Major's first swimming pool, getting the chemistry right. (Hopefully)

[Major_in_MS]

Hello, My name is Major and I'm learning to take care of my first pool. Well, that's not entirely true. My parents moved into a house with a pool when I was ten and I learned a lot about taking care of that pool. (20 x 40 IG Gunite, 9 foot average depth) But this is my first pool as a pool owner.

So I found this site a few days after wasting some money at the local pool store buying CYA and Phos Away and Refresh. The Refresh I will actually use because my CH is low and even though I have a vinyl liner pool, I don't mind adding some calcium hardness to my water. I'm going to try to return the stabilizer. Turns out my stabilizer level was way high because the previous owners used the pucks in the skimmer basket. Based off the test strips that were left for me my CYA level was 100, and I believed that to be true mainly because they were using pucks, so while I was waiting on my new K-2006C test kit to arrive from amazon I spent four nights at work reading this site. I work as a night shift RN on a pediatric unit at the local hospital and I have a lot of "free time" at work during my 12 hour shifts, so I was able to read through "Pool School" several times and then I started reading through threads in this "Just Getting Started" section.

Based on what I learned I decided to go ahead and do a water exchange before my test kit arrived to drop my CYA level. So, on Monday, I closed the valve from my skimmer and began draining the pool. I thought, "I'll really get my sand clean by draining through backwash." After about 2 hours of "Backwashing" my sand I realized (Doh) that I was just filtering all this waste water through my sand from the wrong direction and that when I started filtering my water again all this gunk will wash back into my pool, so I jumped up and switched to drain to waste. I lowered my pool water by 3 feet by 1320 (1:20pm for those of you that don't use military time) and dropped three garden hoses into the pool and switched my pump back to filter. At around 1000 Tuesday morning my pool was full again.

Let me talk about the water for a minute. When I closed on the house on June 27th the water was crystal clear, but I noticed a couple of days later that the water had gotten very cloudy, very quickly. I used the dip stick and found that my chlorine was zero. I added some pucks from the shed to the skimmer basket and threw in 3 pounds of shock from wal-mart and went to work. The next morning the chlorine was still zero, so I added 3 more pounds of shock. Fast forward a few more days of this with no improvement and some money wasted removing Phos thanks to the local pool store. I was at work and I decided to look for a pool forum, first I found a different pool forum, but after registering and reading posts for a couple of nights I realized that the forum owner was missing and that that forum was dying. Then I found TFP, after the first night reading I started putting one gallon of bleach (8.25% great value from walmart) into my water every night while waiting for my test kit.

My K-2006C test kit arrived last night!!

My first set of results were:

2023
Temp 85 F
FC 11
CC 1
pH 8.0 (I realize this is not accurate due to FC >10)
TA 190
CH 40
CYA between 30 and 40, so we'll say 40

I really wanted to get my pH reading, so I tested again last night before going to bed to see if my FC was below 10.

2200
FC 11.6
CC 0.2

No luck, I went to bed.

This morning at sunrise I tested again.

0609
FC 9.4
CC 0.4
pH 8.0 (acid demand reagent 6 drops to get to 7.2)
TA 170
CH 30
CYA 40

So I plugged these numbers into Jesse's Graphical Pool Testing Log spreadsheet and it told me to add 6 cups of Muriatic acid to get my pH to 7.5. I know I need to lower to 7.2 and aerate to bring down my TA, but I didn't want to start of with that much acid, just in case I got my pool volume calculation wrong.

UPS is supposed to be delivering my zodiac 7-400-00 Polaris Fountain System today. When It comes in I will start aeration and adding more acid.

My water is still slightly cloudy after the water exchange. I guess I need to keep my FC below 10 until I'm done adjusting the pH and TA, or should I just get the pH to 7.5 and then raise my FC to shock level and SLAM and worry about the TA later?

I guess that Is the main question for this very long post, What do I do now? The Muriatic acid that I added this morning (at 0720) has been mixing for about an hour and a half. Can I recheck my pH now? What next?

Thanks

 

[Mr Bruce]

... I guess I need to keep my FC below 10 until I'm done adjusting the pH and TA, or should I just get the pH to 7.5 and then raise my FC to shock level and SLAM and worry about the TA later?

I guess that Is the main question for this very long post, What do I do now? The Muriatic acid that I added this morning (at 0720) has been mixing for about an hour and a half. Can I recheck my pH now? What next?

Thanks

First of all great job on doing your homework up front and learning before asking some great questions!

You are very wise for doing half steps on pH adjustments. Like you said, shoot for 7.5, retest, shoot for 7.2. You can test after 30 minutes of the pump running.

Yes, worry about TA later, much later. Get that thing SLAMming!

 

[Major_in_MS]

You are very wise for doing half steps on pH adjustments. Like you said, shoot for 7.5, retest, shoot for 7.2. You can test after 30 minutes of the pump running.

Yes, worry about TA later, much later. Get that thing SLAMming!

Ok, I just checked pH again using the K-1001 kit. I assume it is ok to use a different kit, since I'm only testing pH right now and not the full battery. My pH is 7.5, just as it should be according to my last calculation, so I guess I calculated my pool volume right. Pool Math is now telling me to add 2 quarts of the 31.45% muriatic acid to bring it down to 7.2, I guess I'll go ahead and add this dose all at once since the last dose did what I expected it to.

After I recheck my pH and it's at 7.2 I'll raise my FC to 16 for shock level. Can I do this in one dose, or do I need to use half steps again?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Sounds like you've got the volume pretty close. Go ahead and dose to 16 and test 20-30 minutes later.

 

[GreatCanadian]

First of all, welcome, and great job on your homework. You must have been a great student!!

It seems you have your water volume pretty well dead on, so that allows you to plug your numbers into Pool Math and go ahead and add. Add the MA, wait half an hour to let it mix, then add the chlorine. No need for half steps, especially since your stated water volume seems accurate.

GC

 

[cj3737]

When I add MA, I add about 32 oz at a time which drops PH about .5 per addition. Thatll prolly be pretty close to what you need to drop .3 with 10000 more gal than me...
MA additions need to be gradual whenever you are playing with your PH/TA..
Adding bleach can be all at once according to the calculator...

SLAM IT!!!!!!

 

[GreatCanadian]

When I add MA, I add about 32 oz at a time which drops PH about .5 per addition. Thatll prolly be pretty close to what you need to drop .3 with 10000 more gal than me...
MA additions need to be gradual whenever you are playing with your PH/TA..
Adding bleach can be all at once according to the calculator...

SLAM IT!!!!!!

I always added MA in increments as well until I figured the pool volume out correctly. Now I just add it all at one time. For example when I add Borax every year I have to add a ton of MA. I dump the borax in, then I dump the MA in. It's always done as expected. But this can't be done if he's not VERY CONFIDENT that his pool volume is correct.

GC

 

[Major_in_MS]

Thank you to everybody that replied!

I'm SLAMming!

So earlier, I added the 2 more quarts of Muriatic acid, when I tested pH again at 1038 my pH was 7.2, perfect.

1038

FC 9.2
CC 0.2
pH 7.2
TA 170
CH 30
CYA 40

Added two 121 oz bottles of 8.25% wally world great value bleach.

1120 recheck

FC 16.4
CC 0.4

So this is where I want to be for my SLAM, I'll check FC again every couple of hours and add bleach as needed to keep my level at 16.

When I recheck my FC during the SLAM, can I use the 0.5 ppm per drop/10ml sample to save on R-0871?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Yes. Are you sure you didn't lurk for 3 years before joining

 

[bmann71]

When I recheck my FC during the SLAM, can I use the 0.5 ppm per drop/10ml sample to save on R-0871?

Yes. I pretty much only do the 10ml test. It's accurate enough for what is needed.

 

[Major_in_MS]

Yes. Are you sure you didn't lurk for 3 years before joining

It was a very slow week at the hospital. I did a LOT of reading.

Yes. I pretty much only do the 10ml test. It's accurate enough for what is needed.

Thanks, I'll be using the 10 ml test also.

 

[GreatCanadian]

Uh, I don't think you need us!!! I'll contact you when I need your assistance sir.

GC

 

[Major_in_MS]

Uh, I don't think you need us!!! I'll contact you when I need your assistance sir.

GC

Oh but I do need you all! This forum makes taking care of the pool so much more social.

 

[Major_in_MS]

Good morning everybody,

I have a new question!

I hope it's ok to just keep them in this thread instead of starting a new one.

My pool area has a water feature that is separate from the pool. It is kind of a goldfish pond, only to shallow to actually support goldfish. The only thing is was growing was algae. Since I had a box of that clorox pool shock stuff that I bought before I knew better, I decided to use it to kill that algae reservoir. So I threw in 3 pounds. Overnight all the green was gone and the water was very clear. Now, a few days later, there is a layer of bubbles floating on the surface of the water, like somebody dosed it with bubble bath. I assume this is from proteins release by destruction of the organics that were living in the pond. What do I need to put in there to fix that? (see photos)

 

[Major_in_MS]

My next Question:

I have been poorly managing my SLAM due to the fact that I work 12 hour shifts at night. I have managed to test and add chlorine twice daily most days. I know y'all like to see test results so I'm going to try to add a screen capture.

Should I teach my wife to do the tests and add the chlorine, or will I eventually finish my SLAM doing it twice daily?

 

[Major_in_MS]

I forgot to add the latest test this morning after adding the chlorine.

FC 16.5
CC 0

I'm off today and tomorrow, so hopefully I will be able to keep track of my levels more frequently for a couple of days.

 

[RonsPlc]

During a SLAM, your PH tests are not accurate. So we don't do the PH test/adjustments until after the SLAM is finished.
The PH test goes all wrong at a FC count of 10ppm or greater.

 

[pooldv]

Your SLAM will continue to progress with twice a day additions. More would be better, but not essential to success. And you can't work 12 hours a day every day. Can you? So, eventually you will be able to spend a little extra time with the pool.

I think the pond will out gas and clear itself without adding more stuff to it. If anything I would drain it and refill it.

+1 to only testing FC and CC during SLAM. Maybe check CYA every 4-6 days or so to make sure something isn't chewing on it.

Pool looks good! Nice job!

 

[Major_in_MS]

During a SLAM, your PH tests are not accurate. So we don't do the PH test/adjustments until after the SLAM is finished.
The PH test goes all wrong at a FC count of 10ppm or greater.

Question: When FC is 10 or greater, does it cause the pH to give false low or false high results? I kind of believed my pH reading because I've had the fountain going the whole time to aerate the water.

Your SLAM will continue to progress with twice a day additions. More would be better, but not essential to success. And you can't work 12 hours a day every day. Can you? So, eventually you will be able to spend a little extra time with the pool.

I think the pond will out gas and clear itself without adding more stuff to it. If anything I would drain it and refill it.

+1 to only testing FC and CC during SLAM. Maybe check CYA every 4-6 days or so to make sure something isn't chewing on it.

Pool looks good! Nice job!

No, not every day. I'm just working 48 to 60 hours per week right now, and I am off today and tomorrow. And yes, I considered draining the little pond. However, it is kind of low on my list of priorities right now. I think I'll just leave it alone and see how it does.

Question: After testing, currently I'm rinsing my test vials and stirrer with tap water and drying. Should I be using dish soap, or is just a rinse sufficient?

 

[RonsPlc]

The higher FC results in a false high reading for PH.

- - - Updated - - -

a rinse with tap water, and paper towel dry-off should be fine