Help with balancing water

[Baby43204]

Hello was wondering what the recommend set numbers I should go for when it comes to the chemicals in my pool I keep testing it but the trouble free pool app I have has a target range and not a set number. And I was wondering if there is a set number to aim for for my pool size. My pool is 4440 gallons above ground intex pool with a 2500 gph pump on it that I run 24/7. I had my pool tested at the pool store yesterday and the numbers they were giving me was way different then my liquid test kit that I have plus their target numbers are way higher then trouble free pool apps so was wondering if you guys could help me set some straight forward numbers and not ranges to aim for.

I attached the papers the gave me at the pool store tell me if the range numbers make sense or not please.

 

[Fast7]

If your CYA is really 70 than your FC is way too low. FC target for 70 CYA is 8-10 and never bellow 5.
Looks like store had your pH at 8 and you tested it at 7.4. Hard to tell which one is more accurate. Did you use you liquid test to get that value? Are your reagents fresh?
TA and CH - it doesn't matter which value is correct (store or yours), they are all in range.
How your water looks like? Any cloudiness or green hue?

 

[Wobblerlorri]

First of all, stop having your water tested at the pool store. Trust your own testing. The pool store doesn't care about your pool like you do.

Next, why ranges instead of target numbers? Pools are individuals, and each one is different. Some are happy at the lower end of the range, some prefer the higher end. Testing and dosing and maintaining your pool will let you learn what your pool likes.

Meanwhile, dose for the upper end of the range. Your FC range is 8 - 10 -- so you'll add enough chlorine to bring your FC to 10. Then let it drift down to 6 or 7 before adding enough chlorine to bring it back up to 10.

Most everything else you will dose for the middle of the range. For example, say your pH is 8.0 -- the range is 7.2 to 7.8, and the middle of that range is 7.5 to 7.6. You'll add enough acid to bring the pH down to the middle of the range. This works for TA, CH, borates. CYA is shooting for a particular number, so you add stabilizer to hit that number.

Hope this clarifies it for you! Good luck!

 

[frogabog]

FC/CYA Levels

Pool Math gives you a range for your CYA level.

Target means: you'll need to make sure your FC is at that level when you start the day. You can feed your pool at night, or in the am before the sun gets on the pool. Most of us feed the pool the night before.

Sun will deplete chlorine during the day, with or without swimmers. Swimmers will consume more chlorine than a non swimmer day. You should test and feed/dose according to your swimmer activity, and that may be more than your pool consumes simply by way of sunlight.

Minimum is... the absolute minimum your pool should ever be at. If you have 70ppm CYA, never let your pool fall below minimum. This is why Target level is shown. If you aim for Target when you feed the pool chlorine, you should never drop below your minimum by the next day when you re/dose with chlorine.

At 70ppm CYA, you will want to target 10ppm, and your minimum is 5ppm FC. I would suggest draining about 20% of your water and refilling, then test for CYA and it should be around 50ppm. That is a much more manageable level. Less chlorine per day is cheaper.

Can you tell us what you're chlorinating with that you got so high of a CYA level in that size pool?

The tablets will raise your CYA ~1ppm per 1ppm of chlorine they add to the pool. I raised my CYA with pucks from 20ppm to 30ppm in 2.5 days. I then removed the pucks and use bleach daily since I hit my goal. I'm in Portland. We have less sun than most so I keep my CYA low. Especially this summer. Super mild (read: cloudy) so far.