Looking for recommendation - Newbie - Plaster etching

[Fpppool]

Hi TFP members,

I am looking for some recommendation for my pool water balance. I am using the Taylor K-2006 and these are my most recent values.



My pool profile is:
- 20k gallon with spa
- inground gunite
- chlorine (trichlor tabs 3")
- DE Filter 60 sq ft - Pentair FNS Plus - Pressure after backwash 21 PSI
- Jacuzzi jhn 266 water heater
- Water feature with independent pump
- Pool pump pentair whisperflo 2HP

I bought the house last December and even though the plaster was not in perfect condition I have noticed a lot of new etching and calcium nodules since then. It is my first pool and I decided to take care of it myself with help from the very well known pool store. Bad idea. It wasn't until 2 months ago that I bought the Taylor kit just to find out that my TA was at 50 and CH was at 120 while the pool store has been telling me TA 110 and CH 250. So, now after spending some more time trying to balance my pool water I think I reached some sweet spot. My only concern right now is that the TA seems to be low still but I don't want to raise it and raise the PH with it.

Any recommendations from the numbers above? Should I try to increase my TA with Baking Soda and fight the PH vs TA battle?

Additional notes about my pool: When it rains heavily I have some dirt getting into the pool since my grass is about a foot from the edge of the pool and when it happens I get a green pool. Happened at least 6 times since december. My go to medicine has been 2 pounds of shock, run the pump continously, backwash 4 times, add + pounds of DE after every backwash, sometimes vacuum, and when it is clear again, test PH TA CYA FC.

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Awesome that you got a good test kit

1. Start using 10ml of water for the chlorine test so each drop is 0.5ppm
2. Stop using trichlor tablets. They are adding CYA and you do not need it any higher. They are also very acidic and driving your pH and TA down.
3. Stop using "pounds of shock"
4. You need to switch to liquid chlorine and then maintain your FC above the minimum for your CYA level at all times. See the FC/CYA Levels

I think the switch to bleach will allow your pH to come up and balance your water a little better. The TA would then be fine.

I would suggest some reading in Pool School, starting with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry.

Also check out these which address some of your impending issues:

 

[Fpppool]

Thanks Jason! I've been thinking of changing to liquid chlorine for a while now but wanted to consume all my tabs first, I guess I am going to throw away those tabs. Follow up question, I am not sure when the previous owner drained the pool for the last time, is draining the pool something that should be done every year?

Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

No need to drain unless your chemistry gets way out of whack. Like CH or CYA getting too high.

Save the tablets for the future when you need to bump up your cya. They will store for years.

 

[Fpppool]

Hi again, I removed the floaties yesterday and tested the FC today morning using the 10ml and is showing 4ppm now. The PH is at 7.8 today. I was looking at some old posts and found a comment about PH raising due to aeration. I was wondering if that could be my case since I am running my pump 12hours a day and one of the returns is the spillover SPA. Should I cut the run time 8 hours a day? also, is it better to run it during the day or better during the night?

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Your spill over spa will drive your pH up.

Do you have automation to control the spa?

 

[Fpppool]

Nope. I have to manually close a valve to shut off the SPA return

 

[Fpppool]

BTW, the pictures on the PDF are old, the one attached is the newer setup. The pool used to be Salt Water but was already converted to chlorine when I bought the house.

 

[mknauss]

You have actuated valves. They are not tied to automation?

 

[Fpppool]

Yes, but those two move together when I change from Pool mode to SPA mode. When I change to SPA mode the circulation happens only within the SPA, both the pool returns and pool suction gets closed. But yes, those two valves are tied to automation.

 

[mknauss]

Correct. What automation system does that for you?

 

[Fpppool]

Jandy Aqualink RS

 

[mknauss]

So you have a full automation system.

You can set up a Spillover schedule and only run it a couple times per day for 30 minutes or so. You would shut off the make up line for that work.

Look at your Aqualink manual.

 

[Fpppool]

I am not sure I can do that, since the valve to the left, when changes the position, directs the water only to the SPA returns and doesn't send any water through the Pool returns nor the SPA fountain. The PDF attached has the labels for the pipes/valves.

 

[ajw22]

What valve do you manually turn to turn off the spillover when in POOL mode?

Dip switch #3 makes Aux3 into spillover control. When you press Aux3 it will suction from the pool and return to the spa and down the spillover to the pool. You set the Aqualink to run the spillover twice a day for 15-30 minutes.

 

[Fpppool]

Pic attached. The one to the right of the left actuator.

 

[ajw22]

Dip switch #3 makes Aux3 into spillover control. When you press Aux3 it will suction from the pool and return to the spa and down the spillover to the pool. You set the Aqualink to run the spillover twice a day for 15-30 minutes.

With that change you turn off the valve to the right of the actuator. Then you have automated control of the spillover.

 

[Fpppool]

Thanks for the tip. My current config is: Filter Pump button == Pool Mode; SPA button == SPA mode ; Aux 1 == Water Feature ; Aux 2 == SPA blower ; Aux 3 == Pool light ; Heaters: Pool == Pool mode heater ; SPA == SPA mode heater ; SOLAR == SPA light

I have no empty Aux button but could get rid of the blower. What I am still not sure is how to decouple the actuators since right now, whenever I go to SPA mode both valves move together.

 

[ajw22]

Dip switch #3 decouples the actuators and moves the return actuator without the suction actuator moving. That is what the spillover mode enables.

Post an interior pic of your panel with the cover removed.

 

[Fpppool]

Pics attached