New here! 👋🏻 Couple o’ questions:

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mguzzy said:
You need to continue adding CL or you will end up with a green monster. what are your other levels? Can you post the results of all your test?
FC
pH
CC
Alk
CH
CYA: 150

I added the one we know about. We probably won't adjust anything considering there is a drain in your future
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Did my first official test kit reading today. Training wheels coming off fast, considering I didn't even know what Free Available Chlorine was 72 hours ago, ha! You all have been SO HELPFUL and giving me confidence to tackle this very overwhelming endeavor that is pool ownership!!!
FC: 14
pH: 7.7
CC: 1
Alk: 80
CH: got a lilttle over zealous with the dropper on this one, somewhere between 400-500
CYA: 150

Any objections to draining the pool in phases? Like a foot/18 inches a day and refill? So we don't have to worry about floating (it's currently pouring) or any other scary mishaps. I realize we get rid of new water too,but maybe worth the extra money in water to avoid the other risks? The tarp is also a great idea but unsure where to acquire such a big tarp - the biggest at home depot is 20x30 which doesn't give us much depth...ideas? home builders maybe or roofing companies???
 
CFWilliams said:
Did my first official test kit reading today. Training wheels coming off fast, considering I didn't even know what Free Available Chlorine was 72 hours ago, ha! You all have been SO HELPFUL and giving me confidence to tackle this very overwhelming endeavor that is pool ownership!!!
FC: 14
pH: 7.7
CC: 1
Alk: 80
CH: got a lilttle over zealous with the dropper on this one, somewhere between 400-500
CYA: 150

Any objections to draining the pool in phases? Like a foot/18 inches a day and refill? So we don't have to worry about floating (it's currently pouring) or any other scary mishaps. I realize we get rid of new water too,but maybe worth the extra money in water to avoid the other risks?
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No objections at all. And if you can direct a downspout at the pool, you'll get some extra CH-free water for nothing.
 
hi friends! just finished refilling the first drain which was about 20%. How long should I wait to get all the fresh water to mix with the old to get an accurate CYA reading? Also, my alkalinity is pretty low ~40 according to the quick test strip I used. Should I go ahead and add some baking soda if we're not planning to drain again until Sunday or Monday?
 
30 minutes with the pump on is usually enough to mix everything. Don’t do anything based on a test strip. The color changes with time out of the water and based on how long it was submerged. If you want to know if you have *any* chlorine or CYA in the water, they serve a purpose to tell you there is some in the water. But it can’t tell you how much.
 
CFWilliams said:
hi friends! just finished refilling the first drain which was about 20%. How long should I wait to get all the fresh water to mix with the old to get an accurate CYA reading? Also, my alkalinity is pretty low ~40 according to the quick test strip I used. Should I go ahead and add some baking soda if we're not planning to drain again until Sunday or Monday?
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I wouldn't even bother if you intend to get CYA lower. It's going to be simple arithmetic. If you pumped out 20%, you reduced CYA by about 30. So you'll still be well over 100 and will still need to run the dilution test. Why waste the reagents? Let it mix half an hour, maybe brush a little here and there to set up some cross-currents, and do it again. Or test and then do it again.
 
All,
I am THRILLED to report that our CYA has come down to 76!!!! Couldn't have done it without y'all! THANK YOUUUUU!!! I know we're still a little high but I feel like this is a workable level, especially with how hoT it is in Charlotte and the fact we'll be topping off the pool at least weekly. Unless I get some strong objections, I am planning to balance the rest of the chemicals and slowly bring CYA down the rest of the summer. Surprisingly (or not, I've never refilled a pool before) everything else but TA and FC is within recommended range. See below:

FC: 4.5 --> this needs to be about 10 based on my CYA level, correct? I know to wait until tonight, but how much liquid Ch do I add? We bought a couple gallons of the walmart pool brand...
CC: 0
pH: 7.6
TA: 60 --> need to add 6 lbs of baking soda, correct? Just like dump it in there?? Ok to do now in the middle of hot day?
CH: 225
CYA: 76!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, thank you all SO MUCH. I can't friggin' WAIT to jump in!!!!
 
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If you were to dump in baking soda, yes. If you needed 25 lbs it would be best to do it in thirds, but 6 lbs is fine in one shot to just dump on in.

**your TA is fine for now though**
We only adjust it if the PH is unstable and swings a lot. Wait and see and it’s probably good to go.

like Dave said above me, CYA only goes by 10. It is always rounded up and 71 to 79 equals 80. (And so forth). It’s easiest to just fill right to each line of 10. If you still see the googely eye, fill to the next line and try again.
 

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CFWilliams said:
All,
I am THRILLED to report that our CYA has come down to 76!!!! Couldn't have done it without y'all! THANK YOUUUUU!!! I know we're still a little high but I feel like this is a workable level, especially with how hoT it is in Charlotte and the fact we'll be topping off the pool at least weekly. Unless I get some strong objections, I am planning to balance the rest of the chemicals and slowly bring CYA down the rest of the summer. Surprisingly (or not, I've never refilled a pool before) everything else but TA and FC is within recommended range. See below:

FC: 4.5 --> this needs to be about 10 based on my CYA level, correct? I know to wait until tonight, but how much liquid Ch do I add? We bought a couple gallons of the walmart pool brand...
CC: 0
pH: 7.6
TA: 60 --> need to add 6 lbs of baking soda, correct? Just like dump it in there?? Ok to do now in the middle of hot day?
CH: 225
CYA: 76!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, thank you all SO MUCH. I can't friggin' WAIT to jump in!!!!
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Don’t wait until tonight to add chlorine. You should never go below 6ppm at your current CYA. Add some now.

I wouldn’t worry about your TA. Wait to see how stable your PH levels are. TA doesn’t do anything other than buffer PH, and the ideal level is different for everybody.

In a pool your size, with the Walmart 10% LC, each 25 ounces you add should increase your PPM by 1.
 
ohhhh. ok so I read it wrong. I actually did the diluted test b/c I wasn't sure if it was still above 90 or not. So the actual reading was just above the 40 mark, a little over half the distance from 30 to 40 when the dot totally disappeared, so I called it 38 and multiplied by 2....so do we think my CYA is 80 or do I need to do the test again without diluting it?
 
CFWilliams said:
ohhhh. ok so I read it wrong. I actually did the diluted test b/c I wasn't sure if it was still above 90 or not. So the actual reading was just above the 40 mark, a little over half the distance from 30 to 40 when the dot totally disappeared, so I called it 38 and multiplied by 2....so do we think my CYA is 80 or do I need to do the test again without diluting it?
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If you’re under 100 I would do the undiluted test to get a more accurate result. And always round up to the next 10 - so 38=40, 76=80, etc.
 
magiteck said:
Don’t wait until tonight to add chlorine. You should never go below 6ppm at your current CYA. Add some now.

I wouldn’t worry about your TA. Wait to see how stable your PH levels are. TA doesn’t do anything other than buffer PH, and the ideal level is different for everybody.

In a pool your size, with the Walmart 10% LC, each 25 ounces you add should increase your PPM by 1.
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Cool, so I just add the full gallon and should be good to go?
 
CFWilliams said:
Will it be safe to swim today with a GALLON of bleach in there? Seems like a lot and don't want to burn alive, lol
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Yes, with a CYA of 80 you can safely swim up to SLAM level of 31ppm. Without getting too far into the chemistry, the CYA bonds to and holds much of the chlorine in “reserve” so you’re only in contact with a small fraction of all that chlorine.
 
Apologies if I'm getting annoying with all the Qs. I took magiteck's advice and retested - CYA is actually 70, so yay!

I have a little more cal-hypo "shock"granules in a bucket. Since it doesn't have stabilizer in it, can I go ahead and use that up so it's not taking up space in our shed? Our CH level is only 225 so wouldn't hurt to add a little calcium would it? Also, if I store the liquid chlorine in the same shed as our pressure washer, am I going to corrode the engine or create a recipe for an explosion? I know zero about engines, about as much as I knew about pools until last week...
 
CFWilliams said:
Apologies if I'm getting annoying with all the Qs. I took magiteck's advice and retested - CYA is actually 70, so yay!

I have a little more cal-hypo "shock"granules in a bucket. Since it doesn't have stabilizer in it, can I go ahead and use that up so it's not taking up space in our shed? Our CH level is only 225 so wouldn't hurt to add a little calcium would it? Also, if I store the liquid chlorine in the same shed as our pressure washer, am I going to corrode the engine or create a recipe for an explosion? I know zero about engines, about as much as I knew about pools until last week...
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Use up the cal hypo you have, no need to buy more.
 

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