After taking the cover off last week, starting the pump and vacuuming about 60% of the dirt off the bottom, the pool is starting to look good. So far I've only added bleach (about 6 large jugs of 6%, about 1 a day).
Took a sample to Leslie's and here are the numbers:
Free Available Chlorine (FAC): 2.0
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 70
Calcium Hardness: 90
Cyanuric Acid (CYA): 0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): 1,000
I have a vinyl liner pool. I think it is about 25,000 gallons, but hard to tell as it is a curvy free form shape.
I bought 8lbs of CYA for $36.99. The Pool calculator says I need a little over 6lbs to get to 30. Should I bother trying to dissolve in a nylon stocking hanging in front of a return or just dump it into the skimmer?
The pH and TA seem OK, but low. Do I adjust now to the 7.5 pH target and 100 TA target? I'm thinking of starting slow with 2lbs of borax and 3lbs of baking soda.
Now, after I get these levels right while keeping the chlorine at about 3, what about Calcium Hardness? Pool store says to add 47lbs of "hardness plus" because (i) I have a pool heater with metal parts and (ii) to protect any metal parts in the water like my light. Is this good advice? If so, could I use Cal-Hypo instead of bleach for a while to raise the Calcium Hardness?
So, how am I doing? Any advice on implementing BBB for my pool is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Took a sample to Leslie's and here are the numbers:
Free Available Chlorine (FAC): 2.0
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 70
Calcium Hardness: 90
Cyanuric Acid (CYA): 0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): 1,000
I have a vinyl liner pool. I think it is about 25,000 gallons, but hard to tell as it is a curvy free form shape.
I bought 8lbs of CYA for $36.99. The Pool calculator says I need a little over 6lbs to get to 30. Should I bother trying to dissolve in a nylon stocking hanging in front of a return or just dump it into the skimmer?
The pH and TA seem OK, but low. Do I adjust now to the 7.5 pH target and 100 TA target? I'm thinking of starting slow with 2lbs of borax and 3lbs of baking soda.
Now, after I get these levels right while keeping the chlorine at about 3, what about Calcium Hardness? Pool store says to add 47lbs of "hardness plus" because (i) I have a pool heater with metal parts and (ii) to protect any metal parts in the water like my light. Is this good advice? If so, could I use Cal-Hypo instead of bleach for a while to raise the Calcium Hardness?
So, how am I doing? Any advice on implementing BBB for my pool is greatly appreciated. Thanks!