Forget the pool store!

[LisaAnn84]

Hi. No more "Well you might try this..." $$$$ Found your site....

This is the 4th summer to use our pool. We bought it new from the pool store. They set it up, put in chemicals, said do this, and for 2 years we blindly just did what they said and had a great 2 summers. Last year, the water turned green. I put more $$$ in than I care to admit to and their answer was always "well you might try this..." when it didn't fix whatever problem they then said I had.

So, at the end of last summer, I stumbled upon troublefreepool. I read lots of articles and posts, ordered a TF-100 test kit ....now I just need some personal questions answered.

Today...
CYA is between 40 and 50 (closer to 40) - I added stabilizer to get it there a week and a half ago
Today pH is 8.2
Cl is 3
The water is clear but once again I am seeing little patches of something at the bottom of the pool. We noticed that yesterday.
It has rained a lot lately. There are from 6 - 8 people in the pool for 1-2 hours each day most days.

So...what advice can you give me to get/keep it clear and usable.

Thanks.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

Did it feel like this?

- - - Updated - - -

CYA is between 40 and 50 (closer to 40) - I added stabilizer to get it there a week and a half ago
Today pH is 8.2
Cl is 3
The water is clear but once again I am seeing little patches of something at the bottom of the pool. We noticed that yesterday.
It has rained a lot lately. There are from 6 - 8 people in the pool for 1-2 hours each day most days.

So...what advice can you give me to get/keep it clear and usable.

Thanks.

First, you need to get all the swimmers out of the pool and add muratic acid to get the pH down, say 7.2. Let the pump run 30 minutes and the pool is open again.

If you are seeing little patches of "something I'm going to bet it's algae you haven't really killed. To test that theory I want you to bring the FC up to about 10 this evening. Once the sun is off the pool and the pump has been running for at least 30 minutes test the FC and write it down. Tomorrow morning before the sun is on the pool and the pump has been running again for at least 30 minutes test the FC again.

Report you results tomorrow.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello Lisa Ann from Branson! The pool store... uhg .. we've all been there. A couple things that caught my eye if no one else has replied yet:
CYA - good. If you find yourself losing CYA to the hot sun this summer, you could always go up a bit to 50, but wait for now as it appears you will need to SLAM.
PH is too high. Need to bring that down right away to 7.2 for health and swimmers comfort and possibly to SLAM
CL concerns me. If you have the TF-100, you should be able to post FC and CC. Those are critical. Can you double-check please? You want no more than .5 CC, and your FC should be somewhere around 5-6 depending on your CYA and recommended levels chart. (links below). You never want to FC to drop below what is shows for your pool on the Chlorine/CYA Chart or algae can attack.

You may be on the verge of needing a "SLAM". Read the SLAM link below and heck back with us for any questions. We're happy to help.

 

[Pogueld]

You'll be so glad you are following the advice here!


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[Divin Dave]

Hi LisaAnn,

sounds like maybe your FC has gotten a little low at times. With so many swimmers and all..... and some algae crept in.

If those patches of somethign are algae, you need to SLAM.
you can confirm if they are organic patches by
= Doing a OCLT - Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
Test FC just After the sun goes down.
Test again before the sun comes up (an no swimming that night).
If you loose more than 1 ppm of FC, you need to slam.

You also need to get your pH down as others recommended.

Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

If you have the TF-100 in your possession (wasn't sure if you were still waiting for it), then a full-suite of test results would help us. For chlorine, please post FC and CC. From that, we can get TC which is FC+CC.

 

[LisaAnn84]

So my technology skills are a bit on the slow side hence the lack of response to finding and acting upon your aadvice.

Since I obviously don't have the requested information at this point, I have a couple more question.

It has been raining here since noon yesterday and the forecast is calling for two more days of rain, so do I need to test and adjust something now or wait until the rain stops and go from there?

I am inferring from your advice that maybe I don't need to be running the filter 24/7 as suggested by the "pool experts"?

 

[duraleigh]

The rain has little effect on your pool, ignore it.

You will need to run the pump 24/7 during a SLAM but not now. Post your test results when your kit gets in and we'll all help get it cleared up and algae fee.

 

[LisaAnn84]

I read the directions and watched the YouTube videos then tested the water...

FC .5
CC 0
pH. 8.2
TA 240
CH. 270
CYA. 40
Cl. .5

The water looks clear. Small patches of algae? still on the bottom of the pool but no more than was there yesterday.

What should I do and in what order? It is overcast and raining off and on so no one will be in the pool.

 

[Pogueld]

I am new to the process, but I know you will need to bring your PH down for sure. I'm curious if the experts will recommend lowering your CYA a little before starting the SLAM. I'd like to follow the post to learn more. You will need to have LOTS of bleach on hand and some Muratic acid for lowering the PH. You need to get the PH down before you start the SLAM for sure.


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[tim5055]

You are going to do things together, You need chlorine in the pool and muratic acid to get the pH down. Unless you have a source for any liquid chlorine less expensive, WalMart Great Valu bleach (no scents/splashless/flavors) will be the ticket. Pick up 10 or 12 bottles to start (they should be 121oz and say 8.25% on the label). Stop by Lowes and get a gallon of muratic acid (blue label in teh paint department, 31%).

With the pump running pour in 1 bottle of bleach.

Wait 30 minutes and add the amount of muratic acid Pool Math says will get you to 7.5

Wait another 30 minutes and test chlorine and pH again

We need to get the pH in line, but 40 CYA is fine for the SLAM.

 

[Steve-in-VA]

your pool size is close to mine...you will def need some MA to drop your pH to around 7.5. 7.2 if you need to SLAM which sounds like you will if it is an algae bloom.

Be sure to use a tape measure to measure your water depth to get your accurate gallon reading. Is your pool 52" high or 48" high? Mine is a 52" high with a 48" water depth and it was a difference of 2K gallons or so when I first started my input in POOLMATH. Based off pool math you will need about a gallon of muriatic acid...but with a high TA (which I had too) I'd invest in about 4-5 gallons of MA. To get that level lowered. I've turned my return jet to break the surface of the water (to increase my ph) and in two weeks i've dropped from a 240 TA to around 130.