First Test with Taylor K-2006

[moore887]

I hope I get faster with the testing. This has taken me about an hour to get the numbers. I read through the entire instruction book that came with the kit and carried out all the tests although I think I might repeat them tomorrow before making any changes. The only one I couldn't do was the salt test as the kit doesn't come with the 9198 sample tube.

My Ph test turned out darker than the 8.0 limit so I assumed a value of 8.5

FC 2ppm
CC 0
Ph 8.5
TA 180ppm
CH 350
CYA 9.5

To fix the PH, the Taylor treatment table said add 2.86 qt of Muratic Acid. The TFP pool math appears to be a little more conservative at 36 oz. I think I will go to the pool store and start with the lower amount. They might also have bleach there that I can increase the FC.

I have a Jandy SWG so I increased the salt output from 40% to 60% (it runs between 9am and 5pm) I'm not sure of the pump speed but I think it's at 2750RPM 24/7 10,000gal pool under Sun here in SW Florida. Water looks clear.

 

[ajw22]

If your pH tests above 8 then assume it is 8 and calculate the MA to lower it to 7.6. Add the MA and retest and repeat until you get a reading in the 7s. You don’t want to risk driving your pH too low.

Your SWG is being ineffective because your CYA Stabilizer is low. For a SWG your CYA should be 60-80. CYA protects the FC from being consumed by sun UV.

How do you get a CYA reading of 9.5? Test kits start CYA readings at 20 or 30.

What test kit are you using?

What size SWG cell do you have? How many gallons in your pool? Please out that info in your signature.

 

[moore887]

Good Morning,

I repeated my CYA test again with the Taylor K-0006 test kit. It's showing a reading of 85ppm. Yesterday it was 95 (I don't know why I put a decimal point in, I will hold Sam Adams responsible for now. We had quite a lot of rainfall last night.

I will pick up some muratic acid if it's in Lowes.

 

[ajw22]

Good Morning,

I repeated my CYA test again with the Taylor K-0006 test kit. It's showing a reading of 85ppm. Yesterday it was 95 (I don't know why I put a decimal point in, I will hold Sam Adams responsible for now. We had quite a lot of rainfall last night.

I will pick up some muratic acid if it's in Lowes.

Always round CYA up on tests. So your CYA was 90 and now tests for 100.

The CYA scale is logarithmic, not linear. Halfway between marks is not 5. You can’t eyeball the value. Round up.

See Step 8 at Trouble Free Pool to perform a 50% dilution test if your CYA is 90 or above.

FC of 2 is way low for CYA 100. Should be 11-13. See Trouble Free Pool

 

[moore887]

Good afternoon,

I have done the CYA test again with a 50% dilution of tap water from my under sink RO system. My result was 90 so doubling that brings me to a final result of 180.
I have repeated FC test again and have come up with 1.4ppm .

I picked up Muriatic acid from Ace hardware a short while ago. Transchem professional strength. I wonder should I go back around and get some bleach to try and get the FC level up? I've turned off the heater and told everyone to stay out of the pool until it's safe again.

 

[ajw22]

A pool with CYA of 180 becomes unmanageable. Your SWG can’t put out enough FC and adding bleach becomed expensive.

You need to plan to drain your pool by at least 60% or do a water exchange and get your CYA down around 70.

 

[moore887]

Do I buy I pump to drain it? I will be filling from a garden hose directly off the water softener. I'm not sure of the difference between the drain and fill and a water exchange.

 

[moore887]

It's been just a week since the pool builder finished their month long maintenance of the pool and they told me that it was fine. I think we may have to take a sample to the pool store for them to test for us and see what they would charge for them to repair it. Because it's salt water, we would have nowhere to drain off the pool without causing damage to the empty lot beside us.

 

[ajw22]

I don’t recall the history of your pool. Did you have new water as of a month ago? Where did the water come from?

I am suprised that your PB would add so much Stabilizer to get to 180.

Note that your PB can only test up to CYA 100. So bring him both a regular water sample and a 50% diluted sampke.

 

[ajw22]

Do I buy I pump to drain it? I will be filling from a garden hose directly off the water softener. I'm not sure of the difference between the drain and fill and a water exchange.

You can buy a submersible sump pump and use a garden hose or you can rent a larger pump and hose that will be faster.

@mknauss can provide how to do a water exchange.

 

[moore887]

We had new water trucked in mid December when the pool was completed. I'm not sure where they got the pool water but I have seen a pool water truck filling from a fire hydrant out by the interstate.

One of our other fears of draining the pool, is the level of the water table beneath the pool. Will an excessive drain cause our pool shell to pop up? What is the danger of exposing the pool shell to air or can we assume that the walls are completely cured and will not be damaged by exposure to the elements?

 

[ajw22]

CYA is not in water naturally. It had to be added to your water at some time.

No guarantees about pools popping in FL. 50% drain and immediate refill should keep adequate water weight in the pool. Immediate refill after drain will not affect the plaster. You need to figure out if your softener system can handle the gallons needed or you need a water truck again.

@mknauss has a water exchange method to pump water from bottom of pool while adding on top, or vice versa.

 

[moore887]

I sent mknauss a message about the water exchange method.

As you can understand, my wife is very upset that her 40th birthday present could now be a disaster. I will call the pool builder in the morning and see if they can shed any light as to what test results they were getting and how we could have got such high readings. Should I turn off my SWG (since it's doing nothing)?

It may be the safer bet just to order a truck load of water rather than risk affecting the well pump with a continuous flow of several thousand gallons.

 

[ajw22]

You need to keep your FC up while you sort this out. You are at risk for an algae bloom that will cause you more headaches.

Keep your FC at 10% of your CYA. With 180 get your FC up to 18-21.

You can turn off your SWG and treat your pool with liquid chlorine until you fix the water. Once you drain the water you will need to add Stabilizer and salt before you turn on your SWG.

 

[moore887]

I have the submersible pump which I picked up at Northern Tool running now at the deep end with a hose in a bucket at the shallow end filling the pool. In the morning, I will get another full water test done and see where we are.
Thanks for the help!

 

[moore887]

Good Morning,

My test results this morning after water exchanging all night.

FC=0
Ph=8
TA=175
CYA is 40
CH=175

The pool was draining faster than the hose was filling. I have stopped draining now and the pool level is 4 inches below the tile level. I believe that I cannot run the Jandy pump until the water line is at least to the tile.

I have a gallon of muriatic acid in the garage. Should I start with 69oz of that to lower PH to target 7 (pool math) because if my high TA? Then aerate with fountain to increase ph again?

Should I target FC for 16 (shock level) by adding 333oz of liquid chlorine all at once?

We are expecting sunshine all day today here in SW Florida.

 

[ajw22]

What is the pH, TA, CH of your house fill water?

Don’t worry about your TA right now. Just add MA to lower your pH to 7.4. Wait until your pump is running to add chemicals.

Why do you want to raise your FC to shock level?

Enjoy your sunshine.

 

[pabeader]

moore - CYA is 40?

 

[moore887]

Yes, between 30 and 40 so I did round up to 40. I can repeat the test again with a fresh water sample as I'm still filling from the hose in the bucket.

 

[ajw22]

Wait until the pool is to its normal water level to retest your pool CYA.

Get some CL into the pool as soon as your pump is running.