Filling up pool for the 1st time

[mknauss]

You have a vinyl liner pool. CSI (and low CH) do not matter. Turn off the CSI tracking in Poolmath.

 

[ellislo]

You have a vinyl liner pool. CSI (and low CH) do not matter. Turn off the CSI tracking in Poolmath.

? this article (attached pic) from TFP mentioned that to keep the CSI at 0 to -0.30 to prevent scale build up at cell plates. So you mean there is nothing to be concerned of even my current CSI is -1.21? (Refer attached pic)

Given that I have already purchased the Calcium Chloride Flake and there is no way I can return it, adding in the calcium chloride do no harm at all, at the same time, provide no benefit at all?

 

[mknauss]

With a vinyl liner, CSI on the low side is of no consequence. With yours at -1.2, your SWCG is fine too.

You can add some calcium if you like. Be prepared for it to cloud your water for a day or two when you add it.

 

[ellislo]

@mknauss now I understand! CSI < -0.6 will cause corrosion to plaster, tiles, etc, while CSI > 0.6 will cause scaling to the SWG plates. Since my CSI is -1.21 and I am having a vinyl pool, there is no issue for me. ??? thanks a lot! Now I need to get rid of my 25kg calcium chloride flakes ?

 

[ellislo]

My pool water become brownish color (refer pic) after some slack in pool maintenance, my bad ..... normally, I vacuum once a week, but this time round, I haven’t been vacuuming the pool for a month, but I still maintain the pool chemical and running the pump/filter.

When I decided to vacuum the pool, it seems like the filter is not doing its job. The brownish dirt on the pool floor seems like blown right back into the pool from the pool return. When I backwash the filter after vacuuming, I didn’t see any brownish water being wash out from the small sight glass.

I read that this might be caused by problem in the multi port valve, where the seal damaged, causing water to bypassing the filter material. However, after checking the multiport by hosing water into the various inlet/outlet, it seems like it working properly.

When I removed the multiport for checking, I also found that the filter material is well below the min indicator line, by about 1” (refer pic). I have been doing backwash and switch back to filter mode without doing rinse (not reading the manual fully) for the past 8mth, will this causes the filter material from being wash out, causing the reduced level of filter material? Would it be possible that the dirt particle is too small to be captured by the filter material?

Now, I am thinking of doing the following to troubleshoot:

1. Run the filter for a longer period like 12hrs/d; normally I just run the filter for 4hrs. Vacuum to waste for all the dirt (seems like minute sand/silt) on the floor.
2. Refill the sand to the recommended level. I suppose the filter will still works with the filter material lower than the recommended level, just that in a reduced efficiency?

Any recommendation?

 

[mknauss]

Do you have a lot of dust in your area?

Adding sand should help the efficiency of the filter. The laterals are not covered with as much sand as they should be and thus material can find its way through the sand easier.

 

[ellislo]

My house is about 200m from a main trunk road, maybe that has contributed more dust to my pool

I will try to fill up the filter material to the recommended level to increase the filtration efficiency. My filter is currently using Intex Glass Media that came with the filter/pump, I suppose I should only top up with glass media instead of mixing it with silica sand?

With my FC level around 7 most of the time, my pool shouldn’t have algae issue right?

 

[kimkats]

Your FC level depends on the CYA level. Share a full set of current test results and we can go from there.

 

[ellislo]

Attached is my test results. I am currently using Trichlor tablet instead of SWG. I do chemical test weekly during the weekend. Added 650g Soda Ash to bring the pH to 7.8 after the test.

Without cyanuric acid available locally, I am depending on Trichlor to provide cya to my pool, which take a long time, and when the rains come, it rains like cat and dog over here (we are having a rainy season right now). The cya and salt level going down every time after heavy down pour, so I switch back to Trichlor for the time being.

 

[Dirk]

An FC of 7 if fine for your CYA of 60. Please update your water temp (from four months ago) as it can have a bearing on the advice you get...

 

[ellislo]

Water temperature throughout the year:
Rainy early morning 28 C or 82.4 F
Sunny afternoon 30 C or 86 F

 

[ellislo]

I closed the pool for a week to let the dust/dirt settle to the floor. Today, I vacuumed to waste the dirt/dust on the floor. At the same time added more glass filter material to the recommended level for the filter.

So much dirt/dust have settled on the floor

 

[Dirk]

I just realized your test results do not show CC. Why is that? Can you test CC? That might not be dust and dirt, and it might not be returning from the filter. You might have a massive algae outbreak and what you're seeing on the floor, and what you've been vacuuming might be dead and/or live algae. You've got good FC, but it might just be killing the algae, which is then collecting on the floor. You need to test your CC, and you need to do an OCLT. That will determine if you've got algae. Based on how green those pic's look, I'd say it's a certainty. And once confirmed, you'll need to SLAM your pool. That will get rid of the algae, and might solve for the brown gunk you've been vacuuming.

Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tells if the SLAM is finished or if you need to start a SLAM. This article says how to do the OCLT.

www.troublefreepool.com

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[ellislo]

Just to make sure I have done the CC test correctly based on the attached instruction.

At step 5, after I added the chlorine DPD #3R tablet, only very little bit of pinkish color can be observe. Does this shows that there is no CC in the pool?

Btw, the following are pictures showing the dirt/dust on the pool skimmer outlet connector and on the ladder.

 

[Dirk]

I don't know that CC test, but it's similar to the one I use. Any red (pinkish color) indicates CC. It's the number of drops you add after it turns pink to return to clear that is used to determine how much CC. But high CC is only one possible indicator of algae. Even with low CC, you can still have algae. The other test is the OCLT, along with water clarity. Unless you have low or no CC, clear water and can pass an OCLT, you probably have algae, especially if you're seeing green or brown on the walls or floor.

That combined with what you said about closing the pool for a week and neglecting it for a while. That's usually how you get algae, especially with your very warm air and water temps. I scanned your thread again, you've been very busy with CSI and pH and SWG. I think maybe you've neglected your FC a little too often. That is the priority for a pool. You need to check FC very often, and you need to keep the FC at or above target level at all times. Even a few days missed can cause an algae outbreak. Until you are sure your SWG is providing enough chlorine, you need to test FC a lot and supplement the SWG with liquid chlorine as needed.

Complete the CC test as per the instructions, then do an OCLT. Follow the link I gave you and follow those instructions carefully. Report back.

 

[ellislo]

doing FC test with 0.2ppm:
14 Nov 2020, 7pm
FC 4.4 (22 drops bromine/chlorine titrant)
CC 0.6 (3 drops bromine/chlorine titrant)

1st picture shows the slightly pinkish color after added chlorine DPD #3R tablet.

2nd picture shows sample turn to clear after adding 3 drop bromine/chlorine titran.

 

[Dirk]

OK, CC is not bad. How does the water look? Clear? Cloudy? Any green anywhere, floor or on walls?

 

[ellislo]

15 Nov 2020, 6am
FC 4.2 (21 drops bromine/chlorine titrant)
CC 0.4 (2 drops bromine/chlorine titrant)

1st picture shows the slightly pinkish color after added chlorine DPD #3R tablet.

2nd picture shows sample turn to clear after adding 2 drop bromine/chlorine titran.

No sign of green stuff, water is clear, but not crystal clear.

I suppose I passed the OCLT

 

[Dirk]

You've maybe never seen TFP clear. That's not clear water (though some of that could be photo, I suppose). Did you actually do an OCLT? Was the SWG on or off between those two tests?

 

[ellislo]

Pump/filter/chlorinator off before 1st test and throughout the night, so no FC was added to the pool between the 2 tests.

- 1st FC/CC test done at 7pm, 14 Nov: FC4.4 CC0.6
- 2nd FC/CC test done at 6am, 15 Nov: FC4.2 CC0.4

so FC loses overnight is less than 1ppm, means no algae right?

The following picture shows the pool water color better with reference to the blue vinyl wall.