First post, could use some help

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W

weak-link

0
Feb 28, 2010
8
Visalia, CA
Long story short, bought house 4 years ago. Came with the pool. Used Lesliepool to test and treat for the first year. Got sick of making the 20mi drive and spending 40$ every week with unsatisfactory results, so I got a pool guy...

Pool Guy was great for the first year and a half...then it started going south...

Got rid of pool Guy back in December...

Drained pool... pressure washed the .5" of DE off of everything... found what pool guy broke... Replaced the backwash valve in bottom of the filter...

filled pool with well water, tossed two tabs in the skimmer basket.




Took sample to lesliepool yesterday.

Free Chlorine = 0
Total Chlorine = 0
Calcium Hardness= 320
Cyanuric Acid = 0
Total Alkalinity =250
PH = 8
Acid demand = 2
Copper = 0
Iron = 0
Total dissolved solids = 0
Phosphates = 200


Added .5gal of muriatic acid last night, let pump run for 4hrs per lesliespool's recommendation



Guessing pool is 30,000 gal, pebble tech surface
Have had high pH from day one

I know I need to get a test kit, Just haven't pulled the trigger on one that fits my needs.

I'll try to add some pics in a second.


My question... what do I need to do to make it look like a pool not a pond?

genu9eta.jpg
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I'm no expert, just a newb....but based on my reading here the first thing everyone suggests is stop going to Leslie, and get your own test kit. I saw that this is in your plans...but this should be step one.

Apparently Pool store water testing is worth zilch more often than not.

Have you read about the "BBB" method? I've noticed it is highly recommended on virtually every pool owners forum. there's another method "SLAM" IIRC which should help you get from green pond to blue oasis. But it should be reiterated that none of this can be done reliably w/o a test kit.
 
Hello, and welcome to TFP! We will have your pool looking great before you can swim, for sure!

First thing, to make sure they don't steer you the wrong way, don't add any CalHypo to your pool (Leslie's calls it Power Powder). Your CH is already in range and if you add any more you'll be over the recommended top end.

The test kit you need is the TF-100 or the K-2006. Note the K-2005 won't have the FAS-DPD chlorine test you'll need. You can find both at http://tftestkits.net

You need to SLAM the pool. My recommendation right now is to do this:
1. Order the test kit so it can get on the way
2. Read about the SLAM process here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl
3. Ask questions, prepare for the SLAM while your test kit is on the way
 
mrcarcrazy said:
Have you read about the "BBB" method? I've noticed it is highly recommended on virtually every pool owners forum.
Click to expand...
Just a note that we no longer use the BBB term at this forum. We refer to our methods as the TFPC method.
We found that the meaning of the B's ended up with confusion for new members thinking that they had to buy all the Bs, when in reality many people NEVER use 2 of them.
 
jblizzle said:
Just a note that we no longer use the BBB term at this forum. We refer to our methods as the TFPC method.
We found that the meaning of the B's ended up with confusion for new members thinking that they had to buy all the Bs, when in reality many people NEVER use 2 of them.
Click to expand...

TFPC, a new acronym? You're killing me :p

Trouble Free pool Chlorine?
 
Thanks for the advice Robbie & mrcarcrazy, thanks for hijacking my first thread jblizzle.

I've lurked for awhile, so yeah I have read up on the bbb or as its now called TFPC.

While I'm waiting for the test kit what should I be stalking up on?

Bleach? The pool math calculator gives me 249oz of 6% of bleach needs to be added. so 2 gallons to start, should I expect on using lots of bleach for the next couple of weeks to get it up to snuff?
 
RobbieH said:
You need to SLAM the pool. My recommendation right now is to do this:

2. Read about the SLAM process here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl
3. Ask questions, prepare for the SLAM while your test kit is on the way
Click to expand...

According to the Chlorine / CYA Chart my shock level would be 10. Currently my lvl is @ 0, The PoolMath Calculator is kicking out 49gal of 6% bleach to be added.

Do I need such a high shock lvl when my CYA is 0? I'm guessing not...?

- - - Updated - - -

pwrstrk said:
Are you sure it's 6% bleach. Most bleach now is 8.25% unless you have some older bleach, and then I would question its strength being old.
Click to expand...

That is just the original setting on the Calculator. I changed it to 8.25%, thanks!


Now its kicking out 39gal of 8.25% bleach... to reach 10 for the shock lvl
 

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First let me say welcome, second let me say "pardon our progress" we are on all new forum software here that just went live today after everything being down for the weekend, so we are all getting used to the new feel of the place.

My advice, read the pool school articles in the upper right of this page, order a good test kit, I use the TF-100 (see the link in my signature), and remember step one on any journey is knowing where you are starting from.

Ike
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

I would like to add another apology ... you just happen to be the guinea pig as the first active new member to join after we switched software. As such we have found that all your post have been needing to get approved by a moderator (instead of only the first like the old software). So, your posts may have been delayed showing up on the forum and could have been approved out of order. We are starting to get the hang of things.

As others have stated. With one of the recommended test kits, the information in Pool School, and all of our members available to answer questions ... you will quickly be on your way to a sparkling pool.
 
No worries... I'm not a new member... But I am posting for the first time.


Question,
Will a cheap test kit get me through lowering the pH and starting with the slam/shock.

I ask because I'd like to get it started ASAP. While I'm waiting on a tft-100 kit
 
A cheap $10 test kit will let you adjust pH, and give you some idea of your chlorine level, but not really enough to accurately perform the SLAM process. On a side note what does your water look like now?

Ike
 
Since you are in CA, PoolSupplyWorld carries the recommended TF-100 and it should save you some on shipping cost and get to you faster than ordering from tftestkits.net in NC.
 

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