Second Season with TFP! Just opened pool - Need some guidance for new season :-)

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suziequsie2945

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May 31, 2013
176
New Jersey
Okay, filter has been running about 1 1/2 hours.

Here's what I have:

FC: 0
TA: 50
pH: 7.2
CYA: <20
CH: 120

So, what do I address first? Last year, upon opening, our CYA was in the 40s but now it is well below 20 (may even be 0). The dot never disappeared. I noticed the recommended range is 30-50 and I seem well below it. Not sure why.

Our TA and pH is low as well.

Any suggestions? Do I go ahead and at least add some chlorine to begin, at least according to the chlorine/CYA chart of 20 CYA or should I wait until later and check numbers again? Thinking maybe the filter has not ran enough yet.
 
The pool isn't green is it? Because if it is, ignore the rest of this.

First up: get some Chlorine in there pronto. Target 3 for now since CYA is so low.
Second: weigh out enough CYA to get you between 30 and 40. The exact amount doesn't matter; if it works out to some even number of containers, that's close enough. You know about tying it up in a sock probably, so I'll skip that. You can lose a lot to snowmelt and what you drained when you closed. Don't worry about it. It beats having it build up.
Third: By the time you're done messing with the CYA and the sock, chlorine will be mixed so you can add a little baking soda. Target 70 or 80, whatever works out to a nice even number of boxes or bags.

Vacuum and brush and let things run. It'll be sparkling tomorrow.
 
pH of 7.2 won't hurt anything. Once you start splashing around and running the pump, it'll come up on its own. FC needs to come up immediately. Do you know your CC or TC number?

If it was my pool, I would not mess with the CYA number until I was sure I didn't have a CC issue.
 
RobbieH said:
pH of 7.2 won't hurt anything. Once you start splashing around and running the pump, it'll come up on its own. FC needs to come up immediately. Do you know your CC or TC number?

If it was my pool, I would not mess with the CYA number until I was sure I didn't have a CC issue.
Click to expand...

Water is blue. No green.

Okay, I added some chlorine. Then, I checked the CCs. I come up with 1 for FC and then 1.5 CC for a TC of 2.5. Never had CC show up before. Give it a good SLAM? I guess I can start that tonight.
 
After I perform the OCLT test tonight to be sure, and there is an issue and I need to SLAM, what CYA reference would I use to maintain shock level, when the CYA is showing up as less than 20?

It wouldn't hurt to just go ahead and SLAM it anyway, without the OCLT test, would it? I may just do that so I can get on top of it if there is an issue. Just not sure what my target shock level would be at this point.

Also, will CYA level resume once the shock process is complete, or will I have to manually add it, and is the liquid form ok to use?
 
If it is less than 20, you need to bring it up to at least 30. If you have some trichlor tabs and don't mind doing the math using PoolMath, you can utilize a floater and drop some tabs in during the process which will help you maintain FC and will add CYA. Just use the bottom of PoolMath to see how many tabs you can use before CYA gets over 30.
 
suziequsie2945 said:
Water is blue. No green.

Okay, I added some chlorine. Then, I checked the CCs. I come up with 1 for FC and then 1.5 CC for a TC of 2.5. Never had CC show up before. Give it a good SLAM? I guess I can start that tonight.
Click to expand...
Why wait until tonight? Start now!

If CC went up that fast and you lost all the CYA over the winter, it could be that the CYA has broken down into ammonia. The fix is the same - SLAM with bleach. But it will take a lot of bleach initially to get rid of the ammonia. Did the CYA test get at all cloudy, or was it clear all the way to the very top of the view tube?

I'd hesitate to use trichlor to raise CYA. It's very acidic and your pH and TA are already low.
 
I am going to have my husband get some CYA from the store, but does it have to be the solid form and using the sock, or can I simply use the liquid form (even though it may be more costly)? The liquid just seems easier.

- - - Updated - - -

Richard320 said:
Why wait until tonight? Start now!

If CC went up that fast and you lost all the CYA over the winter, it could be that the CYA has broken down into ammonia. The fix is the same - SLAM with bleach. But it will take a lot of bleach initially to get rid of the ammonia. Did the CYA test get at all cloudy, or was it clear all the way to the very top of the view tube?

I'd hesitate to use trichlor to raise CYA. It's very acidic and your pH and TA are already low.
Click to expand...

The CYA test pretty much stayed clear. What does that mean?
 

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Ok, so to make sure I am straight. The first mission is to SLAM. Then once that is complete, I can add the CYA to reach a level of 30? I haven't looked at the calculator on how to figure out how to get from 20 to 30, so I may come back with help on that, not sure.
 
Use PoolMath to estimate the amount needed to bring CYA to 30. Add this to the pool. If you use a solid CYA, it's going to take a long time to dissolve though. Anyway, add by putting in a sock, and drop the sock into the skimmer. Run pump 24/7.

Since I do not have a vinyl pool, I'm not the expert in this case, so I am going to let someone with vinyl pool experience take over from here. I don't want to tell you something wrong and cause you to fade or damage your liner.
 
RobbieH said:
Use PoolMath to estimate the amount needed to bring CYA to 30. Add this to the pool. If you use a solid CYA, it's going to take a long time to dissolve though. Anyway, add by putting in a sock, and drop the sock into the skimmer. Run pump 24/7.

Since I do not have a vinyl pool, I'm not the expert in this case, so I am going to let someone with vinyl pool experience take over from here. I don't want to tell you something wrong and cause you to fade or damage your liner.
Click to expand...


When you say "sock" do you mean an actual foot sock or a skimmer sock? Would it be better to use condition/stabilizer in liquid form? I don't mind the extra cost if it is going to dissolve quicker with less headache. Should I add the CYA during the SLAM process, or wait until that process is complete and then add the CYA? Sorry for my ignorance. Never had a CYA issue so I am clueless! ;-)
 
Zero CYA probably means what CYA you had last year broke down into ammonia. It will take a lot of bleach to get rid of it. The granular CYA is a lot cheaper and won't take long to dissolve. Do you know how to use poolmath? Have you read the SLAM instructions?

For now, you want to put zero as your current CYA value and 30 as your target. For the SLAM, use 12 as your target. If you have ammonia, it won't stay up there very long and it's unlikely to bleach your liner.
 
Richard320 said:
Zero CYA probably means what CYA you had last year broke down into ammonia. It will take a lot of bleach to get rid of it. The granular CYA is a lot cheaper and won't take long to dissolve. Do you know how to use poolmath? Have you read the SLAM instructions?

For now, you want to put zero as your current CYA value and 30 as your target. For the SLAM, use 12 as your target. If you have ammonia, it won't stay up there very long and it's unlikely to bleach your liner.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am familiar with Pool Math and SLAM. They both are awesome! I will probably get the liquid form of CYA - just seems easier. Richard, which process comes first? SLAM or adding CYA, or can i do both at same time?
 
If you're using the liquid, an hour should be plenty of time to mix. Then hit it with bleach. Target 12 with 30ish CYA.

If you use granules, add bleach to 10 FC, then fumble around with the sock and stabilzer. Maintain 10 for the first 24 hours, then tomorrow the SLAM level goes up to 12 because you'll have some CYA in the water by then.
 
Richard320 said:
If you're using the liquid, an hour should be plenty of time to mix. Then hit it with bleach. Target 12 with 30ish CYA.

If you use granules, add bleach to 10 FC, then fumble around with the sock and stabilzer. Maintain 10 for the first 24 hours, then tomorrow the SLAM level goes up to 12 because you'll have some CYA in the water by then.
Click to expand...

Ok. They only had the powder/granules so I got that. I am going to add some more chlorine to 10, then will put the sock with the stabilizer into the skimmer basket (will need to find a sock lying around :)) and then SLAM more tomorrow.

The Pool Math says (for CYA) add 100 ounces by weight or 104 ounces by volume of stabilizer (with a target of 30). I have never been great at volumes, etc., but this simply means I can use the same methods of measuring (basically a measuring cup) to measure granules as I would liquid correct? I assume I would use the "volume" value if I am using a measuring cup to measure. Is that correct? Also do you put the entire amount into one sock?
 

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