About to take the cover off...and...

[DMS2014]

My numbers, IMO, are terrible.
Hi, everyone. Happy Covidcation...
Numbers:
FC - 6
CH 225
TA 160 (did it twice!)
Ph 7.9
CYA 0 or 20 - what’s the diff - all the way to the top of the tube
Salt 2200. S/b 3400

It looks like another season of fighting the high TA/Ph thing again. Sure wish I knew why....
Where should I start? We are taking the cover off this weekend and will clean it.

 

[aeh0603]

For the CYA test:

If the dot disappeared when the tube was filled to the top your CYA was 20
If the dot did not disappear but the solution was cloudy, then your CYA is somewhere between 0 and 20
If the dot did not disappear and the solution was clear then your CYA is 0

For TA, what is the TA of your fill water?

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I have high TA and about neutral pH for fill water. See? It could be worse... I hate it... Having to splash and aerate is so unscientific...

 

[thefloatqueen]

Your fill water is probably high in alkalinity. Mine is BIG TIME. When I filled my pool for the first time and tested the water without chemicals, my TA was 220! ?? It took me over a month to get it to 80 lol. But it has to be your fill water. When my TA was crazy high, I couldn’t keep the pH in check. It would be at 8.2 every morning. It was a process but can be done. It’s just annoying lol

 

[DMS2014]

For the CYA test:

If the dot disappeared when the tube was filled to the top your CYA was 20
If the dot did not disappear but the solution was cloudy, then your CYA is somewhere between 0 and 20
If the dot did not disappear and the solution was clear then your CYA is 0

For TA, what is the TA of your fill water?

IDK. We haven’t had to fill in forever.

 

[Newdude]

I hate it... Having to splash and aerate is so unscientific...

I dunno Fred, i dont believe you dont have it all figured out on a chart. That the PH is 7.2 so the kids need to do 12 cartwheels in the shallow end, 2 games of volleyball and 19 cannonballs.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

Your fill water is probably high in alkalinity. Mine is BIG TIME. When I filled my pool for the first time and tested the water without chemicals, my TA was 220! ?? It took me over a month to get it to 80 lol. But it has to be your fill water. When my TA was crazy high, I couldn’t keep the pH in check. It would be at 8.2 every morning. It was a process but can be done. It’s just annoying lol

Ah, it was this post. TA in the fill water currently is 150, but with almost neutral pH. So not quite as bad... 12 cartwheels? Cannonballs maybe. On top of those 19..

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

And I do all that scientific stuff at work. I probably have the least detailed Pool Math records of anyone active here. I don't even record when I do basic tests, only the detailed ones on the weekends... And I tend to guesstimate additions a lot (I am a good cook, so I am actually good at that)... But then I don't record them because I didn't measure. And yet TFP still seems to work great for me so far...

 

[Casey]

And I do all that scientific stuff at work. I probably have the least detailed Pool Math records of anyone active here. I don't even record when I do basic tests, only the detailed ones on the weekends... And I tend to guesstimate additions a lot (I am a good cook, so I am actually good at that)... But then I don't record them because I didn't measure. And yet TFP still seems to work great for me so far...

I'm the same way. I run my numbers, guesstimate additions and stay within the "good range". I tested the water! LOL

 

[aeh0603]

IDK. We haven’t had to fill in forever.

If you want to find out if your fill water is the source of your high TA issues, then all you need to do is use your test kit to run a TA test using a water sample from the hose you use to top off your pool.

My guess is your fill water has high TA, so every time you top off your pool, you are also increasing your TA.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I'm the same way. I run my numbers, guesstimate additions and stay within the "good range". I tested the water! LOL

Yeah in all honesty if I ever start to have a problem I can and will do it all correctly. I am planning on adding a SWCG in the next several weeks, and I will have to find religion for that for at least a week or two before and after. I am currently trying to get my TA down to 90-100 and am running lower pH's than I would like. But I certainly don't want to add anything to bring it up.. so I wait.....

 

[triptyx]

It's never a problem to guesstimate....until it's a problem. If you're doing weekly detailed tests, and you're doing a daily test and not recording it, you should be mostly ok. Most BIG problems don't happen overnight, they're usually a result of ignoring things for a little while.

If memory serves, SWGs increase pH rise, which will increase acid usage, which will depress TA, so that high TA problem will likely be a blessing in disguise. Keep up the good fight!

 

[Casey]

I would like to add that I know my pool like the back of my hand. I do not use test strips and I know roughly how much liquid chlorine my pool needs on a daily basis to remain clean and sanitized. All parameters get tested a few times a month. IMMV. This works for me.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

Yeah, the chlorine needed I could probably guess for two months now without measuring based on temperature and sun and never get a couple ppm out of range. I have been very lucky in that the CSI has been very stable. I could do almost nothing and have left it at 7.8 pH, 250 CH (which will start creeping up in Tucson unfortunately) and TA 130 until the CH threw it off, probably in months. So I would say "educated" guesstimate. When you know that you need a third of a gallon of liquid Chlorine per day in the summer when sunny and hot then if you use all of it in three days, then you are better than close enough.

 

[triptyx]

Yeah, the chlorine needed I could probably guess for two months now without measuring based on temperature and sun and never get a couple ppm out of range. I have been very lucky in that the CSI has been very stable. I could do almost nothing and have left it at 7.8 pH, 250 CH (which will start creeping up in Tucson unfortunately) and TA 130 until the CH threw it off, probably in months. So I would say "educated" guesstimate. When you know that you need a third of a gallon of liquid Chlorine per day in the summer when sunny and hot then if you use all of it in three days, then you are better than close enough.

Definitely! You've got it dialed in - also, hello from the Northeast Tucson area.

 

[DMS2014]

And I do all that scientific stuff at work. I probably have the least detailed Pool Math records of anyone active here. I don't even record when I do basic tests, only the detailed ones on the weekends... And I tend to guesstimate additions a lot (I am a good cook, so I am actually good at that)... But then I don't record them because I didn't measure. And yet TFP still seems to work great for me so far...

You sound like my husband - he likes to “use the force” with additions and it makes me mad. last “using the force” resulting in too high FC that we don’t need right now...

 

[Newdude]

last “using the force” resulting in too high FC that we don’t need right now...

But not enough leads to low FC
Low FC leads to algae
And algae is the path to the Dark Side
(Of the pool water).

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I do pretty good with FC levels, honestly. Plus or minus a couple of PPM is usually quite unnoticeable unless it is minus on the low side for more than 24 hours. Even then you can get lucky...

I am planning on getting a SWCG soon so I will guess even less. My guessing is a lot better than the once a week the pool services do here and you can see the difference in a big way.