This is crazy!!

[bware]

Ok, I just got my TS100 and here we go:

FC 15
CC 0 (duh?)
PH 8+
CA 425
TA 110
Salt 3850

And I'm thinking this water cannot be this far outta balance yet these are the numbers. My SWG has been at 40% and usually this is fine till the summer when I kick it up to 60% and that usually keeps it in good shape all summer. I added a pint of MA this morning just because i always do when the weather turns warmer. I figured what's the use in getting the CYA with all the FC.
I turned the SWG to 0 and threw another pint of MA in although my pump shuts off at 6pm, I started it back up and think I will run through the night. We have more rain than usual, but I've only added a sack of salt this spring.
I cleaned the SWG this weekend and although the red light never came on, it was pretty scaled up but came squeaky clean.

I would appreciate any and all thoughts about my first readings and my actions so far...still in shock.

 

[pooldv]

Congrats on getting the TF100. Need to know what your CYA is. PH is too high, need to lower it 7.5 or so.

Here is info on water chemistry, ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Then, here are the levels you are looking for in a saltwater pool, Water Balance for SWCGs

And finally, here is a link to PoolMath, to determine how much to add to achieve the desired result. Such as, how much muriatic acid to add to get your PH to 7.5.

 

[jblizzle]

Now you have the right tools for the job ... no more guessing that a pint here and a pint there is correct

 

[Richard320]

Hmmm... did you make the common mistake and use 25 ml of water to test FC but multiply by .5 instead of .2? That would make your FC a reasonable 6.

We need the CYA level as well, otherwise the FC reading only tells us the SWG is working, not whether the FC level is too high or too low.

I don't see anything too terrible. pH is easy to fix and TA will come down when you do it. How does the water look? That's the key. The only people who care about test results are here - your guests are more impressed by crystal clear sparkling water.

 

[Patrick_B]

Yes, not so bad, even if FC is 15, but I'm curious too as Richard asked. And Cya please.

Congrats on doing your own numbers!

 

[bware]

Hmmm... did you make the common mistake and use 25 ml of water to test FC but multiply by .5 instead of .2? That would make your FC a reasonable 6.

We need the CYA level as well, otherwise the FC reading only tells us the SWG is working, not whether the FC level is too high or too low.

I don't see anything too terrible. pH is easy to fix and TA will come down when you do it. How does the water look? That's the key. The only people who care about test results are here - your guests are more impressed by crystal clear sparkling water.

Hi Richard,
No, the only time I used 25ml was with the TA test. After I got the scale off my SWG and vacuumed the pool, my water looked fantastic...very clear and sparkly..that's why I'm so surprised at the test results, but I know it's not all water clarity.
I am letting the pump run overnight and will test CYA in the a.m. and report back. What about the high CH reading? Anything to worry about till I get FC and PH resolved?

- - - Updated - - -

Yes, not so bad, even if FC is 15, but I'm curious too as Richard asked. And Cya please.

Congrats on doing your own numbers!

Thanks, Patrick...I will have the CYA in the morning.

 

[Divin Dave]

Your CH is a bit higher than whats recommended, but not something that cant be managed.

It would help to know what the CH of your fill water is. That would tell us if teh higher CH is due to actual high level of CH in the water, or if somewhere along the line, too much calcium chloride somehow got put in the pool.

 

[bware]

Your CH is a bit higher than whats recommended, but not something that cant be managed.

It would help to know what the CH of your fill water is. That would tell us if teh higher CH is due to actual high level of CH in the water, or if somewhere along the line, too much calcium chloride somehow got put in the pool.

Ok, here we go: The pump ran all night at 0 setting on SWG

Fill water CH 200
CH 450
TA 90
FC 16.5
CC 0
PH 8+
CYA 60

Pool calculator tells me to add 36 oz of MA using 8.5 as a PH. I'm doing that now as I'm already seeing a few more scale flakes from the return after just cleaning the SWG. Let me know thoughts.
Thanks much!

 

[RickyTidwellsMom]

I am confused about something. In every other place I have read it the PH test is unreliable in a FC > 10 environment. With that known, why is the PH being adjusted at this point? Shouldn't OP be waiting for the FC to drop below 10 to get an accurate PH reading?

 

[JasonLion]

Good point RickyTidwellsMom.

bware, best not to adjust the PH while the FC level is that high. The PH test is not reliable when FC is above 10, so it may well not actually need any lowering. As soon as FC is 10 or lower you should test the PH again and adjust things back into the normal range. In the meantime, don't make any more PH adjustments while FC is high.

 

[bware]

Good point RickyTidwellsMom.

bware, best not to adjust the PH while the FC level is that high. The PH test is not reliable when FC is above 10, so it may well not actually need any lowering. As soon as FC is 10 or lower you should test the PH again and adjust things back into the normal range. In the meantime, don't make any more PH adjustments while FC is high.

I am confused about something. In every other place I have read it the PH test is unreliable in a FC > 10 environment. With that known, why is the PH being adjusted at this point? Shouldn't OP be waiting for the FC to drop below 10 to get an accurate PH reading?

Something told me as I was about to dump the MA, that I should wait on some responses..so I did.
Next question is should I just do nothing and let the pump run with SWG at 0 and retest at some designated intervals?

 

[pooldv]

No real reason to let the pump run, the sun will burn off the chlorine either way. Just a note, your previous post said ph target 8.5, I assume you meant 7.5.

 

[JasonLion]

Leaving the SWG at zero will let the FC level come down. Just run the pump for a couple of hours and test the FC level daily and when the FC level is down to 8 or so (tomorrow or the next day most likely) you can turn the SWG up, but start at half the percentage setting you were using previously. Then continue to monitor the FC level and adjust the percentage settings to get a reasonable FC level (which may take a while, as you need to give it at least two days to settle after each adjustment).

 

[bware]

No real reason to let the pump run, the sun will burn off the chlorine either way. Just a note, your previous post said ph target 8.5, I assume you meant 7.5.

Leaving the SWG at zero will let the FC level come down. Just run the pump for a couple of hours and test the FC level daily and when the FC level is down to 8 or so (tomorrow or the next day most likely) you can turn the SWG up, but start at half the percentage setting you were using previously. Then continue to monitor the FC level and adjust the percentage settings to get a reasonable FC level (which may take a while, as you need to give it at least two days to settle after each adjustment).

Yes, 7.5 for sure. I think I will give the pump a break after the next test. Is the high CH reading any reason for concern till I get the FC and PH under control?

 

[pooldv]

No, we can deal with CH later. Just be sure to keep your ph under 8, after you get your FC under 10. Is it starting to make sense? I went for a while in a complete fog and then one day I woke up and it all made sense. Well, not all of it, but enough that I'm not scared anymore. :-D

 

[bware]

Yep, what I thought. It is making more sense all the time..guess main thing is to just keep your head in it and keep diggin'...too many years of taking sample to pool store and just "yeah, ok, just gimme the stuff, pay and go"... finally convinced to take it slower, learn a little every day and have fun along the way (hopefully).

 

[Patrick_B]

I say this a lot, but in time, like the end of this season you'll feel silly to admit you ever thought it was complicated. It will become that easy, I promise.

 

[bware]

Good to know, Patrick...thx!

 

[bware]

I say this a lot, but in time, like the end of this season you'll feel silly to admit you ever thought it was complicated. It will become that easy, I promise.

Update:

FC 10.5
CC 0
PH 7.8
CH 400
TA 110
CYA 50

Still have SWG off and running pump 10hr/day

Thoughts from the pros at TFP?

 

[Smykowski]

It'll come down. Clean pools don't burn through chlorine.