Hi there,
I am brand new to the forum, but have enjoyed reading all of the helpful hints so much! I had my pool installed in July of 2011, and have had 3.5 summers of just humming along spending a bunch of money on the pool store chemicals and only really testing my pH and chlorine levels. Well, of course, now that summer 4 has started, I have an issue I want to start the BBB method, but need some advice about exactly how based on this strange pink algae that I'm seeing and the fact that I can't keep my FC level above 1-2. I have been using 3" silk tabs, Trichloro-s-triazinetrione, in my skimmer for chlorine, and burnout3, granular chlorine shock, Calcium Hypochlorite, weekly. I did have some ducks in my pool one morning, but chased them away, so I have no idea if that has anything to do with the pink spots. I live in PA, so we have crazy weather from 60 degrees one day to 90 the next, lots of rain, lots of humidity, sometimes lots of sun, sometimes none. I got the TF-100 test kit yesterday, and here are my numbers:
pH=7.2
FC=2.5
CC=1
TC=3.5
CH=575 (yikes, I know)
TA=70
CYA=55
I also tested my fill water, though most of my filling has been from the rain lately, and those numbers are:
pH=6.8
FC, CC, TC=0
CH=225
TA=170
CYA=0
The water is crystal clear, but the pink spots show up every few days around the areas that get the most sun in the pool. I've been running the pump from 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, and I'm having to keep 2 chlorine tabs in the skimmer, and replace them every couple of days but the FC is still barely 2 (I was shocked to see 2.5 today).
Where should I start? Is that really high CH an issue that I should try to correct first? Should I start with baking soda to raise pH and TA? Should I SLAM it to kill the algae? Sorry for the crazy questions, but I'm really excited about getting into pool chemistry and getting my pool balanced!
Thanks!
My signature didn't save...oops! 5,000 gallon, IG, 3' to 4.5' deep, cute little drinking pool concrete w/aquaBRIGHT finish, Jandy 1HP pump, Jandy sand filter, Jandy heater
I am brand new to the forum, but have enjoyed reading all of the helpful hints so much! I had my pool installed in July of 2011, and have had 3.5 summers of just humming along spending a bunch of money on the pool store chemicals and only really testing my pH and chlorine levels. Well, of course, now that summer 4 has started, I have an issue I want to start the BBB method, but need some advice about exactly how based on this strange pink algae that I'm seeing and the fact that I can't keep my FC level above 1-2. I have been using 3" silk tabs, Trichloro-s-triazinetrione, in my skimmer for chlorine, and burnout3, granular chlorine shock, Calcium Hypochlorite, weekly. I did have some ducks in my pool one morning, but chased them away, so I have no idea if that has anything to do with the pink spots. I live in PA, so we have crazy weather from 60 degrees one day to 90 the next, lots of rain, lots of humidity, sometimes lots of sun, sometimes none. I got the TF-100 test kit yesterday, and here are my numbers:
pH=7.2
FC=2.5
CC=1
TC=3.5
CH=575 (yikes, I know)
TA=70
CYA=55
I also tested my fill water, though most of my filling has been from the rain lately, and those numbers are:
pH=6.8
FC, CC, TC=0
CH=225
TA=170
CYA=0
The water is crystal clear, but the pink spots show up every few days around the areas that get the most sun in the pool. I've been running the pump from 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, and I'm having to keep 2 chlorine tabs in the skimmer, and replace them every couple of days but the FC is still barely 2 (I was shocked to see 2.5 today).
Where should I start? Is that really high CH an issue that I should try to correct first? Should I start with baking soda to raise pH and TA? Should I SLAM it to kill the algae? Sorry for the crazy questions, but I'm really excited about getting into pool chemistry and getting my pool balanced!
Thanks!
My signature didn't save...oops! 5,000 gallon, IG, 3' to 4.5' deep, cute little drinking pool concrete w/aquaBRIGHT finish, Jandy 1HP pump, Jandy sand filter, Jandy heater
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