hi im Dave and this is my second season with a pool. i bought my home with a pool and learned everything i know from youtube and Leslies nearby. i been reading about chemicals and im confused.i use trichlor in my skimmer and powder shock sometimes. last year i only used trichlor and eventually algea started to grow. people wouldnt notice but i did. it wasnt bad just a few spots where water didnt circulate like corners. this year i use more shock (powder) and phosphate remover. i get my water tested by leslies every month and adjust accordingly. am i doing this right or should i be doing something different. of my tests i never had an acid problem, ph or anything else out of balance, so far my issues were low chlorine and high phosphates and low alkaline. i added the necessary chemicals to balance the water. im afraid when i have a real problem how do i prevent this.
hi
- Thread starter bootmarine123
- Start date
You should spend a good deal of time reading pool school. Especially the basics.
You'll soon learn that telling us the levels are in range or are good doesn't mean anything. We need actual test results.
You'll also learn that phosphates are a non-issue. It's just a way for the pool stores to make money off you.
By reading and understanding the things taught here you'll understand what to do to your pool and also what to do when it all goes sideways. But most importantly you'll know how to keep it from getting sideways.
You'll soon learn that telling us the levels are in range or are good doesn't mean anything. We need actual test results.
You'll also learn that phosphates are a non-issue. It's just a way for the pool stores to make money off you.
By reading and understanding the things taught here you'll understand what to do to your pool and also what to do when it all goes sideways. But most importantly you'll know how to keep it from getting sideways.
free clorine 0
alkalinity 70
cya 55 - 50
ph 7.8
i added shock and trichlor and alk decreser. thats what i had on hand
alkalinity 70
cya 55 - 50
ph 7.8
i added shock and trichlor and alk decreser. thats what i had on hand
i constantly have to turn on my pool pump many times throughout the day. it probably rund for maybe an hour a day if that. how do i get my wife to leave it alone.she only wants it running when we asre using it. meaning that it only runs a few hours on the weekend. during the summer. im going to stop caring for the pool if she wont leave it alone. maybe i should drain it and leave it alone forever. i was really happy when we got a pool and i know she liked it too. i tried to learn everything i could from cleaning to caring for the water. i want to have nice parties and a reason for people to visit me. i have to reming her constantly that the pump is on a timer and it will shut off automatically but she doesnt care. its on a 2 hour time which is really low (my winter setting) i have to manually clean it more than most owners. what can i do please help. i had a consultation with a solar power company who said my electricity usage is too low for solar panels.
It sounds like more of a domestic problem than a pool problem, simply put, if you don't run the filter and circulate the water, you will have problems with the pool that will end up costing a lot more money in chemicals than the pump uses in electricity.
Maybe you should set the timer to run the pump at night. That way maybe she won't turn it off.
Now for the chemistry.
You need to get a good test kit and then you need to run an OCLT (see my sig).
You should get some FC in the pool now. At this point you probably need to shock but you need to use liquid instead of solid.
You should also lower the pH.
Don't trust the pool store test results, especially the CYA test.
What are the ingredients of the so called 'shock' you've been using?
Now for the chemistry.
You need to get a good test kit and then you need to run an OCLT (see my sig).
You should get some FC in the pool now. At this point you probably need to shock but you need to use liquid instead of solid.
You should also lower the pH.
Don't trust the pool store test results, especially the CYA test.
What are the ingredients of the so called 'shock' you've been using?
those results are my tests. i didnt have any chlorine in the pool for a week & 1/2 so thats why the chlorine might have gone down. plus its really sunny here. i shocked with calcium hyprochlorite. i have the standard dDPD test i dont have money in the bank to order the taylor fas. next payday i will order one. my water is getting cloudy but its really dirty right now. letting the filter run to clean it up. my neighbor has a tree that makes little flowers and they fall off and goes in my pool. i have to net that Darn out every day plus clean my skimmer when i can get my pump running for a good time. i will do the OCLT test tonight.
i just tested for FC ind it was high. above 5. this was after shocking last night and throughout today sitting in the sun. i used 1 bag of powder shock this is the shock i used ( http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Pool-Ch ... 14676.html ) it says for 16,500 GAL my pool calculated to 18,000. sometimes the shock settles on the bottom and my vac picks it up and sends it to the filter where it still chlorinates the water. that could be why its still high. what do you think
High FC is a relative term. Above 5 really doesn't tell us anything. With a CYA of 55 your shock level would be ~20 ppm FC. 1 lb of Cal-hypo won't even get you close to shock level for your CYA.
You seriously need to read the How to shock article in Pool School. It explains what "shocking" your pool really is. Hint: it's not some product you throw into your pool.
I really don't mean to beat you up about this but You will be much better off learning the right way to do it.
You seriously need to read the How to shock article in Pool School. It explains what "shocking" your pool really is. Hint: it's not some product you throw into your pool.
I really don't mean to beat you up about this but You will be much better off learning the right way to do it.
i didnt add powder shock to "shock" the pool. i added it to up the level of FC in the pool. the FC level went to zero because i didnt add any chlorine to the pool for at least a week and half. it was neglect. in the past i had trouble maintaining FC level at a good level. then i didnt know about shock. and adding it. i just used trichlor and it often became used up before i added more. i started to have algea growth but only on the walls as the rest of the pool was being filtered. i know where to look for algea in my pool when it starts. my pool didnt become green it was very clear just a few spots on the wall (low circulation areas) i know it is in the water before it gets on the walls. and i know more about FC now. i add the powder shock to up the FC level and if i really wanted to shock i would add 2 lb.
You will continue to have out of balance water which leads to algae outbreaks, strong "chlorine" smells, burning eyes. etc until you take control of your pool through testing and proper dosing and stop just adding a handful of this or a handful of that. If you need help doing this we will gladly walk you through it,. but to paraphrase the various 12 step programs, you have to want to change first.
Your still not understanding the shock process are you? Adding 2 lbs of cal-hypo will only raise your FC to 9.5 ppm. That's less than half your shock level for your CYA.
You owe it to yourself to read Pool School, especially the parts about shocking and proper levels.
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