"Ideal" levels for pool equipment

[JT8Diesel]

So I have a new pool install and had a couple chemistry questions.

Current:
FC 5.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.5
TA 80
CH 120
CYA 70
Salt 3000 (Test strips) (Adding salt later today)

Equipment is Pentair IC40, MasterTemp heater. In Ground Vinyl lined 10,000 Gallon.

Per the TFP CYA chart, I think my numbers look good.

Looking into it a bit more, and both the heater and IC40 manuals specify 200-400 as an ideal range for CH, with 150 being a "minimum" for the heater. The heater also lists a maximum FC of 5.

Two questions.
1) I assume that the CH "ideal" is for "most" or "average" pools and tries to account for all pools. My CH in a vinyl pool can't really be "too low" can it? Should I increase CH anyway? I have a stone paver patio surrounding the pool, but nothing that's in constant contact with the water.

2) Per the CYA chart, my FC target should be 5. Is this just Pentair being overly cautions listing that as a max FC level in the manual?

 

[mknauss]

The CH level for a heater is needed to protect the heat exchanger. The level they show is more than needed, but up to you if you want to add calcium to get to 200 ppm. It is based on steam boilers where a thin layer of scale on the inside protects the metal heat exchanger.

The FC levels are based on 0 CYA in the water. At your FC and CYA level, your water has a fraction of the active chlorine that a pool with FC of 1 ppm and 0 CYA has.

 

[duraleigh]

, I think my numbers look good.

so do I.

As mknauss says, TFP's suggested FC will almost never agree with manufacturers numbers. Theirs are based on printing the same numbers, decade after decade, without regard for the buffering of CYA.

Ours are based on careful thinking and hands on reports from thousands and thousands of pool owners like you and factoring in the CYA effect.

 

[JT8Diesel]

Ok, that all lines up with what I thought. Interesting to hear about the heat exchanger also.

Thanks everyone!