Need help getting started - Where to go from here

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

Thurston

0
Bronze Supporter
May 19, 2017
173
RI
Hi everyone- just getting my feet wet here and want to make sure I'm headed in the right direction. This is my first pool and I've been reading a ton on this site in the forums and pool school.

Where I am now/What I've done:
I bought a test kit (Leslie's similar to the K-2005 kit) but am waiting on my FAS/DPD kit from TFTestkits to arrive. Also, my R-0002 DPD Reagent is brown which I've rad means it's bad, so I can't even do a reliable DPD test to see what my chlorine levels are. My salt level is at 2000, which is too low for my SW system to activate the cell.

I had the pool opened by a local pool company about 9 days ago. There were tons of leaves and about a foot of water on top of the cover that got dumped into the pool and turned it brown. The pool guy shocked it to blue and now it is green and cloudy.

I've been running the pump pretty much full time since the cover came off. Keeping a close eye on pressure and skimmer baskets.

Plans:
I plan to have the pool company come back soon to do a cleaning, and in the meantime will be scooping out leaves on a daily basis. I also plan to test everything and report back here with numbers for help in getting the water cleared up.

Questions:
1. Should I stop running the pump? The SWG isn't doing anything but I'm thinking there is some benefit to circulating the water, and allowing the filters to work.
2. Should I add salt now or wait for test results and/or pool cleaning?
3. I was told to fill the pool to the top before the cleaning, should I do that before testing and adding salt?
 

Attachments

  • 2017-05-27 12.52.36.jpg
    2017-05-27 12.52.36.jpg
    37.3 KB · Views: 145
Welcome to TFP!

The biggest question for us right now is - what are your chemical levels?

Once you get your FAS/DPD chlorine test, we need a full set of results:
FC (Free Chlorine):
CC (Combined Chlorine):
pH:
TA (Total Alkalinity):
CH (Calcium Hardness): - Nice to have, but not very critical given you have a vinyl liner
CYA (Cyanuric Acid):

Until then, keep the pump running, and add a gallon of concentrated, plain bleach (no scented, and no splashless or "EZ-Pour") each day in front of a return.
 
triptyx said:
Welcome to TFP!

The biggest question for us right now is - what are your chemical levels?

Once you get your FAS/DPD chlorine test, we need a full set of results:
FC (Free Chlorine):
CC (Combined Chlorine):
pH:
TA (Total Alkalinity):
CH (Calcium Hardness): - Nice to have, but not very critical given you have a vinyl liner
CYA (Cyanuric Acid):

Until then, keep the pump running, and add a gallon of concentrated, plain bleach (no scented, and no splashless or "EZ-Pour") each day in front of a return.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll pick up some bleach today and toss in a gallon a day.
 
Alright here are my numbers:
Once you get your FAS/DPD chlorine test, we need a full set of results:
FC (Free Chlorine): 0
CC (Combined Chlorine): 0.5
pH: 7.2
TA (Total Alkalinity): 80
CH (Calcium hardness: 100
CYA (Cyanuric Acid): 0

I want to get started on the SLAM process this weekend while I have time. Hoping you all can help get me started
:D
 
The two immediate stand out numbers for me are 0 CYA and 0 FC.

The first things to do are:
1. Add water to bring the pool level up until the water level is halfway up the skimmer inlet on the waterline.
2. Purchase stabilizer (also sometimes called conditioner) - this is Cyanuric Acid and you'll need to have it at 30ppm to SLAM. We're not sure that the pool really is 42000 gallons right now, so let's start by attempting to raise the CYA to 20ppm - according to PoolMath this will take around 112oz. You don't just dump the stabilizer into the skimmer, please follow the instructions at this link: Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals.
3. After all of the CYA is dissolved, retest and see if you're getting a reading. Add additional CYA as required to hit 30ppm.
4. Start the SLAM process here: Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
 
Which oz value do you use from the pool math calculator? To raise to 20 ppm for a 35900 gallon pool I get Add
105 oz by weight or 110 oz by volume of stabilizer or add 273 oz of liquid stabilizer.
 
You can skip the liquid one, since that is usually more expensive. My guess is weight is more accurate, but I did volume because it was easier for me since I didn't have a scale. I still hit my target using volume. But if you do what trip mentioned and shoot for 20, that will help so you don't overshoot it. After all, your pool size isn't 100% exact either.
 
For salt water, shouldn't I be trying to get CYA to 70-80ppm?

Do I have to worry about PH or TA changing and should I have chemicals on hand to adjust while I add the conditioner?

Thanks again
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Thurston said:
For salt water, shouldn't I be trying to get CYA to 70-80ppm?

Do I have to worry about PH or TA changing and should I have chemicals on hand to adjust while I add the conditioner?

Thanks again
Click to expand...

For maintenance you'll want CYA in that higher range but to clear your pool by following SLAM instructions it will be a bit less chlorine use to keep ipCYA at about 30
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
 
Thanks I should have read the details more closely. Just put 13.75 cups of cya in the strainers to get to 20 and then will put some more in after testing to get to 30. How long should I expect to wait for it to disolve?
 
Hard to say if you put it in the skimmers. We like using what we call the sock method. That is putting the granules in an old sock and hanging that in front of a return so the circulation helps dissolve it. You can see when it's all dissolved then.

In your case, if you measured and put in what pool math said, I'd assume it's there even though it may not register on the test for a bit.
 
Hello! :wave:

Thanks for that, signature corrected. Sheesh if I can't get that right what hope is there!

Didn't realize you all put in an actual sock, I dumped it in the 2 skimmer socks, and it's just about all gone.
 
Thurston said:
So there's no shock FC number for a SWG pool at cya 30ppm on the cya/chlorine chart. What do I do once my cya level is at 30?
Click to expand...

This is a much more detailed chart here Chlorine/CYA Chart

But shock level is the same for SWG as regular chlorine pool. It is the maintenance level FC that varies a bit since the SWG is constantly adding chlorine at a slow rate a lower level can work for maintenance.

That should help you :)
 
AimeeH said:
This is a much more detailed chart here Chlorine/CYA Chart

But shock level is the same for SWG as regular chlorine pool. It is the maintenance level FC that varies a bit since the SWG is constantly adding chlorine at a slow rate a lower level can work for maintenance.

That should help you :)
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I have small potential issue with cya level. I added enough to bring it up to 23ppm. The next day I went to test it to see if I successfully raise the level, and realized the Taylor kit doesn't have readings for below 30ppm. Did some reading and found out the cya test is + or - 15 ppm!

I also checked my sand filter pressure level and it was high enough to need a backwash. The CYA had dissolved completely out of the skimmer socks, but not sure how much was sitting in the sand filter when i back washed it. After back washing I added enough to raise the cya level another 20ppm (to 43 total, minus anything lost to backwash.

Today, the skimmers are empty again and I'm reading CYA at 35. Should I assume this is close enough to correct and start the SLAM process? PH is 7.2 and FC = CC = 0.0
 
Round up your CYA reading to 40 and SLAM away! That will be a FC of 16 for shock level.

Good Luck!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply