Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

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Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

You have a vinyl liner pool (above ground) so CH does not matter unless it gets very high. Yours is not. But for information, you are seeing a 'fading endpoint'. Typically caused by interference from metals at the levels you are testing.
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

mknauss said:
You have a vinyl liner pool (above ground) so CH does not matter unless it gets very high. Yours is not. But for information, you are seeing a 'fading endpoint'. Typically caused by interference from metals at the levels you are testing.
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Okay so I don't really need to worry about CH unless it's over the high "normal" of 400, right? And something like this that you don't really need to worry about, how often would you suggest to test for it?
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Depends on your fill water CH. If low, never need to test. If high, monthly.
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

The water you use to fill the pool. You will occasionally need to add water I would suspect.
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Apologies for confusing you on the 50% tap water dillution procedure. mknauss's method (the one on the link we both gave you) is the far better method. I thought you didn't understand it, so I was attempting to explain it another way so you could just get a dilluted result to verify your CYA really was high enough to justify a partial drain and refill. It is. You're on track to get a very trouble free pool the rest of your swim season. Stick with us, we got you.

After you put all this new water in there, be sure not to add stabilized shock or conditioners. Those will just raise your CYA back up again and you'll have wasted time, money, and water. Don't throw any you have left away, they can be used to replace CYA lost due to splash out and backwashes (if needed) during your mid-summer CYA check.
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

BattleOfYakima said:
Apologies for confusing you on the 50% tap water dillution procedure. mknauss's method (the one on the link we both gave you) is the far better method. I thought you didn't understand it, so I was attempting to explain it another way so you could just get a dilluted result to verify your CYA really was high enough to justify a partial drain and refill. It is. You're on track to get a very trouble free pool the rest of your swim season. Stick with us, we got you.

After you put all this new water in there, be sure not to add stabilized shock or conditioners. Those will just raise your CYA back up again and you'll have wasted time, money, and water. Don't throw any you have left away, they can be used to replace CYA lost due to splash out and backwashes (if needed) during your mid-summer CYA check.
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Thanks and no need to be sorry. I'm easily confused lol

I'm not sure if or how I'm gonna be able to do a partial drain. The drain thing on this pool is probably not going to be able to be reached as the pool has settled in the dirt some over the 2 years it's been sitting there so the drain thing is almost under the pool. Boyfriend has a shop vac but it's not a big one and he said it would take forever to drain it that way sooooooo not quite sure what to do now......����
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Don't use the drain on the pool.

Mknauss gave you two good ways to drain your pool. Reread his posts. The siphon approach with a garden hose is free. Or you can rent a pump from Home Depot if you want to do it faster (he actually said buy but they will rent them too so you have a choice)
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Poolzzz said:
Don't use the drain on the pool.

Mknauss gave you two good ways to drain your pool. Reread his posts. The siphon approach with a garden hose is free. Or you can rent a pump from Home Depot if you want to do it faster (he actually said buy but they will rent them too so you have a choice)
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I'm not to sure I could get it to siphon....never done that before but maybe boyfriend has.......might have to see about renting a pump but then the problem there is they would have to have a pretty long hose with it to read where I need the water to go to.......will try to call them today and see.....

Thanks
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Actually, siphoning is very, very easy with a garden hose. And it's free and it's actually faster than you might think. You just need to keep an eye on the water level and not let it get away from you. LOL

All you really need to do it take a 50 or 100 ft hose and start by filling it completely full of pool water. Leave one end of the hose in the pool water, of course. Then fold the other end of the hose two or three times (this is just to seal it up) while you carry that end downhill. Once you get that sealed end to where you want the water to dump out, unfold the hose and open it. If the hose is too solid to fold it over once or twice, you could always put your thumb over the opening to seal it also. Whatever works.

The water pressure from inside the hose will start siphoning because water flows downhill every time, right?? Before you know it, you've got a full stream of pool water flowing out of your pool into your ditch near your driveway or where ever it happens to be. Try it out.
 

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Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

Having trouble getting water balanced and the biggest problem right now is my CYA is pretty high (100 to 130) so I'm going to have to do a partial drain and refill to fix that and then work on other areas......well not sure if I will be able to do the partial drain in the next couple days and it's supposed to be in the mid 90's this weekend so I was wondering what if any problems is there with swimming with my latest test results.....

FC - 2.4
CC - .6
PH - 7.8
TA - 300
CH - 280
CYA - around 130

Any info would be greatly appreciated......
 
Re: Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

FC is way too low for a CYA of 130. I think the minimum is 10PPM with that CYA. PH is borderline high. I am sure someone with more knowledge will chime in soon!
 
Re:  Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

MrBfromNC said:
Actually, siphoning is very, very easy with a garden hose. And it's free and it's actually faster than you might think. You just need to keep an eye on the water level and not let it get away from you. LOL

All you really need to do it take a 50 or 100 ft hose and start by filling it completely full of pool water. Leave one end of the hose in the pool water, of course. Then fold the other end of the hose two or three times (this is just to seal it up) while you carry that end downhill. Once you get that sealed end to where you want the water to dump out, unfold the hose and open it. If the hose is too solid to fold it over once or twice, you could always put your thumb over the opening to seal it also. Whatever works.

The water pressure from inside the hose will start siphoning because water flows downhill every time, right?? Before you know it, you've got a full stream of pool water flowing out of your pool into your ditch near your driveway or where ever it happens to be. Try it out.
Click to expand...

Okay....will have to see if boyfriend has a hose......if not I'm sure they're not that expensive huh?

Thanks.
 
The FC is definitely too low for the cya level, so it is potentially not sanitary. That doesn't necessarily mean it is unsanitary or that there will be problems swimming in it... But the chances are higher of having issues, especially if any of the people have cuts or exposed wounds.

The problem is once you know it's not right, it's harder mentally to justify swimming in it. :)

I'm sure I've unknowingly swam and many pools where the FC was way too low. As do thousands of people across the country. Doesn't make it right though.
 
Re:  Just got test kit...feeling overwhelmed

jillp913 said:
I don't really know the answer to this, but I found out I was swimming for years in a pool with CYA way above 100 with 2 dogs and we've been fine and healthy, haha.
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Well I've been in it alot (cleaning) and my grandkids were in it a couple times before I got a "REAL" test kit and we're all fine too.....I just didn't let the smallest grandbaby (8 mos) in it for long because as all babies that age he wanted to eat the water.....hahaha

- - - Updated - - -

mknauss said:
I would not swim in that water.

FC too low.
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Well I was in it alot (cleaning) and my grandkids were in it a couple times before I got a "REAL" test kit and we all seem fine .....I just didn't let the smallest grandbaby (8 mos) in it for long because as all babies that age he wanted to eat the water.....hahaha But since I now know what the real numbers are and found this site I just thought I would ask........what could too low of an FC cause to happen if you would swim in it? Just curious since I will probably try the siphoning method someone mentioned above before I do swim.........
 
Too low of FC allows for the growth of organic material and bacteria.

Algae isn't that big of a deal to swim in, some bacteria are though.

And since you aren't testing for strains of bacteria, you have no idea which ones you have (most are not harmful, some are).

Like I said before, usually it's okay. But... sometimes it isn't. That's the whole point of keeping pool chemistry balanced properly, so you don't have to worry or wonder.

And if you are wondering where bacteria can come from... Bacteria can make its way into water lots of different ways. Insect and animal (especially bird) feces is a common way. Can come in via pollen and leaves, too.


I wouldn't stress out too much about it. Just understand what could go wrong, and watch out for it. That being said I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. [emoji3]
 

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