This is my first year with a pool and I ordered the TF-100 kit to try to handle treating the pool myself without dealing with pool stores and their chemicals.
When I opened last Friday, the pool was a swamp (it has a mesh cover). Lots and lots of pollen and debris, and the water was so green and cloudy I could barely see the first step in the shallow end. I've been running my DE filter 24/7, backwashing every 6-12 hours or so (pressure goes up 10 psi after this time) and adding 6 pounds of DE each time. My SWG has been running the whole time. This morning I could actually see the bottom of the deep end so that's a huge improvement. My FC level is at 1ppm.
On Saturday I took some water to a pool store to have it tested, to give myself a baseline. They showed my CYA as being 105 which seemed insane to me, I have not added any CYA. I bought the house in September and have not added any chemicals at all. When I do the CYA test from the TF-100 kit, I essentially get 0 - I can fill up the graduated cylinder and the black dot never fades (basically the solution is clear).
Am I doing something wrong? Was the pool store's CYA test really inaccurate because of how nasty the water was? Can anyone explain what might be happening here? My problem obviously is that I have no idea how to calculate my shock level because I don't know if my CYA is way too low or way too high.
When I opened last Friday, the pool was a swamp (it has a mesh cover). Lots and lots of pollen and debris, and the water was so green and cloudy I could barely see the first step in the shallow end. I've been running my DE filter 24/7, backwashing every 6-12 hours or so (pressure goes up 10 psi after this time) and adding 6 pounds of DE each time. My SWG has been running the whole time. This morning I could actually see the bottom of the deep end so that's a huge improvement. My FC level is at 1ppm.
On Saturday I took some water to a pool store to have it tested, to give myself a baseline. They showed my CYA as being 105 which seemed insane to me, I have not added any CYA. I bought the house in September and have not added any chemicals at all. When I do the CYA test from the TF-100 kit, I essentially get 0 - I can fill up the graduated cylinder and the black dot never fades (basically the solution is clear).
Am I doing something wrong? Was the pool store's CYA test really inaccurate because of how nasty the water was? Can anyone explain what might be happening here? My problem obviously is that I have no idea how to calculate my shock level because I don't know if my CYA is way too low or way too high.