IK have been a member for 7 or 8 years now, and a practicing member for about 6 (never did use the pool guy but generally just used liquid chlorine to clear up all problems; generally worked but I am pretty sure my ph was way too low and chlorine was way too high.) But then started reading here and understanding a little and have had good results with the bbb method for the last 4 or 5 years. Put in a cartridge filter 2 years ago and a new liner last spring and things were still great.
Opened pool around May 22 and as usual, with a safety cover in the Northeast, pool was quite green. So using my previous TF100 test kit, started to clean up the mess. First, put about 2 gal 12.5% liquid chlorine (Sodium Hypochlorite) after checking and had 0 FC. My CYA is always low and it was 0. Turned on the pump and have been running it 24/7 since then. Netted up the leaves and worms (about a gallon of them) and pool was still light green. The next day checked FC and again 0, so I added another 2 gal LC and hooked up the manual pool vac through the skimmer. Got another basket of worms/leaves and pool was starting to look almost blue, but very cloudy. Checked filter and pressure hadn't risen any so didn't open it up to clean it. Started adding CYA - started with a 7 pound cannister. Also checked ph and it was 6.8 so I added about 5 pounds borax. Water was getting bluer each day but couldn't see the bottom drain for about another week. During this time I tried to get the FC level up but it stayed very low. ph has risen to 7.2-7.3, but CYA has remained near 0. Now I was rushing to get the pool open for memorial day so my application of the CYA was not ideal - put about 4 pounds directly into the skimmer (diluted with water but not dissolved) over about 30 minutes. Then did a head slap - what have I done? Now I won't be able to clean the filter for several days while the CYA dissolved. Anyway, FC gradually creeped up to about 1-2 while manually keeping on top of it and pool was still a little cloudy. So I finally started a full SLAM 3 days ago. I hadn't needed to do one the past several years - just the same process I had been doing this year would have things cleared up in about a week.
I also wasn't sure that the test kit chemicals were to be trusted so I ordered refills for everything and as soon as that arrived started a proper SLAM. Had run the heater so water temp has been around 76 through the whole process. Starting FC level was 3 and CC was 1, ph 7.3 CYA 0 so added what pool math said to raise FC to 10 - it actually ended up at 12 when measured an hour later. Also added the other 3 pounds of CYA in 2 socks - one in the skimmer basket and the other hanging in front of a return line. That was Monday evening. Tested this morning and FC was 11, CC was 1, ph and CYA remained the same - the CYA in the socks had barely dissolved. Pool was open all day without a cover. Also vacuumed the pool with robot (very little in the filters) and cleaned the cartridges in the main filter. Didn't notice any residual CYA granules, but lots of pine needles and leaves. However pump pressure didn't change after putting everything back and was the same as on opening day. Prepared to keep going tonight and as far as the SLAM process some progress seems to be happening. This evening FC was 3.5, CC was .5 and ph and CYA was still the same. Added LC as suggested by Pool Math, and just like last night after an hour FC went up to 12. But CC had dropped to 0. ph is still the same but CYA may be climbing a little - the black dot is just barely perceptible at 20, so I would guess it may now be at 10. But there is still about 2 pounds of the original 7 undissolved, so I will wait a few days and keep checking that. I do have another 7 pound cannister. Covered the pool for the evening as the temperature is expected to go to 52 tonight.
But my concern is that with an overnight loss of only 1 and now tonight no CC's, why is the pool still a little cloudy? I can see the bottom drain, and can even see the blue rubber thing (on a dark blue poll liner) that goes around the skimmer for the robot, but can't count the screws on the drain cover. And what do I do next? I know I need to get the CYA up to about 40 but need to do that gradually, which is a little easier since I have a lc pump and can add lc slowly and periodically to keep the FC in range until the CYA is optimised at the cost of extra LC. ta has been between 40 and 50, and ch has been 20. I would like to start using the pool but don't feel comfortable yet.
Thanks
Kevin
Opened pool around May 22 and as usual, with a safety cover in the Northeast, pool was quite green. So using my previous TF100 test kit, started to clean up the mess. First, put about 2 gal 12.5% liquid chlorine (Sodium Hypochlorite) after checking and had 0 FC. My CYA is always low and it was 0. Turned on the pump and have been running it 24/7 since then. Netted up the leaves and worms (about a gallon of them) and pool was still light green. The next day checked FC and again 0, so I added another 2 gal LC and hooked up the manual pool vac through the skimmer. Got another basket of worms/leaves and pool was starting to look almost blue, but very cloudy. Checked filter and pressure hadn't risen any so didn't open it up to clean it. Started adding CYA - started with a 7 pound cannister. Also checked ph and it was 6.8 so I added about 5 pounds borax. Water was getting bluer each day but couldn't see the bottom drain for about another week. During this time I tried to get the FC level up but it stayed very low. ph has risen to 7.2-7.3, but CYA has remained near 0. Now I was rushing to get the pool open for memorial day so my application of the CYA was not ideal - put about 4 pounds directly into the skimmer (diluted with water but not dissolved) over about 30 minutes. Then did a head slap - what have I done? Now I won't be able to clean the filter for several days while the CYA dissolved. Anyway, FC gradually creeped up to about 1-2 while manually keeping on top of it and pool was still a little cloudy. So I finally started a full SLAM 3 days ago. I hadn't needed to do one the past several years - just the same process I had been doing this year would have things cleared up in about a week.
I also wasn't sure that the test kit chemicals were to be trusted so I ordered refills for everything and as soon as that arrived started a proper SLAM. Had run the heater so water temp has been around 76 through the whole process. Starting FC level was 3 and CC was 1, ph 7.3 CYA 0 so added what pool math said to raise FC to 10 - it actually ended up at 12 when measured an hour later. Also added the other 3 pounds of CYA in 2 socks - one in the skimmer basket and the other hanging in front of a return line. That was Monday evening. Tested this morning and FC was 11, CC was 1, ph and CYA remained the same - the CYA in the socks had barely dissolved. Pool was open all day without a cover. Also vacuumed the pool with robot (very little in the filters) and cleaned the cartridges in the main filter. Didn't notice any residual CYA granules, but lots of pine needles and leaves. However pump pressure didn't change after putting everything back and was the same as on opening day. Prepared to keep going tonight and as far as the SLAM process some progress seems to be happening. This evening FC was 3.5, CC was .5 and ph and CYA was still the same. Added LC as suggested by Pool Math, and just like last night after an hour FC went up to 12. But CC had dropped to 0. ph is still the same but CYA may be climbing a little - the black dot is just barely perceptible at 20, so I would guess it may now be at 10. But there is still about 2 pounds of the original 7 undissolved, so I will wait a few days and keep checking that. I do have another 7 pound cannister. Covered the pool for the evening as the temperature is expected to go to 52 tonight.
But my concern is that with an overnight loss of only 1 and now tonight no CC's, why is the pool still a little cloudy? I can see the bottom drain, and can even see the blue rubber thing (on a dark blue poll liner) that goes around the skimmer for the robot, but can't count the screws on the drain cover. And what do I do next? I know I need to get the CYA up to about 40 but need to do that gradually, which is a little easier since I have a lc pump and can add lc slowly and periodically to keep the FC in range until the CYA is optimised at the cost of extra LC. ta has been between 40 and 50, and ch has been 20. I would like to start using the pool but don't feel comfortable yet.
Thanks
Kevin
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