If anyone is still awake need some help fast if possible.

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It sure can if you don't have the CYA in there to buffer it.
Yours is still dissolving, and could take up to 3 days to register after it has dissolved completely.
I run my CYA at closer to 60 to help with loss to sunlight down here in the south.
I find that I use a bit less bleach to run the pool during the heat of Summer. I was running at 5ppm/day before I did that with my CYA.
 
So if I cant keep Cl in it because it burns off so fast how can I swim in it this weekend :(

any faster ways to get the CYA to dissolve? My socks are a bit thick but I dont think i could transfer it out of them at this point... Also, slightly concerned that the CYA sock is going to plug up the strainer basket?

Also I bought 1 puck, considering tossing it in the strainer basket to try to maintain some Cl at all times, I wouldnt turn the pump off till the puck is dissolved, and with the whole 5 lbs of CYA I bought it would only get my CYA to 45-50 ppm...
 
How long has the CYA been in the skimmer at this point? No, very doubtful unless the sock is completely blocking the skimmer basket that it will cause any problems at all. As long as water can get around the sock you should be fine. My CYA in my sock after 24hrs was mushy, I am running my pump 24/7 right now, once it was mushy, I cut my sock open, mixed the CYA with some water in a bucket and sent it to the filter through the skimmer. I did not backwash for 24 hours, my CYA registered from zero to 30 the next morning and has maintained at 30 since and that was a week ago yesterday.

Your experiences may vary but this has been my normal each time I have had to bump CYA at open from zero.
 
I have been proding it with a screwdriver and a white cloud emits each time I do. I didn't think squeezing a sock full of acid was a good idea?

The puck would be to maintain at least some chlorine in the water while I balance my chemistry...

also bought a 6-way walmart test and tried testing for CYA today. should of known it was a waste of solution. I have more CYA reagent on the way (enough for one more test in kit I have now).
 
It took me less than an hour to dissolve 2 cups... I was too impatient to leave in skimmer, so I stuck my hands in the pool and kept squishing the sock until it was all gone. Maybe divide the sock contents in half, so there are two smaller amounts, and enlist someone to help with sock duty?

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It won’t hurt you... get those hands in there and squish!
 
You have a need. A need for speed! So knead for speed!!

No one mentioned? You can knead and squeeze the sock with your hands to speed up the process. Depending on how thick your sock is, it could take days otherwise (mine did until I switched to a fine mesh bag), and then another day or two to work its way into your water (some of the CYA can lollygag in the filter). If you're committed, and strong enough, you could squeeze it all out in 30 minutes or so, maybe less. If you can get in, you can walk around in the pool and squeeze the sock there, that's even faster because you're bypassing the filter stopover.

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Ha, ha! OK, everyone mentioned, all at the same time!!
 
I agree get your hands in there and squish it around it is a very very of mild acid and will cause no ill-effects. Although I will say I disagree with cutting open the sock and dumping it down the skimmer into the filter :)
 
jblizzle said:
I agree get your hands in there and squish it around it is a very very of mild acid and will cause no ill-effects. Although I will say I disagree with cutting open the sock and dumping it down the skimmer into the filter :)
Click to expand...

I am still learning, mostly I am a radical. Still burning off all of my years of bad pool store advice. it's not my fault maaan! lol

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Stargate_to_earth said:
I have been proding it with a screwdriver and a white cloud emits each time I do. I didn't think squeezing a sock full of acid was a good idea?
Click to expand...

Now I have this visual of a grown man with size 15feet poking a sock with a screw driver like it is a viper and going to bite him. I needed that comedic relief!
 

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whats the bad part about dumping it into the filter? I guess the possibility that it gets buried and not dissolved?

Also I have a cut on my thumb from using one of those racheting PVC pipe cutters because I didn't realise how sharp it was...

Again, if I dont mind the extra CYA (actually I want it) then what is wrong with a puck in the skimmer basket if I leave the pump going till it's gone?
 
jblizzle said:
I agree get your hands in there and squish it around it is a very very of mild acid and will cause no ill-effects. Although I will say I disagree with cutting open the sock and dumping it down the skimmer into the filter :)
Click to expand...

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT THE TFP METHOD ... but the old timer pool supply guy I buy from always had me slow pour it directly into the skimmer & don't backwash for 48 hours.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ALSO NOT THE TFP METHOD .. I thought I was improving on his method by at least letting it mush first (ducks for cover)

The sock method is awesome ... I assumed that stargate had been notified of the squish technique.

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Stargate_to_earth said:
Again, if I dont mind the extra CYA (actually I want it) then what is wrong with a puck in the skimmer basket if I leave the pump going till it's gone?
Click to expand...

The downside of that puck in the skimmer is that chlorine and other stuff is hitting your mechanicals FIRST where when we add chlorine to the water first it is dissipated before it hits our equipment. If you wanted to throw a puck in a floater, that would be more advised but overall, the TFP method is to avoid the pucks almost entirely.

So that for me is why I would like you to accomplish this without a puck.
 
That’s a lot of stuff to throw down your pool’s plumbing. Eventually it will dissolve, but it could affect your pool’s ability to circulate water until it does.

It’s inadvisable to use the pucks until all CYA has dissolved and you can see where you are. If you go too high on the CYA, you’ll have to drain water. Not good. If you pull your sock now and don’t let the rest of it dissolve, then yes, you could use the puck for the weekend. But eventually you will be much better off if you can fully embrace the TFP method.

Only need one hand to squeeze! Use the one without the cut! :D

I promise you, no one here would recommend something that was harmful. My skin is intact and my fingernails look pretty good!
 
Stargate_to_earth said:
whats the bad part about dumping it into the filter? I guess the possibility that it gets buried and not dissolved?
Click to expand...

It can clump, if you tell 100 people to dump it straight into their skimmer, several someones are gonna clump and cause bigger problems for themselves and may more someones are gonna forget they did that and backwash 80% of their CYA out into their yard.

What is great is that you are asking great questions, thinking through your possible solutions with an understanding that you didn't have 2 weeks ago. <--- all while holding a screwdriver poking a sock!
 
By the way, I gotta ask... Stargate as in SG1, then Stargate Atlantis? I LOVED those shows!
 
I grew up on SG1, O Neil was my hero (from that and McGuiver).

I am an engineer, so please excuse the questioning attitude and the seeming dis-respect for the status quo (we're brainwashed to ask questions and process things in an almost mathematical logical way).

The reasons I have been given to not put the puck in the skimmer basket have all been related to the fact that it will build up a high concentration of Cl and then when the pump starts, blast everything with super bleach. This is not the case if I keep the pump running till the puck is gone. The other anti-puck talk has all been related to the presence of CYA which is desirable due to my geographic location (GA) and the idea that I do not want to measure out amounts of chemicals (1 5lb container of CYA yields 45-50 ppm CYA with my personal target of 50-60 [and 1 Trichlor tab is a calculable amount of CYA]).

The positives are that I get some extra CYA and that I get continuous Cl until my CYA hits equilibrium, and that I do not have to measure the extra CYA (human error).

The CYA should be within +- 10% I would think of PoolMath with a fixed amount added and backwashing avoided for a week?
 
This is exactly the benefit of TFP. You learn what things do, you know your situation then you apply it to get the results you desire. This is a very general forum, lots of backgrounds and experiences and to avoid someone doing something that could cause harm it will always be best to error on the side of extreme caution.

If you are comfortable floating the puck, no one is going to stop talking to you over it ;o)
 
Hey, I used to recruit engineers, so I get it. LOL

My caution with CYA has a lot to do with the tendency for people to overestimate their pool’s actual volume, which throws off the Pool Math calculation. Having had to do a couple of drains to get rid of too much CYA, I always urge caution. But if you are comfortable with your numbers and feel strongly about using pucks, it’s your pool, your decision!

I got to see Richard Dean Anderson live once... he is a hoot! And I had my picture taken with Carter (Amanda Tapping)! Actually met Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa) from Stargate Atlantis three times! Yes, I’m a nerd!
 
Only started going to cons 2 years ago, and only Dragon Con (ATL). Saw Teal'c this past year :D.

so, assuming that my pool is 24' wide by 48'' deep yeilds pi*12*12*4*7.48052=13536 gal Assuming the cove wall loses me some volume I will be conservative and subtract some from the radius, lets say 1/3 of a foot and water level at 42" => pi*11.67*11.67*3.67*7.48052=11728.61 gal

With these conservative assumptions I get a CYA of 51 (from 5lb of CYA) according to Pool Math (vs 44.5 at 13500 gal).
Effects of adding chemicals in poolmath (with vol of 11728.61 gal) of 8oz of triclor is CYA up by 2.8

btw squeezing sock worked alright, taking it out and massaging it while streamering it through the pool worked wonders and made large clouds of CYA. I will test pool a couple of times tomorrow (FC and PH only) to determine how successful this was before adding a puck. I still need to add the rest of the CYA which is going in the sock/basket tonight to soften up.
 
Hello and Welcome!

Engineers are a different breed... or so I'm told on a daily basis. I'm told I question everything. Knowing the "why" is just as important as knowing the answer, isn't is?

Feel free to question our advice and methods! The reason we feel confident giving you the advice is that it is backed by sound science and methods tested by thousands of users daily. There is no hocus pocus or snake oils to be had here, only honest answers to help you the pool owner.

And don't sweat it, nothing you've said or done so far will keep you from swimming this weekend, especially with that size 15 foot.
 

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