New to testing, new to Taylor K-2006

[Ericinphoenix]

Hello! I just started taking care of our pool and stumbled upon this great site. My pool is a pebble-tec 23000 gallon Gunite. There's a floater with 4 3" tabs. It's been a bit cloudy. I just received my Taylor K-2006 and, upon first glance, i felt like i should enroll in a biology program at the local university. Still, i persisted. Here are some numbers, and i beg your forgiveness for not being technical:
chlorine: 1.2 ppm
Ph: 7.2
TA: 14 drops to turn red
CH: 50 drops and it was still red, started to turn pink, i live in AZ
CYA: it took about 7 drops for black dots to disappear

What should i make of these numbers? What should be my next move?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Great on getting a quality test kit.
Sounds like your CH is really high (50 drops = 1250 ppm) and CYA is very high. For the CYA test, did you get to the 100 line before the black dot disappeared?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

Hi, and thanks for your reply. CH at 50 drops was turning pink. CYA didn't even get to the 1.8 level gauge on the side of the small comparator. I am reading Pool School and will get to ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry. Due to the cloudiness of the water, a neighbor thought maybe backwash the sand filter? Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

The CH test turns blue at the endpoint.
I have never seen a CYA comparator that has 1.8.
I suspect you need to fully drain and refill your pool with fresh water.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

1.8 is water level gauge, says 1.8, 4.5, and 9 at top.

 

[mguzzy]

Can you post a pic of your CYA test? I'm not following that one either.

@mknauss is there a dilution test for CH? perhaps with Distilled water?

 

[mknauss]

That does not align to a CYA test. It should show 100, 90, 80, etc. Logarithmic scale.

 

[mknauss]

is there a dilution test for CH? perhaps with Distilled water?

Once you are at 800 ppm or above, time to replace the water.

 

[Homebrewale]

You can view Taylor's video on the CYA test.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

First pic is side of container, in which you put the cloudy formula. It’s about halfway to 100. Rest are of pool and equipment.

 

[mknauss]

That means your CYA is many multiples of 100. So high it is best to drain and refill.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

Wow. This happened after only a week of having no pool service! Ten days ago it looked perfect. Is that normal? Thanks for your help.

 

[mknauss]

The CYA did not change in that time. The pool service was using trichlor tablets and possibly loads of dichlor shock. Raising the FC to very high levels once a week and then letting it slide to the next week. The cloudy water is because the FC has dropped. To make the pool sanitary, The FC should be kept at 7.5% of CYA level. That is at least 15 ppm FC for you, possibly higher.

You need to read about TFPC in Pool School and decide if you wish to follow this method or Pool Store/Maintenance company processes. They are very different. I have linked below to our Video page. Lot's of information there.

TFP-TV

A collection of Videos from the source you trust the most, TFP! These videos are to help the average homeowner understand their pool and enjoy their water.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Ericinphoenix]

This weekend is slotted for the viewing of this website and all the info i can lay my eyes on, thanks. I would like to be the master of my own pool and take care of it. Draining and refilling will provide a fresh start. Is this something i can do, with research of course, or should i call a pool service to empty for me? How complicated is it to ensure the water is clear and free of debris and pollutants, de-chlorinated/ debrominated, measured on a pool test kit at “0”?

 

[mknauss]

You can do a drain and refill. The sun angle has lowered and temperatures moderating so, assuming you have a plaster pool, the process will be no big deal. You would rent a sump pump from Home Depot with hoses, determine where you are supposed to put the effluent, pump it down to as far as the pump will go, then refill it from your hose(s). Once full, run the pump for a couple hours and test the water. Then follow Recommended Levels

Please fill our your signature. Really helps us help you.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

Done. My neighbor says a draining can be done without sump pump by using sand filter. Is he nuts?

 

[mknauss]

No, but, you are using a $1000 pump for a job a $80 rental pump will do. If you lose prime (which is very possible) on your pump it can damage it. You will be using the main drain for suction.
And it will take much longer. A rental pump will do your pool in about 5-6 hours.

Where does your sand filter back wash to?

 

[mguzzy]

What is on the side of the compator cell.. the right side from the angle you have your picture? Is there another scale?

After you read through the basic stuff. there is a wealth of info in the wiki... here is the article on draining.. lots of ways to do that. We are all here to help you figure it it so don't be shy to ask questions.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Also put your pool specs in your signature. It provides a handy reference for others when they trying to provide assistance... Never mind I see you did that.

 

[Ericinphoenix]

Thanks again! Great point about rental pump vs. sand filter. The rental's $45 a day. Back wash to the street, provided the water is clear and free of debris and pollutants, de-chlorinated/ debrominated, measured on a pool test kit at “0” - anyone know how to prep the water before draining? Probably info in the above link; i will check. The face of the comparator says CYA then: 100 going on up to 30 at the top. My test got to halfway to 100 before black dot disappeared. The side has water fill lines, 1.8 being the first.

 

[mknauss]

You are at 1.2 ppm FC. So don't worry about that. No one will test it anyway.

On your CYA test, the water did not get to the 100 line, correct? That means it is way above 100.