How often do y'all test FC and CYA?

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J4CKBOLT

J4CKBOLT

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May 22, 2016
109
Friendswood/TX
Been following advice on TFP for some time, but curious how often you test free chlorine and cyanuric acid levels? Of course there are times that require more frequent testing such as when water chemistry is off or large rain event or large swimming party, etc...

I am asking specifically during the following conditions: during summer, good weather, testing levels within range, no big swim events, etc...

Are you testing every day, every other, every third day? If you are not testing everyday, do you just add a set amount of liquid chlorine such as 1 or 2 gallons per day (as an example)?
 
Until you get how your pool 'reacts' you should test FC each day, same time of day. CYA -- once a month. It does not appreciably change unless you drain a lot of water.
 
I have a SWCG. I typically check my FC twice a week, along with pH. But my pool is very stable. I and my wife are the only ones that swim in it and we have minimal organics that get in the pool,
 
During the warm months, I test my FC almost every day. When my pool chemistry is very steady, I might skip a day of FC testing and just add the same amount of bleach for the day, but that's only on occasion and I make sure to test the following day. For my sized pool, I typically add about 1/2 gallon with my CYA at about 50 or so (2.5 ppm). I also like to test my pH often to prevent scale. If not every day, at least every 2-3 days. I do my TA about twice a week. CYA (and CH) are good monthly.

In the winter, most of this slows down a lot. I still keep the pool open and water moving though, so I might only test FC once a week or so when the water temps are below 60.
 
I have been adding 2 gallons of 10% daily between checking FC that my wife does every 3 to 4 days. I am going through a lot of liquid chlorine but I just don't want algae to get started in between FC checking. My wife does the testing, but she does not see the point in testing daily. I am wondering if I should start doing the testing myself??? Touchy subject as my wife is a chemist. Maybe she doesn't really want to do it and would be glad if I did it instead. Eeeek, don't want to end up in the dog house [emoji15]
 
I have been adding 2 gallons of 10% daily between checking FC that my wife does every 3 to 4 days.
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Just to make sure we understand ..... you're adding 2 gal each day? If so, that equates to about 7.5 ppm of FC in your 27K pool. If you are losing more than 4 ppm of FC in one day with no swimming or explanation of excessive FC consumption, then you may already have an algae bloom starting. To help confirm, you might consider doing an overnight (OCLT) test to see if you need to so a "SLAM" (link below).

As for the wife, she wouldn't be the first chemist we've had here. Having extensive experience comes with its good & bad, perhaps because of assumptions across the pool industry. But as long as the tester is following the TF-100 (or Taylor K-2006) test kit instructions, you should be fine.
 
We have the Taylor K2006 kit. What I did not mention is my FC after 3 or 4 days might be 12 or 14. Yeah not the most efficient use of chlorine. I think I need to test more often. Dumping chlorine in blindly seems like a waste. I am sure the levels look like a big ole yo-yo.
 

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I check my FC and pH daily, everything else except CYA weekly. CYA about every 3 weeks. This will all change once I get my SWG turned on Saturday :)
 
I agree to do the OCLT to make sure there is nothing in the water.

Then you should be able to get by with about 1 gallon of 10% each day, assuming your CYA is high enough to protect from the TX sun.
 
With a swcg my pool stays very constant, it's rain that juggles things. If more than 1" of rain per day I check FC and Ph daily; no rain, every other day. I test CYA after 7" of rain, about 2000 new gallons. If the pump isn't running the rain doesn't mix much, just flows over the skimmer.
 
Sounds like a lot of people here have SWCG. I was told with my pool having moss rock boulders and flagstone coping, SWCG is not a good idea because of excess calcium (or salts) causing buildup of white scale on the natural stone. Was I misinformed?
 
You will probably get calcium buildup. But that has nothing to do with salt. If salt builds up, it washes right off. Though I have never had that issue.

TX pool builders -- they nearly all hate SWCG. See this thread for one that embraces it -- New Pool Build Fort Worth TX
 
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