I have been scouring this website for the past week. I have purchased the Taylor 2006 test kit, watched youtube videos, and feel close to understanding (but not quite there).
I have am 8,500 above ground pool. We set it up last Sunday, filled it. I added a half a bag of HTH SaltCare Start up kit...the main ingredient is the Muriatic Acid and the package said it would stabilize it. I also added 200 lbs of pool salt. I ran the pump for 24 hours as suggested.
24 hours later I tested the water and got:
CYA=30 (very hard to read this test when I had to fill the container up all the way and still couldn't tell if the black dot disappeared.
PH=7.4
TA=80
FC=0 (I hadn’t added any chlorine at this point, just stabilizer and salt).
At this point (I had just started reading this forum and all the pool rules lol) I added a half a bag of SHOCK. Okay, from reading yesterday and today I know that wasn’t the best choice. I should have used bleach? I was thinking that the shock combined with running the salt machine/chlorine gen would boost my FC to where it should be.
Two hours later, my FC was 3.4. I ran the salt machine for 6 hours.
The next day, the FC was only 1.0.
Last night I ran the salt machine for TWO 6-hour cycles. I tested all levels today and came up with: (the water is very clear)
FC= 0.4
CYA=30 or even lower, again the black dot just dissapeared when it was full
PH=7.6
TA=70
CH=60-7- (But I do have vinyl)
So from what I have read at the Pool School, My problem must be not having the correct CYA? Do I need to SLAM? The SLAM seems like a few days process, is the pool closed to swimming during that time? I need the CYA to be between 70 & 80, correct? And I think I will buy the liquid just so it will read faster. Do I have to buy the acid at a pool store?
OR
Can I just adjust the CYA with the liquid acid, then run the salt machine? will it ever catch up?
Thanks everyone, I am trying so hard but I was never great in Science =)
I have am 8,500 above ground pool. We set it up last Sunday, filled it. I added a half a bag of HTH SaltCare Start up kit...the main ingredient is the Muriatic Acid and the package said it would stabilize it. I also added 200 lbs of pool salt. I ran the pump for 24 hours as suggested.
24 hours later I tested the water and got:
CYA=30 (very hard to read this test when I had to fill the container up all the way and still couldn't tell if the black dot disappeared.
PH=7.4
TA=80
FC=0 (I hadn’t added any chlorine at this point, just stabilizer and salt).
At this point (I had just started reading this forum and all the pool rules lol) I added a half a bag of SHOCK. Okay, from reading yesterday and today I know that wasn’t the best choice. I should have used bleach? I was thinking that the shock combined with running the salt machine/chlorine gen would boost my FC to where it should be.
Two hours later, my FC was 3.4. I ran the salt machine for 6 hours.
The next day, the FC was only 1.0.
Last night I ran the salt machine for TWO 6-hour cycles. I tested all levels today and came up with: (the water is very clear)
FC= 0.4
CYA=30 or even lower, again the black dot just dissapeared when it was full
PH=7.6
TA=70
CH=60-7- (But I do have vinyl)
So from what I have read at the Pool School, My problem must be not having the correct CYA? Do I need to SLAM? The SLAM seems like a few days process, is the pool closed to swimming during that time? I need the CYA to be between 70 & 80, correct? And I think I will buy the liquid just so it will read faster. Do I have to buy the acid at a pool store?
OR
Can I just adjust the CYA with the liquid acid, then run the salt machine? will it ever catch up?
Thanks everyone, I am trying so hard but I was never great in Science =)