Start up , test #'s and what next? No CYA

[jennsnoopy]

Hi everyone. We've upgraded from last years 12 ft round intex to a 12x24 ft rectangular pool in my siggy. We've never had a sand filter, skimmer, etc so some new stuff. We opened our pool last weekend (new water, new pool out of the box). Crazy pool store guys told me to shock with 1 1/2 cups of sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione (99%). I did this last night while the pump filter was running. We have one of the TFP recommended Taylor k-2600 test kit.
This mornings results are:
PH=7.6
FC=5 ppm
Combined chlorine (did not change from the FC results, water stayed clear)
CYA=did the test and it was clear after mixing so I'm not sure what to think. It seemed to yield a non-results.

Ok what do I need to do now? I don't want my water going south. 8600 gal. is a lot of water. I'm sure I'll get the hang of this but our new pool is so much bigger than our little 12 footer so I'm getting worried.

Thanks for your help.
Jenn

 

[tim5055]

Take a trip to WalMart for some CYA. The dichlor you added has a little CYA in it, but you haven't added enough to get to the level the test will identify. Plug your numbers in Pool Math (link above) and it will tell you what you need to add. With the CYA add an amount LOWER than you need so you undershoot the level. Then slowly bring it up to where you want. Don't dump the powder in the pool, but add it to a sock and suspend it in the water in front of a return jet. It can take up to a week for CYA added to the pool to register on the test, so don't be in a hurry and take your time.

Good luck and enjoy the water!

 

[karmabiker]

... and assume the level you targeted is in the pool even though it isn't showing up on the test yet.

Do you have the hang of dosing with bleach daily?

 

[jennsnoopy]

Thank you Tim! Great advice as always here on TFP! o is it ok for kids to swim in now?

 

[karmabiker]

Given that your CYA is probably 10 right now (based on the cup and a half of dichlor) per pool math that puts your target FC from 1-4 and your shock level at 10. It is safe to swim up to shock level so you are good to go.

Remember CL is a consumable item - test and dose daily using poolmath as your guide.

 

[tim5055]

Thank you Tim! Great advice as always here on TFP! o is it ok for kids to swim in now?

I can't see why not.

 

[jennsnoopy]

Great thanks.i have the pool calculator on my phone and my ipad. When I first joined here a few years ago, I used chlorine powder for chlorinating. I'd like to try bleach this year. I've been trying to navigate pool school and reading when I get a chance. That pool calc is great. Main thing I'm trying to get a grasp on is how long it takes to see results on testing after adding things to the pool, like you were saying CYA takes awhile to show up. I need to do more reading. I'm crazy, I test every morning and I don't want to over do the chemicals so I appreciate the heads up. Main issue for us in New Mexico is the heat and sun. Lots of sun everyday that I am sure is breaking down the chlorine. I appreciate the help because the pool stores in town want to sells a lot of stuff.

 

[karmabiker]

CL and pH should be your daily tests. once you add chemistry wait 30 min and test again (until you get the hang of it), this will give you a good view of wether you are doing things correctly ... and also some insight into your pool's personality.

 

[jennsnoopy]

CYA still zero and now FC is zero too

Ok this pool set up is unnerving to me. Thanks for the help yesterday. I put shock in Monday night (6/16), yesterday's results were: PH: 7.6, FC: 5 ppm, CYA:0. Today I tested, results are pH: 7.6, FC:0, and CYA: 0. Ok so now what? I have a sock for the next time I do shock and hang by the intake. What else do I add now? Things look clear but my chlorine isn't holding up so good.

Thanks everyone.

 

[RobbieH]

Re: CYA still zero and now FC is zero too

Please let us know what it was you added, the word 'shock' can imply many different products. Also, we need to know how much you added.

We probably need to merge this with your thread from yesterday.

Topics merged. Please keep everything about one question/project together in one place. Thanks JasonLion

 

[JasonLion]

If CYA is zero you will lose all of your chlorine to sunlight each day. You need to raise CYA into the 30-50 range.

Also, even with CYA, chlorine gets used up and needs to be added daily.

 

[kcindc]

First, get some liquid chlorine in your pool ASAP.

Don't bother testing CYA for now. It takes a week after you add CYA for it to show up on a test. As stated earlier, you need to increase your CYA to the 30-50
range so that your chlorine doesn't burn off too quickly by the sun.

The sock is only used for adding solid stabilizer/conditioner/CYA to your pool. You do not need a sock when you add chlorine in any of its forms (liquid, powders or pucks).

What chlorine products do you have on hand now?

CL/CYA Chart: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock

Calculator that will help with how much CYA you need to add. Don't forget to account for the CYA that was in any solid chlorine products you have added to the pool this season. The bottom of the page will help with that calculations, see the effects of adding chemicals section: http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

 

[jennsnoopy]

Hi everyone. Still battling the whole FC, CYA balance. So far each day no CYA registers. The FC fluxuatates from 4-5 ppm to 0 pm at the end of each day so obviously my pool is not balanced. I use bleach 8.25% strength poured slowly for about 2 minutes around the pool. I need to know what products to get that contain the correct CYA. I looked and walmart as was suggested and honestly couldn't not find what I am looking for. I still have my shock handy from Mr. pool store guy which is dichloro-s-triazrinetrion 99%. He said to do this every other day at 1 1/2 cups to get the chlorine to bind (?). So I'm doing that and then daily bleach based in the A.M. Based on the pool calculator. My pH is 7.6 still. Im scrubbing my sides and the bottom every other day. I know one of the issues is I live in New Mexico, it is HOT here. I have to use a solar cover because it's the only kind that won't blow off in our many wind storms. But this raises the temp of our pool to a balmy 91 degrees. So I'm sure chlorine is disappearing like crazy. I'm committed to getting this pool chemistry right. My husband and the kids are loving the pool. Unfortunately, I'm so worried I don't have things balanced well I'm am not enjoying the pool while when we are in there (I'm kind of obsessive when it comes to a sparkly pool). Continued help is appreciated. Pool has been up for 1 week as of today.

Thanks.

 

[jennsnoopy]

Any help?

 

[ranger_ric]

Jennsnoopy, Congratulations on finding this site. I just want to encourage you that you can take CONTROL of YOUR pool. You have a choice of what chemicals you had and when. If you STUDY pool school and read the different threads about green to clear you will see that this method works. However the burden is on you. I have been PoolStored for the last two years. My granddaughters did not want to swim in MY pool. The water was to fuzzy, it burned their eyes, it looked yucky. However this year using the TFP guidelines they love my pool. They love collecting samples and putting them in the speedstir and counting drops. They are convinced that CawPa (me) can tell which one of them pee'ed in the pool (I love this one, None of them pee in my pool and you see them get out about once an hour).
OK that being said..... If you are still using "shock" from the pool store or WalMart etc. than you are adding other things beside Chlorine. By taking authority over your pool you will decide to only add what is needed to balance your pool. The shock from the poolstore/walMart also contains CYA/Stabilizer. Why not add those individually as needed. once again it is a control thing. The method ascribed to here is to use Bleach/Liquid Chlorine combined with scrubbing and vacuuming and balancing chemicals to keep your pool so clean your grandkids PREFER to swim in yours!!
Read Pool School and also read some Green to Clean stories here... You dont need your powdered shock or your chlorine pucks to have the cleanest pool in the neighborhood. However you do need the desire to take CONTROL of YOUR pool. Read Pool School and SLAM articles to get a better grip.
You are going to have an awesome summer with the cleanest pool you have ever experienced.

 

[bridgman]

Your dichlor shock from the pool store adds chlorine and CYA. If you look near the bottom of the PoolMath calculator (effects of adding chemicals) you can see how much of each it will add.

I think you just need to enter your pool volume in gallons at the top for it to give you the right answers, but I'm sure you've already done that

If you didn't already have dichlor (or if you only have a small amount) I think everyone would say to just buy straight CYA and add that. From Walmart, you're looking for something like this :

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pool-Basics-Chlorine-Conditioner/35970687

Look for "100% Cyanuric Acid" on the label. It comes in liquid & solid forms -- liquid dissolves faster but solid is a lot cheaper, so solid is recommended. If your pool really had 0 CYA then adding two of those containers would be about right to bring your pool up to CYA of 30, but since you've already been adding shock you should :

1. Look at how much shock you have left and figure out if it's worth using that to raise CYA or if you should just go out and buy pure CYA (something like the link above). If you tell us how much dichlor you have left we can help you to decide.

2. If you decide to go with straight CYA, stop adding shock unless you take *it's* CYA contribution into account. Buy and add about half as much granulated CYA (stabilizer) as PoolMath says since you probably already have a fair amount in the water but the CYA test can't read reliably below 30. Follow the usual "hang it in a sock in front of the return jet" instructions then wait a week and retest.

3. Based on test results, figure out what to do next. If you post results here I'm sure you'll get good advice re: next step.

How much dichlor shock do you have left ?