Finally got a kit & tested the water

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Save the tabs for vacation! Your pool looks amazing!
 
Your pool is the same size as mine. 2 weeks of tabs has probably added about 20 ppm CYA so that is barely registering on the CYA test. Assume you have about that much in already, then calculate what more you need. You don't want to overshoot. I'd add about 20 ppm more to get to about 40 ppm. You could do that with 2 more weeks of tablets in the feeder (count them out to add 20 ppm CYA) or use stabilizer added separately. If you were wrong on the initial 20 ppm you probably won't be far wrong, you don't want to get over 50 ppm CYA.

It takes about a week for all CYA to show up on test so just be patient and pay attention to how the pool is holding chlorine.

Your job will be testing pH and adding MA, and also testing FC and keeping that in line with your estimated CYA values. I don't have my records handy but it seems I was testing and adding daily or alt days for a long time post - re-plaster for my pool.

As for bringing up CH, given the high TA it may be wise to monitor the CSI number (at the bottom of the Pool Calculator) for if you push it very fast while TA is still so high you may be in danger of scaling. I advise dissolving Calcium Increaser in a bucket of water before adding to your new pool. In fact, I'd add all chems to water before adding to the pool, just to be extra kind to that new finish.

I read somewhere that one should not increase CH by more than 10 lbs at a time, not sure where I saw that or why. Perhaps someone wiser can explain why. When I add Calcium, I drop the pH to a nice low 7.3 and let it circulate before the calcium, just to minimize the cloudiness that can occur, seems to work.

When I refilled, the tap water was 20 ppm CH so I had a long way to go. I added enough Calcium increaser to get the CSI to +0.5 and then kept a sharp watch on the pH and TA so that it did not go too high. I probably could have been faster but I had the time to baby it.

I get most of my chems at Warehouse Pool Supply now bought by Leslies, 4 gallons of 10% liquid shock there is same price per active oz chlorine as the 3 pack of Clorox at Sam's, MA comes in a 4 gallon box which you will need per week I believe, Calcium Increaser is cheapest by the big bucket and I used up the 50# bag the contractor left so buy a lot. I need to replace my Wall Whale brush and so I'll be off to see them pretty soon.
 
Re: Finally got a kit & tested the water

JamesW said:
Just to reiterate what jblizzle said, never put calcium hypochlorite in a trichlor feeder.

Also, I would wait until the TA is down before increasing the calcium level.
Click to expand...

OK , I'll leave the calcium in the garage for now

Thx

- - - Updated - - -

anonapersona said:
Your pool is the same size as mine. 2 weeks of tabs has probably added about 20 ppm CYA so that is barely registering on the CYA test. Assume you have about that much in already, then calculate what more you need. You don't want to overshoot. I'd add about 20 ppm more to get to about 40 ppm. You could do that with 2 more weeks of tablets in the feeder (count them out to add 20 ppm CYA) or use stabilizer added separately. If you were wrong on the initial 20 ppm you probably won't be far wrong, you don't want to get over 50 ppm CYA.

It takes about a week for all CYA to show up on test so just be patient and pay attention to how the pool is holding chlorine.

Your job will be testing pH and adding MA, and also testing FC and keeping that in line with your estimated CYA values. I don't have my records handy but it seems I was testing and adding daily or alt days for a long time post - re-plaster for my pool.

As for bringing up CH, given the high TA it may be wise to monitor the CSI number (at the bottom of the Pool Calculator) for if you push it very fast while TA is still so high you may be in danger of scaling. I advise dissolving Calcium Increaser in a bucket of water before adding to your new pool. In fact, I'd add all chems to water before adding to the pool, just to be extra kind to that new finish.

I read somewhere that one should not increase CH by more than 10 lbs at a time, not sure where I saw that or why. Perhaps someone wiser can explain why. When I add Calcium, I drop the pH to a nice low 7.3 and let it circulate before the calcium, just to minimize the cloudiness that can occur, seems to work.

When I refilled, the tap water was 20 ppm CH so I had a long way to go. I added enough Calcium increaser to get the CSI to +0.5 and then kept a sharp watch on the pH and TA so that it did not go too high. I probably could have been faster but I had the time to baby it.

I get most of my chems at Warehouse Pool Supply now bought by Leslies, 4 gallons of 10% liquid shock there is same price per active oz chlorine as the 3 pack of Clorox at Sam's, MA comes in a 4 gallon box which you will need per week I believe, Calcium Increaser is cheapest by the big bucket and I used up the 50# bag the contractor left so buy a lot. I need to replace my Wall Whale brush and so I'll be off to see them pretty soon.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the good info. !!

It took me a while to figure out the CYA test & I think I'm barely at 30 right now .
Funny I passed on the SWCG because of all the warnings I heard about salt water & natural stone but now that I've been reading I'm paranoid about too much CYA & the chlorine tabs .
I want to figure out a good Stenner install for liquid chlorine as soon as I can .

So I'll hold off on the calcium for now & work on the TA & tweaking the PH down a bit.
 

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Re: Finally got a kit & tested the water

So I think I went a little overboard with the liquid chlorine yesterday but I was trying to do a OCLT test to make sure I didn't need to SLAM

FC 8.8
CC 0.0
PH 7.4
TA 150
CH 100
CYA 30-ish seems to be creeping up towards 40

I've got the chlorinator set at 1 now

so maybe get the PH a little lower with MA to help bring the TA down & the a little aeration ?

Thx
:)
 
The tabs and cyanuric acid will lower the pH, so you should be careful not to get the pH too low. The key is to get your CSI close to 0.There is no reason to rush the TA lowering proces. As TA comes down, begin to raise the calcium to maintain a zero CSI.

Note that the CSI is not always the easiest way to determine what to do. Mostly just follow the guidelines in pool school regarding the correct levels and you should be fine. It can be helpful for people who prefer to delve into the chemistry, but it's not necessary.

Also, with tabs in the tab feeder, you won't be able to get a good read on the overnight chlorine loss test.

Once the cyanuric acid level gets up, you should reduce the use of tabs other than to maintain the cyanuric acid level.
 
JamesW said:
The tabs and cyanuric acid will lower the pH, so you should be careful not to get the pH too low. The key is to get your CSI close to 0.There is no reason to rush the TA lowering proces. As TA comes down, begin to raise the calcium to maintain a zero CSI.

Note that the CSI is not always the easiest way to determine what to do. Mostly just follow the guidelines in pool school regarding the correct levels and you should be fine. It can be helpful for people who prefer to delve into the chemistry, but it's not necessary.

Also, with tabs in the tab feeder, you won't be able to get a good read on the overnight chlorine loss test.

Once the cyanuric acid level gets up, you should reduce the use of tabs other than to maintain the cyanuric acid level.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

I do plan on not using tabs & just liquid chlorine once the CYA is a little higher.

So on the OCLT if the pump had been off all night until I took the sample in the morning does that work or it's still problematic ?
 
Re: Finally got a kit & tested the water

:shark:

I was thinking I'd try & locate some cal hypo tabs to put in the skimmer baskets to help raise my CH

good idea ? bad idea ?


I'm ready to abandon the trichlor tabs in the chlorinator completely now that my CYA is 50+

- - - Updated - - -

May 8 test

FC 10
CC 0
PH 7.2
TA 130
CH 110
CYA 30

- - - Updated - - -

May 14 after 36hrs heavy rain & the pool cleaning service dumped 2lbs of stabilizer into pool

FC 0
CC 0
PH 7.2
TA 100
CH 130
CYA 60ish ?? (I'm out of R-0013)


May 16

FC .6
CC 0
PH 7.6
TA 90
CH 140
CYA ???

I just put 16oz of cal-hypo shock in pool & I'm off to get some more liquid chlorine & maybe some cal-hypo tabs
and the new bottle of R-0013 should be delivered this afternoon
 

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