Just opened my beautiful box of TF-100

Jump to latest Follow Reply
A

Anron4

0
May 27, 2015
15
Bayshore, NY
Hi Everyone, I just received my new testing kit. I opened my pool without it, and it was ok..... I did a dump and refill due to bad holes in the liner.I did add 13 or 18 oz of stabilizer about a week ago. But the weather hasn't been pretty unappealing for swimming, so I've just been adding a bit of bleach everyday, to keep it clear. I ordered my kit on Saturday, and it came in today. So EXCITED!!!!!
Well here's where I'm at. Went to Walmart today knowing my kit would be in soon. Picked up 5 gallons of 8% store brand bleach. Stopped off at the pool store and only bought the stabilizer (Go Me!). Came home and waited for the UPS Man and he showed up with my beautiful box! I have a huge amount of soda ash due to last years attempts to just throw money at my problems. That was a nightmare! I can come up for anything else I need.
I'm a bit intimidated by my beautiful chemistry kit, so I only tested for:
CYA: 0, I never lost the dot
FC: 1-2
PH-6.8 or lower
According to Poolmath I have to add 91 oz of bleach
58 oz of ash
and 64 oz of stabilizer
I think I should add the bleach then later add the ash and somewhere in between the stabilizer. Does that sound correct? My pool is getting a little cloudy and I'd like to not wind up with a swamp.
Also, as dumb as this sounds how do I figure out the 64 oz of stabilizer. I know there are 8 oz in a cup so should I just do it 8x8=64, 8 8oz cups in a sock being squeezed.
Am I forgetting something? Doing/thinking right?
I introduced myself about 2 weeks ago, but there's a lot of traffic on here, so just a quick about me. I failed chemistry. We've had a pool for years and always stunk at it. I'm working from home this summer, so I'm in charge. I'm in recovery for my "throw money at it at the pool store" attitude.
I'm So EXCITED to get this right and easy this year!
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Anne
 
Congrats on the kit! Awesome! Here's what I would suggest:
1 - Get a sock with stabilizer in there ASAP. Use the calculator to get up to about 40 for now. Remember, it takes about a week to show. :(
2 - Continue with bleach right away as well. Typically we start with a target of 2ppm for FC until you start to see the CYA rising. Once the CYA comes-up, then you can bring your FC up to the target level for your pool and CYA. If your pool is starting to look cloudy, then a little more bleach might help slow any algae trying to bloom.
3 - Other chemicals can be added as you wish, staggering by 30 min or so.

Normally when the water gets cloudy and we suspect algae, we SLAM right away. But you have next to no CYA, so the FC would just burn-off. Stay the course with what's noted above until the CYA starts to climb, then we may hit it harder with the higher FC (SLAM).

If you have any more questions, just ask.

- - - Updated - - -

"Yes" on your stabilizer question. :) 8x8 is fine .. and squeeze periodically.
 
I added 48oz of stabilizer, because I ran out of room in the sock! I'll add the rest tomorrow after this is all squeezed out. I did add the bleach. Thank you very much for your response.
I may retest in a bit, just to see if the chlorine is showing. Then I may test for other things.....If I see anything crazy I'll write it on here. And I think I'll add half the soda ash amount tonight. I had a very bad soda ash experience last year!!!

- - - Updated - - -

"Yes" on your stabilizer question. :) 8x8 is fine .. and squeeze periodically.[/QUOTE]
 
It's a bit of "babysitting" we know (watching that FC), but now that you have a good test kit, you can do it all from home without running to the pool store in traffic, only to get the wrong advice and find yourself broke $$$. You are on the right track now. :)
 
Good morning!
All is well in my pool.... I think!
Played around with my Chem set last night, I'm really gonna have to play and understand some more before I post numbers. Last night my Husband the former keeper of the pool called me pool obsessed and I took it as a compliment.
This morning at 7 am it seems that my FC is at 5 and my PH is at 7.8. Knowing that the CYA level is very low I don't think at this time I'm going to try lowering my PH, unless anyone thinks I should be adding the muriatic acid like pool math says I should be. I'm going to add the other 16oz of stabilizer.
Todays plans are to sit around eating bon-bon's and babysit the pool. Vacuum and brush to make sure anything funky takes a hike and keep an eye on my chlorine level. Anything I'm missing?
 
Yeah you forget the adult drink while floating IN your pool! LOL

You are doing fine. After a while you will be able to look at your pool and know what it wants.

When you do your tests please post them like this:

FC-
CC-
TC-
PH-
TA-
CYA-

Do not bother with CH as it really does not matter in a vinyl pool.

I would love for you to do an OCLT. (oh no not a test LOL) Here is the link to that. It will tell us so much about your water and what it needs.

Pool School - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

Your husband will not believe how clear you get the pool. He will be able to read the heads/tails on a coin when you and TFP are done with it!

Kim
 
Good morning Kimkats, and thank you for the reply. I am quite the fan of floating with the adult beverage. I'm a hard core wine spritzer fan!!! ;)
Can someone please explain to me what the difference is between the little blue box chlorine tester and the rest of them. I've been using the blue box chlorine tester as the FC number. Is that the right one?
 
The blue box is a FC test that uses color to help you know what your FC is at. To me it is not as accurate as the drop FC test. I like being able to count the drops and doing the math. There is no guess work. "Oh is the color here or here?" That is just me.

Kim
 
Ok, I broke out my chemistry kit and counted drops. It says
FC-8
The only thing it recommends me doing is adding a bit of muriatic acid, which as I said I won't do until my CYA level can be calculated,
Next question, in pool math I see no spot to add my CC level, which is 0
What am I missing?
Thank you for your help
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Anron4 said:
Ok, I broke out my chemistry kit and counted drops. It says
FC-8
The only thing it recommends me doing is adding a bit of muriatic acid, which as I said I won't do until my CYA level can be calculated,
Next question, in pool math I see no spot to add my CC level, which is 0
What am I missing?
Thank you for your help
Click to expand...
You don't want CC. That's combined chloramines, the stuff that makes that chlorine smell, the scent you associate with public pools, the stuff that burns your eyes. It's only use is to tell you if there's a problem. That's why the Total Chlorine most cheapie test kits read is useless. Free Chlorine is what keeps a pool clean and sanitized. That's what you care about.

attachment.php
 
There is no place to put CC. That is just for your info. to let you know if there is something brewing in your water. Pool Math is to let you know what and how much to add of each item.

There is no harm in going ahead with getting your PH and TA in balance while you are waiting for the CYA to show up on the test.

You should "act" as if the CYA is at the level you put in.

Test and post your results so we can get you to the next step----------A clear, jewel of a pool!

Kim
 
I used to HATE going to the pool store to test my water, knowing that in order to get their results I was going to have to buy their chemicals, then see them pull out the test strips to "test" the water.

I always use my test strips as a quick check or as a backup to see if my re-agent kit is still working properly.
 
Greetings Anne and welcome to TFP,
There is no spot on the calculator to enter CC.
CC is the used up chlorine. It will get burnt off and oxidized away with fresh chlorine and sunlight.

In your first post, you stated.....

I think I should add the bleach then later add the ash and somewhere in between the stabilizer. Does that sound correct? My pool is getting a little cloudy and I'd like to not wind up with a swamp.
Click to expand...

Is the pool still cloudy?

If so, add muratic acid to get it down to 7.2ish and start raising your FC to SLAM level. If you hit it early it will go very quickly....
 
one_knight4u said:
Greetings Anne and welcome to TFP,
There is no spot on the calculator to enter CC.
CC is the used up chlorine. It will get burnt off and oxidized away with fresh chlorine and sunlight.

In your first post, you stated.....



Is the pool still cloudy?

If so, add muratic acid to get it down to 7.2ish and start raising your FC to SLAM level. If you hit it early it will go very quickly....
Click to expand...

Hi Randy, yes the pool is still cloudy. I just tested and my fc is at 7
I'm not sure that I'm going to need to slam. Do you suggest that?
Off to buy that muriatic acid, I'll add it tonight after retesting and vacuuming and brushing this afternoon and brushing and vacuuming.....
Having so much Fun!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you Kim, I'm going to do that. Like I said before, I'm having a great time not being clueless!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Richard320 said:
You don't want CC. That's combined chloramines, the stuff that makes that chlorine smell, the scent you associate with public pools, the stuff that burns your eyes. It's only use is to tell you if there's a problem. That's why the Total Chlorine most cheapie test kits read is useless. Free Chlorine is what keeps a pool clean and sanitized. That's what you care about.

thank you Richard for the explanation and feedback. I'm learning so much!
I Love looking at all of the swamp to crystal clear pics!!!
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply