Just received my new tft test kit, help

Your TA is just fine for the moment. You really want to get your pH up. The best thing to use is 20 mule team Borax as it will have the smallest effect on TA. Raise it to 7.4, then leave it. You should be good to go from there.

For the moment, do not worry about the TA, it will come down over time. We use aeration (see my aerator below) to raise pH without raising TA.

View attachment 418672
Ok, would this be the same thing as a fountain? Ill be getting one soon.
 
Post #12. We have all been where you are and it's overwhelming. We never forgot how bad it sucked. 5 tries later we realized that it was stupid easy.

Take a breath. Start over with the dilution test. We ride together. :)
Thank you so much for this. I know I will get it but I feel like a moran when Im trying to figure it all out. I do trust yall!
 
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I know I will get it
And you will. As you can see, lots of folks ready to help. Let's keep things very simple for now:
1. Verify and adjust CYA as needed
2. Adjust FC and pH

The CH doesn't really apply to you with vinyl and the TA can be worked later.

One final question from me though ......... are you on a well?
 
Here we go.

1) Put pool water into the squirt bottle up to the bottom of the sticker.
2) Put TAP water into the squirt bottle to fill it up to the top of the sticker.
3) Gently shake/mix the two waters
4) Squirt enough out so that the water is now to the bottom of the sticker.
5) add the CYA reagent and follow the rest of the test as normal. Outside, bright sun to your back. Fill to first line, hold at your waist. Glance at it then away. If you can still see dot, fill to next line and repeat. Remember which line you filled to when, at a glance, you couldn't immediately see the dot.
6) Come back with the number next to the line.
OK, sticker you mean the writing right? bottome is 750 ml, top says 30 ml. For #5. I will add R-0013 up to the 15 ml line right? Then continue
 
And you will. As you can see, lots of folks ready to help. Let's keep things very simple for now:
1. Verify and adjust CYA as needed
2. Adjust FC and pH

The CH doesn't really apply to you with vinyl and the TA can be worked later.

One final question from me though ......... are you on a well?
no not on well water.
 
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sticker you mean the writing right? bottome is 750 ml, top says 30 ml. For #5. I will add R-0013 up to the 15 ml line right? Then
I had a different one, or they changed it. But we can figure this our regardless. In the end, you want 50% CYA mix, and the other 50% is equal parts pool water and tap water.

So 50 % cya reagent / 25% pool/ 25% tap.

The result gets multiplied by 2.

The key to this test is a super quick glance. If you stare more than a fraction of a second, the brain will see the dot. Want to see your brain lie to you ? Look at your nose. It's been there this whole time. All week even. :). So super fast glance and you see it instantly, or not.
 
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I had a different one, or they changed it. But we can figure this our regardless. In the end, you want 50% CYA mix, and the other 50% is equal parts pool water and tap water.

So 50 % cya reagent / 25% pool/ 25% tap.

The result gets multiplied by 2.

The key to this test is a super quick glance. If you stare more than a fraction of a second, the brain will see the dot. Want to see your brain lie to you ? Look at your nose. It's been there this whole time. All week even. :). So super fast glance and you see it instantly, or not.
Ok I will follow this. I may not have the sticker points right on the other post description because if it would not end up being formula. It would be 7.5 ml pool water and 22.5 tap water. I'll try this.
 
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Ok I will follow this. I may not have the sticker points right on the other post description because if it would not end up being formula. It would be 7.5 ml pool water and 22.5 tap water. I'll try this.
Hey, this is not right...put 7.5ml of pool water in and 7.5ml of tap water. Shake/mix. then pour out 1/2 so you are left with 7.5ml of the mixture. THEN add 7.5ml of the reagent. Gently shake for 30 seconds, let it sit a minute or two, then test.
 
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I have to disappear for a while for dinner and whatnot and don't want you thinking I blew you off. Anyone above is WELL qualified to help you, along with the rest of the gang when they get here.

Good luck.
 
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Hey, this is not right...put 7.5ml of pool water in and 7.5ml of tap water. Shake/mix. then pour out 1/2 so you are left with 7.5ml of the mixture. THEN add 7.5ml of the reagent. Gently shake for 30 seconds, let it sit a minute or two, then test.
I followed this and came up with 85.
 
I followed this and came up with 85
Ok, great. Again, we only read CYA on the lines, so it is 90. Since we diluted by 50%, your ACTUAL CYA is 180.

It is not possible to keep enough chlorine in your pool to keep it sanitized. You will have to replace 75% of your water to get your CYA down to 45. There is no other way to reduce your CYA. We can help you.

You note that you have a vinyl pool. Is this an above ground or in-ground pool?
 
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Ok, great. Again, we only read CYA on the lines, so it is 90. Since we diluted by 50%, your ACTUAL CYA is 180.

It is not possible to keep enough chlorine in your pool to keep it sanitized. You will have to replace 75% of your water to get your CYA down to 45. There is no other way to reduce your CYA. We can help you.

You note that you have a vinyl pool. Is this an above ground or in-ground pool?
It is a above ground pool. 24/52.
 
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