Hey All,
After discovering the site last year and doing it all ourselves last year I opened the pool yesterday. The pool was dirty but the water was clear. I went through the entire "Green Monster" experience last year. I am 2-3 weeks earlier this year and the water temp is 49 right now. I am a bit early here in North Idaho but will be gone a good chunk of April so went ahead and pulled the cover. I'd rather look at the pool than the cover anyway!
I did call the local pool shop and ask about opening early and they said to watch the ph due to farmers and acid rain in the area from field chemicals, this would lower PH and I would have to watch CH and TA as well. I told him its ok because my ph tends to climb a bit from aeration and i was told that wasn't possible.
On opening my chemicals as tested with my test kit were:
FC= 1.0 (I had added a gallon of bleach last week before I decided to go ahead and get it all running.
CC= .5 or less
TA= 100
CH= 240
PH=7.8
CYA=80
I ran the numbers in the pool calculator and rented a pump. I dropped the required amount of water to lower the CYA and this am it was done refilling.
I added another gallon of bleach just because and this am I have new results.
FC=8
CC=0
TA=100
CH= 240
PH= 7.8
CYA=35 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Last season the CYA was high and I managed with more chlorine as recommended. In addition my wife was experiencing a rash/bumps on her legs when she got into the pool. Last year our target FC level was around 7-8 I believe. She doesn't experience the same when using our hot tub.
I am hoping that getting the CYA level down and being able to use 3-4 for a target FC level will help the rash/bumps on her legs.
I am also wondering if keeping the PH down on the lower end of things would help. As always really appreciate any advice/experience others might have. We won't be heating the pool for at least another month so not a big issue right this minute. Common wisdom says if she can't enjoy the pool we might as well sell and move.
Thanks
Phil
After discovering the site last year and doing it all ourselves last year I opened the pool yesterday. The pool was dirty but the water was clear. I went through the entire "Green Monster" experience last year. I am 2-3 weeks earlier this year and the water temp is 49 right now. I am a bit early here in North Idaho but will be gone a good chunk of April so went ahead and pulled the cover. I'd rather look at the pool than the cover anyway!
I did call the local pool shop and ask about opening early and they said to watch the ph due to farmers and acid rain in the area from field chemicals, this would lower PH and I would have to watch CH and TA as well. I told him its ok because my ph tends to climb a bit from aeration and i was told that wasn't possible.
On opening my chemicals as tested with my test kit were:
FC= 1.0 (I had added a gallon of bleach last week before I decided to go ahead and get it all running.
CC= .5 or less
TA= 100
CH= 240
PH=7.8
CYA=80
I ran the numbers in the pool calculator and rented a pump. I dropped the required amount of water to lower the CYA and this am it was done refilling.
I added another gallon of bleach just because and this am I have new results.
FC=8
CC=0
TA=100
CH= 240
PH= 7.8
CYA=35 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Last season the CYA was high and I managed with more chlorine as recommended. In addition my wife was experiencing a rash/bumps on her legs when she got into the pool. Last year our target FC level was around 7-8 I believe. She doesn't experience the same when using our hot tub.
I am hoping that getting the CYA level down and being able to use 3-4 for a target FC level will help the rash/bumps on her legs.
I am also wondering if keeping the PH down on the lower end of things would help. As always really appreciate any advice/experience others might have. We won't be heating the pool for at least another month so not a big issue right this minute. Common wisdom says if she can't enjoy the pool we might as well sell and move.
Thanks
Phil