New pool question

[Moniell18]

Just moved into a house with a pool 3 weeks ago and new to the whole testing and chemical thing. So glad I found this but wish it was before I went to a pool store for advice on day 1.

Brought water to pool store the day I moved in because my swg wasn’t working till last weekend. Replaced the flow switch. The guy said to add 7 lbs of shock Cal Hypo, 2 nst tabs in skimmer and 20 lbs of calcium.

Waited to post until my Taylor K-2006 kit came in today. Below is where I stand tonight:

PH - 7.6
FC -10
CC - 0
TA - 120
CYA - off the charts (around the 8.5 ML mark) assume it’s in the 200-300 range.

I assume I need to reduce the CYA first. Do I just keep back washing and refilling until it goes down? We have a tropical storm coming this weekend so hopping the extra rain will help.

 

[Oly]

Look like a drain and refill situation. You can double check the CYA test by diluting the pool water sample 50/50 with tap water, test, then double the results.
What is the water table in your area. Draining a pool in a high water table area can result in the pool floating out of the ground, an expensive result, so do your research.

 

[Moniell18]

Look like a drain and refill situation. You can double check the CYA test by diluting the pool water sample 50/50 with tap water, test, then double the results.
What is the water table in your area. Draining a pool in a high water table area can result in the pool floating out of the ground, an expensive result, so do your research.

Can it not be done gradually while keeping the FC a little high?

 

[V___25]

Welcome and congrats on the new house and pool! Please recheck your CYA using the diluted test mentioned above. You might be able to do it over time but keeping your FC at the levels needed might be hard. Here's the FC/CYA chart and there's a tab for SWG - the chart stops at 100. I'm living with CYA at 80 and we're bringing it down over time through splash out, backwashing and refilling and at closing, the water level is will come down below the return jet. However, water loss through evaporation does not lower CYA - it remains in the water so levels of 200-300, it will take a LONG time to lower.
Oh and in case you already haven't, ditch those tabs - it's making your CYA higher. Stick to liquid chlorine or plain old unscented bleach.

 

[LoneWolfArcher]

Just moved into a house with a pool 3 weeks ago and new to the whole testing and chemical thing. So glad I found this but wish it was before I went to a pool store for advice on day 1.

Brought water to pool store the day I moved in because my swg wasn’t working till last weekend. Replaced the flow switch. The guy said to add 7 lbs of shock Cal Hypo, 2 nst tabs in skimmer and 20 lbs of calcium.

Waited to post until my Taylor K-2006 kit came in today. Below is where I stand tonight:

PH - 7.6
FC -10
CC - 0
TA - 120
CYA - off the charts (around the 8.5 ML mark) assume it’s in the 200-300 range.

I assume I need to reduce the CYA first. Do I just keep back washing and refilling until it goes down? We have a tropical storm coming this weekend so hopping the extra rain will help.

Welcome to TFP!

I too inherited a pool with a new house that had extremely high CYA. I didn't find TFP until the next season. Please do the 50/50 dilution test to find your real CYA.

Drain and fill can be done slowly (draining while filling). If that is your best option you are already ahead of the game from where I was! (Due to my water situation I didn't have that option!)

 

[Moniell18]

Welcome and congrats on the new house and pool! Please recheck your CYA using the diluted test mentioned above. You might be able to do it over time but keeping your FC at the levels needed might be hard. Here's the FC/CYA chart and there's a tab for SWG - the chart stops at 100. I'm living with CYA at 80 and we're bringing it down over time through splash out, backwashing and refilling and at closing, the water level is will come down below the return jet. However, water loss through evaporation does not lower CYA - it remains in the water so levels of 200-300, it will take a LONG time to lower.
Oh and in case you already haven't, ditch those tabs - it's making your CYA higher. Stick to liquid chlorine or plain old unscented bleach.

I have my SWG up and running now so no more tabs thankfully. I will do the dilution test tonight and see what the real number is. I know I will need to do a significant water change, I just don’t want the kids to miss out on the new pool for a long period to get it right.

I have my SWG set at like 10% with 12 hour run time and free chlorine is staying at 10. Will bump it up for now to 20-30%.

we have a tropical storm hitting us this weekend so I will backwash to the bottom of the skimmer Friday and divert my two gutter downspouts to the pool.

 

[Mdragger88]

Here’s the info on the no drain water exchange while you peruse your options.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

You may miss a day of swimming but you’ll miss more than that if algae takes hold due to inadequate fc because of the high cya.

 

[Moniell18]

Here’s the info on the no drain water exchange while you peruse your options.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

You may miss a day of swimming but you’ll miss more than that if algae takes hold due to inadequate fc because of the high cya.

Welcome and congrats on the new house and pool! Please recheck your CYA using the diluted test mentioned above. You might be able to do it over time but keeping your FC at the levels needed might be hard. Here's the FC/CYA chart and there's a tab for SWG - the chart stops at 100. I'm living with CYA at 80 and we're bringing it down over time through splash out, backwashing and refilling and at closing, the water level is will come down below the return jet. However, water loss through evaporation does not lower CYA - it remains in the water so levels of 200-300, it will take a LONG time to lower.
Oh and in case you already haven't, ditch those tabs - it's making your CYA higher. Stick to liquid chlorine or plain old unscented bleach.

Did the dilution test just now and came up with 130. Will add some water from the storm and retest again next week.

 

[reggiehammond]

Did the dilution test just now and came up with 130. Will add some water from the storm and retest again next week.

I recently bit the bullet due to high CYA and did a ~80% drain and refill. The drain, with 3/4 hp sump pump, took the longest. About 30 hours; then refilled in about 8. It wasn’t bad at all. A quick dose of FC, pH adjustment and we could have been swimming just a few hours later.