In your digging, did you find the accuracy of the Taylor reagent tests? I seem to recall a post that listed Leslie vs Taylor accuracy limits. I don't need them. Even though I'm a retired engineer, I'm more than happy with the TFP method.
Is a pool refill best option in my case?
- Thread starter Sherlock
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In your digging, did you find the accuracy of the Taylor reagent tests? I seem to recall a post that listed Leslie vs Taylor accuracy limits. I don't need them. Even though I'm a retired engineer, I'm more than happy with the TFP method.
Sherlock, I don't fault you for not inherently understanding the ranges that the Leslie's / spin touch vary. After all, I'm a newdude myself.
I broke down why they are problematic here
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As you can see, if the test is off low, you'd be thinking about (and probably) adding chemicals for no reason. If the test came back high within their stated variance, you'd be looking to lower the level when there was no need. Any value in the ranges is suspect and sadly doesn't tell you what you need to know.
I do believe the PH test is at least reasonable, but by the time you rattle the snot out of the test sample the whole way to to the store in the cup holder, nothing says the Ph they see is the same as your pool across town that wasn't rattled.
I broke down why they are problematic here
Any experience with the AccuBlu or LaMotte Spintouch test setups?
I am a chemist and have been able to get my hands on one of these if I wanted. I know a lot of pool stores use one of these 2 or something similar, while I don't trust pool stores themselves the tech seems to make sense. It would seem to be a spectrometer that reads in the visible light range to...
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As you can see, if the test is off low, you'd be thinking about (and probably) adding chemicals for no reason. If the test came back high within their stated variance, you'd be looking to lower the level when there was no need. Any value in the ranges is suspect and sadly doesn't tell you what you need to know.
I do believe the PH test is at least reasonable, but by the time you rattle the snot out of the test sample the whole way to to the store in the cup holder, nothing says the Ph they see is the same as your pool across town that wasn't rattled.
Right I decided to buy a K-2006 test kit, it was available pretty fast from Amazon.
That's true but the filter does enable me to remove that biomass from the water, obviously I want it to die, be unable to reproduce but if I we also trap it as well as remove the already dead stuff, that's a desirable thing.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Just be forewarned. The K-2006 contains small reagent bottles. The better Taylor kit is the K-2006C.
- May 27, 2021
- 1,308
- Pool Size
- 17000
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- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Yes and no…the algae festers in the tank that is your filter contaminating everything in there until you remove some of it through backwashing or cart cleaning. A filter won’t stop algae from reproducing in all the water that passes through it.
I'm emptying my pool tonight and refilling tomorrow morning after a good scrubbing. The new cartridge filter (Pentair CCP 420) is being installed this morning, a guy who I work with is a former pool engineer and he advised to not run the filter at all, not even test it, until the pool has been refilled with clean water.
I am assuming that once filled, the CYA will be 0, the Chlorine will be 0, TDS zero or very low and the pH will be close to neutral.
My test kit hasn't arrived yet here but I assume if it was I'd see numbers like that.
So on that basis for a 20,000 gallon pool with that new, clean water, what would be the initial startup treatment (bearing in mind there'll still be traces of algae around in pipes and stuff) and how long would it be before a person could enjoy the pool?
I am assuming that once filled, the CYA will be 0, the Chlorine will be 0, TDS zero or very low and the pH will be close to neutral.
My test kit hasn't arrived yet here but I assume if it was I'd see numbers like that.
So on that basis for a 20,000 gallon pool with that new, clean water, what would be the initial startup treatment (bearing in mind there'll still be traces of algae around in pipes and stuff) and how long would it be before a person could enjoy the pool?
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True, even though the filter tank is dark it takes a couple of days for algae to die in the dark, I read.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,975
- Pool Size
- 29000
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
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- Jandy Aquapure 1400
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
If you're unsure of the pool volume, ask the water delivery company to provide you with an accurate volume of water delivered.
When you get water in the pool, start by adding 30 ppm of CYA. That's about 5 lbs. Use the "sock" method as described HERE. I use nylon knee-highs and limit the amount in each to about 2 lbs. The more you massage and squeeze, the faster is dissolves.
Lest us know how it goes. Your SLAM should be quick.
When you get water in the pool, start by adding 30 ppm of CYA. That's about 5 lbs. Use the "sock" method as described HERE. I use nylon knee-highs and limit the amount in each to about 2 lbs. The more you massage and squeeze, the faster is dissolves.
Solid/granular CYA should be placed in a sock and the sock put in the skimmer basket or suspended in front of a pool return. If suspending near a return jet, ensure the sock cannot rest against the pool surface since the granules are acidic and could potentially discolor the surface. After adding CYA you should leave the pump running for 24 hours and not backwash/clean the filter for a week. After soaking for about 30 minutes, squeezing the sock periodically will help it to dissolve faster. Test and dose chemicals in your pool assuming the amount of CYA added is in the pool according to Poolmath. CYA can be tested the day after it is fully dissolved from the sock.
Add 5 ppm of liquid chlorine immediately after filling. Maintain that level until your kit arrives and you have chlorine on hand to begin the SLAM Process. Make sure you adjust pH to around 7.2 before beginning the SLAM. pH results are not accurate when FC levels are above 10 ppm.Lest us know how it goes. Your SLAM should be quick.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
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- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Additionally, test the CH of the fillwater being delivered. TFP recommends a minimum CH level of 250 ppm. Also test the water that you will use for top offs. This will give you an idea of how quickly CH will rise over time.
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What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?
Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.
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The pool is close to 20,000 gallons, perhaps 22,000 - I recall four years ago when I last did this, it took ten or eleven truckloads and each truck was 2,000 gallons. The guy who just installed the new filter said the pool was PebbleTec.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
What do people do about waterborne insects? From time to time, usually after a windy stormy couple of days, I'll see swimming insects like water boatmen and other nasties. These appear several times a year even when water is well chlorinated. They are not too hard to catch with a net and the best way to kill them I found, is to spray ordinary fly killer onto the water surface when the air is very still.
This create a very thin layer on the surface and because these insects must come up for air periodically, they inevitable get exposed to the poison and simply die.
Do others here get these pests?
This create a very thin layer on the surface and because these insects must come up for air periodically, they inevitable get exposed to the poison and simply die.
Do others here get these pests?
I get 27 kinds of beetles all season and some variation of water boatmen a couple times of year. I like my FC hot, it's rarely a single digit, and they don't have a care in the world about it.
Not only are tennis balls in the skimmers great for body oils and sunblock, but the beetles can't let go and fully cover them every few days.
Not only are tennis balls in the skimmers great for body oils and sunblock, but the beetles can't let go and fully cover them every few days.
my test strips arrived and while my poll is filling, i took a reading
hardness 425+
total cl = 5
free cl = 5
bromine 6
total alkalinity 180
cyanuric acid 0
pH 7.8
I used about 2/5 gallon of liquid chlorine while scrubbing the interior so that's where the CL comes from.
hardness 425+
total cl = 5
free cl = 5
bromine 6
total alkalinity 180
cyanuric acid 0
pH 7.8
I used about 2/5 gallon of liquid chlorine while scrubbing the interior so that's where the CL comes from.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Yes, I know that but I am interested in comparing the test kit with the strips, curious about how these might differ. This is all potable water too, so there's a trace of Chlorine already in the water I was told.
FYI, you have no bromine in the water unless you addrd some. The strips also likely max out at ~5ppm so thats why they read 5.
The other issue with the strips is that they tend to go bad over time (maybe from humidity/moisture?) and dont give you and indication when they do.