New Water and no FC - Dont Want to Mess it Up!

[jblizzle]

When you do the CYA test, you can pour the sample back and forth a few times to see if you keep getting the same result.

I guess I would assume you are at a CYA of 30ppm. I would lower the pH down to around 7.2-7.4 and then SLAM the pool to be sure the water has nothing growing in it. This may only take 1-2 days if the pool is clean and you can pass all 3 criteria to stop. Once complete, if you are going to run the SWG, then raise the CYA up to the recommended levels, maybe target 60ppm initially and then verify in a week. You can add the salt at any time.

What is the pool surface?

Please add your pool details to your signature and location to your profile as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[jcowart]

PH = 7.7 maybe (hard to tell visually using the kit)
CC = 0 (as it stayed clear)
FC = 4.5ppm
TC = 4.5ppm
TA = 100
TH = ~180
CYA = Ran test 3 times with the following results - 37, 25, and 28.

As far as I can tell I ran all of the tests that I could with the kit. Again, I have a 27,000 gallon concrete pool in which I'm not currently using the SWG and pool has no salt in it. Any suggestions on next steps?

Ok that's about what Dave came up with above. The only thing is what they added should have added 80ppm CH. That might be the case and your fill water added the other 100. The numbers he come up with was from pool calculator. Your min FC with 37 CYA is 3ppm. Now goto http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html. Plug in 27000 at the top. Scroll down to the last yellow box and setup the goals, source, and surface. When you do a test, your test numbers go in the left side and goal in the right and it will generate what you need to add and how much. Also when you test FC with the FAS-DPD, use 10ml and count the drops as .5 it saves your testing supplies.

Edit: Now that you have your kit. Learn to trust your numbers. Start keeping a log and you will soon learn your pools personality. They are all a little different. You will then start to see a trend with what you add to the pool to keep it balanced. Once it's balanced it will run smooth. I saw this in someones signature and it's very true. "A pool is like a pet. You might not want to play with it every day but you still need to feed it."

 

[RUSigX]

Sorry, I have been meaning to add the specs of the pool to my profile but I didn't know all of the details precisely. I will do that tomorrow.

It's a concrete pool, maybe gunite or pebble stone? Looks like little small pebbles on the surface maybe. From the calculator looks like I need to pick up some muriatic or dry acid to lower the PH, some stabilizer to raise the CYA, and a LOT of calcium chloride. Wouldn't just adding stabilizer raise the CYA some as well as lower the PH, that way I don't have to use muriatic acid to lower the PH as well?

 

[jblizzle]

If you are going to SLAM the pool, you should not raise the CYA until you are done. But, you are correct that adding the CYA will lower the pH some.

And yes you may want to add some CH ... aim for the lower end as it rises due to evaporation.

 

[jcowart]

I would not add anymore stabilizer right now. You said that your FC was down to zero. You might need to slam your pool and it will help to target a lower FC number. The higher the CYA the higher your normal FC and slam FC needs to be. Now that you have a good test kit, read over pool school on how to slam your pool. At least do an over night chlorine loss test. If it fails then the slam should not really take very long if your water is still clear. If if does fail and you need to slam, check everywhere when you have your FC up. It will hide in the skimmer area, under stairs, and behind lights. Good luck.

 

[RUSigX]

jblizzle and jcowart - I had thought about slamming the pool due to the fact that the FC was 0 a few days ago (as i hadn't been monitoring the water). As I said in an above post, I put two jugs of bleach in the other day, then one day before yesterday, then 1/2 jug yesterday, then took the reading about 5 hours after the 1/2 jug and got an FC = 4.5. I just checked and FC this morning is 3, that's a loss of 1.5 in approx 17 hours, is that normal? At this point, I would assume to maintain I will most likely just add about 1/4 to 1/2 jug of bleach per day going forward or so. Didn't think I would need to slam the pool as the FC has risen each day and the water is crystal clear and has always been that way.

On the CH test it says add R-0012 drops until the solution turns blue. The instructions do not mention mixing as you add drops. I did mix as I added the drops, did I skew my results by doing this? On most of the tests it tells you when to mix and when not to. I'm concerned about the CH being low as I don't want to etch my pool's finish. Looks like I need to add approx 320oz of calcium chloride since I have a pebble finish.

Edit - Also going to head to the pool store today for calcium chloride, anything else you think I should pick up while I'm there. Keep in mind I have no other chemicals. Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

That loss may be normal, a proper OCLT would verify there is nothing in the pool.

Yes you should be mixing as you add drops for any of the tests. The SpeedStir makes the testing easier.

If you do but want to SLAM and are going to run the SWG, you need to raise the CYA and add salt, but I would not buy any if that at the pool store. Get solar salt from a hardware store and CYA from Wal-Mart.