First day with test kit..... look out mustard algae!

[Modawg2k]

Hey guys, lovely 3 year old swg pool received it's first pool test kit (and not the strips). I took two readings so here are the numbers

Test #1 which i'im not sure if i did it right
pH > 8
FC 1.4
CC 0
TA 90
CYA : not sure if I ran the test correctly. I could see the dot all the way down if I just looked right.


Between test, i added bleach 12% and muriatic acid in quantities based off the pool calculator.

Test #2 (about an hour a half later)
pH 7.6
FC 3.2
CC 0.0
TA 110
CYA: Stilll not sure how to run the test appropriately. I can still see a bit of the black dot when the container is full of water.


ANyways, what's my start! Water currently is clear. FLoor and walls looks drity (mustard algae?)

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Save your reagents and use the 10ml sample test for FC.

Sounds like your CYA is low, if you did the test correctly.
Check out this link
http://www.taylortechnologies.com/ChemistryTopicsCM.ASP?ContentID=36

On the TA test, your TA couldn't have gone up 20 if you added acid - acid lowers TA. So that's testing error.
Wipe the tip of the R-0009 dropper bottle after each drop with a damp cloth to eliminate static so you get uniform drop sizes.

Do you see visible green algae? or are you seeing brown dust?

Tonight do an OFCLT (Overnight FC loss test) with the SWG off to see if your Free Chlorine is holding. If you lose more than 1ppm, you need to do a shock PROCESS on the pool.

Post back with any questions.

 

[duraleigh]

If you have algae of any kind on the pool floor, it will brush up into a cloud. If it doesn't, you have some staining which can be addressed later.

You are doing the CYA test fine. Calculate enough CYA dosage to get your pool to about 40 ppm (for now) but buy enough to get to 60 ppm. Test in several days and you will see the difference.

Wiping that dropper tip on the TA is indicative of VERY fresh chemistry and will go away in just a week or so....meanwhile, do as FPM suggests

 

[Modawg2k]

Thanks, will keep updated. Getting cya after work. I know solid form is best price, but where to get it? Walmart sells cya? Or should I be hitting up a pool store like leslie's?

 

[Richard320]

Thanks, will keep updated. Getting cya after work. I know solid form is best price, but where to get it? Walmart sells cya? Or should I be hitting up a pool store like leslie's?

Walmart should have the HTH brand. Pool store will have it dor sure. Also the pool section (look in the garden area) at Lowes and Home Depot. I've seen it as Ace Hardware too.

 

[Modawg2k]

Walmart best price on this chemical ?

 

[Isaac-1]

It depends around here they only sell trichlor and cal-hypo chlorine products, and some / most also contain copper (avoid these) I usually get most of my stuff at Lowes.

 

[Modawg2k]

I went ahead and bought the Walmart HTH CYA. According to my two initial tests, I have zero CYA.

This bottle says to obtain my desired CYA, I will need more than just this 4lb bottle, but I know I should start low and go slow. Do I put this entire CYA into the socks and into my skimmer?? Seems like an awful a lot of powder

 

[Richard320]

I went ahead and bought the Walmart HTH CYA. According to my two initial tests, I have zero CYA.

This bottle says to obtain my desired CYA, I will need more than just this 4lb bottle, but I know I should start low and go slow. Do I put this entire CYA into the socks and into my skimmer?? Seems like an awful a lot of powder

Yep, it's true. But if you have less than 20 PPM, it'll read zero, so you might already have some in there.

Hang the sock over the side or let it bob around hanging off a pool noodle or an empty bleach jug. You don;t want to restrict the flow in the skimmer.

 

[Modawg2k]

There they are! 4lbs divided among 2 socks..... how long until it will dissolve?

 

[duraleigh]

What a beautiful sight! I am reminded of my teen days when we used to set trot lines to catch catfish. Looks like you got some nice ones!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

About a week, floating. Would dissolve faster tied in front of return. You can squish the socs with your hands to help it dissolve. Won't hurt anything. Wash your hands after.

 

[Modawg2k]

Thanks. The squishing definitely helped to get some out.

 

[Modawg2k]

While I wait on CYA to build up, I wanted to address calcium. I'm in Phoenix so I have hard water.

Here is my pools latest numbers from this early evening:
FC: 4
pH: 7.6
CH: 680

3 y.o. pool has history of scaling (ring around tile & white flecks on the floor). I perform semi-monthly maintenance on the SWG and it always has a decent amount of calcium buildup. I haven't done a great job of water maintenance during these 3 years.

I tested the fill water 2 separate times and my numbers were
Test 1: 175 (10ml sample)
Test 2: 170 (25ml sample)

Will proper water chemistry maintenance be enough to get that CH back to a normal level? Or should I not expect any less with Phoenix? Or should I be seriously considering some water drainage?

Thanks!

 

[Richard320]

While I wait on CYA to build up, I wanted to address calcium. I'm in Phoenix so I have hard water.

Here is my pools latest numbers from this early evening:
FC: 4
pH: 7.6
CH: 680

3 y.o. pool has history of scaling (ring around tile & white flecks on the floor). I perform semi-monthly maintenance on the SWG and it always has a decent amount of calcium buildup. I haven't done a great job of water maintenance during these 3 years.

I tested the fill water 2 separate times and my numbers were
Test 1: 175 (10ml sample)
Test 2: 170 (25ml sample)

Will proper water chemistry maintenance be enough to get that CH back to a normal level? Or should I not expect any less with Phoenix? Or should I be seriously considering some water drainage?

Thanks!

Once Calcium is in the pool, it stays there. It doesn't evaporate. It will continue to rise with evaporation. Mine goes up about 25 ppm/week.

If you play with the pool calculator some, you'll see the CSI number. Above .6 it will probably start growing scale. Below -.6 and it will start dissolving scale or etching plaster. Close to zero, you're good. See what happens to CSI as you shift numbers, including the temperature. By keeping pH and TA down at the low end, you can keep CSI neutral or slightly negative even with really high CH. Once you get about 900 CH you lose the wiggle room and have to start relacing some water.

This is why we suggest testing early. If you wanted to lower CH, you could have done so before you started pouring expensive chemicals in the water! Too late now.... you've got too much happening all at once right now, so I'd advise holding off until things are balanced and the water is crystal clear. Then worry about partial drains. I use pool water on the lawn to reduce CH. It's a slow process, but it's less waste, and the pool is never out of commission.

 

[Modawg2k]

Thanks for the tip. I've been playing around with the csi calculator. It says I'm at a 0.12 now. Gives me a goal of -0.51, but then -0.6 is bad..... I'm guessing disregard that and stick as close to 0 like you said

 

[Richard320]

Thanks for the tip. I've been playing around with the csi calculator. It says I'm at a 0.12 now. Gives me a goal of -0.51, but then -0.6 is bad..... I'm guessing disregard that and stick as close to 0 like you said

If you have any scaling, -.5 will help loosen it, but at a glacial pace.

 

[Modawg2k]

Once I get my cya up, what can I expect as far as cya loss due to backwashing? Or is that too hard to determine because who knows how much backwashing I will be doing?

 

[duraleigh]

Or is that too hard to determine because who knows how much backwashing I will be doing?

Too hard, but it won't be much. perhaps you'll need to add more mid-season.

 

[Modawg2k]

While I am waiting for my CYA to raise, I've been thinking about how I will go about shocking. Should I be raising my cya to swg levels before shocking? Obviously that would mean quite the high level of fc to maintain shocking. Or should I stop halfway up on my cya journey to take time to shock?