My pool is open! ETA: HELP! what is on my walls?? Test results added

[kellyfair]

Are you using Pool Math to show you how much stuff to add? Now that you know the stains will lift, you don’t want to go too far in the other direction!

Highly recommend a read through Pool School. You can find a link to it at the top of the page, or you can download the ebook for free on Google Play!

 

[EmilyOTR]

Feel all of the plastic parts to see if they feel gritty and rough like sandpaper. Skimmers, returns etc. Any plastic that was under water all winter.

Was the water below the tile the whole winter?

I just dumped 4 gallons of chlorine so I can't feel it. the water was below the returns all winter, yes.

- - - Updated - - -

Are you using Pool Math to show you how much stuff to add? Now that you know the stains will lift, you don’t want to go too far in the other direction!

Highly recommend a read through Pool School. You can find a link to it at the top of the page, or you can download the ebook for free on Google Play!

well, I don't the goal of FC for opening, shouldn't it be shock level? it defaults to 4, but don't you add more at opening?

 

[EmilyOTR]

also I just read about staining and it says To remove organic stains raise the FC up between 60% and 100% of shock level for your CYA, my CYA is super low, and the lowest it shows for SWG pool is CYA 60 - shock level is 24, to get to 24 pool math says I need 4.6 gallons, but my CYA is lower so do I need more?

 

[kellyfair]

Pool Math will also show you how much to add for shock level, for your CYA level. You don’t want to just blindly dump in chlorine.

I’m in Florida so I don’t open or close. But still, your chlorine whether shock or normal maintenance level should be in accordance with the Chlorine/CYA chart.

 

[benm2010]

also I just read about staining and it says To remove organic stains raise the FC up between 60% and 100% of shock level for your CYA, my CYA is super low, and the lowest it shows for SWG pool is CYA 60 - shock level is 24, to get to 24 pool math says I need 4.6 gallons, but my CYA is lower so do I need more?

If your CYA is less than 60 you need less than 24, not more. Off the top of my head, CYA of 0 is a shock (SLAM) level of 10. I will leave alone for someone more experienced than me, but definitely don't want you adding too much Chlorine.

 

[kellyfair]

Keep in mind that until your SWG is actually running, you have a non-SWG pool! If your CYA is 20, your shock level is 10.

If I were in your shoes, I’d hold off on adding anything else until pump is functional. Then I’d get ph lowered, add CYA, and get chlorine up.

 

[EmilyOTR]

well, I already added 4 gallons and I would have needed about 2.5 gallons to get to 10 (give or take since I don't know my pool's exact volume), What does too high chlorine do? I didn't think that was bad, just not good for swimming. no worries here since my heater isn't working yet because of the pump and the water is frigid.

Also, yes, I don't plan to add anything else until my pump is running.

 

[funandsun]

also I just read about staining and it says To remove organic stains raise the FC up between 60% and 100% of shock level for your CYA, my CYA is super low, and the lowest it shows for SWG pool is CYA 60 - shock level is 24, to get to 24 pool math says I need 4.6 gallons, but my CYA is lower so do I need more?

No no no.. not a terrible problem but slow down girl... hahaha

What are you using for a test kit? I don't see it in your signature.

Can you post up a full set of results?

CYA protects your valuable chlorine from UV and yes because of your SWG you will want higher CYA levels... What is your pH? Things you want to know before you get too much chlorine in.

Let's slow it down to 20mph, this is a Pool School Zone lets take it just 1 step at a time. LOLOL I LOVE your enthusiasm!


I am So so so glad that those stains will lift, don't you feel better? I do! Now let's get the whole pool squared up for the season.

 

[EmilyOTR]

No no no.. not a terrible problem but slow down girl... hahaha

What are you using for a test kit? I don't see it in your signature.

Can you post up a full set of results?

CYA protects your valuable chlorine from UV and yes because of your SWG you will want higher CYA levels... What is your pH? Things you want to know before you get too much chlorine in.

Let's slow it down to 20mph, this is a Pool School Zone lets take it just 1 step at a time. LOLOL I LOVE your enthusiasm!


I am So so so glad that those stains will lift, don't you feel better? I do! Now let's get the whole pool squared up for the season.

I already posted them - here again, but I haven't tested since I added 4 gallons of chlorine.

Cl -0
Ph 8.2+
salt 1800
CA 275
TA 100
CYA 20 or less.

oh and my test kit is the TF-100 plus the K 1766

 

[kellyfair]

well, I already added 4 gallons and I would have needed about 2.5 gallons to get to 10 (give or take since I don't know my pool's exact volume), What does too high chlorine do? I didn't think that was bad, just not good for swimming. no worries here since my heater isn't working yet because of the pump and the water is frigid.

Also, yes, I don't plan to add anything else until my pump is running.

Doubt this one time of overshooting chlorine will harm anything, so don’t worry. Just use Pool Math and the CYA/chlorine chart going forward. Also, you don’t want to turn on SWG until everything else is sorted and the water is warm enough.

 

[funandsun]

Ahhh, thank you... my apologies for missing those.

Ok, so we want to get that pH down, your valuable chlorine is much more effective in the low 7s. (7.2-7.4) is reasonable

Are you familiar with the CYA+Sock method that is taught here? We def want to get some of that going too. Since your pump is not working yet, I would let that sock sit in your skimmer basket, that will help it start dissolving and then in few hours you can start squeezing the sock and the cya will start getting into the water. CYA is not strong, it won't hurt your hands to squeeze that sock and it helps move that part along.

Lets keep your SWG off until we get the pool settled in nice and tight. I know you said your pump is not on right now, so brush the pool and get that chlorine mixed up.

 

[EmilyOTR]

Ahhh, thank you... my apologies for missing those.

Ok, so we want to get that pH down, your valuable chlorine is much more effective in the low 7s. (7.2-7.4) is reasonable

Are you familiar with the CYA+Sock method that is taught here? We def want to get some of that going too. Since your pump is not working yet, I would let that sock sit in your skimmer basket, that will help it start dissolving and then in few hours you can start squeezing the sock and the cya will start getting into the water. CYA is not strong, it won't hurt your hands to squeeze that sock and it helps move that part along.

Lets keep your SWG off until we get the pool settled in nice and tight. I know you said your pump is not on right now, so brush the pool and get that chlorine mixed up.

My SWG won't be on til the pump is as far as I know, or it's always on, there isn't a way to shut it off.

Should I go get stabilizer now? Some of the salt I have has CYA in it, so I was hoping to raise it a little with that first. I also don't have a brush, I didn't know I needed to and didn't last year, I looked today and I have a gross looking brush but I can't attach it to my pole, I can't press in the little pegs. I have a whale wall that shipped today. I stirred with my net instead. should I go buy a brush or can I wait for mine to arrive?

 

[funandsun]

My SWG won't be on til the pump is as far as I know, or it's always on, there isn't a way to shut it off.

Should I go get stabilizer now? Some of the salt I have has CYA in it, so I was hoping to raise it a little with that first. I also don't have a brush, I didn't know I needed to and didn't last year, I looked today and I have a gross looking brush but I can't attach it to my pole, I can't press in the little pegs. I have a whale wall that shipped today. I stirred with my net instead. should I go buy a brush or can I wait for mine to arrive?

No, you should be ok. We don't really want to add anything else now until we get that pump running other than adding some CYA/Stabilizer in a sock and set that in the skimmer for now.

 

[kellyfair]

I’m sorry, I have to disagree. I wouldn’t put the CYA sock in the skimmer until the pump is running.

 

[funandsun]

I’m sorry, I have to disagree. I wouldn’t put the CYA sock in the skimmer until the pump is running.

Certainly can wait. I think your pool will whip into shape very quickly. A little down time here isn't going to cause any problems.

 

[Stargate_to_earth]

Based off of your signature

-Emily

IG plaster pool, approx 12-15K gallons, Pentair Intellichlor SWG, sand filter Pentair Triton II 325 lbs 24" 3.14 ft2, Sta-Rite Max -E-Pro pump, booster pump - Pentair LS-MS05, Polaris 380 vacuum, TF-100 Test Kit and K-1766 Salt test kit

and plugging 12000 gal into pool math (your partially drained atm), with assumption of 20 ppm CYA (Cl/CYA table yeilds a target shock ppm of 10 PPM (with Pool Math allowing for 14 ppm for mustard algae)) that yeilds 2.1 jugs of 6% 121 oz bleach. if you went for the 14 ppm then 2.9 jugs of same.

Now with almost no CYA that'll be mostly if not completely gone in one sunny day. So, having FC hit ~20ppm for a short time shouldn't cause much issue (I have no experience to back this up).

Make sure to completely fill out the pool math calculator, and double check volume due to partial drain.

My opinion on the brush is, if you want to get it cleaner quicker then a brush will help. From the results you have shown, it may clear up without it.

Once the pump is up and running we can start cooking, till then probably lay off the efforts to SLAM and shoot to maintain some Cl-.

 

[EmilyOTR]

I just tested my chlorine, about 6 hours after adding 4 gallons. my FC is 7 and my CC is .5. doesn't that seem low? It was a sunny day, could the lack of CYA cause that much loss? should I add more and when?

 

[jblizzle]

Without CYA in the water, you can lose all your chlorine in just a few hours of sunlight.

 

[EmilyOTR]

Without CYA in the water, you can lose all your chlorine in just a few hours of sunlight.

I see. So, my pump is still not working, so assuming they come out tomorrow to fix it, should I just wait and add more (plus everything else I need - acid, CYA, and salt). or, do I add more chlorine tonight for my poor stains that haven't budged?

 

[funandsun]

You added 4 gallons earlier, other than maybe mixing the water up again, I personally would hold off. That water is not swamp style. You will get much better results once the pump is going and you can fully balance your water. No sense in spending your valuable chemicals now.

Rest easy, you have done well and your pool is in much better shape than most who are opening right now.

Great job!