Looking for support in moving away from Trichlor

[versstef1]

Not sure where I should post my follow up questions, please let me know if any of this warrants a new thread....
1. Muriatic acid - do I add that at the same time as the chorine, or chlorine first, then MA? How long to wait?
2. I currently run my pump 10-4. This is to capture the sun best. I'm not home during these times. Testing and adding chemicals would have to be at night, after work. Maybe I can just run it on a separate on/off cycle at night? How long do I need - I guess there's the time it needs to mix and then the time after adding the stuff. In the summer, no problem cutting daytime sun exposure, but in cooler times of the year, this would cost me sun time, or add unnecessary energy costs. How do you guys handle that?
3. Speaking of solar heating, my wife likes it HOT, but yesterday the water was 94. She wants to keep going up. SHe wishes the pool was a hot tub. So fine, she gets the summer hot, I get to swim nice and cool year-round. BUT - is there any detriment to the equipment, the pool shell, or anything else starting at X temperature? If so, what is that number?

PS: I'm doubling down and ordering the speed stirrer. I'm excited about it all. Thank you.

 

[jblizzle]

Don't add the acid and bleach at the same time (do not ever mix them). Pour 1 slowly front of a return and after a few minutes you should be fine pouring the second slowly in front of the return.

You want to keep the pump running for up to a hour after you add chemicals for them to mix throughout. You do not HAVE to run the pump during the day. Many people run their pumps for multiple shorter periods spread out over the 24 hours ... but really come down to whatever works best for you.

I can not understand why you would want the pool that hot ... it is not refreshing to me at all. I can not think of any reason why equipment would suffer with the water approaching 100 degrees ... I do not think she would like much hotter than that anyway.

 

[versstef1]

Don't add the acid and bleach at the same time (do not ever mix them). Pour 1 slowly front of a return and after a few minutes you should be fine pouring the second slowly in front of the return.

You want to keep the pump running for up to a hour after you add chemicals for them to mix throughout. You do not HAVE to run the pump during the day. Many people run their pumps for multiple shorter periods spread out over the 24 hours ... but really come down to whatever works best for you.

I can not understand why you would want the pool that hot ... it is not refreshing to me at all. I can not think of any reason why equipment would suffer with the water approaching 100 degrees ... I do not think she would like much hotter than that anyway.

Right, it's not refreshing and this is about as hot as I will allow it. But my wife thinks this is a hot tub, at least when it CAN be. The whole question of pump runtime was that I DO need to run it during the day if I want to capture solar heat.... If it runs from, say 10-3, can I then get a good test result at 6pm or do I have to run it for a while before testing?

 

[jblizzle]

Ideally the pump is running when you test and then after you adjust. (I agree this is a little bit of a hassle if you do not typically run the pool when you are home ... especially when it is then dark when you get home from work).

Do you have a solar controller? If so, just add a short run time while you are home and the solar will not turn on and cool the pool.

 

[versstef1]

Yes, I have the controller, but in the not-so-hot-times of the year, I was more worried about losing sun time by shifting some to the eventing. Or paying more in energy costs for running it more overall. But anyway, I guess there's really no way around that, so I think I will just take away some daytime running and add some at night. Maybe 30 minutes before testing and then an hour after adding?

 

[versstef1]

Quick question on pH - I added 16oz of MA 2 of the last nights (because after the first night, pH was still close to 7.8). Tonight my pH is down to 7.5 or 7.6, but the TA is 60! Is this too low? I have a suspicion that my pool always "aerates" due to the fact that the jet returns do break on the surface about a foot or so from the wall. They are not pointed up all the way, but that's just how they are. They are not moveable. So...I'm not sure about this drop in TA below the recommended 70-90. What if pH keeps rising and I add more acid and TA drops further?

Edit:
Given the full test results, the pool calculator gives me a CSI of -.19. Isn't that supposed to be a great number?
FC 9 (added to bring to 11)
CC .5
pH 7.5 or 7.6
TA 60
CH - did not test, last was ~400
CYA - did not test, last was 80
Temp 90

 

[versstef1]

Should I move this new question to the BBB area to get an answer?

 

[Smykowski]

... but the TA is 60! Is this too low?

What if pH keeps rising and I add more acid and TA drops further?

Every pool tends to find a pH that it considers equilibrium. Since yours always aerates, you may want to use 7.7 or 7.8 as your target. I suspect it will climb a lot slower from the 7.7-7.8 range than the 7.5-7.6 range. You'll just have to watch it carefully to keep it below 7.9 if it creeps up at all.

You can always add baking soda to bring the TA up if needed.

 

[Bama Rambler]

A TA of 60 isn't too low but I wouldn't let it get much below that.

Do you have a SWG?

 

[versstef1]

Thanks! I do not have a SWG. Over the entire last year while using the pucks with 2.5 gallons of 10% bleach every other week, the pH was extremely stable. Using pool store testing, each and every test was always 7.6. Then when I stopped the pucks recently, the pH went right up to he high 7s or possibly 8s (I have a hard time distinguishing the colors that closely, but maybe experience will help). I was told above to bring the pH down. So, I added acid, which brought down the pH, but also the TA (pretty fast it would seem, from 100 to 60 with just 2 cups of MA over two days). I suppose all I can do is watch this? Maybe my pool likes the higher pH? What if pH goes up again a lot, though? Obviously I can't add more acid with TA so low already. I guess I could just watch this for a few days and see if it stabilizes around 7.8 or 7.9.

Adding baking soda would bring pH back up, too, wouldn't it, and thus just lead to more acid use?

 

[Bama Rambler]

You will need to watch it and it's ok if the pH stay's at 7.6 or 7.8.

If the pH gets too high it's ok to add the acid to bring it down but you'll have to add baking soda to bring the TA back up. Some pools even run with the TA near 50 and are ok. If it gets too low the pH will start swinging and then you need to do something about the TA.

 

[versstef1]

OK, cool, I'll watch it for a few days and if goes nuts I'll be back! Thank you!