Draining pool and starting fresh, help with fresh water chemistry

[Chefwitchyherb]

Greetings. I'm in the Arizona desert and am not new to pool water chemistry. We've recently moved and have experienced one summer in our new house.

We have a smallish sized play pool, 4', 6', 5' deep. I have no idea how many gallons it is.

I do know the pool water is old and probably filled with CYA, and thus, no amount of chlorine or SLAMing will clear up the algae.

We are totally draining the pool, as I type this. With that being said, last summer, I was unable to find liquid chlorine in Peoria. I had to use pucks. Ugh. I'm going to make a trip to Lowe's shortly for chemicals.

When balancing fresh water, should I add CYA at all if I intend to use the awful chlorine pucks?

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

OK, you got me with "draining poop".

The pucks dissolve very slowly and will not add enough CYA quickly enough to get you started. Get some granular CYA to get you partway to your goal and finish the job with pucks. Keep looking for liquid chlorine. Use plain unscented non-splashless non-Clorox laundry bleach if you can find it.

And welcome to the forum.

 

[an1vrsy]

Welcome to TFP! This is a great site for you to gain the necessary knowledge to take on managing your own pool.

At the bottom of all pages is The Old Poolmath Webpage. You can go to that page and at the bottom is a pool water volume calculator.

Also, it would be good if you list your pool equipment. Name of manufacturer and model numbers are very helpful. You’ll need one of the recommended test kits, either the tftest test kits TF-100 or the Taylor K-2006C. Ask any questio the mods and helpful pool owners would love to help.

 

[proavia]

Search around for a small pool store - not the big brand name one.... and look for Hasa liquid chlorine (it's 12.5%).
Maybe this will help - be sure to put in your zipcode and select retail (unless you know a guy who will put you on his trade account).

Find Where You Can Buy HASA Products | HASA

Want to purchase HASA products for your pool or spa? Find out which of our partnered dealers sell HASA Sani-Clor®, Hasachlor®, Classic Bleach and Blue Whale Sanitizer.

hasapool.com

Or try your local Walmart - Pool Essentials liquid chlorine 10%.

What testkit are you using?

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

Greetings. I'm in the Arizona desert and am not new to pool water chemistry. We've recently moved and have experienced one summer in our new house.

We have a smallish sized play pool, 4', 6', 5' deep. I have no idea how many gallons it is.

I do know the pool water is old and probably filled with CYA, and thus, no amount of chlorine or SLAMing will clear up the algae.

We are totally draining the pool, as I type this. With that being said, last summer, I was unable to find liquid chlorine in Peoria. I had to use pucks. Ugh. I'm going to make a trip to Lowe's shortly for chemicals.

When balancing fresh water, should I add CYA at all if I intend to use the awful chlorine pucks?

Lol!!!!! I didn't even realize I mistyped pooL!!!! Lol! I did find liquid chlorine. It's all I used in our last pool. And it was $6.97 if you bought 6+ at HD. Now it's $12 at Lowe's what in the heck?!?!

Search around for a small pool store - not the big brand name one.... and look for Hasa liquid chlorine (it's 12.5%).
Maybe this will help - be sure to put in your zipcode and select retail (unless you know a guy who will put you on his trade account).

Find Where You Can Buy HASA Products | HASA

Want to purchase HASA products for your pool or spa? Find out which of our partnered dealers sell HASA Sani-Clor®, Hasachlor®, Classic Bleach and Blue Whale Sanitizer.

hasapool.com

Or try your local Walmart - Pool Essentials liquid chlorine 10%.

What testkit are you using?

I have one of the TFP ones but the reagents are old. Honestly I didn't test this new pool once last year. I just estimated.
We do have a HASA retailer here..I'm terrified to see their prices. We went to Lowe's yesterday and they were stocked on liquid chlorine but they were $12/cs (for two). I was buying 12cs liquid chlorine from HD from 2018-2020 and they were $6.47 each! It's gone up $6!!!!

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

OK, you got me with "draining poop".

The pucks dissolve very slowly and will not add enough CYA quickly enough to get you started. Get some granular CYA to get you partway to your goal and finish the job with pucks. Keep looking for liquid chlorine. Use plain unscented non-splashless non-Clorox laundry bleach if you can find it.

And welcome to the forum.

Ok. So granular CYA. I use the tfp calculator. Add a little less than half of what the tfp calculator says. And these pucks don't dissolve slow come summertime here. I swear, they go faster the hotter it gets. Last summer our pool got up to 92°!

 

[Mdragger88]

Here’s the guide

Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

Smaller seasonal pools can see just as much enjoyment as their larger counterparts. In this guide we'll show you how to maintain your temporary pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Also when adding cya don’t just dump it in - use the sock method .
Put it in a sock, tie a knot in it, & hang it infront of a return- squeeze the sock every so often to help it dissolve.

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

Here’s the guide

Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

Smaller seasonal pools can see just as much enjoyment as their larger counterparts. In this guide we'll show you how to maintain your temporary pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Also when adding cya don’t just dump it in - use the sock method .
Put it in a sock, tie a knot in it, & hang it infront of a return- squeeze the sock every so often to help it dissolve.

My pool doesn't fall into the categories listed... It's 15k gallons, inground plaster, and we don't drain it every year, or at all. Still use the sock method?

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

My pool doesn't fall into the categories listed... It's 15k gallons, inground plaster, and we don't drain it every year, or at all. Still use the sock method?

Yes.

 

[Mdragger88]

My pool doesn't fall into the categories listed... It's 15k gallons, inground plaster, and we don't drain it every year, or at all. Still use the sock method?

I mistook your measurements & use of the word “play pool” to mean kiddie pool I see now u meant sport pool ! Lol.
Yes - always use the sock method as u don’t want the cya on your plaster or to all end up in your filter media instead of in your water.

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• Mdragger88
• Jun 30, 2021

 

[proavia]

Lol!!!!! I didn't even realize I mistyped pooL!!!! Lol! I did find liquid chlorine. It's all I used in our last pool. And it was $6.97 if you bought 6+ at HD. Now it's $12 at Lowe's what in the heck?!?!

I have one of the TFP ones but the reagents are old. Honestly I didn't test this new pool once last year. I just estimated.
We do have a HASA retailer here..I'm terrified to see their prices. We went to Lowe's yesterday and they were stocked on liquid chlorine but they were $12/cs (for two). I was buying 12cs liquid chlorine from HD from 2018-2020 and they were $6.47 each! It's gone up $6!!!!

Well, you're in luck. The annual TFTestKits spring sale on reagents should be coming up in March. Order a refill kit for your testkit then.

Prices have gone up quite a bit in the last year or two. I used to pay $13 for a 4 pack. Its over $22 here now. Even though SWG prices are up, they are looking more and more attractive by the day.

 

[Dirk]

I have no idea how many gallons it is...
We are totally draining the pool, as I type this.

If you rarely/never drain your pool, then use this unique opportunity to find out exactly how much water your pool holds. Once empty, just before you fill, go out and read your water meter (or take a picture of the reading). Fill the pool to its normal capacity, then read your meter again. The difference between the two readings will be your pool's water volume. To improve accuracy, minimize water use inside and out: turn off irrigation, postpone dishwashing and laundry, minimize showers and flushes. You don't have to go overboard with all that, just be mindful of the water you're using in between meter reads...

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

Well, you're in luck. The annual TFTestKits spring sale on reagents should be coming up in March. Order a refill kit for your testkit then.

Prices have gone up quite a bit in the last year or two. I used to pay $13 for a 4 pack. Its over $22 here now. Even though SWG prices are up, they are looking more and more attractive by the day.

I just ended up buying a giant bottle of CYA reagent and a refill of the gas/dpd kit. It was still $30+ for all of that!

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

If you rarely/never drain your pool, then use this unique opportunity to find out exactly how much water your pool holds. Once empty, just before you fill, go out and read your water meter (or take a picture of the reading). Fill the pool to its normal capacity, then read your meter again. The difference between the two readings will be your pool's water volume. To improve accuracy, minimize water use inside and out: turn off irrigation, postpone dishwashing and laundry, minimize showers and flushes. You don't have to go overboard with all that, just be mindful of the water you're using in between meter reads...

My husband works for the city water department here..... I don't know why he didn't think of this! But it's too late. With my measurements I'm estimating it's about 15k. I'm going to measure again this summer when I can physically get into it and measure from inside....which I could have done when I drained it... (Facepalm) but didn't..... Crud

 

[Chefwitchyherb]

Husband went to Leslie's. I requested CYA granules but he said liquid was cheaper. So he got liquid. We just drained/filled our 15k plaster pool in the desert. I'm estimating the water to be 68°
2pm
pH 7.5
CYA 0
CC 0
FC .2
I used the TFP to calculate an addition of 73 oz liquid 10% chlorine, 80 oz liquid "conditioner" (why do they call it that?!) I added all the chlorine and 40 oz liquid CYA.
4pm results
pH 7.5
CYA 0
CC 0
FC 2.6

Why is the combined chlorine 0? And how long should I wait to add more CYA? I'm thinking testing it tomorrow morning before I add more....

 

[mknauss]

Liquid CYA is at least 4X as expensive as granular.

You need to add the entire bottle of liquid CYA. It will add 25 ppm CYA to your pool. And the liquid is not viable to use a partial bottle, it settles in the bottle and you must rinse out the bottle multiple times. Add the rest of the bottle, rinse well, and test after a couple days.

CC should be 0.

Keep your FC well above 3 ppm. Follow the FC/CYA Levels.

 

[mknauss]

You will need more CYA. Get granular. To get to 50 ppm CYA you will need to add 3 more pounds via the sock method,.

 

[Dirk]

Yah, sorry, I was a bit late to your thread. I was hoping I was in time but figured you might have already begun/finished your fill. Knowing the water volume is important for testing and dosing, obviously, but there are work-arounds. As you mentioned, measuring is one. But there's another.

If the calculations you make from testing and your "best guess" water volume result in accurate dosing, that's all that matters, not the numbers themselves. For example, if you test and Poolmath tells you to add 30oz of chlorine to get your FC to 5ppm, and you then add 30oz and a half hour later test again, and get FC5, then your water volume "guesstimate" is fine! Conversely, if you consistently perform that check and are alway off (like, say, you always end up with too much FC), then your water volume number is likely the culprit. So you adjust that volume number until testing confirms that the amount of chlorine you dose always gets you to the expected FC. The point is to get the correct FC, not fret over the actual amount of water in your pool.

Same goes for other chemicals, of course, but chlorine, or acid for pH, are the easiest testing/dosing processes to use to confirm your water volume number. If you're interested in trying this out with chlorine, do both tests (before and after dosing) after the sun goes down. This eliminates the sun from the equation, which can affect the test results.

 

[Dirk]

Husband went to Leslie's. I requested CYA granules but he said liquid was cheaper. So he got liquid. We just drained/filled our 15k plaster pool in the desert. I'm estimating the water to be 68°
2pm
pH 7.5
CYA 0
CC 0
FC .2
I used the TFP to calculate an addition of 73 oz liquid 10% chlorine, 80 oz liquid "conditioner" (why do they call it that?!) I added all the chlorine and 40 oz liquid CYA.
4pm results
pH 7.5
CYA 0
CC 0
FC 2.6

Why is the combined chlorine 0? And how long should I wait to add more CYA? I'm thinking testing it tomorrow morning before I add more....

I burned CYA acid stains into the bottom of my BRAND NEW plaster by using liquid CYA. That "settles in the bottle" problem @mknauss described to you was the culprit. I was dispensing the liquid directly into the water, and the last clump, which had settled in spite of my vigorous shaking, dumped out and sunk directly to the bottom. In the time it took me to run and get the pool brush, it was too late. Five years later and the stain is still there.

Liquid CYA is the devil! Always use the granules. If you're determined to use up the liquid, then pour it into a large bucket first and mix it up well. Dispense is slowly, constantly stirring, and beware of that "last clump." Keep adding water to the bucket while dispensing, too, so that even the clumpy stuff gets well diluted before entering your pool. Don't get any on your deck. Have a running hose by your side to rinse the deck just in case.

Personally, I now never introduce any type of CYA into my pool. I put granules in a sock and the sock in the skimmer. There are some issues with doing it that way, but staining your pool surface is not one of them... Never again.

 

[wireform]

The only issue of putting granular CYA in the skimmer is it can take upto a week to completely dissolve and be in the water there for at least a week you can't backwash or clean the filter.