New member with TF-100 test kit

[meanmotorscooter]

Hello. New member from Phoenix, AZ here. We recently purchased a 10 year home with an in ground pool. I took measurements and the pool we have is roughly 14,000 gallons. It was orginally a salt cell pool but I'm pretty certain the SWG is past it's effective life so I thought I would give the TFPM a go. I received my test kit yesterday and here are my numbers:

FC 16 PPM
PH 7.8at
Calcium Hardness 1200
TA 140
The CYA test made the black dot at the bottom not visible even before the water level reached the first 100 mark on the graduated cylinder.

I know the Chlorine level is high so I figured just give it time and see if the level comes down. Is there anything else i should do?

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, MMS, Welcome to the forum.

You have two important issues to address with your pool.

1. CYA - You should be down around 60 and the only way to get there is to drain and refill half (or more) of your pool water.

2. CH - By draining for CYA your CH should come down but still probably than we'd like to see it

If you are chlorinating with pucks, you need to stop.........that's why your CYA is so high.

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School.......it'll teach you the proper levels and why you need to keep things at the levels we suggest.

 

[meanmotorscooter]

Thanks duraleigh. I thought a drain/refill might be in order.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum MeanmotorScooter!

Duraleigh has you straight already, so there's nothing to add. Let us know if you need some help.

 

[meanmotorscooter]

Any tips or precautions on draining and refilling? Do you think I need to drain completely? Should I add fresh water to the pool with a hose at the same time I'm draining to the sewer with a hose hooked up to the dump valve?

 

[Patrick_B]

I don't think there are worries of floating your pool in Phoenix.

I think you ought to plan on replacing it all since your CH is so high. Cya as well, but that CH is going to be a problem sooner than later. It will increase, and it's already at high potential scaling levels.

 

[jblizzle]

I would suggest a pretty complete drain and refill since your CH is so high. No worry about floating the pool, but you do not want the plaster exposed to the intense sun either.

When I drained, I rented a submersible pump from Home Depot in the late afternoon, had it drained by midnight and then started refilling with 3 hoses.

 

[meanmotorscooter]

Thanks Patrick. I know our water here is hard to start with but hopefully a drain/refill will make my numbers better.

 

[Patrick_B]

Oh it will no doubt. If you want to see how good, simply run a CH on your makeup.

And you're welcome! That's why we're here...

 

[meanmotorscooter]

Now I just have to figure out how to go about draining / refilling

 

[jblizzle]

Rent a pump like I mentioned in my last post

 

[meanmotorscooter]

Thanks jbizzle !

 

[jblizzle]

If you get it late enough in the afternoon, you can keep it longer. For example, Home Depot closes at 10PM tonight, if you rent the pump for 4 hours (the minimum) after 6PM, you will not have to return it until like 9AM tomorrow. Looks like $29 for 4 hours and $41 for a full day.

It will likely take 4-5 hours to drain your pool.

I had a wash I could pump all the water into, not sure what you location will allow.

The other alternative is to buy a cheap pump from Harbor Freight, but that will take a lot longer to drain the pool

 

[duraleigh]

MMS,

Test the CH, TA, and pH of your fill water and post that up.....it's fairly important.

 

[meanmotorscooter]

I looked around my property and these are the only two things resembling a drain in the front of my house. Any idea which one to use?

 

[jblizzle]

Are you allowed to drain your pool into the sewer?

Usually one has a Y turning toward the house and the other has one turning away from the house ... so I would guess you would want to use the one closer to the house. Also need to be careful that the sewer line will have no problem with the 45-60 GPM rate the pump could be running.

 

[meanmotorscooter]

I ended up using the clean out drain. The submersible pump from home depot took 8 hours to drain the pool. Been refilling since 0200. Keeping it wet now.

 

[Patrick_B]

Keep us posted MMS! Love the color already. Will be nice to see that all the time eh?