First test run with the TF-100 test kit

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danjaymor

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Jul 22, 2013
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Mesa, Arizona
Okay, finally got a chance this weekend to run a full test using my new TF-100 test kit. Have been using a Stanley kit supplied by the PB since July, but wanted to make sure I was using the good stuff. Here's my numbers:

FC - 14! (Have dialed back the pump run time as of this to 2 hours a day, will re-check tomorrow)
CC - 0
PH - 7.8 (Has been worse, this new pool has been an acid sucker!)
TA - 160
CH - 360
CYA - 0/did not test (Have not added any yet, want to get this chlorine level fixed first)
No Borates yet, but when I have a handle on balance I intend to add
NaCL - 2800 ppm (Pool control monitor reads 3200 ppm, but I trust the test kit)

Thanks to all of the good advice on this forum I believe you've given me the data I need to move this in the right direction, but I'm always open to comments or suggestions!

-Dan
 
Do not adjust ph (or test for it) when the FC is above 10 ppm, the ph result is invalid. Retest your ph when the FC drops below 10 ppm. :!: An FC of 14 ppm with no cya means you have extremely high "disinfecting chlorine" level. I would start getting cya in as soon as possible, we recommend 70-80 ppm. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator

By the way at 70 ppm cya and 14 ppm FC your "disinfecting chlorine" level is 10% of what it is right now.
 
And THAT is why I posted this here. Thank you, Linen! I will go investigate that route.....

The other test kit I had been using had also been showing "off the color chart orange" for a couple of weeks so I could not get an accurate number, just knew it was higher than 5.0......

Still learning here, little by little.....
 
I've been mainly focused on PH creep (more like PH "jog") since start up of this pool......I haven't hit any "panic" buttons, yet, as the water has remained "clear and pretty"......our fill water here is very hard, though, so have been concerned about potential scaling.....
 
Second adjust CYA to between 70 and 80. The biggest mistake that many SWG owners make is NOT having enough CYA in the water! This can create a lot of problems like high acid demand, algae outbreaks, cloudy water, or early cell failure.
Click to expand...

Doh! Rule #2 of SWG balance in Pool School! How did I overlook this??? :hammer:
 
Alright.....had to go run some errands including picking up more MA today. Just for grins took a sample into the pool store. Told him I was most interested in CYA test, he runs it and tells me "you've got plenty, it's at 105 which is a little high, but okay". Of course based on high FC he recommended that I "go to tabs for this time of year". Of course I don't intend to....

I just ran my own test back at home, I come up with CYA of 45.

Now my question is who do I trust, him or myself? Do I run test again?

And at any rate, CYA is definitely not at zero.......

Going to re-run my FC test again to see if there is any change with the shorter pump run time from last night....
 
Trust your own testing ! The pool store usually is not accurate on the CYA test. Did you do the test in full sun with your back to the sun and the sample at waist high ? You'll want your CYA level to be 70-80 for a SWG.
 
Thanks, Jeff......yes I did it in full sun, waist level, back to the sun. I will run it once or twice again just for my own confidence. It makes sense, the pool store conducts their tests under strip mall fluorescent lighting......
 
Don't think it's just the lighting that is skewing the pool store results. By and large, pool store testing will NEVER be as accurate as your own testing for a whole variety of reasons.

Time and time again, people falter when they start believing pool store advice and test results.

Use your own good kit and trust your own test results.....it's a basic principle of the TFPC method.
 

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Thank you, Dave! I trust your advice!

And it all fits in with my plan to manage my own pool and not trust somebody else to be yanking it around.

Agreed, it was not just the lighting, the kid sloshed chemicals around during his test like he couldn't wait to be done with me. He was successful. I'm done with him! :wink:
 
Okay. Had a rare day off today so I finally got a chance to run full test again.

Since my original post a few days ago I did add some MA, and I also adjusted the pump run time down to 2 hours per day. The SWG is set at 10%.

Here's the results:

PH 7.5
FC 15.0
CC -0-
TA 150
CH 280
CYA 35 (On this test I re-used the sample 4 times. Got a 35, 30, 40, & 35. I assume the average is close enough?)
NaCL 3200

Okay, so based on Pool School "range for SWG pools", my TA is too high and my CYA is too low. And I am baffled by that FC number.

Which do I attack first? And do I actually shut down my pump every other day or at least shut off the SWG every day or so to get that FC number in check?

Thanks in advance for any advice....

-Dan
 
Well, for the FC, you just need to turn the SWG down more. Also ignore the pH test when the FC > 10ppm.
The TA is nothing to really worry about. It will lower on its own as you keep the pH in range. It only becomes something you want to adjust if you are finding the pH rising faster than you like.
The CYA is too low for a SWG pool, but clearly the SWG is having no problem keeping up with the losses to the sun. I would consider just leaving it for now and raise it up in the spring. It is less important with the lower FC demands in the winter.

So really the only thing to do is to get the FC down and keep monitoring. Is your UV on? If not, you could use that to consume the FC ;)

How confident are you with the high FC reading? That is a little strange to be that high with the low SWG output and low CYA?
Do you have the yellow OTO chlorine test?
 
Hi, Dave....yes, keeping her open year round here in AZ....will still be using the spa here over the winter.

Jason, thanks. Yes, was not too worried about TA right now, although I like the concept of adding borates, and in reading about such in Pool School I will eventually have to get that TA number down to do so.

I bought a TF-100 from Dave, I'm pretty confident in the readings. OTO test shows "off the chart orange", drop test turned color at 15 drops.

LOL on the UV....yes, it's on.....runs full time during pump run.

I'm not in panic mode or anything, the water is beautiful. I am just one of those that likes to get a handle on how things work and understand what's going on with my pool.

I first notice the FC climb when our temps dropped from 110 to mid 70s for the fall, resulting in water temp dropping from around 90F down to a pretty constant 60F.

I'm going to dial the SWG down as far as it will go......I'm not positive but I believe I can reduce it from it's current 10% setting down in increments of 1, so I will knock it down to 5 for a couple of days and keep on testing.....
 
I just wanted to confirm that the OTO showed dark which validates the FC reading you got. :goodjob:

What is the TA of your fill water? That will give some idea how realistic it is for you lower and maintain a low TA. If your fill water has a high TA, then even if you work the TA lower, as water is added to refill after evaporation, the TA will tend to rise back up.
 
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