Help! 1st Home and Pool

[AestheticWill]

Hello!

I am a recently new home owner, i purchased a house with a pool but the pool looks like a swamp. I am looking to get the water blue before I winterize and I need help. I bought the Taylor K-2006C test kit and now Im regretting my purchase due to the complexity of the tests. But I have managed to get the readings after thoroughly reading the instruction manual a few times over.

FC: 0
PH: Above 8.0 PH (Dark Red color)
Alkalinity: 50 PPM (Calcium Carbonate)
Calcium Hardness : 200 PPM
CYA: >100 PPM (the Taylor K-2006C kit sucks and will not let me read any notches below 100 PPM)

I understand the 1st thing I need to do is to get the PH down with muriatic acid, but after that what else should I do to get the levels right so that I can SLAM the pool? Please help me!!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

First, the test kits you got is one of the best. With a little use it becomes easier to understand and do. Actually, adding a SpeedStir makes the testing even easier.
That CYA test is the best there is. If your CYA is > 100 it is likely WAY over 100 as it is a logarithmic scale. You can redo the test by starting with a 50/50 mix of pool water and tap water and then adding the reagent and then doubling the reading to get a better idea how high it really is. Getting the CYA down to a reasonable level is one of the highest priorities.

I agree I would get the pH reading in the 7s.
Then you need to start replacing water until the CYA is around 70ppm (actually easier to SLAM with it even lower, but with a SWG, you would then have to raise it back up)
Then SLAM away.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Do you even have to winterize the pool? I'm in Georgia and leave mine "open" year round.

 

[Toesinsand]

What's the point in messing with the PH before you dump the water to get the CYA down. The tap water may be high PH as well and then you just dumped a bunch of acid down the drain. I'd dump at least 50% of the pool water and refill first. Then check your CYA again. If it's below 50 proceed to next steps. If not, dump more pool water. Then adjust ph down with acid and slam. Your alkalinity may be way up too depending on your local water, so you may have to continually add acid every day until it is again below 100. Check your CH again too as it will have changed with the significant water changes. SWG may not be working either. Where in Texas? Surprised you are winterizing.

 

[AestheticWill]

Welcome to TFP!!!

First, the test kits you got is one of the best. With a little use it becomes easier to understand and do. Actually, adding a SpeedStir makes the testing even easier.
That CYA test is the best there is. If your CYA is > 100 it is likely WAY over 100 as it is a logarithmic scale. You can redo the test by starting with a 50/50 mix of pool water and tap water and then adding the reagent and then doubling the reading to get a better idea how high it really is. Getting the CYA down to a reasonable level is one of the highest priorities.

I agree I would get the pH reading in the 7s.
Then you need to start replacing water until the CYA is around 70ppm (actually easier to SLAM with it even lower, but with a SWG, you would then have to raise it back up)
Then SLAM away.

Okay thats good to know about the kit, I was a little worried when the instructions had me swirling and doing drops while reading all at the same time.. I thought it was a bit complicated but repetition helps alot. I just did a re-test with the half tap water and half pool water and got some better results. The CYA: 150 - 160 PPM is this still too high for me to SLAM the pool? Also another factor is the PH, it is now 6.8 after dumping muriatic acid, Im curious if I need to bring it back up a bit or if its okay to start SLAMMING right now.

 

[jblizzle]

Well, actually the low pH is potentially more quickly damaging than the high pH was. Might have been better to just ignore the pH and get to replacing water ... which you must do before SLAMing. I would not want it more than 70ppm before SLAMing ... so you need to replace at least 50% of the water.

Did you not use PoolMath to calculate how much acid to add??? You should have been targeting even just getting it in the 7s since you will be draining.

 

[AestheticWill]

What's the point in messing with the PH before you dump the water to get the CYA down. The tap water may be high PH as well and then you just dumped a bunch of acid down the drain. I'd dump at least 50% of the pool water and refill first. Then check your CYA again. If it's below 50 proceed to next steps. If not, dump more pool water. Then adjust ph down with acid and slam.

So when you say dump water, as a new home owner Im not too familar with how to do it but I have an idea, if by draining you mean getting a submersible pump and draining it that I do not have and will have to find other means of draining the pool thru the pipe/drain system in the pool already if that is possible.

Your alkalinity may be way up too depending on your local water, so you may have to continually add acid every day until it is again below 100. Check your CH again too as it will have changed with the significant water changes.

When you say I need to add acid every day to get my alkalinity below 100, what type of acid are you referring too?

SWG may not be working either.

How do i find out if the SWG is working or not?

Where in Texas? Surprised you are winterizing.

Im in Arlington, Tx. Should i not be winterizing the pool before January? This is my first pool so I am unfamiliar with what the norms are for Texas pools. I am only wanting to winterize the pool because I fear that when it gets below 36 degrees and the pool pump is idle water will freeze in the pipes and somehow damage them. Any advice on what to do for Texas pools during our short winter months would greatly be appreciated!

 

[Toesinsand]

Might have been better to just ignore the pH and get to replacing water ... which you must do before SLAMing. I would not want it more than 70ppm before SLAMing ... so you need to replace at least 50% of the water.

Maybe people ignore non-moderators, I think this is basically what I said in my previous post.

 

[Isaac-1]

You should be ok in Arlington without winterizing, although you will want to make sure to run the pump when there is freezing weather to prevent getting broken water pipes. It rarely gets cold enough in the DFW are to be a big concern (once ever 40-50 years perhaps), here in west central Louisiana about 275 miles SE of you no one formally winterizes their pools.

 

[Toesinsand]

What's the point in messing with the PH before you dump the water to get the CYA down. The tap water may be high PH as well and then you just dumped a bunch of acid down the drain. I'd dump at least 50% of the pool water and refill first. Then check your CYA again. If it's below 50 proceed to next steps. If not, dump more pool water. Then adjust ph down with acid and slam.

So when you say dump water, as a new home owner Im not too familar with how to do it but I have an idea, if by draining you mean getting a submersible pump and draining it that I do not have and will have to find other means of draining the pool thru the pipe/drain system in the pool already if that is possible.

Yes, you need to get the current water out of the pool, about 2/3 of it. That is the only way to fix your high CYA problem. Most pools have multiple position valve near the filter that allows you to drain water from your pool using your pool pump. Move it to the drain position or backflush position without the pool pump running and then switch it on and you should start draining your pool.

Your alkalinity may be way up too depending on your local water, so you may have to continually add acid every day until it is again below 100. Check your CH again too as it will have changed with the significant water changes.

When you say I need to add acid every day to get my alkalinity below 100, what type of acid are you referring too?

When you refill your pool with tap water that is hopefully already piped to it, all your chemistry will be off. Test it and then use the poolmath calculator to determine levels and what you need to add. Start with PH. You use muriatic acid.

SWG may not be working either.

How do i find out if the SWG is working or not?

You can tell if you SWG is working or not after you slam your pool. If you can't maintain any chlorine in your pool, it isn't working right.

Where in Texas? Surprised you are winterizing.

Im in Arlington, Tx. Should i not be winterizing the pool before January? This is my first pool so I am unfamiliar with what the norms are for Texas pools. I am only wanting to winterize the pool because I fear that when it gets below 36 degrees and the pool pump is idle water will freeze in the pipes and somehow damage them. Any advice on what to do for Texas pools during our short winter months would greatly be appreciated!

Your pump(s) may have freeze protection through a controller and I don't think you ever get multiple days below zero to get your water anywhere near freezing. If you don't have freeze protection, keep your pumps running anytime the temperature is below 36. I'm in Houston and I never winterize. My neighbor in Flower Mound had a pool when I lived there and he never winterized. Check with anyone locally who has a pool.



You can tell if you SWG is working or not after you slam your pool. If you can't maintain any chlorine in your pool, it isn't working right.

 

[AestheticWill]

Might have been better to just ignore the pH and get to replacing water ... which you must do before SLAMing. I would not want it more than 70ppm before SLAMing ... so you need to replace at least 50% of the water.

Maybe people ignore non-moderators, I think this is basically what I said in my previous post.

Im sorry, I read past it too quickly. That seems like the plan I am going to follow with now. Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

You can only use the pool pump to drain if you can isolate the suction to only be from the floor. Otherwise, you need to rent or buy a submersible pump.

Do not drain the pool on the backwash setting if you can isolate the floor. Use the waste position.

 

[AestheticWill]

So as I was attempting to balance out the PH today, I have been running my DE pool filter for circulation purposes (before I learned that I need to get the CYA level right in order to SLAM). And after washing off the DE Grids on the filter for the 6th time today. I decided to grabbed my pool skimmer and grazed the bottom of the pool to see what kind of stuff is being sucked up through the main drain that is causing me to have to open up my filter and hose it down and look at this.. any suggestions on what to do with this? or should I just follow thru with the draining to get the CYA level and the water chemistry right before I tackle this problem algae. Or is there some way to pump out this algae while i drain my pool at the same time? Any suggestions?

 

[jblizzle]

Why are you opening the filter instead of just backwashing?
Are you adding DE back though the skimmer after each cleaning? You should never run a DE filter without DE in it.

You need to get the CYA lower first.

If you can pump to waste, then you could use a hand vacuum on a poll while draining the pool to remove some of the algae.

 

[Toesinsand]

I don't know if you can be helped through this site yet. You need someone to come show you how everything works. Many pool stores offer pool school and will come to your house to show you how your equipment works.

 

[Seanhan]

drain the whole pool , get a gas powered pump at home depot rental center. the honda one will drain your pool in 1.5 hours.. after that rinse off with hose .. Pump out all the water until the water is clean.
A
Take your D.E. Filter apart and remove grids and clean them with hose, reassembly filter .
Fill pool , turn on pump .. Put the correct amount of D.E. Into skimmer. Now fix the chemistry..
Test everything , now use the pool calculater .
1). Get CYA correct you will have none ... Use instant pool conditioner to get this done quick ...
2). next add liquid clorine from Home Depot
3) fire up the SWG
4) adjust Alkalinity
5) when Alkalinty is right, PH should be really close.
6). dont winterize in Texas.
7). Use a freeze timer to turn pump on if it freezes.
8). keep the leaves out ..
9) use the TFP recomended levels ... THEY really work !!!
When you water is that messed up .... JUST DRAIN IT
You can spend hundreds on products that really wont help you !!!!!!
If you are using a SWG the only thing you need is ACID !!!!! And SALT !!!!! And Liquid chlorine to get your level up until your SWG can take over. I use instant conditioner for my CYA its expensive but good does not messup the PH and in my 30.000 gal pool 1gallon = 10 ppm CYA , so i know what iam doing to the CYA and not adding too much..

 

[jblizzle]

I don't know if you can be helped through this site yet. You need someone to come show you how everything works. Many pool stores offer pool school and will come to your house to show you how your equipment works.

There is no reason that we can not teach them anything a pool store would tell them. Just a little harder not being in person.

 

[pwrstrk]

+ 1 ^^^ IMO it will be better than the pool store !

 

[Seanhan]

My local pool store , Is only into selling Product!!!!!
Even if you dont need it .. And most of them dont even have a pool !!!!
3/4 of the products in the store you should never need ...

 

[Toesinsand]

Perhaps, but it's hard to explain how the multiport works when he doesn't even know what it is or if he has one. Depending on his ground conditions, by telling him to drain it completely, he could even float his pool. It's possible. Then what? How you going to tell him to fix that? For someone with such limited knowledge, it might be better to hire someone to come in clean it, repair it, and get it running normally who will be liable for any major damage they might cause. Then use this site to help maintain it. Just my two cents. I don't like pool stores either and I know they run a scam with tablets, algae inhibitors, phosphate removers, etc. But we already have the guy wasting acid to balance water he's going to dump down the drain, running his DE filter without DE, cleaning the DE filter without backflushing, etc. Not to mention he dropped his ph to 6.8. No one here really knows the condition of his pool and his equipment without going there or seeing lots and lots of pictures. And no one here is going to pony up if he floats his pool or does something else that results in major damage.