Hack My Pool

[JessBlount617]

Hahahaha!! Nuclear football is RIGHT! My daughter’s friends call it “Joe Dirt’s Waterfall”

That thing is just… sigh… necessary evil I suppose. And don’t get me started on ratchet straps.

 

[JessBlount617]

Full Panel:
FC: 10.5 (This alarmed me given all the chlorine I ran during SLAM... and given it was still 16 at 6 AM - and its super gloomy today)
CC: 0
pH: 8.2+
TA: 250
CH: 175
CYA: 40

 

[PoolStored]

Great. Do nothing. Allow FC to drop below 10, then test pH again and post that test result.

Maintain your FC so that it is always in range for your CYA. I'd keep it at the high end of the range until you learn your daily FC demand.

When we get a good pH result, then we'll know next step.

 

[JessBlount617]

I know there is an article about FC+CYA relationship - I will read up on that, that way I know what my range is given my CYA of 40.

Will pH drop on its own? OR will we have to muriatic acid our way back down like we did before SLAM?

 

[proavia]

After FC is 10 or less, do the pH test.
If pH needs to be adjusted lower, do it in increments of 0.4 maximum only until you reach your goal.

You can vacuum up the leaves and crud on the pool bottom as well.

 

[proavia]

Muriatic acid will lower pH.
Keep FC near the top of the target range. FC/CYA Levels
Chlorine - FC
Muriatic acid - pH

 

[PoolStored]

Will pH drop on its own? OR will we have to muriatic acid our way back down like we did before SLAM?

@proavia is correct.

However, here is the deal. You can't deal with pH until your FC comes down and you get a good pH test result.

pH does not drop on its own. pH however will rise on its own.

High TA and low pH will cause pH rise on its own. With TA as high as yours, your pH will rise fairly quickly.

When you lower pH with muriatic acid, you also reduce TA. If you allow pH to rise on its own, TA doesn't change.

You should only lower pH in increments of .4.

AFTER FC drops below 10, test pH, reduce in .4 increments until you get to 7.2. Let pH rise to 8. Reduce to 7.2 again. Rinse repeat. Over a couple weeks, your TA will come down. When it gets to about 80, stop reducing pH to 7.2. Reduce only to 7.8...the pH rise should slow dramatically at TA 80, and pH should stabilize somewhere around 7.8-8. 7.8-8 is a fine pH to have.

When you lower pH in .4 increments, retest pH 30 minutes later and you can lower another .4. Rinse repeat until you hit your target pH.
Make sense?

 

[JessBlount617]

Sounds like a process - similar to keeping the FC at the target during SLAM.

I'll check levels again this evening and see what I'm working with. If my FC is below 10, I'll test PH. If not, I will wait until FC falls to 10 or less before testing - since this will impact an accurate PH read.

I don't want to get too far ahead of myself - but it sounds like a balance of a series of chemicals - some of which I can impact (raising or lowering) and some of which I can do nothing but remain patient (evaporation, sunlight, etc).

Am I reading this table correctly though that with my CYA at 40, in an ideal PH, I would have a 5-7 for FC? (literally so may abbreviations that I would know nothing about a week ago)...

 

[PoolStored]

FC - keep in range for your CYA. Check and add daily. If, when you test, you are out of range, add more to get to higher FC (even higher than range), so that when you test, you are always in range.
CC - Like to keep that below 1. If I stay in range, I don't even test CC anymore.
pH - A number in the 7s is good...do nothing. When it gets to 8, reduce. Reduce to 7.2 when TA is above 80. Reduce only to 7.8, or don't reduce if pH is 7.8-8.
TA - Ignore it. Just manage pH.
CH - Doesn't matter in a vinyl pool. If you ever get foaming, then raise CH to 120-150.
CYA - 30-60 is just fine. If you want to reduce the amount of chlorine you use daily, raise your CYA to 60. Do it in 10 increments and test 24 hours later so you don't overshoot.

^^^ It is that trouble free.

 

[Newdude]

Am I reading this table correctly though that with my CYA at 40, in an ideal PH, I would have a 5-7 for FC?

Yes. Now what does that mean ?

If you test a 6 FC today, are we good ?

Well. That depends on the time of day.

If you're losing 4ppm a day in July, and it's the morning before the daily loss hits, 6 FC isn't going to cut it because you land at 2 FC by sundown.

If you're losing 4 ppm a day in July, and it's the evening after the daily loss occurred, then you're golden landing at 6 FC. But here's the thing. You may need to dose over target, to allow the higher daily loss of the peak season.

Morning or evening, if you need to dose to 10 to land at 6, then so be it.

In the early/late season, targets get lowered to reflect the 2 or even 1 FC daily loss. 10 could be a week-long dose in April and only 1 day in August.

Your UV loss is more or less a bell curve across the season and you will know what its been recently with regular testing.

Put another way : (1000 words)

 

[JessBlount617]

“Joe Dirt’s Waterfall” has come down.

I added a “hose exit” to the bottom so that when I turn off the pump and filter I don’t dump rust right back into the pool. So smart!

Water is still orange coming out, but nothing like it had been. I’m gonna give it a day or two to see if we retain clarity like we have.

I need to fill the pool - I’m a little below my “line” but not too bad. Hoping I can create a filter that I can run off my hose that helps keep rust from entering the pool.

I’ll check the chem threads shortly!!!

 

[kimkats]

Are you SURE that is the same pool??? WELL DONE!

 

[JessBlount617]

Another full panel run… I wasn’t sure if an exact 10 would be good for PH, or not. So I ran the whole gamut.

FC 10
CC 0.5
PH 8.2+
TA 270
CH 175
CYA 60

 

[Newdude]

Another full panel run…

Go on. Admit it. It's fun.

I wasn’t sure if an exact 10 would be good for PH, or not

If you read it quick, it's probably right. If it sat at all, then maybe not.

CH 175
CYA 60

Going forward, only test these after you've backwashed or drained excess rain a couple times. They won't change otherwise. Calcium doesn't even matter for you.

TA 270

Test this, but only because it's relevant to the lowering PH calculations. Skip it anytime you aren't lowering Ph.

FC 10
CC 0.5
PH 8.2+

FC and PH are your 2 new kids that need to be tended to daily. FC needs to be up, and watch for when it's time to bring Ph down.

 

[JessBlount617]

FC 8
Ph 8.2+
TA 240

Ignoring everything else for now. I need to drop PH 0.4 at a time.

8.2 to 7.8 according to PoolMath needs 14 oz of Muriatic Acid.

Can someone sanity check me?

 

[Mdragger88]

FC 8
Ph 8.2+
TA 240

Ignoring everything else for now. I need to drop PH 0.4 at a time.

8.2 to 7.8 according to PoolMath needs 14 oz of Muriatic Acid.

Can someone sanity check me?

What strength is your muriatic acid?

 

[JessBlount617]

What strength is your muriatic acid?

31.45%
20° Baume

 

[proavia]

FC 8
Ph 8.2+
TA 240

Ignoring everything else for now. I need to drop PH 0.4 at a time.

8.2 to 7.8 according to PoolMath needs 14 oz of Muriatic Acid.

Can someone sanity check me?

That is correct - and is the same amount you posted a bunch of posts ago.
Add it all at once in a pencil sized stream in front of an operaring return - not in 4oz increments.
Check pH 30 minutes later.
Rinse, repeat until pH is where you want it.

 

[JessBlount617]

I misunderstood the prior mission! Now I am locked in!!

 

[Newdude]

There ain't no teacher like a foulup. The sinks it in there deeeeeeeeeep.

Don't forget to correct your TA level as it drops. I'm getting 9.9 oz at 250 TA from 8.2 to 7.8.