Recommended levels for all tile pools

[DrHog]

I notice in the Pool School that there are recommendation levels for vinyl, plaster, and fiberglass. I have an all tile pool with little 1" tiles comprising the entire surface of the pool, so there is a lot of grout. I'm assuming that I should use the recommendations for plaster. However, the local pool shop guy recommended raising TA up to 140 for this type of pool. It sounds high to me, but he's the pro and I don't think he was just trying to sell chemicals. I thought I would bounce this off the forum before I raised the TA. I would also like to know what my target CYA should be for this type of pool.

The pool is in Phoenix, AZ, and here are my latest test results from yesterday:
pH: 7.5
FC: 1
TC: 1.3
TA: 72 (although my reagent drop test shows 90)
CH: 300
CYA: 23

I know the chlorine is low--that has been addressed. The pool has a lot of acid and chlorine demand. I add a pint of MA every three days or so. The water looks perfect--not cloudy in any way.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Swimgirl]

Some say that in the desert to keep your CYA a little on the high side, 50 to 60 to avoid excess chlorine burn off with the bright desert sun, and then just keep your chlorine at the level indicated by your CYA. Me, I kept my CYA at 40 for the hottest part of the summer, then used froggy without the mineral pac for a few weeks, which raised my CYA to 50. Haven't noticed any real difference in chlorine consumption.

 

[duraleigh]

Is the Frog your only source of chlorination?

 

[Guest]

If you are using trilchor for you source of chlorination (which I suspect since you have the frog) then you want to keep your TA above 100 at all times. This will help keep your TA and pH from crashing. Low pH is what will hurt the grout, not low TA but too low a TA with an acidic sanitizer can lead to a pH crash.

Having too high a TA will lead to increased acid demand.

Tile pools need the same TA range as plaster pools. (I also work in the industry, btw. I work in a pool store and do commercial pool maintenance in the summer.)

As far as your CYA you want it to be at least 50 ppm and possibly higher for your location if you pool is receiving a lot of sun.

Was your calcium checked with a drop test? Arizona has hard water and I find your CH of 300 ppm suspect. Colormetric calcium tests that are done with a meter will often read low when the calcium is very high.

 

[DrHog]

I'm done with the Frog as a chlorinator. At most, I may use it with some trichlor tabs if I'm going to be away from the pool. I'm doing daily liquid chlorine or bleach right now and trying to get a handle on my daily consumption. Pool calculator called for 1 qt of 10% today. I used one Frog Pac during the last 3 weeks that we've lived here. I'm surprised the CYA is as low as it is, as that chlorine source should raise the CYA, right?

The calcium reading was from a color test strip, electronically read at the pool store. I don't have a home test for CH or CYA yet.

So everyone would concur that 100-110 ppm is a good level for TA in this pool?

 

[Swimgirl]

Actually, even though Arizona tends to have hard water, the calcium itself isn't all that high. I was surprised when I tested mine and it was less than 200.

 

[Swimgirl]

I'm done with the Frog as a chlorinator. At most, I may use it with some trichlor tabs if I'm going to be away from the pool.

Make sure you take out the mineral cartridge if you do that, if you haven't taken out the cartridge already.

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, your Alk is fine.

Since you're manually chlorinating, I'd get the CYA around 40-60 and then keep your FC in the 4-7ppm range.

All the rest of your numbers are very nice.