Using CalHypo will drive up your CH level in the pool. I don't see a list of your current chemistry, so I can't comment on whether or not you can use it or not.
Houston, we have a problem...
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I'm just running scenarios while I wait on my test kit. If I have to drain water to lower my CYA, that will also lower my CH.
So, no opinions on using cal-hypo instead of, or in conjunction with bleach if CH is not an issue?
It's your pool and you can do whatever floats your boat. If you have it and it's not going to drive your CH out of whack, go for it. I can get bleach less than $3 a bottle and in this case you need either ~4 bottles of bleach or ~4 bags of cal-hypo. Bleach is cheaper and doesn't add calcium. All depends on your water, your costs and your long term plan for sanitation.
TexasGolfer,
Recommended CH for a plaster pool is 250 to 350.
When you get your test kit you will be able to test the level of CH in your pool already (or once you are done draining and refilling if you need to).
If you want to SLAM your pool with the cal-hypo you have you will need to add approximately 62 oz. at first to raise your FC to 24 (assuming your CYA is 60 and FC is 0). At that point your will be adding 17 to your CH numbers and 4.4 for every bag after that. The goal in the SLAM process is to keep your FC up to SLAM level (24) at all times.
So lets say you add 62 oz of Power Powder Plus at first and test again later that evening and find out that your FC level dropped and you need to add two more bags. In that period of time you will have added 25.8 to your CH numbers and you will need to keep adding more and more Power Powder Plus to your pool until the SLAM process is completed so the CH numbers can add pretty quickly.
Now if you are still within the recommended range of 250 - 350 then there is no issue using the Power Powder Plus you have on hand. However if adding the power plus will make your CH exceed the recommended range than it is recommended that you use only bleach to add FC to the pool.
I hope this makes sense and helps.
Recommended CH for a plaster pool is 250 to 350.
When you get your test kit you will be able to test the level of CH in your pool already (or once you are done draining and refilling if you need to).
If you want to SLAM your pool with the cal-hypo you have you will need to add approximately 62 oz. at first to raise your FC to 24 (assuming your CYA is 60 and FC is 0). At that point your will be adding 17 to your CH numbers and 4.4 for every bag after that. The goal in the SLAM process is to keep your FC up to SLAM level (24) at all times.
So lets say you add 62 oz of Power Powder Plus at first and test again later that evening and find out that your FC level dropped and you need to add two more bags. In that period of time you will have added 25.8 to your CH numbers and you will need to keep adding more and more Power Powder Plus to your pool until the SLAM process is completed so the CH numbers can add pretty quickly.
Now if you are still within the recommended range of 250 - 350 then there is no issue using the Power Powder Plus you have on hand. However if adding the power plus will make your CH exceed the recommended range than it is recommended that you use only bleach to add FC to the pool.
I hope this makes sense and helps.
Thank you Rocco. That does make sense. No cal-hypo for me, cause I'm right at the limit for CH.
So the test kit came in, and I just finished all my tests. The results are...
Drum roll please...
FC: 3.5
CC: 1.0
pH: 8.0
TA: 75
CH: 325
CYA: 60
I assume that prior to the SLAM I need to first bring down the pH. I'll get some muriatic acid and add that tonight, then start adding chlorine in the morning.
Am I okay to not drain any water, or would it be best to replace some of it?
Thanks everyone!
If your CYA is high you will want to bring it down to 30ppm for the slam process. You can slam at 60ppm but it will take more chlorine and possibly more time to clear the pool. If you use the cal-hypo to slam, every 16 ounce bag will add 4.4ppm of CH to the pool. So for a single dose 4 bags of cal-hypo will add 17.6ppm of CH to your water. The first couple of days of the slam process you will be bringing the pool back to slam level every couple of hours so you can estimate 2-4 bags per dose to reach slam level again. If you dose the pool 8 times the first day that would be 16-24 bags of cal-hypo and add between 70.4-105.6ppm of CH to the water.
So the short answer is no, you should not use cal-hypo only to slam the pool. Can you alternate doses of cal-hypo and bleach? Yes, but keep track of how much cal-hypo you use and be sure to test the CH level before using any cal-hypo. If your CH is too high to consider using cal-hypo you can hang on to what you already have. As long as it is kept dry it should last a year or two in storage.
Well Rocco beat me to the answer so I'll leave mine up as confirmation.
Yes bring the pH down to 7.2 before starting the slam process. I would recommend bringing the CYA to 30 first then adjust pH and then begin the slam. With a CYA of 30 your slam level is 12 instead of 24 at 60ppm (based on 14000 gallons).
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It would appear that you won't have to drain unless you really want to get your CH and CYA down a bit. The down side of having your CYA at 60 is it's going to take a lot more bleach to maintain SLAM levels. Looking at this chart and using PoolMath, you can see just how much of a difference 20 ppm CYA can make, between 60 and 40.
Now that you have a good kit, testing your fill water would be a good thing, so you will know what to expect will happen to your CH if you drain.
Now that you have a good kit, testing your fill water would be a good thing, so you will know what to expect will happen to your CH if you drain.
^^^^ THIS. If you can bring down the CYA a bit and the CH in one shot it is even more incentive to drain a bit and refill. Easier SLAM, CH comes down... unless your fill water is same CH.
I can only drain my pool about 4 inches before it starts sucking air through the skimmer. Isn't that bad for the pump?
Since my average depth is about 4.5 feet, that's less than 10% removed. Is that enough to make a difference? How would I possibly drain any more without an external pump?
Since my average depth is about 4.5 feet, that's less than 10% removed. Is that enough to make a difference? How would I possibly drain any more without an external pump?
You would need an external pump if you can not isolate the floor. I would just leave it for now, lower the pH and SLAM away.
You can typically pick up a cheap sump pump that can attach to a garden hose a Harbor Freight for under $50 if you catch them on sale.
Also save that Cal-Hypo for later, I suspect you have fairly low CH fill water in SE Texas (probably under 100 ppm) you should test it to see, and rain water will be CH free. It is very hard to give blanket advice on use of Cal-Hypo, because in the dry south western US, they tend to have both high CH fill water and low amounts of rainfall so the CH levels build over time in the pools, by comparison here on the gulf coast we tend to have fairly low CH fill water and somewhere around 5-6 ft of rain per year depending on the location. Which can cause some people with plaster pools to be constantly needing to add CH one way or another.
Also save that Cal-Hypo for later, I suspect you have fairly low CH fill water in SE Texas (probably under 100 ppm) you should test it to see, and rain water will be CH free. It is very hard to give blanket advice on use of Cal-Hypo, because in the dry south western US, they tend to have both high CH fill water and low amounts of rainfall so the CH levels build over time in the pools, by comparison here on the gulf coast we tend to have fairly low CH fill water and somewhere around 5-6 ft of rain per year depending on the location. Which can cause some people with plaster pools to be constantly needing to add CH one way or another.
Thanks Isaac. Yes, I did test my tap water, and it was under 100 CH.
Well, I'm done for tonight. This is a PITA, but I'm sure it will be worth it once I've got everything in balance. While the water level was topping back up I ran out to see if I could find muriatic acid at Walmart. No luck, so I bought 7 lbs of dry acid for about $12. Not sure how that compares to the cost of muriatic. Got back and the pool was full, so I started the pump back up and dumped in some acid. I assume when it says to use a certain amount by volume, that means to use a measuring cup. The calculator said 39 ounces by weight or 26 ounces by volume, so I put in just over 3 cups, mixed in water.
Tomorrow morning I'll run another battery of tests, clean my filters, then hopefully start the SLAM. I've got 9 jugs of chlorine. Hope that will be enough.
Well, I'm done for tonight. This is a PITA, but I'm sure it will be worth it once I've got everything in balance. While the water level was topping back up I ran out to see if I could find muriatic acid at Walmart. No luck, so I bought 7 lbs of dry acid for about $12. Not sure how that compares to the cost of muriatic. Got back and the pool was full, so I started the pump back up and dumped in some acid. I assume when it says to use a certain amount by volume, that means to use a measuring cup. The calculator said 39 ounces by weight or 26 ounces by volume, so I put in just over 3 cups, mixed in water.
Tomorrow morning I'll run another battery of tests, clean my filters, then hopefully start the SLAM. I've got 9 jugs of chlorine. Hope that will be enough.
9 jugs is a good start. I don't think anyone here - especially those that have cleared a green pool - is going to tell you it's an easy quick process. Some have even joked about needing to buy stock in the bleach companies.
I can tell you from experience the results are well worth the effort. Once you understand the interrelationships of the various chemical levels in your pool, it becomes a simple process to maintain your pool.
I can tell you from experience the results are well worth the effort. Once you understand the interrelationships of the various chemical levels in your pool, it becomes a simple process to maintain your pool.
Revised numbers this afternoon:
FC: 2.0
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.4
TA: 70
CH: 325
CYA: 30
I don't think I added enough of the CYA solution last night. May have been getting too close to dusk. Because I don't think the tiny amount of water I replaced last night would drop it from 60 to 30. Anyway, good news cause now I don't need to add as much chlorine to get to shock level. Gonna put a little more acid in to get down to 7.2, then start dumping chlorine. Wish me luck.
FC: 2.0
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.4
TA: 70
CH: 325
CYA: 30
I don't think I added enough of the CYA solution last night. May have been getting too close to dusk. Because I don't think the tiny amount of water I replaced last night would drop it from 60 to 30. Anyway, good news cause now I don't need to add as much chlorine to get to shock level. Gonna put a little more acid in to get down to 7.2, then start dumping chlorine. Wish me luck.
HELP!
Not sure what to do. After cleaning filters, pressure read about 9 PSI and there was excellent water flow. Within 1 1/2 hours pressure was was up to 34 PSI and there was no significant flow at the skimmer. Pool surface is nearly still. Only thing I can think of is to keep cleaning the filters, but I'm 56 and my back cannot handle multiple cleanings per day. It takes me about two hours to thoroughly clean all four of them. I've had green pools many times before, but never had one stop up the filters like this before.
I'm assuming without proper flow that I'm not doing any good continuing to SLAM? or keep going with the SLAM???
Any other suggestions???
Reduced water flow. Trying to SLAM. What to do Now?
Topic merged. Please keep everything together in one place and never ever ask the same question in more than one place. JasonLion
Hi, new member here, and new to the TFP methods. Hope I'm not committing a no-no, but I feel that I placed my first post in the wrong category for problem resolution, and now I'm in a desperate situation, so moving my questions here. This is my original thread if more background info is required:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/72801-Houston-we-have-a-problem
To summarize, here is my current issue:
Not sure what to do. After cleaning filters, pressure read about 9 PSI and there was excellent water flow. Within 1 1/2 hours pressure was was up to 34 PSI and there was no significant flow at the skimmer. Pool surface is nearly still. Only thing I can think of is to keep cleaning the filters, but I'm 56 and my back cannot handle multiple cleanings per day. It takes me about two hours to thoroughly clean all four of them. I've had green pools many times before, but never had one stop up the filters like this before.
Here are my test results from just before beginning my SLAM:
FC: 2.0
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.4
TA: 70
CH: 325
CYA: 30
I added 12 ounces of dry acid and two 121 ounce jugs of 8.25% chlorine at 2PM.
I'm assuming without proper flow that I'm not doing any good continuing to SLAM? or keep going with the SLAM???
Any other suggestions???
Thanks!
Topic merged. Please keep everything together in one place and never ever ask the same question in more than one place. JasonLion
Hi, new member here, and new to the TFP methods. Hope I'm not committing a no-no, but I feel that I placed my first post in the wrong category for problem resolution, and now I'm in a desperate situation, so moving my questions here. This is my original thread if more background info is required:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/72801-Houston-we-have-a-problem
To summarize, here is my current issue:
Not sure what to do. After cleaning filters, pressure read about 9 PSI and there was excellent water flow. Within 1 1/2 hours pressure was was up to 34 PSI and there was no significant flow at the skimmer. Pool surface is nearly still. Only thing I can think of is to keep cleaning the filters, but I'm 56 and my back cannot handle multiple cleanings per day. It takes me about two hours to thoroughly clean all four of them. I've had green pools many times before, but never had one stop up the filters like this before.
Here are my test results from just before beginning my SLAM:
FC: 2.0
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.4
TA: 70
CH: 325
CYA: 30
I added 12 ounces of dry acid and two 121 ounce jugs of 8.25% chlorine at 2PM.
I'm assuming without proper flow that I'm not doing any good continuing to SLAM? or keep going with the SLAM???
Any other suggestions???
Thanks!
The algae is clogging up the filters. You have to SLAM to kill the algae. After it's dead, and it's filtered out, the filter cleaning frequency will go way, way down.
Early on in the process, you can set the multiport to recirculate, but at some point you will have to put it back to filter and clear it up.
Early on in the process, you can set the multiport to recirculate, but at some point you will have to put it back to filter and clear it up.
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