Hi from Wilton CT

[Bluefin646]

Good morning TFP,

We renovated our pool 3 summers ago. It is a 38k gallon gunite pool we renovated with Pebbletec, blue/tan tile and sand coping (which ended up being too light when dry, but just the perfect tone when wet). (how do i add pictures?)

I am attempting to takeover the daily/weekly maintenance and am in the midst of my 1st cycle of re-conditioning the water via a 'nationally known strip mall' brand that tests my water for 'free'. So yes, i have already overpaid for akalanity up and hardness plus, amd throw in a phosfree bottle as well.

Initial levels:
Fc 5.0
Tac 5.0
Ph 7.6
Ta 80
Cya 30
Calcium hardness 160
Tds 500
Copper/iron 0/0
Phosphates 300

2 days ago: 15 lbs aklanity up
Yday: 37 lbs hardness up
This am: 30oz phosfree, need to add another 30 oz in 24 hours than retest water on Monday.

So, a few questions. No i dont have a tester yet, but you make it clear which one to order, so I am on that. What is the most efficient chlorine from a price/works great combination? I LOVE the idea of utilizing the BBB method, just don't know enough yet to be there. For example, how do i replace either ultrabright or phosfree Pool perfect in this methodology?

And for the other newbies out there, use the checklists! If you don't know, do NOT proceed to the next step. This am, i added phosfree whoch was suppose to spike my filter pressure, it barely moved above 2lbs. Serious headscratcher pre-coffee. Hmmmm, what's this skimmer attached to my pump??? Whoa, holy packed!?! It took a good 5 minutes to clean, something i should have checked last week!!! So lesson learned. Check everything!

Goodluck and thx for your time.

Tim

 

[Bluefin646]

[attachment=2:17er1gc2]full1pool.JPG[/attachment:17er1gc2]

full view of the pool

[attachment=1:17er1gc2]rtside.JPG[/attachment:17er1gc2]

right side of the pool, cloudy day....

[attachment=0:17er1gc2]leftside.JPG[/attachment:17er1gc2]
left side w spa.

need to find my 'before' shots.....oh my, upside down, how did that happen???
ill work on it, off to soccer

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

You are doing fairly well!

Just completely skip/ignore the PhosFree and UltraBrite. Neither are required or useful.

For chlorine you need to do a little shopping around. Grocery store bleach can be very attractive at some stores, rather high at others. Liquid chlorine from a pool store is often well priced, but is not available in all areas. Shop around and compare prices and see which is best in your area.

Your levels look good, though I would not have increased TA. The recommended TA level is between 70 and 90. I would also increase CYA a little, aim for a CYA of 50.

 

[Bluefin646]

Ok,

Next mistake. Wow these happen often. Mistakes.

So 1 and a half days ago, more like 2 days ok, my chlorine was 5, today almost zero.

Is that possible, man that happened fast.

So i added a 3 inch tablet to each skimmer (2 in all), 2 1 inch disks into a floater, than i broadcasted about 2.5 cups of granular chlorine across the pool.

Were those good panic steps are not???

I hope so.

Hardness 250
Fc, tc .5
Ph 8
Ta 150, this seems to be a poor reading, fyi.
Cya 90. Fyi this was 80 on last test, not 30.
No test for phosphates.

Thx man!

 

[Bluefin646]

New results
Chlorine a 1.0-1.2 ish, hour into treatment, will test 1st thing in the am.

Ta different test confirmed a 90.
More accurate ph gave me a 7.6.

When i turn on lights, as it is now dark out, seems to be many fine particles around the lights, but during day, pool seems very clear. No idea on this one.
Nite all.

 

[Bluefin646]

Thx for all the info on the site!
Got back results this afternoon and pool was very well balanced across the board.
I still have a lot of left over chemicals from last year, and can not afford to toss, so i will
Continue to read/learn and by mid-summer i should be on the bbb method.

Thx all
Be good
And enjoy your pools!