Tabs or Liquid?

[tcat]

My 1st post, great site here! New house, 1st time pool owner. Pool info in signature. I have an auto-chlorinater, using 3" tabs. I hired a pool service just to get started (weekly chem only), but plan on doing things myself once educated. What I find odd is they are using Liquid Chlorine (not shutting off my chlorinater). I know Tabs and Liquid effect PH different ways, just wondering if it's OK to use both.... or which is "preferred". Thanks!

 

[RobbieH]

Liquid is preferred, as it won't continually add CYA to your pool like tabs will. You need to get a good set of measurements and post them, your CYA may already be out of control since you've just been using tablets.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome

Start reading Pool School (button at upper right) to learn about your pool.

Specifically:
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Pucks/Tablets add chlorine (FC) and stabilizer (CYA). The chlorine is consumed the stabilizer is not. When the CYA gets too high, the tablets will not be able to add enough FC and the pool will turn cloudy and/or green.

Liquid chlorine ONLY adds FC and it generally the method we recommended to add chlorine to your pool since you avoid the side effects of the "extras" in the solid forms of chlorine.

We believe in understanding our pool chemistry and through accurate testing (get your own test kit ... recommended ones are in my signature) only adding the chemicals that the pool NEEDS and not what the pool store wants to sell you, thus saving money.

If you are interested in learning, read Pool School and ask questions.

 

[RobbieH]

Now that I think about it, see if your pool guy will give you your pool's chemistry balance. I'm betting he doesn't check it before he adds liquid chlorine, can't wait to hear if he does or not. I haven't seen one do so yet.

 

[tcat]

I doubt he did that. He was here all of 15 minutes last week, not even sure if he came today ("his day")... skimmer not emptied, so my guess is not. I have a kit (previous owner left it, 4 year old house/pool I just moved into), so I plan on checking the numbers as soon as I learn to use it. Will be reading Pool School in the meantime.

Now that I think about it, see if your pool guy will give you your pool's chemistry balance. I'm betting he doesn't check it before he adds liquid chlorine, can't wait to hear if he does or not. I haven't seen one do so yet.

 

[Isaac-1]

One word of warning, the kit may have gone bad with age, particularly so if it was not stored in a climate controlled location, the typical shelf life is under 2 years on some of the test reagents. (if it is a test strip style test kit even when new they are next to useless)

 

[Richard320]

Somebody hasn't been reading much here.....

Bite the bullet, go order a TF100, may as well get the XL version, and a speedstir. Gather up a brush, a vacuum, a pole, that stuff. Then fire the pool guy. You'll recoup your investment before summer is over. And have a crystal clear pool that will be the envy of all who see it.

 

[tcat]

Odds are, bad kit (Penair 78HR)... kept outdoors in Texas heat, for who knows how long...). Will go for the TF100 (just ordered one). Got the tools, do the brushing and leaf grabing, so the pool guy won't last much longer!

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, tcat

Yep, you don't need that pool guy anymore, especially now you have your weapon...the tf100

 

[tcat]

Reply from my pool guy after asking if they showed up yesterday, and for the chem tests:

We are one day behind this week due to the holiday on Monday. He will brush that pool for you if there is algae or sometimes he’ll just do it to avoid any algae outbreaks aswell. He should do a full chem. Check each visit, however cyanuric acid will be tested only every couple of weeks unless we are having issues with chlorine holding in the pool. I can pull his book at the end of the day today and give you the readings that he’s recorded. Please leave the chlorinator as is, he might be using it as we had a small leak in our chlorine storage tanks and had to use tablets for a few weeks so he might be using it until we’ve got a stable tank again. If you need anything before he gets there today just let me know.

Not sure about that "stable tank"... I can't say anything positive or negative since I just started using a service a week ago. I'm sure I'll be doing it myself once I get the kit! "I get by with a little help from my friends..." Thanks!

 

[linen]

As much as I hate to say it, that response form the pool service seems reasonable. They are aware of need to know cya levels and appear to favor the use of LC over pucks.

I am such a diy guy (as are many on this forum) that I wouldn't think about paying someone else to do this...so be aware of my perspective. With that said, pool chemistry is on the very easy end of the DIY spectrum.

Whatever you decide, we are here to help!

 

[Leebo]

WoW

That was a well wrote out reply. Props to them! You're still gonna save a TON by doing it yourself....but keep their number in case of pump/filter/mechanical issues. They sound well organized and upfront.

 

[tcat]

From my pool guy... 25% of the pool during drought, not good!

CL= 3.0 or slightly higher
PH=7.8
Alk=90

Cyanuric acid was tested on 05-22-2012 and read 100+ ppm (which is getting on the high side, probably from the use of tablets over the years). With it being this high I really do recommend taking out atleast ¼ of the pool water and replacing with fresh water to dilute this chemical. The Cyanuric acid will not evaporate with the pool water so the only way it’s taken out of the pool is via backwashing or intentionally draining water from the pool. Rain will help but only so much.

Make sense?

 

[Leebo]

Honestly.......I'd suggest even more. I'd say about 1/2 the pool to try and take your CYA level down to 50. Wait for your own test kit however before you do ANYTHING. I wouldn't make a suggestion like this without your own readings.

 

[jblizzle]

Sounds like he thinks your CYA is too high ... and we would say the same thing. Except we would probably recommend draining at least 50% of the pool. You want CYA to be in the 30-50ppm (our recommendation ... may not agree with theirs).

Note that with a CYA of 100ppm, the FC must be at LEAST 7ppm to avoid the pool turning green ... so now you are in the danger zone.
Note2 that the CYA test only goes up to 100ppm, so you may be WAY over that ... requiring more water change or a higher FC level.

If you got you own test kit, you could get a better estimate of your true CYA level and then adjust to maintain your own pool.

Note3: It is likely that the pool company's recommendations and our recommendations will not match, so you need to decide what you want to do. They will only want to adjust your pool 1 time per week and hope to avoid green. We recommend chemical adjustments daily so you NEVER get green.

 

[tcat]

Wouldn't hurt to start draining. I have auto-fill. Can I just put the pump on "waste" and let the pool refill itself? Is there a way to slow down the draining so it drains at about the same rate as auto-fill? I have grandkids coming tomorrow to enjoy the pool for a week, looking for a slow, subtle way to start this process.

 

[jblizzle]

The pump on waste will remove water WAY faster than the auto-fill (or even a hose in the water for that matter).

Also, simultaneously adding and removing water is the least efficient method and will require much more water than draining at once and then refilling (unless you use a plastic barrier or get clever with where you remove and add).

Finally, you pool is not safe to swim in unless your FC is above the minimum required level for you CYA level ... which is at LEAST 7ppm ... probably higher since your CYA may be well over 100ppm.

 

[Leebo]

If its clean now and the grand kids are coming over, just run with the high cya. Keep your FC at about 11 and you should escape problems for now. Just don't let the FC level drop!

 

[tcat]

Hopefully the "real" test kit will arrive tomorrow. The kit I have doesn't test CYA. I just used the kit I have and got "off the chart" Chlorine level, vial goes to 3.0, definitely yellower than that. pH was about 7.7-7.8. TA was 110. Pool is crystal clear. Not safe?

 

[Leebo]

If it's clear and you have .5CC or less then I myself would call it safe. If you can see the main drain in the deep end you'll be OK.

HOWEVER........
With a low FC mark as you have you are gambling with your water. If it turns and get's algae you will NOT be able to get ahead of it! A drain and refill with fresh water will be your best bet after the kids are gone. If it turns green 1/2 way during their trip, then I wouldn't bother shocking it and trying to clean it. Just start draining.