Gunite pool levels are different depending where you read

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DrewPool

Active member
May 30, 2023
26
Salem, New Hampshire
Pool Size
24000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hello world! I'm new to pools and overthinking my pool levels. I'm looking for the ideal levels for my gunite pool and I have seen the recommended levels different depending on where you look.

TFPEZ PoolsTaylor Test Kit
FREE CHLORINE1-3ppm1-3ppm2-4ppm
pH7.6-7.87.4-7.67.4-7.6
TOTAL ALKALINITY60-8080-120ppm80-120
CALCIUM HARDNESS350-550200-300ppm200-400
STABILIZER/CYANURIC ACID40-5030-100ppm30-50

My question is, which one do I follow and what do you recommend. Thanks
 
:( Except those aren't the TFP suggested numbers. Please use the link I listed for our guide, and follow the FC/CYA chart.

The higher your CYA is, the more FC you require.
No way would we tell anyone to have only 1-3ppm FC when their CYA was 40-50ppm!?

Maddie :flower:
 
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DrewPool said:
I just made the table looking at the three different sites. I have the TFB numbers listed first, I was just curious as to why they seem to be different depending on where you look. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You are at TFP and we recommend you follow TFP care methods. That is more then a few numbers.

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

I suggest you ask the other sites why their recommendations do not follow modern pool care science.

Pool Water Chemistry

This thread presents my findings so far on pool water chemistry including the following: More Accurate Calcite Saturation Index (CSI) to replace Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) Calculation of ppm HOCl (disinfecting chlorine) at various levels of Total Free Chlorine (FC) and Cyanuric Acid (CYA)...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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YippeeSkippy said:
:( Except those aren't the TFP suggested numbers. Please use the link I listed for our guide, and follow the FC/CYA chart.

The higher your CYA is, the more FC you require.
No way would we tell anyone to have only 1-3ppm FC when their CYA was 40-50ppm!?

Maddie :flower:
Click to expand...
Valid point, my CYA is 63 so it recommends I have between 7-8 FC, that seems high to me but I'm a rookie here who has just been reading. I'm debating draining some of the water to lower the CYA.
 
DrewPool said:
I had my local pool place test my water, i just bought a test kit so I'll double check it.
Click to expand...
If you got taylor k2006 or tf-100, or tf-pro then wait on that & test Then we can help you forward.

Adding: the fc levels based on cya are not "high" they are equivalent to your brain saying 1-3 lol
 
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DrewPool said:
I bought the Taylor K-1005.
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If you’re a new pool owner, you may not have been poolstored yet. Look around through some of the threads about pool stores and you find real experience from people on how unreliable their testing is… Sometimes testing the same water sample multiple times and getting different results. It’s that bad.

Don’t do anything based on a pool store test report and especially don’t buy any stuff from them that they recommend. I don’t know what the K-1005 is, maybe one can comment.
 
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Bperry said:
I don’t know what the K-1005 is, maybe one can comment.
Click to expand...
About Taylor Technologies Pool Test Kit K1005 Residential TroubleShooter Pool amp; Spa Alkalinty/Bromine amp; ChlorineTaylor Technologies Pool Test Kit K1005 Residential TroubleShooter Pool amp; Spa Alkalinty/Bromine amp; Chlorine monitors three variables that impact water quality so problems can be detected and treated early. Residential series features includes 0.75 oz. reagents colorcoded instructions and sanitizer values for both chlorine and bromine testing.

You need to add the K1515 FAS DPD test kit plus order additional CYA reagents.
 
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mknauss said:
About Taylor Technologies Pool Test Kit K1005 Residential TroubleShooter Pool amp; Spa Alkalinty/Bromine amp; ChlorineTaylor Technologies Pool Test Kit K1005 Residential TroubleShooter Pool amp; Spa Alkalinty/Bromine amp; Chlorine monitors three variables that impact water quality so problems can be detected and treated early. Residential series features includes 0.75 oz. reagents colorcoded instructions and sanitizer values for both chlorine and bromine testing.

You need to add the K1515 FAS DPD test kit plus order additional CYA reagents.
Click to expand...
How different is the K1515 FAS DPD from the taylor chlorine test that comes with the 1005?

I got poolstored hardcode, I have a bucket of pucks that im not going to be using going forward.

Thanks!
 
DrewPool said:
How different is the K1515 FAS DPD from the taylor chlorine test that comes with the 1005?
Click to expand...
The DPD test in the K1005 can measure FC to 5 ppm. Using color matching.
The FAS DPD test K1515 can measure FC to 50 ppm, using a titration to clear. Far more accurate.
 
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Hold on.... people who follow the TFP method learn when and how they *can* use those pucks. It all depends on what the current test results say. If a skosh low on CYA, using them won't hurt. But we know using them willy-nilly will cause problems with overly high CYA.
.....and they're handy for vacation time if the CYA in them won't send the pool water over limits.

You need a good test kit. Not those little bitty ones.
Test Kits Compared
 
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