Houston, TX - Very High Calcium Hardness and CYA, Low Total Alkalinity

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Eadam23

Eadam23

Member
Dec 5, 2021
12
Houston, Tx
Pool Size
19000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Just moved into a house with a pool and trying to get to the starting line, Any advice? - pool info in sig.

I have some little yellow algae forming I believe from the pool being neglected between changing owners.

12/5 Accublue at Leslie's Pool Store
FC – 1.06 ppm
CC – 3.1 ppm!
pH - 7.7
TA – 32* (TA has been adjusted due to the effect of CyA)!
CH – 652!
CYA – 91 ppm!
Iron - 0.1 ppm
Copper - 0.2 ppm
Phosphates - 173 ppb
TDS- 1300 ppm
 
Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process after determining if you need to exchange any water. To do that, you need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100 or Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
 
Welcome to TFP! You’re starting out great finding this site.

As Marty recommended, you need to get a test kit. You can trust your own pool water chemistry test result. Pool store test results are not reliable, the tests are free for a reason. Reason to then sell you something.

Read the links posted above. Also, you’ll need find a good source for liquid chlorine. Big box stores and Walmart sell chlorine which you’ll need to sanitize your pool.
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave: Take some time to purge the info from the pool store and digest what we can offer here at TFP. Accurate home testing is always #1 since pool stores often get some of those tests wrong. It's very common. If those test numbers were your own, you'd probably hear us say the CH is manageable, your TA is a little low (baking soda) and your CYA is too high for a non-salt pool. Phosphates and TDS are irrelevant. In addition, your FC is much too low. If you see chlorine tabs in use, remove them ASAP as they are acidic and lowering the TA and increasing your CYA. Liquid chlorine is what you'll want to use for the SLAM Process to remove algae. Your water temp should be between 60 - 70 like mine, so now is the time to kill algae. But follow the advise above, use a recommended test kit, and we'll be happy to help you along the way.

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
 
Thanks for your reply. I'm ordering the TF-100, although if confirmed it seems like I have to get my CYA lower, so I mine as well deal with the CH as well. What is the best way to have some of the pool water drained/refilled? It seems like this is the only option I have to get the pool back in order to use the TFP methodology.

The older owner was using dichlor, trichlor pucks, 73% cal-hypo given that is what he left behind.
 
Eadam23 said:
The older owner was using dichlor, trichlor pucks, 73% cal-hypo given that is what he left behind.
Click to expand...
That certainly explains it. With a cart filter, you probably don't have a way to push water directly to waste unless the builder of the pool incorporated a valve to do so between the pump and filter. If not, then you'll need to use a separate pump of some type to slowly release water from the pool. Or, check to see if your filter housing has a spigot connection for a hose. If you're not sure, you can post a pic or two of your equipment pad. While it may be safe to exchange some water now, I wouldn't go crazy trying to get too specific until you receive your TF-100. You might be surprised how some of those previous test results were not as accurate as they seem.
 
HI, TF-100 test kit arrived this morning.

FC = 0.5 ppm
CC = 0.5 ppm
CH = 1,825 ppm (takes me >70 drops to get a color change...)
TA = 70 ppm
CYA = 80 or 90 ppm (Kind of objective and not sure if my eyesight is the best)

Also yellow algae getting worse, feeling like the old owners left me quite a mess to deal with, please help!
 
Great job on the tests.
Did you get a Speedstir? Having one makes the CH test much easier. I suspect you are not that high of CH unless you have large amounts of scale all over the pool surfaces.

As you get rain, your CYA will drop naturally when you get overflow out of the pool due to rain. You might even consider draining a few inches before you expect to get rain.

I would raise your FC to 8-10 ppm and manage this until spring. And redo the CH test in a couple days. Being sure the reagent bottle is vertical, the drops naturally form out of the bottle and drop, etc. The algae is concerning. So do an OCLT soon to see if that needs to be addressed more aggressively.
 

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Mark,

I really appreciate the help. I am a PETE from LSU, working for SLB now, was interesting to see that you worked in the industry too.

I didn't get a speed stir only because I was worried it said it was back-ordered and didn't want to delay getting the test kit but I do plan on getting one.

Plan:
1. Going to pick up some bleach now with pool math to raise FC to 8-10 ppm
2. Will update with the OCLT test results once completed
3. Looking into ways to do partial drain/refill once I narrow down CH test results as advised
 
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I think something might be wrong with my CH (R-0012) dropper, the drops are much much smaller than any of my other bottles and I tested my tap water with it and it’s 500 ppm, doesn’t seem right.
 
Be very sure you are not putting any pressure on the reagent bottle. Simply invert it vertically and let the drops come off naturally.
 
Update:

Added bleach yesterday until my FC = 9 ppm (CC= 1 ppm) after an hour running the pump on high

Took readings after the sun went down at
7 PM and FC = 7.5 ppm and CC = 1.0 ppm
>>>
Took again at 5 am and FC = 4 ppm and CC = 1.5 ppm

Also got the CH test down better letting the drops form more naturally (larger) and my tap water measured around 125 ppm and the pool was still around 700 ppm. There are some noticeable calcium deposits on the blue waterline tile but nothing major.
 
Completed the 50% drain/fill over the weekend.

Now measuring at:
CYA = 40 ppm
CH = 400 ppm
PH = 7.5 ppm
TA = 100 ppm

I will put in some muriatic acid to get my PH to 7.2 and aerate by running my waterfalls then start the SLAM process. Looks like I am making progress now...
 
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I started the SLAM last weekend, cleaned the filter, removed all debris from the pool.

Throughout the week, I was losing around 3.5 ppm of FC every few hours. I brought my FC a few ppm over SLAM level to account for this and maintain the above. I have been adding around 1-2 gallons of 10% bleach a day.

This morning I checked the OCLT and it's now down to 1.5 ppm loss overnight, although I didn't wake up completely before the sun this morning. CC is 0.5 ppm, and down from 1.5 ppm CC.

The pool is crystal clear. TA, CH, CYA are all at ideal levels. I will continue SLAM until I pass the OCLT.

@mknauss and @Texas Splash thank you, guys!!
 
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Eadam23 said:
I will continue SLAM until I pass the OCLT.
Click to expand...
Yes, you are in an ideal position. You want to be 100% sure you pass the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. We're getting that cold system today. If it swings by your area, the water temps will fall to work more in your favor. That is a big reason the FC is holding so well. But hang in there, you're almost there.
 

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