TFPC, Water Balance & Saturation Index

[domct203]

First I want to say that I am very happy with my pool since using TFPC. The water is always clear and inviting, I just wish it would warm up LOL.

With that said, while my water is always clear, it just seems to lack that sparkle that I see in pools here.

Here are yesterday afternoon's full numbers (Taylor K2006):
4:20pm 75F
FC 6.0ppm
CC 0.0ppm
pH 7.4
TA 80ppm
CH 20ppm

CYA was just about 40ppm last time I checked, pH is very stable.

Back to my sparkles LOL. For the first time since getting the kit I actually read the book that came with it. Very good read actually. So now I plug my numbers into the Watergram Balance Calculator that came in the kit to find I have a SI of -1.3

Now, I feel all my numbers are good, great actually. But she just doesn't sparkle.

Would getting my SI closer to zero help my pool water sparkle?

With TA & pH where it is I would need to bump CH to almost 400ppm for an SI of zero.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

Edit: After playing with the Watergram a bit I see that if I shoot for an SI of -0.5 I only need to bump CH to about 120ppm.
Dom

 

[Richard320]

Wrong tree. CSI has to do with Calcium leaching out of plaster pool walls or depositing scale on them. If high CH contributes to sparkle, my pool should glow in the dark and it doesn't. Calcium tends to cloud water when it gets added, so you'd be dulling the sparkle you have. OTOH, low Calcium can cause water foaming out the returns. You could buy some Cal-hypo to chlorinate with for a while if that's an issue for you.

 

[domct203]

Ha ha, glow in the dark. That actually sounds cool.

Thanks for the info. No water foaming or other issues, I'll leave the CH as-is.

Any tips to really make a pool sparkle?

Dom

 

[Richard320]

Ha ha, glow in the dark. That actually sounds cool.

Thanks for the info. No water foaming or other issues, I'll leave the CH as-is.

Any tips to really make a pool sparkle?

Dom

Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

Find a neighbor with a DE filter and beg a can full of DE or cellulose. You'll be using so little, a bag would outlast the pool. Note: if it is cellulose, don't keep trying to reach the 1 psi increase. Add the half cup or whatever and leave it alone. See what pressure is after a day.

 

[domct203]

Well, no neighbor with DE.

Guess I have a lifetime supply.

Dom

 

[duraleigh]

How long each day are you running the pump? The Intex filters are marginal in their cleaning power and that could be a contributor. You may also find that simply adding around 10 ppm of Clorox to the pool (as a one time dose) will help it sparkle up.

Regardless, calcium has nothing to do with it.

That said, your Calcium is strangely low. 250 - 400 is normal. You aren't filling with softened water are you?

 

[domct203]

I run my filter 3 times in a day, 4:30am-6:00am, 10:45am-2:00pm, & 2:45pm-6:00pm for a total of 8 hours. The filter is supposed to flow 2150GPH, the pump 2600GPH per the Intex info. I chose 8hrs so I could get 2 turnovers a day.

No water softener, filled straight from the garden hose, CH has been 20ppm since I filled the pool mid May.

Dom

edit: I think I'll pickup some cal-hypo and give that 10ppm dose a shot, and gain 7ppm CH too. Should I raise the CH into the 200's?

 

[PAGirl]

I added just a little Borax when I first filled my pool a few years ago, after I got everything where it needed to be, and it gave it a bit of sparkle. No where near the "adding borates" amount, just a little bit in a pool your size.

 

[domct203]

Just did a very through backwash & added 1-3/4 cups of DE per TFP instructions. Pressure is up just about 1psi, return flow still seems very good. Will check pressure in a half hour, then probably every hour.

We we got a couple of inches of rain last night, with high winds adding a bunch of junk into the pool, so I'll keep up on filter pressure. Water level is high so I'll be back flushing again tonight & recharge the DE (lord knows I have plenty) so I hopefully don't need to worry tomorrow while I'm at work.

I'll update this post after a few days of filtering this way. I'd rather try this first before adding borates, I'm trying to keep the chemistry simple. So far all I have had to put in this pool is Chlorine and I'm loving it.

Dom

 

[duraleigh]

So far all I have had to put in this pool is Chlorine and I'm loving it.

You are a good TFP dude!! That principle will save you time, money and give you a sparkling pool. We promise!