First test completed

[Jsf721]

Could not get pool math app to keep values every time I hit back it zerod out.

Scores using TFPro
CDT 6 (12 drops)
CC 1
ALK 130 (13 drops)
CYA 60
CL 5 ( all looked the same to me )
PH 8

Went to Leslie’s with same sample just for validation of my first test
Free chlorine 9.3
PH 8
Alk 100
Cya 60
Copper .2
Phosphates 146
TDS 1000

So how are my self tested numbers. I realize this group discounts Leslie’s as garbage testing and I hope to get to tbe point where I can check it all myself with a high degree of confidence.

Thanks

 

[Newdude]

I realize this group discounts Leslie’s as garbage testing and I hope to get to tbe point where I can check it all myself with a high degree of confidence.

Confidence schmonfidence. You bought yourself the Ferrari of testing and are taking Ubers to the club in an 97 Honda Civic.

Stay out the pool store.

Refresh my memory, how's the water look ? Any known problems or are you just learning to get great results and save lots of coin ?

 

[Jsf721]

Confidence schmonfidence. You bought yourself the Ferrari of testing and are taking Ubers to the club in an 97 Honda Civic.

Stay out the pool store.

Refresh my memory, how's the water look ? Any known problems or are you just learning to get great results and save lots of coin ?

Pool looks great.

Looking to make sure I know what I am doing and not have to be dependent on “bad pool store testing”.

I want to move to a swg by next season but I’ll stay where I am until I really have a deep understanding of pool chemistry. Last year I ended up with mustard algae and I’m in fear of ever going back to that nightmare. Worst week of My pool life

The CDT is that free chlorine ?

Pictures of the pool

 

[Newdude]

Riiiiiiiight. You posted them in TFP clear. Sorry. It's been a long week this Monday.

The CDT is that free chlorine

No idea where you got CDT. The powder test with the fat dropper bottle with the yellow cap is FC. 6 FC (12 drops with 10ml sample) is ok as an end point but only 1 from minimum. You want to start at 9+ and drift down into target range of 7-9. The area between 5 and 7 is your emergency buffer if something extra happens. If you've been losing 3 ppm a day, add 3ppm to stay above 7, targeting a 10. As the season winds down and the daily loss becomes 2ppm, then target a 9.

ALK 130 (13 drops)

Try it again being extra careful to wipe the tip between drops. It could be a 130, which is fine, but new kits tend to test high the first few times from static charges in the TA bottle from shipping.

Anywho, TA will settle itself as you manage the PH. Knock the PH down with Muriatic Acid anytime it hits 8, like now. It will return and you knock it down next time. That's the secret to PH/TA. Shhhhh. It's super complicated stuff that only us geniuses know.

MA is in the pool aisle of HD / Lowes, or the paint aisle/ store year round. Ace Hardware has it in their paint aisle for example. If the bottle says green/eco/low fumes it is half strength (15%). No harm but you need twice as much.

Phosphates 146

Keep the FC in or above target and no algae can grow to eat the algae food. I liken it to the aisles of dog food cans at Petco. It never created a dog to eat it being properly sealed up. Dump it all on the floor and open the doors and it might be another story.

TDS 1000

Stupidest pool # there is. Real quick. You have 37 items in your fridge. Do you have to grocery shop this week? Well that really depends on if the 37 items are actual food, or condiments and butter, now doesn't it ? The pool store uses the fact that you have 37 items in your fridge to sound scary, when you likely have that many items on the *door* of your fridge. Just like phosphates. You no longer care about TDS.

And stay out the pool store. We got you now.

 

[mknauss]

Could not get pool math app to keep values every time I hit back it zerod out.

Enter the test data, touch the Check mark in the upper right.

 

[Jsf721]

So here are the results. Does this app tell you what quantities of what chemical to add to correct the imbalances ?

 

[PieterS]

Yes - just click on the 'box' of the chemical you'd like to adjust. It'll let you put in a new 'target' value, and will recommend chemical type/amt to add to bring to that target. Just go slow at first while making sure everything is dialed in right. Looking at your results, the only thing I would address is bringing pH down a bit with muriatic acid.

 

[Jsf721]

Yes - just click on the 'box' of the chemical you'd like to adjust. It'll let you put in a new 'target' value, and will recommend chemical type/amt to add to bring to that target. Just go slow at first while making sure everything is dialed in right. Looking at your results, the only thing I would address is bringing pH down a bit with muriatic acid.

Thanks

 

[Jsf721]

So I added 10ML of pool water to the chlorine only tube, added the smart stir magnet. Added the drops to make it red,. then it took 20 drops to clear. So does that mean the free chlorine is 10? (20 drops x .5=10).

Then doing the CC test I added the drops and it turned very faintly red / pink- it took 2 drops to clear the solution in the Smart Strir. so does that mean Cc is 1?

Can someone explain what the CC number means?

 

[Jsf721]

I got very high values or messed up something on this test. Hopefully this picture shows true. Is this Chlorine test to validate the CDT results?

 

[reggiehammond]

The OTO chlorine test very simply measures if chlorine is present (only tests 0-5ppm and does it poorly.) Otherwise, it's not very useful.
FAS-DPD testing for chlorine is what you should use from the TFPro kit.

I threw my OTO reagents out and have never looked back.

 

[HermanTX]

In the TF 100 Pro kit you will have the FAS-DPD test. This is using a 10ml pool water sample in a vial then add 1 heaping scoop of R-0870 powder. The sample should turn pink that indicates Chlorine is present. Then use R-0871 adding 1 drop at a time until that sample turns colorless. It may not be clear, but it will colorless (no pink). Multiply the number of drops times .5 (or divide by 2). 12 drops would be 6ppm FC.

 

[reggiehammond]

Yes - number of drops x .5 is your FC level.
Very faint CC can be anything from 0-0.5. I wouldn't stress too much over that...

CC is a measurement of a waste product from oxidation. If you had low FC and high CC, that indicates a problem.

 

[HermanTX]

Then doing the CC test I added the drops and it turned very faintly red / pink- it took 2 drops to clear the solution in the Smart Strir. so does that mean Cc is 1?

Can someone explain what the CC number means?

All done correctly. Goal is to have a CC of 0.5 or less.
Please read

CC - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

The R0870 is powder.

Added the drops to make it red,.

that should be a powder. R0870.

 

[Jsf721]

The R0870 is powder.

that should be a powder. R0870.

Yes a heaping scoop with the little blue scoop

 

[Jsf721]

Yes - number of drops x .5 is your FC level.
Very faint CC can be anything from 0-0.5. I wouldn't stress too much over that...

CC is a measurement of a waste product from oxidation. If you had low FC and high CC, that indicates a problem.

Where can I read up on this so that I can begin to increase my TFP IQ especially on interpreting the test results and how they are related to each other. Especially what number could indicate a problem as you referenced.

 

[reggiehammond]

Where can I read up on this so that I can begin to increase my TFP IQ especially on interpreting the test results and how they are related to each other. Especially what number could indicate a problem as you referenced.

Pool School

www.troublefreepool.com

ABC's of Water Chemistry

Once you master pool school; the wiki has a lot more in depth info.

 

[mknauss]

For test directions specifically -- Extended Test Kit Directions Archives