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[dfridal]

Hello all. I just joined the forum and have some questions. I have not yet purchased a test kit so I can only provide what my latest pool store results were.
Adjusted Alkalinity: 56.2
PH: 7.5
FC: 2
Calcium Hardness: 186
CYA: 117
Phosphate: 500

I've already adjusted the PH and alkalinity using baking soda and muriatic acid. I know I'll need to drain some water and replace to get rid of the CYA which will probably just throw off the PH that I just fixed.

Up until now I've been using Trichlor tabs and shocking with Clorox extra blue which has sodium dichloro something or other. No wonder my CYA is climbing every week.

I want to start using liquid chlorine but I'm not sure how much it will take. Once I get CYA down, and chlorine levels in check, how much liquid chlorine should I expect to have to use every day to maintain levels in a 22,600 gallon pool?

Will it take a gallon every day? 1/2 a gallon?

Just trying to figure out if I'll really be saving that much switching to this method.

What really stinks is that I just bought a 40lb bucket of Trichlor tabs at sam's club for 199.98 thinking I was getting a good deal and now I don't think I want to use it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[an1vrsy]

Up until now I've been using Trichlor tabs and shocking with Clorox extra blue which has sodium dichloro something or other. No wonder my CYA is climbing every week.

Welcome to TFP! Get one of the recommended test kits ordered and on the way as soon as possible. That is key. Pool store test are not reliable or very accurate. TFP doesn't offer advice based upon pool store testing. I am concerned that you used a the Chlorox XtraBlue products. They add copper to your water and copper is what turns blonde hair green. The one test pool stores can test for is metals, like copper and iron. So hopefully you didn't use too much of the XtrBlue tabs and have high copper levels.

Get the test kit ordered, either the TF-100/TF-Pro from tftestkits.net or the Taylor K-2006C from online. You can do this.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Your test results are sooooo questionble....pool store results stink. You do need your own test kit. (I'll get to that later in post)
You also mentioned iin your other post about using Yellow Treat (bromine). This is a potentially big problem as once you get enough bromide in the water your pool becomes a Bromide Pool and *not* a chlorine pool.

Sodium Bromide - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Do you know how much you've added of that Yellow stuff?

Maddie

 

[dfridal]

Your test results are sooooo questionble....pool store results stink. You do need your own test kit. (I'll get to that later in post)
You also mentioned iin your other post about using Yellow Treat (bromine). This is a potentially big problem as once you get enough bromide in the water your pool becomes a Bromide Pool and *not* a chlorine pool.

Sodium Bromide - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Do you know how much you've added of that Yellow stuff?

Maddie

I've probably used 10-15 oz. I used it quite a few times last year to keep the algae out since it only took 2 capfuls and worked like a charm.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The problem is I don't know how much it takes to turn a chlorine pool into a bromide pool??
Let me holler for our chem guru for his opinion.... @JoyfulNoise

As to the test kit... you have a big pool. You need a good test kit. Either the K-2006C or the TF-100/Pro. They both use the same drop reagents, though the TF kits come with more of the reagents you use most often.
The K-2006C kit can be found from various online sellers (watch that its in date) but the TF kits are only found thru
www.tftestkits.net

IF (and that is a huge "if") we were to trust the pool store's CYA test (and we don't) you have far too much stabilizing CYA in the water. The only way to get rid of that is to drain some and replace with CYA-free water. I would like to see a good test of CYA (the diluted version of the test) to get a true level. It may actually be so much higher than you think.
The more CYA in the water, the higher the FC has to be to be able to fight algae, bacteria, viruses, ect.
That would also help you get rid of some copper.

Repost: A Case for Not Wanting Blue in our Pools!

We all want our pools to be sparkly blue…..right? But believe it or not there are times when you don’t want to add “blue” to the water. Let me first lay an old archaic English word on you- Vitriol. You may know that word to mean “caustic” or “bitter” and use it to describe someone’s...

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

 

[dfridal]

The problem is I don't know how much it takes to turn a chlorine pool into a bromide pool??
Let me holler for our chem guru for his opinion.... @JoyfulNoise

As to the test kit... you have a big pool. You need a good test kit. Either the K-2006C or the TF-100/Pro. They both use the same drop reagents, though the TF kits come with more of the reagents you use most often.
The K-2006C kit can be found from various online sellers (watch that its in date) but the TF kits are only found thru
www.tftestkits.net

IF (and that is a huge "if") we were to trust the pool store's CYA test (and we don't) you have far too much stabilizing CYA in the water. The only way to get rid of that is to drain some and replace with CYA-free water. I would like to see a good test of CYA (the diluted version of the test) to get a true level. It may actually be so much higher than you think.
The more CYA in the water, the higher the FC has to be to be able to fight algae, bacteria, viruses, ect.
That would also help you get rid of some copper.

Repost: A Case for Not Wanting Blue in our Pools!

We all want our pools to be sparkly blue…..right? But believe it or not there are times when you don’t want to add “blue” to the water. Let me first lay an old archaic English word on you- Vitriol. You may know that word to mean “caustic” or “bitter” and use it to describe someone’s...

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

I ordered the TF-100 pro this morning. Not sure how long it will take to arrive but we'll see

I'm crossing my fingers that the CYA is lower than the pool store said because my dip strips are indicating it's closer to 100. But I know those color matching strips are also not reliable.

I plan to drain some water and replace while I wait on the test kit.

Also, the pool store test indicated that the iron and copper were both at 0.

Thank you for your input! It is greatly appreciated.

 

[dfridal]

Just to update. I'm still waiting on the test kit to arrive. In the mean time I took back the 40lb bucket of pucks to sam's for a full refund of $214.00 . Went to Walmart and bought 12 gallons of 10% chlorine, 16lbs of baking soda, and 2 lbs of borax. I have muriatic acid already. I just want to have everything I need to convert to the TFP method.

I drained the pool a good 14" and refilled with city water to lower the CYA. Threw in 2 gallons of 10% bleach to keep algae from blooming while I convert .
the water looks clear. Hopefully I won't need to slam. Won't know for sure until the test kit arrives. Will post chem levels when it does.

looking forward to getting this process up and running. I know I'm going to be saving a lot of money and frustration.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

You may never need the Baking Soda or Borax, actually.

The Test kit ships from someplace in North Carolina, so I imagine it won't take too long.

 

[dfridal]

I got my test kit. All is going well until I got to the CYA test and I'm confused. Says fill the red capped CYA to 7.5ml. is that this? If so there is no 7.5 ml mark on the bottle. What am I looking for? The only other thing in the kit with a red cap is the R-0014.

 

[dfridal]

I went on YouTube and it said to fill the mixing bottle to the bottom of the label and then fill to top of label with the R-0013. There is no label on my mixing bottle. Help! Lol

 

[cdadams1223]

Not sure why these bottles aren’t marked lately but use one of the other plastic cylinders that are marked and do a 50/50 mix. Maybe 7-8mL of pool water and 7-8mL of the R0013. Make sure it’s a 50/50 mix.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Right... it can be almost any amount over say 5cc each of pool water and 5cc of reagent. You could. use a medicine syringe to get the equal measurements if that would be easier for you? My bottle has markings on it.