Rookie pool owner--update with test kit #s

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Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

I added almost 2lbs CYA last night along with 10oz of 48% cal hypo shock. The pool looks better today--definitely less growth. The water, for the most part, is pretty clear with bits of algae growing along bottom. I just vacuumed it and looks fairly decent, considering. It is a tad cloudy, but, then again I did just vacuum it.

The test strips (I know, I know...useless but all I have right now until I get the kit in the mail) now shows high FC (opposed to yesterday it said there was NONE)

Adding--before yesterday I have never added CYA to the pool so whats in there is just what I added last night.
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

Do you have any test kit with drops? Even the HTH 6-way kit at WalMart is better than guessing and better than every test strip made..

I know we teach to use the good one but this an OK place to start, until you need t shock with FC levels above 5 PPM, which is almost every time.
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

[attachment=1:c8h7cpnu]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1374688981.731289.jpg[/attachment:c8h7cpnu]

algae along center seam
[attachment=0:c8h7cpnu]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1374689036.800487.jpg[/attachment:c8h7cpnu]


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Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

Well, you are in pretty good shape already. If you kit is on the mail. I would say add about enough liquid chlorine to get you to the levels for your "assumed" CYA and add about that much each day until you get your kit. I would vacuum up the debris is you can, to waste if your fill water is clean and good. When I say assumed CYA, if you added x pounds to get to Y CYA, assume you have this much in your pool for the calculator.

I did a guess, for 4000 gallons with a "measured" 2FC target of 6FC and a 30CYA, it suggested 30 oz of 8.25% bleach. If you added 30 oz today and then 20 oz each day until you kit arrives, I would say you would be functional. I don't like guessing but I would rather see you clean, blue and little high on your FC than green and sad.
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it! Is there a better time of day to add the bleach? I added the cal-hypo last night pretty close to midnight if that matters. I still have a few bags of this--should I just toss the rest or is this something I could use?

I'm guessing the pool isn't swim-able during this time, correct?
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

Night time, when the sun is down is the best time to add. That way all of the chlorine can work on killing things, rather than being eaten up by the sun. Don't use anymore cal-hypo until you get your test kit. If your CH is low, you can use some. If your CH is high, you will be at risk for scaling. The pool is swimmable 30-60 minutes after adding chemicals, provided the chlorine is below your shock level and above your minimum, and that your pH is in range. Keep in mind that if you are doing the SLAM, swimming will slow it down.
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

JohnN said:
Night time, when the sun is down is the best time to add. That way all of the chlorine can work on killing things, rather than being eaten up by the sun. Don't use anymore cal-hypo until you get your test kit. If your CH is low, you can use some. If your CH is high, you will be at risk for scaling. The pool is swimmable 30-60 minutes after adding chemicals, provided the chlorine is below your shock level and above your minimum, and that your pH is in range. Keep in mind that if you are doing the SLAM, swimming will slow it down.
Click to expand...


Thank you all for sticking with with me--I'm sure you guys answer the same questions over and over and over! It seems so much to grasp!! Do you agree w/ Techguy that 30oz of 8.25 bleach would be acceptable while waiting for the kit? I want to be starting the SLAM as soon as the kit arrives. You say that swimming will slow down the SLAM--doing the SLAM I'm bringing it up to SHOCK level, right? I'm a little confused. I keep reading POOL SCHOOL--I'm missing something. :scratch:
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

As to swimming, I would swim in the pool you showed. I meets the requirement that you see the bottom and its blue and pretty clear. Swiming does slow it down but as long as you keep the FC high enough, it will keep cleaning. Nighttime additions are best and as to using CalHypo, like he said, if your Calcium Hardness (CH) is high, you will have the risk of scaling but this a pretty low risk in a vinyl pool. If your water is cheap and clean, you could change some of it to reduce your CH.

At this time, we are guessing and if you have only used CalHypo in you pool, your CYA may not be too bad but if your used dichlor or trichlor pucks, your CYA could be high.
 
Re: Rookie pool owner--so confused, so many questions!!

I agree with techguy's estimate of 30 oz. of 8.25% bleach. Even if it's too much (which I don't think it is) it will dissipate within a day or two from the action of sunlight and any organic material in the pool. I also agree with his suggestion to add 20 oz. per day as you SLAM the pool. Once you get your test kit, you can refine these numbers but they are a good starting point. Better a little too much FC than not enough. Once you let algae get started it can be difficult to get under control, so you want to avoid the problem in the first place.

You should get familiar with the pool calculator found online here --> http://www.poolcalculator.com/

Once you get your test kit, you plug in the size of your pool in gallons at the top of the screen, and then the results of each of your water tests. At the bottom of the colored section are "Suggested Goal Levels". I use the TroubleFreePool.com recommendations. You also need to enter your primary source of chlorine (Bleach, right?), and your pool surface (vinyl). The pool calculator will tell you exactly what what quantity of what chemicals to add.

When you get your test numbers, please post them here for us.
 

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So we just got the tf 100 kit (yay!) We are just starting to do proper testing (finally) When we did the basic chlorine/pH test (in blue kit) on the chlorine side it was completely orange. We're currently doing the other test but just curious what orange means. :/
 
Hmmm... something is not right. Chlorine results are inconsistent. Based on the orange color in the OTO I expected FC to be very high but you said its only 1.8? Can you repeat the chlorine (FAS/DPD) tests and post the results.

Don't worry about CH (calcium hardness).
 
For your PH test, you can do it again but add a 6th drop of the red phenol and see if you get a richer (more saturated) color. Looks like 7.0 to me.

Both the OTO CL and pH tests are not affected by the number of drops. The colors get more saturated. You are looking for the color, not how dark the color is.
 

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