test kit question...

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That sounds about right. You want to check and see wht your CYA is. I can't remember if you posted it or not. You can find out what your target is by using the Chlorine CYA Chart. :goodjob:

Is it coming together and clicking for you yet? :)

I use about 64 ounces for my pool every 3 days or so. :goodjob:
 
Is this a fresh fill pool? Have you used pucks in the past or just the bleach you added?

If it is a fresh fill and you have never used anything other than the bleach then for your vacation it might be a good idea to float some pucks in the pool while you are gone. This will add some CYA that you will need and also give you at least some chlorine while you are gone. A lot of folks leave their CYA a little low so that they can use the pucks when they go on vacation ... However, you should be prepared that you might come home and have some algae - that is when you really need the test kit ... or you could just drain and refill since your pool isn't that large

Since you already have the yellow/red chlorine and pH test kit then look for the TF kit that doesn't include that and save yourself a few bucks. I think it might be the TF50 kit, but I am not positive.

You can also use pool math to enter in the size of the pucks and it will tell you how much CYA that each one adds to your pool ...

It is a lot of information ... and no you don't sound dumb ... we were all new once ... just start using the tools here and things will start to make sense and you will understand a little more each time.
 
i dont see in pool math where or how to do the "pucks" at and no its not a fresh fill....i re filled it about 2 months ago i had a few pucks in it before, ive tested my CYA but this this doesnt record lower levels so it seems somewhere under 30....its a test where you look idown into a tube at a black dot and stop adding drops when you cant see that dot anymore...well i got the tube full and it was almost very clear.im not sure now if someone can take care of the pool while im gone or not, my brother in law my be able to and so if he can maybe i can get him to add the bleach in everyday
 
At the bottom of the pool math there is a part that says "The Effects of Adding Chemicals"

you put in how large the pucks are (there are different sizes, the large ones are 8 oz, but I am not sure about the small ones) - then you select what kind they are from the drop down menu - usually pucks are dichlor or trichlor - look on the container your pucks are in and it should tell you.

It will tell you how much chlorine, CYA, and salt they add (don't be alarmed by the salt as all chlorine adds some salt) ... just make sure you have the size of your pool put in to get correct numbers. If your CYA is below 30 then it might put you where you need to be anyway.
 
You need more CYA then so the sun doesn't eat up all your chlorine. Since it's all the way full and you can see the dot, Go to pool math and plug in your numbers NOW and your TARGET of 30 in the CYA portion of Pool Math and see how much they want you to add. Put it in a sock and tie it off over the return. Are you using pucks or granular CYA?
 
im not sure what my CYA is right now since i guess the numbers dont go higher or lower then what i have i guess.....guess a better kit will work better but, i like to use the pucks though if i use a puck maybe it will raise my CYA where it needs to be.....i use the big 3 inch ones....well was using those that is
 
The CYA is the hardest test to get used to - if you add too much then you will have to drain some water and refill with fresh. Just start getting used to looking at what you are putting into your pool - reading labels - find the label for those pucks so that you know how many oz they are, what kind they are ... look at your bleach bottles and know what % it is ... TFP is all about knowing what you put in your pool, why you are putting things in your pool, and how much of it to put in your pool so that it stays balanced ... that is how you save $$ ... so that you are not blindly putting things in your pool that are either not needed or will throw your chemistry out of whack causing you to need other things in your pool that could be prevented.
 
I hate to see a newbie being beaten over the head to get a kit when the newbie doesn't intend to do that. The thread becomes counterproductive and not helpful to the newbie. (nor is there really anything that the forum in general benefits from)

I am not dictating content but I think this thread would make progress if those that want to help, do so without the test kit subject. :D
 
I agree ... had to step away ... I think pucks are a good solution for this newbie going on vacation ... just need to find out what size those pucks are

... I am really not familiar with pucks and the packaging for them ... perhaps someone could chime in and help this newbie find out what size her pucks are and what kind they are to suggest how many to float while she is away for a week.
 
i get what they are saying and why but yea its not like i dont want to its just that i cant get a good kit right now due to my trip but some have been helpful to me on here :) as far as the pucks i dont have any right now...have to get some, i think they sell them in single packages
 

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It looks (I'm just doing internet searches BTW, I don't know for sure) ... that the 3 inch pucks are about 7 oz ... but depending on if they are dichlor or trichlor they will add different amounts of chlorine and CYA - Since you need to add CYA anyway then you could float 2 and that would get you hopefully up to closer where you need to be.

I'm not sure where in Lousiana ... I know my inlaws in Mobile get a ton of rain ... 5 -10 inches in a day is not unheard of depending on the time of year ... so you may find that you can use the pucks more often than folks in a drier part of the country
 
FYI for reference, my pool is not a lot bigger than yours and I use about 20oz of 8.25% bleach a day. Some days I only need to add 10 oz, others I may add 30 oz but it's usually right around that. About 2 1/2 cups. I buy a few jugs at a time and it certainly seems to last me a while. :) My CYA is right about 30 (I hate that test!)

Oh, and my pool is so sparkly! :)
 
Keep an eye on your pH while using the pucks queenie. :goodjob:
 
Beens said:
FYI for reference, my pool is not a lot bigger than yours and I use about 20oz of 8.25% bleach a day. Some days I only need to add 10 oz, others I may add 30 oz but it's usually right around that. About 2 1/2 cups. I buy a few jugs at a time and it certainly seems to last me a while. :) My CYA is right about 30 (I hate that test!)

Oh, and my pool is so sparkly! :)
Click to expand...
so really i should test clhorine everyday cause i might not need to add as much or i might need to add more then other days....so basically test everything everyday except CYA but only when i get my CYA at the right number because CYA stays in the pool unless i start getting pool water draining and or spashed out....right? :)
 
I test chlorine every other day or so (I know my pool pretty well so I can do that) and I test pH about 3 times a week and it's been rock solid. Those are what I mainly test. I'll run all my other numbers once a month or if I'm going to tinker with them.
 
As you take care of your pool, you'll get to know the lil buggar and how much it likes to eat a day and of what. :D
 
Yeah, I just test chlorine every day or every other day. My ph never changes! I forget about it and get worried then I'll test it and it's the same as it was. So like Casey said, you get to know your pool after a while and test accordingly. :) At first it's good to check regularly because that's how you get to know it.

When I saw my ph was never changing I started testing it less often. I have to test the chlorine cause I don't like to guess. Today is very sunny and hot (I can't believe it) and my water is warming up so I'll definitely check it because I think I might need to add a little extra today. Sometimes if it's a cool and rainy day I don't worry as much but again, it's because I have gotten to know my pool. :)
 

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