My new TF-100 arrived today a couple of queries with my results

[Cuzziebro]

Hi all, new TFP member here....thanks to the team at TF Test Kits and a good friend who was visiting the US I have managed to get a nice new TF-100 kit all the way down to New Zealand.

Our new pool is just 4 weeks old and these are the first proper in depth tests I have done. The results are:

FC 2.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.3
TA 40
CH 50
CYA 10
Salt 3200
Temp 80deg

Based on what I have read on TFP so far, my understanding is this.....

FC and CC are good.
pH is a little low, although my pool builder has set my SWG to 7.2 as this is where he says it should be?
TA is slightly low and I should add some Bi Carb to get it up to 60-80?
CH is way low as our water is very soft. 50 when I should be looking for around 270. My question is, is this important in a Fibreglass pool? If so I will add Calcium Chloride to get it up?
CYA is low and should be up around 60? I worked out that I should need around 4kg of granular CYA. I added around 2kgs so that I could test it when my kit arrived before I added the rest. However I am reading barely 10?
Salt = 3200ppm which I think is spot on?

Would love to hear the experts opinions.

Many thanks.

Bryan

 

[duraleigh]

1. FC is good for now but when your CYA gets to 60, you'll need 4-6 ppm. This is your most important parameter.

2. I would leave pH alone. It will most likely rise on it's own. just test frequently.

my pool builder has set my SWG to 7.2 as this is where he says it should be?

SWG is not related to pH.....it produces chlorine.

3. Yes on bringing TA to 60 or so.

4. Disregard CH for fiberglass.

5. CYA often takes a week to register on test. When did you apply it? How did you apply it?

6. Salt @ 3200 should be good.

 

[pwrstrk]

One thing I'd like to add about your CH. if your gelcoat has a calcium carbonate filler then you should keep the CH between 220-320 range. This will help protect the gelcoat if it has this filler. If it doesn't have this filler you can ignore the low CH. You still don't want your CH to get too high as it can cause scaling.
You should ask your PB or contact the manufacturer of the pool to see if it has the calcium carbonate filler or not.
Everything else looks good. If your pool receives a lot of sun you may want to increase your CYA to 70 to better help with FC burn off from the sun.

 

[Cuzziebro]

Thanks guys. I have checked with the PB and he has confirmed that calcium is not mandatory for my pool.

Re the SWG not being related to pH...it has a setting where you can set the pH as it doses acid as well as chlorine.

Regarding the TA...I am getting conflicting advice. The TFP calculator tells me i should be in the 60-80 range..."The Pool Store Guy" tells me I need to be around 150ppm in a F.Glass pool?
Now I know PSGs aren't looked upon too favourably here....so I am guessing I stick to the 60-80 Pool School calcs?

 

[Richard320]

If you raise the TA up to the pool store recommendations, the pH will generally rise faster, which will mean more acid used. By itself, high TA is not harmful. It's just baking soda; people brush their teeth with the stuff and eat it in baked goods. You can set it wherever you want. But you run the risk of getting on the pool store merry-go-round where you increase TA, so pH rises, so you add acid, which lowers TA, so you increase TA....

 

[pwrstrk]

That's why we recommend the TA be in the 60-80 range with a SWG. It helps keep your PH more stable.

 

[Cuzziebro]

Got it, figured that was the case. I will stick with the TFP recommended calcs.