornings test:

FC = 1
TC = 1.5
CC = .5
PH = 7.8
TA = 180
CH = 90
CYA = below 30, filled the small tube all the way up and the black dot never dissappeard

I am new to the full range of testing and only used the simple little chlorine and ph tester from Walmart in the past in our old intex pool, so please bare with me as I am trying to learn more and more and appreciate the patience of everyone.
 
copotay said:
Brand new pool about two weeks full and testing with Leslies tlr complete Chlorine DPD kit. We are going to try the BBB approach from here on out , (we got our Clorox, Borax, and Baking soda today), and have only added a few tiny chlorine pucks to the floater and skimmer over the last few days to get some chlorine in the pool until we were ready to BBB.
Click to expand...
Just so you know, you may not need the Borax nor Baking Soda once you are using bleach or chlorinating liquid. All I add to my pool is chlorinating liquid and on occasion a little Muriatic Acid. I have not needed to add borax nor baking soda. Those other BB's are just a reminder of the grocery store chemicals you can use, not ones that you necessarily will use.
 
Tks very much chem geek very good information I am also still trying to learn the caculator to see how much Clorox to add, what I dont know is what is a good target number to aim for so the calculator can tell me how much to add.
 
copotay said:
Tks very much chem geek very good information I am also still trying to learn the caculator to see how much Clorox to add, what I dont know is what is a good target number to aim for so the calculator can tell me how much to add.
Click to expand...
Down near the bottom, pool calculator will ask you for surface and chlorine source. It will then give you recommended levels. Note the recommended FC level will change depending on the CYA value you entered.
 
Tks Richard, dummy me I missed that. So with a 21 x 52, actual water height of four feet, 48 inches, it says I should add 65 ounces of bleach to bring my FC level up from 1 to make it 4, please correct me if I am doing something wrong
 
Should I be concerned with my TA at 180 and almost no CYA, (I understand that its to help the chlorine from being eaten up to fast)?

I live in south Louisiana and our summers get to about 95 degrees with high heat indexes. The pool will be in direct sunlight for a little more than half the day in the morning then shade in the mid afternoon til dark.
 
Hi copotay, :-D
I'm in central FL. and very close with the weather, I would go ahead and put in some CYA in to bump up to at least 40ppm (I run between 40-50) calculator says add 14 oz weight, put in a sock and hang over return.
With a pH of 7.8, I would lower that all the way down to 7.2 as your TA is plenty high.
I would try and get that down to 120 and see how the pH behaves.
Calculator says 44oz of muriatic acid will get it down to 7.2, then arieate with a return blowing up at the surface to get pH back up the 7.6 range.
Watch the pH and see if it keeps going up. If it does then test pH and recalculate back to 7.2 then arieate again to bring pH back up to 7.6 range.
With a projected CYA of 40 and 5ppm chlorine target, add 86 oz of 6% bleach.

P.S. My pool was at 120 TA and the pH was always going up to 7.8-8.0.
so I got my TA down to 90 and my pH stayed pegged at 7.6 all summer last year.
All I added was chlorine and a little polyquat 60 and my pool stayed perfect. :whoot: and was very cheap to maintain. :-D

Chuck
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
copotay said:
.............So with a 21 x 52, actual water height of four feet, 48 inches, it says I should add 65 ounces of bleach to bring my FC level up from 1 to make it 4, please correct me if I am doing something wrong
Click to expand...
For your 10400 gal pool, 65 ounces is correct. Sorry this is so late, but wanted to respond to let you know that you are using the calculator correctly :goodjob:

As Chuck mentioned, it is a good idea to get your CYA to around 40 or so. Keep track of how many #'s you add so that you can help confirm your CYA test later. Let us know if you need help or want confirmation on how much to add/or and how to add.

Unless your pH is driving you nuts by constantly rising and having to add MA annoyingly often, I suggest you just maintain the pH around 7.2ish. Over time, the TA will come down.

When you get time, please add your pool and equipment specs to your sig. You can go to User Control Pane (upper left under TFP logo) select Profile, then Edit Sig.

You can also add your location to your profile.

This info helps members give better, faster answers. :)
 
Tks Butterfly, I will update my sig right now. Can I ask how often should I test for CYA once I get it at its target, seems it takes a lot of reagent to do the test. Oh and I guess I should wait until the stabilizer fully melts out of the sock to retest.
 
copotay said:
Tks Butterfly, I will update my sig right now. Can I ask how often should I test for CYA once I get it at its target, seems it takes a lot of reagent to do the test.

Once you get it where you want it, you should be good until mid summer - unless there has been a substantial water replacement. Here's a link to our test guide in Pool School: pool-school/basic_pool_care_schedule

Oh and I guess I should wait until the stabilizer fully melts out of the sock to retest.

We suggest to just wait a week before you use the reagent for testing. However, about 24 hours after the CYA has dissolved, assume it is in there and treat your pool accordingly using the corresponding higher CYA/Chlorine level. :)
Click to expand...
 
I sure did I put in in the above ground pool section, my-first-agp-build-t40730.html ,

I just retested again and the TA has dropped to 150, the PH rose to 8.0, and my FC is down to .5, CC is still 0, and CYA still does not register after filling up the vial, I still see the dot. The sun must really be eating the bleach after I added 60 ounces yesterday, according to the calculator, because of the so low CYA if I am understanding how this all works.

I just added the 72 ounces of bleach, and we are headed to Lowes to get MA which now after plugging into the calculator says 42 oz of 20 Baume MA. We are also getting the Aqua Chem chlorine stabilizer 100% cyanuric acid and will put the 14 oz according to the calculator, now that is putting the current range at 30, but I dont know if I should show 20 because the vial overfload past the 30 mark, I could still see the black dot clearly, and the test water was pretty clear in my opinion, which if I do that would mean adding 28 oz of stabilizer to a sock to tie off. Should I try just 14 first and retest after a week?

Oh one other thing I guess it is ok to add all this chemical one after another, the Bleach should be well mixed by the time we get back. I currently have my pump set to run 6 hours a day, should I just let it run 24/7 for a week until the stabilizer is melted?

I have never messed with MA either, what is the best way to get it in the pool, I have read where you pour very slowly over the return jet letting it mix with the water, but should you dilute it first like in a 5 gallon bucket since I am adding so much?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to do everything right. :|
 
copotay said:
I sure did I put in in the above ground pool section, my-first-agp-build-t40730.html ,

Nice job!

I just retested again and the TA has dropped to 150, the PH rose to 8.0, and my FC is down to .5, CC is still 0, and CYA still does not register after filling up the vial, I still see the dot. The sun must really be eating the bleach after I added 60 ounces yesterday, according to the calculator, because of the so low CYA if I am understanding how this all works.

Don't waste your reagent retesting the CYA for now. Look back at my previous post about testing for CYA and what level to use for CYA/Chlorine chart. Lemme know if you have questions.

I just added the 72 ounces of bleach, and we are headed to Lowes to get MA which now after plugging into the calculator says 42 oz of 20 Baume MA.
I'm getting 29ozs...one of us sneezed...Pls reheck before adding to your pool. I'm looking at taking pH from 8 to about 7.2. Is that right?


We are also getting the Aqua Chem chlorine stabilizer 100% cyanuric acid and will put the 14 oz according to the calculator, now that is putting the current range at 30, but I dont know if I should show 20 because the vial overfload past the 30 mark, I could still see the black dot clearly, and the test water was pretty clear in my opinion, which if I do that would mean adding 28 oz of stabilizer to a sock to tie off. Should I try just 14 first and retest after a week?
Well, 14 ozs will raise the CYA by about 10 and you need to be about 30 for now. Since the dot remained visible, you prob have little or no CYA. I suggest you go ahead and add enough to get to 30 from zero, which is about 42 ozs.

Oh one other thing I guess it is ok to add all this chemical one after another, the Bleach should be well mixed by the time we get back.
Excellent question! Bleach/chlorine and MA do NOT play well together. Wait at least an hour between adding one or the other, with pool running. Also, store the MA in a vented area away from the chlorine products. Example: I store MA under the deck, behind a pillar, out of the direct sun, but in the heat.

I currently have my pump set to run 6 hours a day, should I just let it run 24/7 for a week until the stabilizer is melted?
Six hours daily is fine -since you have the CYA in a sock! You should remove the sock to a plastic bucket until the pump is back on. Standard operating procedures. Don't add any chems to the pool unless the pump is running.

I have never messed with MA either, what is the best way to get it in the pool, I have read where you pour very slowly over the return jet letting it mix with the water, but should you dilute it first like in a 5 gallon bucket since I am adding so much?
You need to be careful with MA. Wear safety glasses. Some of us wear a mask. And some of us look like we are going to remove bee hives with smoke! :shock: Stay upwind cuz it can take your breath away! You can add it slowly in front of a return or you can dilute it in a larger plastic container. Up to you, but I prefer to handle it the least amount possible.

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to do everything right. :|
Questions? That's what we're here for! Keep 'em coming cuz we got lots of members ready to help! We have all 'been there and done that' and we know just how good it feels to get the needed help. :-D

I'm sure others will be along to comment on how they handle and store the MA. :wink:
Click to expand...
 
copotay said:
Tks for the instruction I really appreciate it and tks for the comment on the pool job.

I had 29 oz at first too, then I plugged in the 150 TA with Target of 100 and changed the MA to 42 is that right I already put it in.
Click to expand...

You are correct, I aparently sneezed and forgot to plug in the current 150 TA. :oops:

You can forget about the target/goal TA for the computation. Each time you lower the pH back down to 7.2, the TA will drop more. Over time, it will be where you want it. :wink:
 
Thanks for explaining I think I am starting to understand a bit more. Ok so now I will let the acid do its thing along with the stabilizer and I will do my normal testing tomorrow for chlorine and ph and post back. As you said I will not test again for CYA at this point in time. I will post the ph and chlorine again tomorrow night. Tks for the help, alot.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply