HELP!!!!! Water issues, there’s got be a better way!

[stewbeans22]

Quick back story. Bought our AGP used and recently the salt cell went out. Installed new cell and now paying attention to the chemicals more closely.

First time testing chemical levels:
Salt 4160 (aquatrol read 0 ppm thought I needed more salt so added 2 bags, found out cell was bad)
Free chlorine 3
Total Chlorine 3
ph 8.4
Alkalinity 120
Cya 0
Hardness 100

With these numbers I treated the water as follows: added 2 lbs of ph decreaser, added 5 lbs of stabilizer, added 14 lbs of hardness increaser. Also to note I’m using “Swim University’s” app to plug in info and treat per their suggestions. I did follow their timings they suggested as well.

Let pool run and kids swim.

Just tested pool and got the following:
Salt 4100
Free chlorine 5
Total chlorine 5
ph 7.8
Alkalinity 120
Cya 0
Hardness 110

Says again to wait or empty pool and refill to lower salt and wait for the sun to burn off the chlorine.
Now it says to raise stabilizer and hardness. ANOTHER 12 lbs hardness increaser!!!!!!

One to note I did take the ready today around 715 pm and my pump was running and the cell was generating plus kids were swimming so my test could be very skewed.

But I feel like every action I take on one chemical has an adverse reaction on another chemical. There has got to be a better, easier way to keep these chemicals right.
Any and all help is welcomed.
I

 

[Uhhello]

How are you getting your salt levels? You need to use a drop test to get good salt levels if you haven't.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Use Muriatic Acid instead of PH down. Use liquid chlorine if you are not now. Calcium hardness isn't an issue for a vinyl pool unless you have a heater. Alkalinity is a bit high but maintaining your PH in the high 7s will bring it down unless you have high AL fill water. Use Pool Math to calculate the effect of putting 5 lbs of CYA in IF you know how many gallons your pool is.
Pool Care Basics
Test Kits Compared
FC/CYA Levels
PoolMath

 

[Bperry]

Quick back story. Bought our AGP used and recently the salt cell went out. Installed new cell and now paying attention to the chemicals more closely.

First time testing chemical levels:
Salt 4160 (aquatrol read 0 ppm thought I needed more salt so added 2 bags, found out cell was bad)
Free chlorine 3
Total Chlorine 3
ph 8.4
Alkalinity 120
Cya 0
Hardness 100

With these numbers I treated the water as follows: added 2 lbs of ph decreaser, added 5 lbs of stabilizer, added 14 lbs of hardness increaser. Also to note I’m using “Swim University’s” app to plug in info and treat per their suggestions. I did follow their timings they suggested as well.

Let pool run and kids swim.

Just tested pool and got the following:
Salt 4100
Free chlorine 5
Total chlorine 5
ph 7.8
Alkalinity 120
Cya 0
Hardness 110

Says again to wait or empty pool and refill to lower salt and wait for the sun to burn off the chlorine.
Now it says to raise stabilizer and hardness. ANOTHER 12 lbs hardness increaser!!!!!!

One to note I did take the ready today around 715 pm and my pump was running and the cell was generating plus kids were swimming so my test could be very skewed.

But I feel like every action I take on one chemical has an adverse reaction on another chemical. There has got to be a better, easier way to keep these chemicals right.
Any and all help is welcomed.
I

Wouldn’t recommend swim universities recommendations. You don’t need any calcium in AGP. Also, pH down is damaging to salt cells and anything metal (if your pool walls are metal?) don’t use it anymore.

The chlorine needs to be tested with a FAS-DPD kit to be accurate. If the water is brand new, then there will be no CYA, but if you’ve been using chlorine pucks or powder, then it’s likely not zero. Post up what test kit your using for more detailed info.

 

[stewbeans22]

How are you getting your salt levels? You need to use a drop test to get good salt levels if you haven't.

I have since bought the Clorox salt test strips. Put about an inch of pool water in a cup and put the strip in. The water leaches up the test strip and where the peak of the white line is you compare that number to the chart on the bottle.

 

[stewbeans22]

Wouldn’t recommend swim universities recommendations. You don’t need any calcium in AGP. Also, pH down is damaging to salt cells and anything metal (if your pool walls are metal?) don’t use it anymore.

The chlorine needs to be tested with a FAS-DPD kit to be accurate. If the water is brand new, then there will be no CYA, but if you’ve been using chlorine pucks or powder, then it’s likely not zero. Post up what test kit your using for more detailed info.

I’m using the Clorox 6 way test strips. Should I not use swim university app at all? I’d be glad to not spend the $50/yr subscription. Lol

 

[Bperry]

I’m using the Clorox 6 way test strips. Should I not use swim university app at all? I’d be glad to not spend the $50/yr subscription. Lol

Eeek. You can recycle the strips as they are pretty worthless. $50/year? you can safely cancel that if you decide to follow TFP (which is free)

Here’s a link to the only test kits we trust, with some details on test strips.

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why shouldn't I use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[stewbeans22]

Eeek. You can recycle the strips as they are pretty worthless. $50/year? you can safely cancel that if you decide to follow TFP (which is free)

Here’s a link to the only test kits we trust, with some details on test strips.

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why shouldn't I use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

CANCELLED!!!!!!! Thanks for the info. I’ll continue to follow TFP

 

[stewbeans22]

I guess what I’ll do is start using a real test kit, but should I get my salt level correct first by draining water and refilling?

I would assume lowering the salt should lower the chlorine…..
I have my SWG set at 80%

Last question….. for my AGP with my Aquatrol SWG, which chemicals should it need to focus on? I’m obviously looking for beautiful water, but also looking for longevity out of the pool and liner.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Almost the only things you need are Stabilizer (CYA), Muriatic Acid, and occasionally jugs of Liquid Chlorine which you buy when you need an instant rise in FC to protect the pool if the cell is wonky or offline. Salt is usually tested at the beginning of the season and once or twice in the season so you might need it to top it off. Anything else is only on an as needed basis.

Maddie

 

[Newdude]

guess what I’ll do is start using a real test kit, but should I get my salt level correct first by draining water and refilling?

Do nothing without reliable data.

(The cell, the pool store and test strips are iffy at best)

The TF100 salt and TFpro salt both are hands down better values than the equivalent Taylor K2006 / K2006C plus a K1766 salt kit.

 

[Bperry]

I would assume lowering the salt should lower the chlorine…..

The machine makes the same amount of chlorine no matter how much salt is in there….except if salt is too high it may shut off and if it’s too low it WILL shut off.

 

[stewbeans22]

The machine makes the same amount of chlorine no matter how much salt is in there….except if salt is too high it may shut off and if it’s too low it WILL shut off.

I try to keep the salt around 3200-3400. Being around 4100-4200, should I let it decrease naturally or should I drain and refill to get back to target?

 

[duraleigh]

I try to keep the salt around 3200-3400. Being around 4100-4200, should I let it decrease naturally or should I drain and refill to get back to target?

Decreasing naturally may take a lo-o-ong. I would drain and refill back to target.