New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to do?

[thenols]

This is my first pool. I think the previous owner loved chlorine tablets. They also had a nature2 that they used. After doing my reading here, I've decided not to buy the expensive refill for it.

I've been managing my chlorine levels the last week or so using liquid bleach. Sometimes the CC's read 1, but usually they read 0.5. I would like my CYA to be lower so I could have a lower FC level. I know what to do to lower it, but I will probably do that later in the year when it is warmer outside.

PH seems good.

My TA seems high, but I don't know if that's an issue or not.

I did 3 separate CH tests. 1st the normal one and stopped at 1200. Then on a later sample I did the modified test where each drop counted for 25, and gave up at a level of 3000. Then i did the test for if you have metal in your pool and gave after a passing 400. So I have no idea what it is, or what I need to do to get a valid reading. Is an elevated CH level a skin irritant? With a vinyl pool, how much do I need to worry about CH?

One of my kids is complaining about being itchy, but I need to figure out what chemicals I need to get in line then I'll figure that one out.

Also my water is cloudy, what should I do for that? Do I go to the local pool store and buy clarifier? Is there one that is approved for use with the BBB method?

FC: 10
CC: 0.5
PH: 7.5
TA: 130
CH: never got a reading after 3 tries.
CYA: 80

Help me figure out what to do about my CH test, and if there is anything else I should adjust, or advice you have for me, please let me know!

Thanks so much!!!

 

[JasonLion]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

Can you describe your CH test a little more? What color did the sample turn when you first added the indicator dye? Did that color change at all when you were adding drops? One thing worth trying is to do a CH test on your fill water. That should give you an idea if there is some problem with your test procedure vs if your pool water is unusually high in CH. Also, what region do you live in?

CH does not cause skin irritation. That usually comes from either CC or PH out of range.

Very high CH levels can cause problems for any kind of pool.

Your CYA is on the high side. The two ways to lower CYA (and CH) are water replacement and reverse osmosis treatments (not available everywhere).

Have you done an overnight FC loss test? There is some possibility you still have something growing in the water.

 

[thenols]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

Thanks for your help! I live in the dry sunny side of Washington state. South central Washington.

About the CH test: All 3 times seemed about the same. The color turned pink when I first added the dye and it never changed after that. I thought about running a CH test on my fill water, but haven't done one as of yet. I'll do one of those tonight.

I haven't done an overnight FC loss test yet. I'll do that sometime this week. How long do I need to wait after we swim in the pool to do that test? If we swim in the afternoon/evening, can I do the obernight loss test that night, or do I need to wait for a whole day of no swimming to do an overnight FC loss test?

I'll probably do a 50% change out of water near the beginning of July to lower my CYA, unless I should really do it sooner.

Thanks!

 

[Isaac-1]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

It sounds like you have a plan, as to the water change out I would wait to see the results of the overnight loss test, if you have loss you wil lneed to shock (process not product) the pool, doing so at your elevated CYA levels can be difficult, and expensive so that would be a reason to go ahead and do a partial water change prior to shocking.

Ike

 

[thenols]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

I ran some more tests and started an overnight loss test. My current numbers are:
FC 9.5
CC 0.5
TA 160
PH 7.5
Didn't perform CH as it hasn't worked yet and didn't perform CYA as it has been consistent and nothing I've done would have changed it.

I did test the CH of my fill water and stopped at 600. I use the magnetic stirrer, and turned the light on it, and it might be a slight purple color instead of pink. Since I've never seen a test work, I don't know what it should look like.

I looked back at my TA records and it's been between 130 and 160. Tis is probably something I need to take care of as well. Advice is always appreciated

I agree that shocking would be difficult and expensive at my CYA level. If I need to shock, I will probably do a partial change out.

 

[duraleigh]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

Simply monitoring your pH pretty carefully and keeping it in the lower range of safe (7.0 - 7.5) will compensate for your fairly high CH and should eliminate the risk of calcium scaling.

 

[thenols]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

I did the overnight loss test and the results are below:
Start Time:10:00 pm
Start FC: 9.5
Start CC: 0.5

End Time: 5:40 am
End FC: 8.5
End CC: 0.5

It looks like I passed the try, but just barely!

I'm not sure if I have off the charts high calcium or no calcium. I've used over half the final chemical in the CH test already in just a few tests and I've never seen it change.

 

[duraleigh]

Re: New Pool Owner, just started testing. What do I need to

Nice work on the OCLT. Is your water clear?

Let's get to the bottom of that CH test. Check your PM's in the upper left corner of the screen.