Another Newbie! First Pool and First Full Test

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Had a quick discussion with our pool guy, and he didn't get the whole "CYA to Chlorine" thing, and he said he likes to run chlorine at 1ppm regardless of stabilizer level. Everything else he said matched things I've read here -- but he wasn't on board with keeping chlorine at 7ppm with a 60CYA.

Just to throw it out there, if I were to keep doing things the *non* BBB way, it still seems like the ratio would be the same -- I mean, we're talking chlorine to stabilizer here, whether it's chlorine from Wal-Mart or chlorine from a trichlor tablet, right?
 
RAILhead said:
Post Posted: February 29th, 2012, 2:51 pm
Had a quick discussion with our pool guy, and he didn't get the whole "CYA to Chlorine" thing, and he said he likes to run chlorine at 1ppm regardless of stabilizer level. Everything else he said matched things I've read here -- but he wasn't on board with keeping chlorine at 7ppm with a 60CYA.
Click to expand...
Then you need a new "pool guy"! With your CYA at 60 ppm (or higher now?) you need maintain at least 5 ppm of FC in your pool at all times. Why do you need this "pool guy"?

RAILhead said:
Just to throw it out there, if I were to keep doing things the *non* BBB way, it still seems like the ratio would be the same -- I mean, we're talking chlorine to stabilizer here, whether it's chlorine from Wal-Mart or chlorine from a trichlor tablet, right?
Click to expand...
Either use poolcalculator.com or this table: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock to maintain your FC level. If you stick with using Trichlor, you CYA concentration will probably get unmanageable and you will need to do a partial drain. My advice, like others here is to stop using the Trichlor. Your CYA level is already higher than the recommended maximum for non swg pools. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/recommended_levels
Most people find that as they approach 100 ppm, algae is almost inevitable.
 
linen said:
RAILhead said:
Post Posted: February 29th, 2012, 2:51 pm
Had a quick discussion with our pool guy, and he didn't get the whole "CYA to Chlorine" thing, and he said he likes to run chlorine at 1ppm regardless of stabilizer level. Everything else he said matched things I've read here -- but he wasn't on board with keeping chlorine at 7ppm with a 60CYA.
Click to expand...
Then you need a new "pool guy"! With your CYA at 60 ppm (or higher now?) you need maintain at least 5 ppm of FC in your pool at all times. Why do you need this "pool guy"?
Click to expand...

Yes, I plan on being my own pool guy for sure -- it's just still new after the install, and he's finishing up the detail work (decking, etc.) so he's still around. The "pool guy" is actually the owner of the local pool company.

linen said:
RAILhead said:
Just to throw it out there, if I were to keep doing things the *non* BBB way, it still seems like the ratio would be the same -- I mean, we're talking chlorine to stabilizer here, whether it's chlorine from Wal-Mart or chlorine from a trichlor tablet, right?
Click to expand...
Either use poolcalculator.com or this table: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock to maintain your FC level. If you stick with using Trichlor, you CYA concentration will probably get unmanageable and you will need to do a partial drain. My advice, like others here is to stop using the Trichlor. Your CYA level is already higher than the recommended maximum for non swg pools. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/recommended_levels
Most people find that as they approach 100 ppm, algae is almost inevitable.
Click to expand...

I *will* be starting BBB, I was just posing the question for question's sake. :)
 
RAILhead said:
I *will* be starting BBB, I was just posing the question for question's sake. :)
Click to expand...
The issue I have with your question is that you have already used to much Trichlor in you pool and have raised your CYA concentration to a high level. At your high CYA level you should just stop using it unless you want to do a partial drain and refill soon.
 
linen said:
RAILhead said:
I *will* be starting BBB, I was just posing the question for question's sake. :)
Click to expand...
The issue I have with your question is that you have already used to much Trichlor in you pool and have raised your CYA concentration to a high level. At your high CYA level you should just stop using it unless you want to do a partial drain and refill soon.
Click to expand...

I *totally* get what you're saying -- and my chlorinator is off. No more trichlor going in at all! Once I got it set (mentioned a few posts back), I haven't let it get any higher, and I've turned it off. I'm ready to add liquid chlorine as soon as the results show it needs it. :)

I'm going to get a walkthrough of the equipment tomorrow, because I want to know how to drain the pool, what valves are what, and so on -- then I'll be able to address the CYA level if it climbs any higher. My goal is to be able to never have to call the pool company for anything that isn't crazy major.
 
Quick pseudo update...

TODAY IS THEY DAY I START THE BBB METHOD! Since the original chlorine issues I started posting with caused such a hassle, I ended up running out of my reagents -- but it looks like my replacements from TF will arrive today. In preparation for this, I ran by our local Walmart and snagged a 1.42gal jug of bleach, a 4 pound box of borax, and a 4 pound box of baking soda. Cost? NINE DOLLARS. How cool is THAT?!?

And now onto a question: what order should chemistry be corrected in? I thought I read about this already, but I can't find where I thought I read it...

- Get the FC right first, correct?
- pH next...?
- Alk next...?
- CH last...?

Thanks everyone!
 

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Sorry for the wait! The weather was perfect for us to do some work cleaning out the garage, so I just now got to do my tests. Here are the results:

FC: 5.4
TC: <.2
pH: 7.6 or 7.5
TA: 130
CH: 220
CYA: 60

Since I started doing my own tests on Feb 27, everything is the same as it's always been except for the chlorine (of course). The Pool Calculator is telling me:

- Add 23oz of my 6% bleach
- Add 41oz of calcium chloride

Shall I hit it with bleach tonight, and worry about the CH later? No pool stores are open for the ret of the weekend, anyway...
 
Bama Rambler said:
What is your target for the FC? 23 oz sounds like a lot considering where you are now.
CH is fine for now until you get some calcium.
Is the CC 's greater or less than .2?
Click to expand...

Target FC is 7 (6.9, really). With a 7000 gal pool, that's what the pool calc said -- unless I did something wrong. ?

Ha, that was confusing! CC is LESS than .2. :)
 
Bama Rambler said:
What is your target for the FC? 23 oz sounds like a lot considering where you are now.
CH is fine for now until you get some calcium.
Is the CC 's greater or less than .2?
Click to expand...

I ran a 7000 gals in the pool calculator with CYA of 60 with your chlorine target at 7ppm and got 29 oz of 6% bleach
I did put in 7.5 ph now, 7.2 ph target and put in 130 TA now and put in 100 for the target TA.
Told me to add 14 oz of 31.45% MA
CH now 220, target 260, said to add 41oz, calcium chloride.

I would say GO as your looking good to add 23oz of 6% bleach! :)

Chuck
 
Here's a screen grab from my computer:

poolcalc.png
 
Okay, ran the numbers this morning -- and it worked (of course)!

FC: 7.8
CC: <.2
pH: 7.8
TA: 130
CH: 210

My 23oz chlorine dose got it only .8ppm over the target, which is pretty sweet for my first BBB try! However, the pH is now at 7.8, up from 7.6. 7.8 is still in the target, so I guess just hold off on treating that for now?
 

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