First test with TF-100

[algaspar]

We received our TF-100 test kit yesterday, and did our first test today. Here are the results:

FC: 10
CC: .5
TA: 80
CYA: 21

I have to say that the CYA is a bit subjective as it came to just under the 20 line on the vial. I have a SWCG pool with a vinyl liner. It is about 30,000 gallons--41x16. Reading, it seems that my TA is fine and so is the CC level. I am unsure about the FC and CYA levels. It sounds like the CYA may be low, and I am unsure about the FC levels. Any insights into these readings would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks--

Al

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

When you do the CYA test, you should be in bright sunlight with the sun to your back and the vial at waist level. Pour the contents back and forth a few times to see if you are consistent.

With a SWG, you certainly want to raise the CYA. Your FC is a bit high, but still safe to swim in. Have you read the recommended levels and the CYA/FC chart in Pool School?

Did you test the pH?

 

[algaspar]

I didn't do the CYA test in bright sunlight. I did it indoors; so I will repeat it tomorrow. The PH was 7.5.

Thanks!

--Al

 

[algaspar]

OK. I did the CYA test again in sunlight today. I get between 40 and 45; so that still seems very low according to the chart with an SWG in a vinyl pool. Should I raise the CYA? Should I do something to drop the Chlorine level?

Some other test kit questions--

On the basic kit that comes with the TF-100 I got a 5 on the OTO chlorine test. Is that just because it only goes that high? What should I be wanting to see with that test?

I also got the Aquachek test strips along with the kit. I have a Pentair IC-40. On Tuesday or Wednesday it was indicating low salt (red light); so I added 40 lbs of salt. On Thursday the test kit and strips arrived and it was still showing low; so I used the strips. The strips gave me a 5.8 reading, which according to the chart on the bottle indicated that my salt was 2310. According to the chart that came with the strips, I would have needed to add some 200 lbs of salt to the pool to get to 3000. I had 40 lbs of salt; so I added that. I went to test it again Friday, and my SWG indicated that my salt level was good (no red light as before). The Pentair has 3400 as its ideal level for salt. So are my strips bad, or what?

Thanks--

Al

 

[pwrstrk]

Raise your CYA to 70 - 80 ppm. The OTO test only reads to 5 ppm. It's a quick check of FC level.

Take a look at this pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator

Put your pool in your sig. It will help us help you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

 

[algaspar]

I modified my signature. Trying to make it accurate using various pool volume calculators...

I guess the biggest thing that is off in my pool is the CYA. I'll pick up some stabilizer today to bump this up. Until a week ago last Friday I had a pool company maintaining my pool. Any reason that they would have kept the CYA down to 40 on an SWG pool, or could it have dropped 30 points in that week?

Should I do anything to drop my FC from 10 down to a more reasonable number?

Thanks--

Al

 

[algaspar]

The pool calculator indicates that I would need to add 322 oz of liquid stabilizer to go from 40 to 70:

Add 124 oz by weight or 129 oz by volume of stabilizer or add 322 oz of liquid stabilizer.

I bought a gallon of instant conditioner for a start. Should I just dump in the whole gallon and then test again, or should I be more aggressive in raising my CYA.

Sorry for all of these newbie questions, and thanks for all of the help.

--Al

 

[Richard320]

The pool calculator indicates that I would need to add 322 oz of liquid stabilizer to go from 40 to 70:

Add 124 oz by weight or 129 oz by volume of stabilizer or add 322 oz of liquid stabilizer.

I bought a gallon of instant conditioner for a start. Should I just dump in the whole gallon and then test again, or should I be more aggressive in raising my CYA.

Sorry for all of these newbie questions, and thanks for all of the help.

--Al

I think you have a fine idea. Add the liquid and give it at least a day and recheck it. It's easy to add more, hard to get rid of. And since that test is a bit tricky, it's better to be safe.

 

[algaspar]

I think things are going well (despite having to add water to make up for losing about a third ). My current readings:

FC 9 ppm
CC .5 (at most)
PH 7.5
TA 70
CH 110 (at most)
CYA 70
Salt 3700 with Aquacheck strips (my Pentair IC-40 recommends 3400)

I haven't added borates as one of my dogs keeps drinking from the pool whenever she is there...

When I had my water loss, I used liquid bleach to get my FC up to about 4.5. I checked again a day after I had increased the salt to 3700, and my FC was at 9. My Pentair IC-40 SWG was set at 40%; so I dropped it down to the minimum of 20% when I saw that. Does that seem a reasonable approach? I have a timer, but it has never been used; the pump just runs all of the time.

I do wonder a bit about the accuracy of the FC test. I am getting two small drops from the R-871 bottle rather than one large drop. I assumed that I should count those as one drop. Am I correct?

Thanks--

Al

 

[duraleigh]

We suggest a pump run time of 12 hours daily and then dialing that up or down, depending on the cleanliness of your pool. You will have to adjust SWG output accordingly if you change your pump run time.

I do not understand your question about the FC test.

 

[algaspar]

Hmm, I guess I'll have to see if I can find the trippers for my timer. I used to have a pool company take care of my pool, and they must have removed all of the trippers... Running it 12 hours a day would definitely save me some electricity. I have a gas heater. Will it be a problem for the heater having to bring the pool back up to temperature every morning after cooling at night?

What I meant by the the drops for the FC test was that the R-871 bottle used to put out one large drop at a time (and all of the other reagents continue to do so), which made counting drops easy. Now, though, no matter how carefully I try, it is giving me two drops. They seem much smaller; so I am wondering if I can assume it is the same amount that I was getting when it was giving me one large drop. I bought extra reagent; so I'll try that bottle and see if it does better...

Thanks--

Al