Newbie with Test Results

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J

Jasderz

0
Jun 30, 2014
22
Baltimore, MD
I just bought a house with a pool last week and I'm trying to get up to speed on maintaining a healthy pool. I bought a TF-100 test kit and listed my results below. If anyone could tell me where I should start I would appreciate it.

FC- 1.5
CC- .5
Calcium- 225
TA- 90
CYA- 0

Thanks!
 
Welcome to the forum. Please start by listing the size and type of pool and equipment you have in a signature line in your profile like mine below and describe the condition/color of your water.
 
Welcome! :wave:

pH is critical - that's the parameter that dries skin and irritates eyes. Don't forget to test it. If it's off, adjust that first. Your FC is actually okay for zero CYA. How does the pool look? That's the important thing. If the water is hazy or cloudy or green, nobody cares what the numbers are - they won't want to get in.

If you really, truly have zero CYA, you need to get some in the water or whatever chlorine you add will be broken down by the sun within hours. If there's any question at all that you did the test correctly, watch the videos.

Have you been reading pool school? These articles will be helpful at your stage:
To fill out signature
To learn the language
What to use and how to add it
How to figure how much to use
 
Sorry, I thought I did post that stuff in my signature. I'm not sure why it didn't show up.

My PH level was right around 7.8 or possibly a little higher. I looked at the videos for the CYA test. It looks like I did it right. I filled up the entire tube, but could still see the black dot. It did start to get a little hazy at the top, so I guess there's a little bit in there.

I'm not sure if my minds playing tricks on me, but the pool is starting to look a little green. When we got the house the pool had a little bit of mustard algae in it. They treated it with an algal divide. I've seen a little bit form on the steps. He thought it was because the skimmer needed to be cleaned out.

What would you recommend I do? Stabilizer first? Shock?
 
Jasderz said:
Sorry, I thought I did post that stuff in my signature. I'm not sure why it didn't show up.

My PH level was right around 7.8 or possibly a little higher. I looked at the videos for the CYA test. It looks like I did it right. I filled up the entire tube, but could still see the black dot. It did start to get a little hazy at the top, so I guess there's a little bit in there.

I'm not sure if my minds playing tricks on me, but the pool is starting to look a little green. When we got the house the pool had a little bit of mustard algae in it. They treated it with an algal divide. I've seen a little bit form on the steps. He thought it was because the skimmer needed to be cleaned out.

What would you recommend I do? Stabilizer first? Shock?
Click to expand...
Both. But adjust pH first. You need to run the Shock Level And Maintain process if you're seeing green. For your CYA level, chlorine shock level is 10 FC. So use poolmath to calculate that and add it right away. Then add enough stabilizer to get you up to 30 CYA via the sock method. From that point, target 12 FC. Do not neglect to brush, and see if you can't figure out how to get behind your light and scrub the niche. Algae likes to hide places like that. Also under ladder rungs. The light typically has a screw you loosen and then the whole thing tilts and lifts out and the cord lets you set the thing up on the deck.
 
Thanks for the reply! I went into Poolmath. It said I should add 23 oz of Mutriatic Acid. Once I add that how long should I wait to retest the PH? I assume that once I get the PH between 7.2-7.5 I should raise the FC. Once I'm ready to raise the FC should I add stabilizer at the same time, or should I wait? Sorry for all the questions.
 
Wait 30 minutes to retest the pH. Once pH is where you want it raise the FC.

Yes, raise the FC and add CYA via sock method at the same time. It will take a while for the CYA to dissolve.

Welcome to the forum :wave: and congratulations on the TF100 test kit :goodjob:
 
Thank you! The kit is great! So I got my PH down to about 7.6. I added bleach and the stabilizer around 2 PM. I just got home from work to check the chlorine levels and they're now:

FC- 2
CC- 4

Does it make sense that my CC's jumped up? Was that from the stabilizer? So now according to the instructions on the site I'm supposed to try to keep my FC at 10 ppm...right? So I guess I should add and check every hour or two? How long should I do this for?
 
Jasderz said:
Thank you! The kit is great! So I got my PH down to about 7.6. I added bleach and the stabilizer around 2 PM. I just got home from work to check the chlorine levels and they're now:

FC- 2
CC- 4

Does it make sense that my CC's jumped up? Was that from the stabilizer? So now according to the instructions on the site I'm supposed to try to keep my FC at 10 ppm...right? So I guess I should add and check every hour or two? How long should I do this for?
Click to expand...
Yes, it does. That means the chlorine is reacting with something. It probably smells like a public pool right now, too. CC will go up and down erratically during the SLAM, don't try to detect a pattern to it.

Assume the CYA is dissolved (even if some is still in the sock), so shock level is now 12 FC. Just keep replenishing it to keep it at 12. Don't neglect to brush. It helps mix the bleach and scrapes the slimy scab-like film off the algae so you can kill it.
 
So I guess I should add and check every hour or two? How long should I do this for?
Click to expand...
Well, as long as you can until the FC starts to hold and the CC drops. Naturally, you can go to bed after the last test/add/test tonight :smile: and start again in the morning!

Continue until you pass the three criteria that determine you are done with the SLAM process. See red lines in my sig.

If you cannot babysit the pool, test/add in the morning to SLAM level and start again when you get home. Folks that can babysit the pool and stick with it without interrupting the process can finish sooner. But, everyone cannot do that.
 

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I just ran out and tested again about 2 hours after I added another 222 oz of bleach. My readings said FC- 2.5 CC- 2.5. Is that normal when you're shocking your pool? I thought I would get really high FC readings after adding that much bleach. Somewhere closer to 7 or 8? Also, I'm supposed to keep shocking the pool...right? For example: When I got the readings that FC was at 2.5, I went to poolmath, put in my FC numbers at 2.5/12 and it said to add 270 ounces. Sorry if this is a dumb question. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right. I've dumped like 7 jugs of bleach in my pool today.
 
Jasderz said:
I just ran out and tested again about 2 hours after I added another 222 oz of bleach. My readings said FC- 2.5 CC- 2.5. Is that normal when you're shocking your pool? I thought I would get really high FC readings after adding that much bleach. Somewhere closer to 7 or 8? Also, I'm supposed to keep shocking the pool...right? For example: When I got the readings that FC was at 2.5, I went to poolmath, put in my FC numbers at 2.5/12 and it said to add 270 ounces. Sorry if this is a dumb question. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right. I've dumped like 7 jugs of bleach in my pool today.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's normal. You have something in your water that the chlorine is killing so it's using it up quickly.

It may help if you don't think of "shocking" your pool as a one time thing. You are now SLAMming your pool and a SLAM is an ongoing process until you clear the 3 criteria to end the SLAM. It may only take a day or two or it may take a few weeks. You can read more about SLAM here :lookhere: READ ME! Test, dose, brush, and an hour later test, dose, and brush again.
 
Is it safe to get in the pool while I'm Slamming it? There's some spots I need to get in the pool to get with a toothbrush. Mostly it's in the holes on the side and around the light. Also, the stabilizer is in the skimmer via "Sock Method". Is it safe to get in while that's in there as well? I noticed the pool is looking brighter. I tested it twice this morning. The last time I check FC- 2.5 and CC- 1.0. I also check to see how the stabilizer was doing in the skimmer. It looks like it's about gone. There's a little bit left, but not much.
 
Yes, you can go in at normal shock levels. The CYA in the skimmer is not a problem.

Wear old clothes and shower after :wink:

- - - Updated - - -

.....if you have not already pulled that light from the niche and cleaned it, now is the time to do so. Kill power first.
 
Ok, so I pulled the light and sure enough, there was a good bit of algae on the bottom. Checked my chlorine levels FC- 2.5 CC- .5. I checked my PH levels as well and I was surprised to see it was so low. It was at 6.8. Is that normal when Slamming? It was at about 7.6 when I started, so I'm assuming that's what it's from. I'm going to do the OCLT test tonight to see where we're at.

Thanks again for everyone's help!
 

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