Im drowning and I cant get it right

[SeanThePoolFreshman]

Worth pointing out the salt test portion can be bought separately later as needed. You don't need to replace the entire kit.

I called TFTestKits directly and they recommended the TF100 Pro and do the salt water add on next year as the cost is essentially the same but I won't have the reagents sitting around for a year that I don't currently need. Spoke with Nate, excellent customer service and very knowledgeable!

@Leebo How would this poster check for bacqua product in their pool? The previous owner seemed to mix and match chlorine & bacqua products- The Sanitizer/Algaecide in particular?
Most of the other products could be purchased cheaper, or not at all effective.

The TF100 Pro will be in on/about Friday this week. This actually works pretty good for me because I am on well water and just had to waste nearly 1.5ft deep of my 20'x40' pool to get the stuff that built up on the floor of the pool out. It's crazy because what I vacuumed up was almost scales like paint chips in a way. The kit coming in Friday will give me time to build my water levels back up without fully draining my well.

In the meantime I am wondering if I should just be shocking the heck out of it? My pool store CYA reading was 5 and it seems no matter what I throw in it by the morning it's just gone. Reading up on CYA it seems imperative to have this at a proper level or else anything I am doing is essentially just throwing money in a fire pit. Attached is the results from the pool store on 5/28
Mind you, they told me just to add 15lbs of shock, 5 lbs of Alkalinity and do that again in 2 days. Learning about CYA I see why I am putting $60-$80 of shock in every 2-3 days.

 

[IceShadow]

Don't trust their test results. It may be right, but we've seen time and time again that it's not. Just because they give fancy readouts doesn't mean the machines are calibrated and used correctly, or even accurate in the first place.

Add 5ppm of FC via liquid chlorine per day until the test kit arrives.

 

[newdude]

My pool store CYA reading was 5 and it seems no matter what I throw in it by the morning it's just gone. Reading up on CYA it seems imperative to have this at a proper level or else anything I am doing is essentially just throwing money in a fire pit.

Their CYA tests are often off, but if you have none, they are probably right. At that point, any FC is erased by the sun in a couple hours.

Or they're wrong again and you'll overshoot and have to drain.

In the meantime I am wondering if I should just be shocking the heck out of it?

'Dump and pray' is what brought you to us. We use precision and a well tested game plan.

Sit tight until the kit comes. We ride together when it does. Add the 5ppm a day like said above just to keep anything brewing at bay.

 

[VetteBlue]

Dropping $600 on a pool during the season or even at the beginning probably isn't that out of the ordinary. I've had big expenses 2 out of the last 4 seasons to replace equipment. But this group will definitely lead you in the right direction and help you avoid that more of that pool store pain. And in no time you'll become a TF-100 Water Chemistry nerd like the rest of us.

Also, don't sleep on the PoolMath app. It's well worth the $7.99 annual charge. I used to use a notebook to keep everything logged. PoolMath App is much easier and always at my fingertips on my iPhone.

 

[Flying Tivo]

We can wait!

 

[CTFocusST]

If videos help while you're waiting on the kit check out some of the videos that TFP has put together on their YouTube channel



And this channel has some instructions on the specific tests for the TF100

 

[SeanThePoolFreshman]

Thank you both! Yeah, I don't want to try and make any changes until I can get a complete and accurate test done. Until then will do the 5ppm FC and just sit patiently. Thankfully I have plenty enough to keep me occupied scrolling through this forum, learning from the YouTube channel, reading user guides like the one mentioned above on how to use and properly conduct the testing.

A few more questions that are coming to mind. I have seen various information on Google and other sites, haven't looked here yet, about using filter balls vs sand. Not trying to fix what isn't broken, but want to ensure I am using the best products overall and for the long term. Has anybody weighed in on this or is there anything to validate that they work 'better' than sand and put less strain on the system as a whole as they self proclaim? I have no concerns with the performance of my pump or the filter as both of those are literally brand new (pump fresh out of the box last year) or rebuilt (filter was 100% replaced except for the external housing, I rebuilt the valves and internals with new parts last year).

Additionally, once I have my chemistry worked out what is the recommendation in how long and what time of day to run my pool filter? Currently it runs 24/7 and pretty much has since I moved in. (This is partly due to needing to replace the timer as it's broken and only functions as on/off right now.)

 

[MITBeta]

I'm commenting for 2 reasons:

1. To follow this thread as it turns into another TFP success story.
2. To point out that if you needed any more evidence that your pool store doesn't know what it's talking about, you don't have to look any further than the recommendation to add muriatic acid (presumably to lower pH) FOLLOWED BY the recommendation to add alkalinity increaser. Guess what's going to happen to your pH when you increase alkalinity? Yeah... It's going . What do you want to bet they'll be selling you more muriatic acid next week, followed by alkalinity increaser (which is probably just baking soda, by the way, that costs 4x what it does at the supermarket) the week after next?

 

[MITBeta]

what is the recommendation in how long and what time of day to run my pool filter?

Your pump needs to run for 3 reasons:

1. To add and mix chemicals.
2. To skim and filter
3. To operate a vacuum or suction side cleaner.

You'll have to experiment with your pool, as every pool is different, but ignore any advice that references "turnovers" per time.

 

[Flying Tivo]

I have seen various information on Google and other sites

Please focus on TFP for now. When you get to clear water and get a full understanding then you can go look elsewhere and you will be laughing so hard, your eyeballs will hurt.
Sand is the best allround filtration system.

 

[jedigrover]

This last one concerns me but I can’t remember for sure what it is. I think it’s a polyquat, which is good, but can’t remember for sure. Do you have a bottle by any chance?

Either way the end answer is the same, CHLORINE……and lots of it! That said, how expensive is water in your area?

The Sanitizer and Algaecide product is the actual Baquacil stuff (polyhexamethylene biguanide, PHMB). Depending on how long it's been since it was added, it might not be an issue. General consensus for conversion to chlorine is to let the biguanide levels fall, balance pH to about 7.4, shock several times with a non-chlorine shock, then do a chlorine start up. Cloudy water is a typical side-effect of Baquacil. I think Bacquacil's "shock" (oxidizer, since biguanide itself doesn't oxidize) is just Hydrogen Peroxide. So the oxidizer stuff shouldn't pose a real issue. But the Sanitizer / Algaecide is an issue if used recently.

 

[Flying Tivo]

I'm commenting for 2 reasons:

1
2
+
1
2
3
=
5
If my Poolmath is correct!

 

[Leebo]

The Sanitizer and Algaecide product is the actual Baquacil stuff (polyhexamethylene biguanide, PHMB). Depending on how long it's been since it was added, it might not be an issue. General consensus for conversion to chlorine is to let the biguanide levels fall, balance pH to about 7.4, shock several times with a non-chlorine shock, then do a chlorine start up. Cloudy water is a typical side-effect of Baquacil. I think Bacquacil's "shock" (oxidizer, since biguanide itself doesn't oxidize) is just Hydrogen Peroxide. So the oxidizer stuff shouldn't pose a real issue. But the Sanitizer / Algaecide is an issue if used recently.

I couldn’t remember for sure what Baquacil called their sanitizer line verses what they called their algaecides. If in fact there has been phmb used in the pool it’s possible that’s the root cause of the weird colors. Regardless, the more I contemplated things the more my gut screams,

From the quick skimming I’ve done it sounds like this pool was some sort of a dumping ground for the store to get rid of the stuff nobody wanted. It’s got all sorts of chemicals in it from the sound of things. Have you thought about a drain/refill as the history behind this pool kinda scares me?

 

[jedigrover]

I couldn’t remember for sure what Baquacil called their sanitizer line verses what they called their algaecides. If in fact there has been phmb used in the pool it’s possible that’s the root cause of the weird colors. Regardless, the more I contemplated things the more my gut screams,

From the quick skimming I’ve done it sounds like this pool was some sort of a dumping ground for the store to get rid of the stuff nobody wanted. It’s got all sorts of chemicals in it from the sound of things. Have you thought about a drain/refill as the history behind this pool kinda scares me?

I agree. It looks like the pool store used this pool as a constant profit center. Just a weird, weird mix of chemicals to go into the same pool.

 

[SeanThePoolFreshman]

This last one concerns me but I can’t remember for sure what it is. I think it’s a polyquat, which is good, but can’t remember for sure. Do you have a bottle by any chance?

Either way the end answer is the same, CHLORINE……and lots of it! That said, how expensive is water in your area?

I do not have a box/bottle, it was only on their purchase list. The only Baquacil products I have personally added since March of last year were the Alkalinity and just a couple days ago the Flocculant.

I know the water prices well as I had to purchase multiple truck loads last year. Fire truck is $327.50 (last year it was $225) (not from the fire station, used to be free for them to dump but no longer allowed. Private fire truck converted to just haul water for pools, and a 52' is $785 but won't fit down my road.) Unfortunately, but it seems also fortunately, the pool leaked like a siv when I bought the house. I had to purchase 6 trucks last year plus multiple fillings from my hose/well just to keep it topped. Most of the leaks have been fixed, I still have a couple of much much smaller ones to do this summer. I would say I have easily replaced the volume of my pool by probably 50% since purchasing the home which might have been helpful to flush out the baquacil products that could have been in it.

 

[Leebo]

That’s actually great news!

 

[Asherk74]

I felt similar when we bought our house last year. So grateful I found TFP before wasting even more money at my Algee pond.
What I did, that I felt gave me the most piece of mind was starting fresh with the water. A full drain (by pros but can be done carefully I presume yourself) and refill, they then added starter chemicals with salt. it was then my water to care for and have been happy since.

 

[SeanThePoolFreshman]

Sorry, double post

 

[Asherk74]

Do you have a solar cover? If not, you can be losing water to evaporation as well. this will also help your chlorine survive the sun with such low CYA.
you can also use dyes or food coloring near suspected underwater leaks, as they will have a vacuum effect. if indeed sucking water

 

[Leebo]

So let’s recap since I’m lazy and didn’t read everything. Are these all true?

1. Your pool is stubborn and won’t clear up
2. There’s been a ton of stuff dumped in
3. Water there is expensive
4. You’ve already replaced a lot of water
5. You’ve ordered a TF-100 kit arriving Friday

Does this look right?