High phosphates

[sullihouse]

I just put liquid chlorine in last night so chlorine level is high. No clue what any of the rest of this means. Water is crystal clear!
Any suggestions on what to do without adding in all types of chemicals I don’t need? Willing to add if needed!
Also, how do I lower the phosphates?

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

The first thing to do is get your own test kit! Link-->Test Kits Compared

Add 5ppm of liquid chlorine per day until you test kit arrives. Nothing else.

Post a full set of results with your kit and we'll get you going!

 

[Newdude]

Hey Sulli and Welcome !!!!


So your 'free water test" recommended *8* purchases.




That's like the 3 card monte guy on the street corner letting you win the first hand.

Anywho, their tests are designed to sell, not to fix or maintain. We don't trust them and use our own home testing. See
Test Kits Compared

If your pool water is properly chlorinated, alage can't grow and 'algae food' is a moot point. Set up a big buffet in the middle of the Sahara desert. Ain't nobody coming to eat it.

Also, phosphates are reported in parts per *billion*. 400something is low.

 

[sullihouse]

Welcome to TFP!!!

The first thing to do is get your own test kit! Link-->Test Kits Compared

Add 5ppm of liquid chlorine per day until you test kit arrives. Nothing else.

Post a full set of results with your kit and we'll get you going!

Probably a stupid question: what does 5ppm mean? Lol, I usually just pour in the gallon. And if the chlorine is high, wouldn’t this raise it higher?

 

[PoolStored]

Without a kit, we don't know that your chlorine is high. The number of times we have seen pool store results be wildly different than reality, we can't count on 10,000 hands.

Download pool math. Link-->PoolMath

Configure your pool, then use "effects of adding" in the menu. Adjust the liquid chlorine % for the liquid chlorine you have, then vary the amount until you get a result that says...will add 3ppm free chlorine.

The point of the 5ppm per day is to stave off any algae that might be growing, and is safe.

Read this while you are waiting for your kit...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

And this...Link-->Pool Care Basics

 

[sullihouse]

So, I need to add 48 oz per day until the testing kit arrives, correct? Which is Friday)

 

[Newdude]

So, I need to add 48 oz per day until the testing kit arrives, correct? Which is Friday)

Yes. I like 3 ppm better than 5 ppm for you. You have clear water and daily demand isn't crazy in Chicago yet.

The pool store, while usually off, is right enough about your 10 FC. Maybe it's 8 but it's definitely more than too little.

As you see, your typical method of using the whole gallon increased you 8.3 ppm. Too much is always better than too little and it probably has saved you so far here.

 

[sullihouse]

Ok, so I am not going to get the test kit now until Monday. Water is still very clear but I’m getting some algae on the bottom. (Hard to see in the pic) I raised the liquid chlorine to 4 ppm every night and I have been vacuuming and cleaning the filter cartridge every day. Anything else I should do until I can test it?

 

[Newdude]

Anything else I should do until I can test it?

Nope. Stay the course.

The filter only needs cleaning at 25% psi rise.

 

[sullihouse]

Will do, thx!

 

[sullihouse]

Got my test kit . Lol, I feel like I need a PhD to understand this language! Is there a beginners tutorial somewhere?

 

[PoolStored]

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[sullihouse]

Do I just follow these directions for each color category and then record results?

 

[PoolStored]

Yep

 

[Newdude]

Skip the block test for FC and only use the block for Ph

Use 10ml samples for FC and each drop is 1/2 FC.

Use 10ml samples for CH and each drop is 25.

 

[sullihouse]

Hmmm…what do you mean by “block test”
Also, I won’t be able to test until Monday so will keep up with adding liquid chlorine every night until then

 

[sullihouse]

Skip the block test for FC and only use the block for Ph

Use 10ml samples for FC and each drop is 1/2 FC.

Use 10ml samples for CH and each drop is 25.

Here are the results when I tested with the Taylor Kit Hopefully, I did it correctly but I did have my adult daughter there helping to verify Any guidance would be appreciated!

 

[Newdude]

Hopefully, I did it correctly

You did GREAT.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

You're sitting pretty. The high TA will make the Ph rise rather quickly, but everytime you lower the Ph (Use muriatic acid and PoolMath). The TA will come some and eventually settle on its own.

Maintain a low 7 ph until the TA is under 100, then switch to the high 7s and dose back to a high 7 whenever it's 8+.

Being that this is the first the pool has seen of TFP, it's a wise choice to do an overnight loss test to ensure you're algae free. It's microscopic and you can't see it until it's waaaaaaaaaay too late. Testing let's us see what our eyes can't.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[sullihouse]

Ok. So since my FC WAS 7ppm, I shouldn’t add chlorine tonight, correct? Then once the sun goes down, do the FAS-DPD test again and record. Do the test again in the morning before sun hits the pool and be sure there isn’t more than 1ppm loss?

 

[sullihouse]

You did GREAT.

You're sitting pretty. The high TA will make the Ph rise rather quickly, but everytime you lower the Ph (Use muriatic acid and PoolMath). The TA will come some and eventually settle on its own.

Maintain a low 7 ph until the TA is under 100, then switch to the high 7s and dose back to a high 7 whenever it's 8+.

Being that this is the first the pool has seen of TFP, it's a wise choice to do an overnight loss test to ensure you're algae free. It's microscopic and you can't see it until it's waaaaaaaaaay too late. Testing let's us see what our eyes can't.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

Did the overnight test. Last night FC was 5.5-6 ppm. This morning FC is 5ppm so I assume I am ok there. What are my next steps? Use Pool Math ( for how much Muriatic acid) to bring the PH down to low 7s and then once TA comes down, PH should be high 7’s?
Also, do I continue to test daily? And add liquid chlorine every night?
Is there a cheat sheet somewhere that shows the desired ranges for everything?
Sorry for so many questions. I read the info on TPF but I know I need to read it again, and again. Just trying to get myself in a good spot until I figure all this out. I really appreciate all your help!