When to Begin Preparing Pool for AZ Summer

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asusundevil

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LifeTime Supporter
Jun 24, 2014
126
Chandler, Arizona
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Current readings:

FC 8.0
PH 7.6
TA 100
CH 260
CYA 100 - is this concerning?
FC 0

This is my first winter using my Taylor testing kit so not sure how to use it during winter temperatures. And due to some laziness, I've just kept the floaters full of trichlor for the past few months. Now that AZ is a couple months away from its brutal summers, I want to get in front of any potential chemical imbalances.

Appreciate, as always, the feedback from this awesome community.
 
+1 on laziness, i just pour a gallon of concentrated Kroger bleach in the pool every few weeks.

Yes, cya 100 is too high, you should use bleach instead of pucks.

I only test ph and chlorine every week or two out of swim season and keep chlorine towards 10ish. I don't start honing in on all other stuff until the water gets in the upper 70s, I'm not getting in until mid80s anyway. CYA is the main thing I focus on getting up every spring. Everything else stays pretty steady for me. Maybe I should use pucks instead of bleach ☺
 
Yes your CYA is high. It could be higher as the test only reads to 100. Do the dilution test as described in the Extended Test Kit Directions. This will give you a better idea of the CYA level. Let the sample come to room temp if your water temp is below 60. For the AZ summers you could have your CYA level at 50-60.
How do you usually chlorinate your pool water ?
 
pwrstrk said:
Yes your CYA is high. It could be higher as the test only reads to 100. Do the dilution test as described in the Extended Test Kit Directions. This will give you a better idea of the CYA level. Let the sample come to room temp if your water temp is below 60. For the AZ summers you could have your CYA level at 50-60.
How do you usually chlorinate your pool water ?
Click to expand...

I use 10% liquid chlorine as my primary chlorinator and float 6 trichlor tabs during summer (half that in the winter). Bear in mind that I have a very large pool.

I'm heading over to that Extended Kit Direction page now....
 
pooldv said:
+1 on laziness, i just pour a gallon of concentrated Kroger bleach in the pool every few weeks.

Yes, cya 100 is too high, you should use bleach instead of pucks.

I only test ph and chlorine every week or two out of swim season and keep chlorine towards 10ish. I don't start honing in on all other stuff until the water gets in the upper 70s, I'm not getting in until mid80s anyway. CYA is the main thing I focus on getting up every spring. Everything else stays pretty steady for me. Maybe I should use pucks instead of bleach ☺
Click to expand...

Not the best plan of attack to pour in a jug that infrequently, but if it's working for you...:cheers:

asusundevil said:
I use 10% liquid chlorine as my primary chlorinator and float 6 trichlor tabs during summer (half that in the winter). Bear in mind that I have a very large pool.

I'm heading over to that Extended Kit Direction page now....
Click to expand...

Sorry to be blunt, but this is why your Cya is at 100+ now. It really doesn't take long to get into trouble with them, and yes, it is a concern. No problem using them as long as you are careful and sparing, but once you reach this level, it takes a lot of Chlorine to stay right, and if you get an Algae bloom it will really be a problem getting rid of it. Reason being, it takes a lot of FC to kill a bloom with high Cya.

To answer, you really need to get the Cya down before summer, so the only way is dilution/water replacement. Keep an eye on your pH since you are 7.6. Nothing wrong there, but it will rise more quickly with TA 100.
 
asusundevil said:
No. They're not very effective in AZ from what I've been told by current and former users.
Click to expand...

I've never heard about SWG's not being effective in AZ. As long as your water is balanced for it I would think it would work fine.
The one main thing is you have to use a higher CYA level for a SWG. The CYA level would have to be in the 70-80 range. Another important parameter would be the high CH. But this can also be managed.
 

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asusundevil said:
No. They're not very effective in AZ from what I've been told by current and former users.
Click to expand...
Funny, my SWG has worked great at both the houses I have owned for years. Sounds like the people you have talked to do not know what they are talking about, likely due to a lack of understanding of pool chemistry. It is quite simple actually, if you spend a little time asking us questions and reading pool school.
 
I concur with Jason 100%. Anyone who says a SWG will not work in AZ or anywhere else for that matter, is simply mistaken and does not understand the chemistry.

Or maybe, the ones they have beeen around were all undersized as Woody alludes to the posibility of. That could explain it if true. They do work, and that's all there is to it.
 
I thought I'd chime in on this topic. I've been using the TFP method for my pool in Phoenix (East Valley) for about 3 years now. I understand why you may have been told that SWG can be a problem. Just like everyone said, they do work. However, just like any method of pool maintenance in Phoenix, it's not without flaws. The method is sound, however water conditions coupled with insane summer heat, require MUCH MORE effort to keep everything in sync.

There are 2 factors working against you in Phoenix, in the summer. High water temperatures (90F), high air temp (115F), coupled with extremely high fill water CH, cause you to maintain a SWG much more frequently. The evaporation and fill water CH, are the main factors that continue to plague me with high CH. The end result, is cleaning your SWG frequently.

My only solution to control CH, has been to drain the pool after a year or two (based on CH readings). Good luck and do consider a SWG. Regardless of the extra maintenance needed in Phoenix in general, the SWG has helped tremendously.
 
azjay said:
I thought I'd chime in on this topic. I've been using the TFP method for my pool in Phoenix (East Valley) for about 3 years now. I understand why you may have been told that SWG can be a problem. Just like everyone said, they do work. However, just like any method of pool maintenance in Phoenix, it's not without flaws. The method is sound, however water conditions coupled with insane summer heat, require MUCH MORE effort to keep everything in sync.

There are 2 factors working against you in Phoenix, in the summer. High water temperatures (90F), high air temp (115F), coupled with extremely high fill water CH, cause you to maintain a SWG much more frequently. The evaporation and fill water CH, are the main factors that continue to plague me with high CH. The end result, is cleaning your SWG frequently.

My only solution to control CH, has been to drain the pool after a year or two (based on CH readings). Good luck and do consider a SWG. Regardless of the extra maintenance needed in Phoenix in general, the SWG has helped tremendously.
Click to expand...

Good Post Jay, and Welcome to the forum!

I think there are outfits in AZ, maybe Phoenix that offer RO pool treatment. Not sure about that, but we have some other members and Mods from your area.
 
High CH in the Southwest is a fact of life. That said, Using the methods we teach can result in a crystal clear pool all summer. We teach, above all, understanding why your pool behaves the way it does and then, what you can do about it.

The "what you can do about it" starts with frequent and precision testing......there is no substitute.

The conditions in the Southwest do not allow for laziness and carelessness that others in other areas can get away with. Your high CH can be dealt with quite easily but you can't ignore it. You must become proactive through knowledge and testing and your pool will not be a problem.
 
Hi and thanks Patrick.

I did look into it. There is one company here in the Metro Phoenix area. The problem for me was the price. I believe the last quote I had, was about $450. Based on that, I've chosen the refill option every few years. Water, salt, and CYA cost is less than $100.
 
azjay said:
Hi and thanks Patrick.

I did look into it. There is one company here in the Metro Phoenix area. The problem for me was the price. I believe the last quote I had, was about $450. Based on that, I've chosen the refill option every few years. Water, salt, and CYA cost is less than $100.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a better deal to me.
 
duraleigh said:
High CH in the Southwest is a fact of life. That said, Using the methods we teach can result in a crystal clear pool all summer. We teach, above all, understanding why your pool behaves the way it does and then, what you can do about it.

The "what you can do about it" starts with frequent and precision testing......there is no substitute.

The conditions in the Southwest do not allow for laziness and carelessness that others in other areas can get away with. Your high CH can be dealt with quite easily but you can't ignore it. You must become proactive through knowledge and testing and your pool will not be a problem.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more, about testing. My TFT test kit has served me well. I'm curious what you consider "easy" removal of CH. Outside of draining, I'm not sure what options I have with high CH fill water. 100+ gallons of evaporation a day during the summer months, is quite a feat to overcome. Outside of RO systems for fill water, I'm not sure what else to do, except drain.
 

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