My Pool is a Mess and I've Decided to Switch to the TFP Method - First TF-100 Tests!

[flash311]

Hey all,

Been lurking around the forums for quite a while, it was super helpful when I decided to install my heat pump myself and plumb everything with PVC last season. Since my pool was installed in 2020, I've been using Enjoy Once-a-Week based on a neighbors recommendation. It was actually super easy to maintain and everything was going great until this summer. During the high heat and drought in July and August here in MA the pool got cloudy and eventually I realized that I had a mustard algae problem. Long story short and after many bags of shock, I'm still dealing with residual algae, I've read up a ton about pool chemistry (also some good threads on why Enjoy isn't so great), I bought a TF-100 test kit, and finally just bought a CircuPool CORE-55 SWG yesterday from Discount Salt Pool with the $10 upgrade promo.

Now the part you've all been waiting for, my first test results using the new TF-100!
FC - 27 eek
CC - 0
TC - 27
TA - ?? lost count of drops, never turned red....
CYA - 95
PH - 7.2

Obviously my water is an issue which I already suspected so I'm currently doing a partial to almost complete drain/refill. I considered just covering it as is and dealing with it in the Spring, but I also have a slow leak in my liner so while the water's low I plan on searching for holes to patch.

Now finally to my question that I'm hoping to get some input on. After it's refilled in a few days, should I take the time now to balance it, add salt, get my SWG up and running, then winterize/close it? Or should I just cover it and do all of that in the Spring?

 

[Texas Splash]

After it's refilled in a few days, should I take the time now to balance it, add salt, get my SWG up and running, then winterize/close it? Or should I just cover it and do all of that in the Spring?

That's the million dollar question. It might take you a few more days to resolve the leak issue, then another week or more to perform the SLAM Process to kill the algae once and for all. Do you have that amount of time? If so, I would do it now just to make opening easier and prevent staining. But if the timing doesn't work out, close and deal with it next year. If you do elect to do the SLAM Process, be sure to go back to our FC/CYA Levels - SLAM tab. Find your current/new CYA and use that elevated FC SLAM level.

As for the TA, something seems off to have such a high TA but the pH is on the low side, but we can come back to that later.

Let us know what you decide to do and we can help more. Welcome to TFP!

 

[gingrbredman]

If it were me, and I had the time, I'd try and get it all in order before you close. With a partial drain and refill, you could get a really nicely balanced TFP before you close up, and have very minimal work ahead of you in the spring.

Just one note...

FC - 27 eek
CC - 0
TC - 27
TA - ?? lost count of drops, never turned red....
CYA - 95
PH - 7.2

With a FC of 27, your PH test isn't going to be accurate. The chlorine needs to be around 10 or lower to get a real accurate result from the PH test. Nothing to worry about now as @Texas Splash mentions, you can worry about that after you decide your plan. A refill will make these results pointless as you will be starting over kind of, but just keep in mind the PH results can be skewed with a high chlorine level.

 

[Newdude]

Welcome to the TFP fam !!!!

If you end up waiting to deal with the water issues, make sure to get an early start next year. If you attack the algae when it's still mostly dormant and not growing exponentially, the battle is many times easier. Mid April should be perfect by you with daily temp averages in the 50s.

 

[mgtfp]

Did your TA test turn yellow? At high FC the TA indicator dye turns yellow instead of red. A few extra drops of R-0007 will remove this chlorine interference.

I suspect that your TA is very low and pH potentially even lower than 7.2. At high FC, the phenol red indicator turns into chlorphenol red which is a different pH indicator. At normal pool pH it is red. If it still shows yellow, then your pH is probably below 6, which goes together with low TA. Typical case of pH-crash by use of Trichlor pucks.

 

[flash311]

Thanks for all the replies! It's part of what makes this place so great!

I'm leaning toward tackling things now before closing it. Hopefully I can find all the leaks and get them patched today and tomorrow, then start filling it up.

So if I have this correct, the process should be balance, SLAM, come back down to target FC, add salt and turn on SWG? Right? Sounds easy to me lol.

Did your TA test turn yellow? At high FC the TA indicator dye turns yellow instead of red. A few extra drops of R-0007 will remove this chlorine interference.

I suspect that your TA is very low and pH potentially even lower than 7.2. At high FC, the phenol red indicator turns into chlorphenol red which is a different pH indicator. At normal pool pH it is red. If it still shows yellow, then your pH is probably below 6, which goes together with low TA. Typical case of pH-crash by use of Trichlor pucks.

It may have but I'm not positive, it was taking so long that I checked out mentally. I will make note of this for future testing though!

 

[pjt]

FC - 27

PH - 7.2

With FC above 10, your pH reading will be invalid.

TA - ?? lost count of drops, never turned red....

Was the solution green before you started adding reagent?

CYA - 95

Round up to the nearest 10, so call your CYA 100. Can you perform a diluted CYA test?

 

[gingrbredman]

So if I have this correct, the process should be balance, SLAM, come back down to target FC, add salt and turn on SWG? Right? Sounds easy to me lol.

If you are doing a partial drain and re-fill, step one, would be to do the full set of tests once filled again. Then balance, and come up with the plan of attack, before jumping to the SLAM.

Also note, when you add the salt back to the water, based on your new tests, let it circulate in the water for 24 hours before turning on the SWCG.

 

[flash311]

Round up to the nearest 10, so call your CYA 100. Can you perform a diluted CYA test?

I didn't bother since I was draining it anyway, wanted to save the reagents for the new water.

If you are doing a partial drain and re-fill, step one, would be to do the full set of tests once filled again. Then balance, and come up with the plan of attack, before jumping to the SLAM.

Also note, when you add the salt back to the water, based on your new tests, let it circulate in the water for 24 hours before turning on the SWCG.

Good points, thanks.

Once I get it balanced, should do an OCLT before going straight into SLAMing it? Is there a chance with the re-filled tap water I wouldn't have to SLAM it?

 

[gingrbredman]

Once I get it balanced, should do an OCLT before going straight into SLAMing it? Is there a chance with the re-filled tap water I wouldn't have to SLAM it?

Once you get the new water in, do all the tests, and see what needs to be done. Maybe you have to adjust the PH, TA, chlorine, but that should all be expected with a new fill. You could have that done in the day it is done filling. Once you have it balanced, then I would do an OCLT to see if the new chlorine levels you have hold overnight. Your chlorine is 27 now, so you likely are killing some of the residual algae, and with enough drain and refill, with the new chlorine, it is possible a SLAM is not necessary.

The good news, if you do have to SLAM, you will have a manageable CYA level to do it, and it probably won't take as long, and have a nicely balanced pool before you close it all up.

 

[flash311]

Thanks gingrbredman. All the rain I'm getting today is helping me get a jump on refilling it, but I still need to get in there to check for any holes I may have missed.

 

[flash311]

So I've patched all the tears that I could find, refilled the pool, and completed plumbing in the SWG yesterday (no power) so I could run the filter again. I took the filter apart and rinsed it clean, so I added a fresh 5lbs of DE as well. Yesterday I did see a few water boatman and this morning it appears that the mustard algae is still showing up on the pool floor, it's a persistent mother fluffer...

Ran a complete battery of tests last night after circulating the water:
FC 6
CC 0.5
pH 7.2
TA 90
CH 75
CYA 40
water temp 63F

So I need to do a SLAM to hopefully get rid of the Algae for good, can I jump right into it with the water as it is right now? My TA is a little high but my pH is on the low end, is this out of the ordinary? Also does the colder temps have any adverse effects on the SLAM process? I thought algae doesn't like cold water??

 

[Texas Splash]

can I jump right into it with the water as it is right now?

Yes. Ignore the TA for now. Your pH is perfect, and with a CYA of 40 your SLAM FC level to maintain is "16". Increase the FC, do your best to maintain it, and follow the notes on the SLAM Process page and you should do very well.

 

[Mdragger88]

Flash,
It is safe to swim with ph in the 7’s & fc anywhere between minimum and slam level for your cya so long as you can see the bottom of the pool for swimmer safety.