- May 22, 2016
- 3
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
I'm new to TFP--in fact, this is my first posting ever. I've been reading and following some of the ideas and processes learned here for the last couple of years, but this year I decided to go all in! I purchased and am using a TF-100 test kit (which I love!). I find it so handy to know exactly what is going on with my water without having to drive over and listen to the pool store version of what I need to buy today. I also installed an SJ-45 SWG from Circupool and have been reading up on proper water maintenance for making my pool as trouble free with that system as possible. This is our tenth year with this pool and I can honestly say that this is the first year I am actually excited about having a pool. I've always viewed it as a management headache but after spending a bunch of time reading through info on this site I have learned so much already about what I was doing wrong. Thanks so much for all the great resources posted here!
I live in farm country, which means that our snow is usually black after a couple of days of blowing around and even if there's no snow to blow around there's usually dirt blowing around anyway! With all that black stuff in the air I am used to my pool looking like a mud puddle in the spring--there's always plenty of sediment to get taken care of and there's really no way to avoid that. That problem has been compounded this year, however, because we replaced our vinyl liner at the end of last summer and all of our fill water came from the well, which means lots of iron (among other things). I have been working for a week trying to get the water in shape so that I can get our new SWG running and get swimming, but I can't get the rusty look out of the water. At first test last week my alkalinity was over 500! Using the method of dropping the ph and aerating I have managed to get that number down to a slightly more reasonable level, as my TA this morning was down to 180. Here are all the numbers at latest test: PH=7, TA=180, FC=10 (after testing I added another gallon of 12% pool shock), CC=2, CYA=50. I am working on getting the CYA up to between 70 and 80 because I plan on using my SWG when things get cleared up, but I'm quitting at 50 for now in order to avoid using so much chlorine to reach SLAM levels.
Does anyone have any suggestions for clearing up this nasty brown water? I've used 3 quarts of sequestrant and a bottle of concentrated clarifier to try to get some of the sediment to coagulate. I've been at SLAM level in chlorine for a week and I've been adding small levels of DE to my sand filter according to instructions provided in a couple of other threads. I'm brushing and backwashing like a madman! I'm guessing the two squirrels and the giant frog I've managed to remove weren't helping matters either.
Any suggestions will be much appreciated. The sun is shining and the kids are ready to get in the pool, so I'll try whatever. Thanks much!
I live in farm country, which means that our snow is usually black after a couple of days of blowing around and even if there's no snow to blow around there's usually dirt blowing around anyway! With all that black stuff in the air I am used to my pool looking like a mud puddle in the spring--there's always plenty of sediment to get taken care of and there's really no way to avoid that. That problem has been compounded this year, however, because we replaced our vinyl liner at the end of last summer and all of our fill water came from the well, which means lots of iron (among other things). I have been working for a week trying to get the water in shape so that I can get our new SWG running and get swimming, but I can't get the rusty look out of the water. At first test last week my alkalinity was over 500! Using the method of dropping the ph and aerating I have managed to get that number down to a slightly more reasonable level, as my TA this morning was down to 180. Here are all the numbers at latest test: PH=7, TA=180, FC=10 (after testing I added another gallon of 12% pool shock), CC=2, CYA=50. I am working on getting the CYA up to between 70 and 80 because I plan on using my SWG when things get cleared up, but I'm quitting at 50 for now in order to avoid using so much chlorine to reach SLAM levels.
Does anyone have any suggestions for clearing up this nasty brown water? I've used 3 quarts of sequestrant and a bottle of concentrated clarifier to try to get some of the sediment to coagulate. I've been at SLAM level in chlorine for a week and I've been adding small levels of DE to my sand filter according to instructions provided in a couple of other threads. I'm brushing and backwashing like a madman! I'm guessing the two squirrels and the giant frog I've managed to remove weren't helping matters either.
Any suggestions will be much appreciated. The sun is shining and the kids are ready to get in the pool, so I'll try whatever. Thanks much!