Explain like I’m 5 — my chemistry today

[vapool]

Ok, I’ve studied and studied, but I feel like a chemistry student dropout!

We had our inground gunite pool (SWG) replastered this spring, and trying to get my numbers back in balance. Our FC has been good all season, with no CC, but when we came back from vacation earlier this week our CC was high. Water looked clear with no signs of algae, but put in some liquid chlorine and backwashed (sand filter with media).

My numbers today: (from my TFPro test kit)
FC 8.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.8 (we’ve been adding MA by the gallons since the replaster and still can’t get it to go down and stay down, but understand that’s part of the replastering experience)
TA 88
CYA 55
CH 185
Salt 3800 (yes, hubby went wild with dumping in the salt when we refilled, but hoping it will soon get more manageable with rainfall and adding water as needed)
CSI -0.16

My questions— is the FC still too high for swimming? I’ve turned off SWG for now and letting the sun do its work, but hoping to get in on this stinking hot day!

How about my CYA? My pool guy is fine with it and doesn’t want me to be in a hurry to raise it, but not sure about that. Same with the CH — said not to worry about it until it comes to pool closing time.

Finally, any tricks to getting and keeping this pH down?!?! I guarantee that by tomorrow it will be back up to 8.1 or so.

Thank you in advance!

 

[PoolStored]

My questions— is the FC still too high for swimming? I’ve turned off SWG for now and letting the sun do its work, but hoping to get in on this stinking hot day!

No. It is safe to swim when FC > min and <= SLAM level. Get your FC ranges and slam level here: Link-->FC/CYA Levels
Your range for CYA of 60 is 4-9. Leave the SWCG on and keep FC at 8-9 when your CYA is 60. If you CYA changes, your range changes.

How about my CYA? My pool guy is fine with it and doesn’t want me to be in a hurry to raise it, but not sure about that. Same with the CH — said not to worry about it until it comes to pool closing time.

Always round your CYA up to the next 10. Your CYA is 60. It's fine, you can run there for the rest of the year. Where are you located?
CH should be a minimum of 200. What is the CH of your fill water.

Finally, any tricks to getting and keeping this pH down?!?! I guarantee that by tomorrow it will be back up to 8.1 or so.

MA additions may be often with new plaster.
How did you get a TA of 88 with the TFPro. That is not a TFpro test result number...

 

[vapool]

Thanks PoolStored. No idea what the CH is of my fill water, but I can check.

And I got the TA of 88 from my fat fingers …apparently I made a typo putting the numbers in my pool math app. Should be 80