First Ever Test

[Scotland]

Just got the testing kit in and gave it a run!

Cl - 5
Br - 10
pH - 7.2
FC - 7
CC - 1
TC - 8
CH - 275
TA - 50 (this is when it turned pink. Testing kit said it should turn red but stopped at 18 drops with it still pink).
CYA - 20 (both my wife and I could still faintly see the black spot at this).
NaCl - 4200

I hope I have tested correctly!

So...is my pool going to explode?

 

[Texas Splash]

Explode? ....no. Not yet anyways. So some things to consider now:
- How does the water look? Is it crystal clear? No cloudiness or signs of algae? I ask because a CC of 1.0 is slightly elevated.
- FC test .. If you have a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C, just use the FAS-DPD (powder & drops) for an accurate FC test. The OTO viewer (yelllow drops) is fine to test for the presence of chlorine, but for now use the FAS-DPD. An FC of 7 is fine, but should be no need to go any higher unless you suspect algae.
- The TA goes to Barbie pink and stops, so 50 is probably correct. You don't want it any lower though.
- CH of 275 is fine.
- PH of 7.2 is on the low end, but okay for now.
- Salt seems to be a bit elevated, but you can leave it for now.
- Your CYA is low and should be a minimum of 30, so you could add about 10 ppm to be safe. Use the PoolMath tool for the correct dosage amount and use the sock-soaking method to dissolve granular stabilizer. If you don't know what I mean, let me/us know.

So if your water is crystal clear, let the pH rise a bit to the mid 7s, and a little CYA (stabilizer), and keep an eye on things. Will you be leaving the pool open all winter, or do you plan to close? That may effect some things later.

 

[Scotland]

Explode? ....no. Not yet anyways. So some things to consider now:
- How does the water look? Is it crystal clear? No cloudiness or signs of algae? I ask because a CC of 1.0 is slightly elevated.
- FC test .. If you have a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C, just use the FAS-DPD (powder & drops) for an accurate FC test. The OTO viewer (yelllow drops) is fine to test for the presence of chlorine, but for now use the FAS-DPD. An FC of 7 is fine, but should be no need to go any higher unless you suspect algae.
- The TA goes to Barbie pink and stops, so 50 is probably correct. You don't want it any lower though.
- CH of 275 is fine.
- PH of 7.2 is on the low end, but okay for now.
- Salt seems to be a bit elevated, but you can leave it for now.
- Your CYA is low and should be a minimum of 30, so you could add about 10 ppm to be safe. Use the PoolMath tool for the correct dosage amount and use the sock-soaking method to dissolve granular stabilizer. If you don't know what I mean, let me/us know.

So if your water is crystal clear, let the pH rise a bit to the mid 7s, and a little CYA (stabilizer), and keep an eye on things. Will you be leaving the pool open all winter, or do you plan to close? That may effect some things later.

Thank you for the quick reply.
It has been raining heavily all day so it did get a little cloudy, but it's mostly cleared up now.
I used the TF-100 powder and drop test for the FC.
Should I turn the salt generator down? It is at 60% just now.
I have been adding stabalizer through a sock but I have kinda neglected it for the past week and I think it has actually dropped a bit (pool store tested it at 30). I'll add more now.
Will the pH just rise naturally?
We plan to leave it open this winter. We have just got the house so want to enjoy the pool for a while, plus leaving it opens seems less daunting than closing it!

 

[ajw22]

Should I turn the salt generator down? It is at 60% just now.

How long do you run your pump and SWG daily?

With CYA 30 your FC target is 4-6. So you are right about there at 7. I would leave your SWG as is for now.

Will the pH just rise naturally?

It should.

What is the pH & TA of your fill water?

We plan to leave it open this winter.

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