New to the site....I have had an in ground pool for abut 7 years. Had a great pool guy I could count on for excellent advice as well as the best DYI information at the cheapest rates. He retired this year and I am playing catch up to understand what I need to be doing. Currently looking for a crash course to clean up my water. Just ordered the TF100 Pro Salt kit and waiting for it to deliver but had the water tested at a local store for free. Just don't trust them as I feel like they try to sell me everything regardless of need. PH is a little high, stabilizer is low, FC is way low....what order should I be addressing?
New to TFPC
- Thread starter brennerc
- Start date
Welcome to TFP.
Thanks for purchasing one of the recommended test kits.
Adding chlorine to raise FC is always a priority as that is your sanitization method. You be using liquid chlorine (LC) to raise FC quickly
Post a full set of data once your kit arrives but suggest you purchase 5 gals of LC now as well.
What size and volume is your pool?
Please fill out your signature -- Create Your Signature - Further Reading
Welcome! You are in very good hands here. We're all generally individual pool owners, many of whom have learned through the school of hard-knocks, and some who have extraordinary levels of professional expertise in the appropriate aspects of managing a pool. Lots of deep research and scientific reasoning for the methods noted here. No money being made - it is all free. Just donations asked to keep the servers for this site, and the associate phone app, running. One member runs his own small business selling pool test kits configured to meet what is needed using the methods outlined on the site, elsewhere - as you have discovered by ordering the great test kit.
The most important - keep your chlorine up! Right now! Even a 24 hr low dip is a huge invitation to algae to start growing. Get a gallon of some liquid chlorine (Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc.) and add it ASAP. Without knowing your pool size, in gallons, assume about 1/2 gallon per 10,000 gallons. We'll refine that once we know more details, and even more after you get the kit and can run all the tests. You ordered the Salt kit, so I assume a chlorine generator - get that fired up and running to keep the Cl (chlorine) level stabilized. But if your FC is low, it will need the bump from the liquid to get the levels back up quickly. If it cannot currently be run, continue with the 1/2 gal per day/10,000 gal, until your kit arrives.
Some homework for you while you wait for the kit:
As much as you can, add details about your pool to the signature line, as detailed here: Create Your Signature - Further Reading
Helps us, and helps you from having to repeat basic information over and over.
Download the PoolMath app. to your phone, from your phones App store. It's free.
You can enter your test kit readings, and it will do the work to tell you how much of what is needed to bring the pool into balance. Consider subscribing ($8/yr), which will allow a running history to be kept, and if you use the same username as here, you can link it, so on this site we can see the history too! Helps you avoid lots of typing or photo shots of all the test numbers. Click on my user name to see my attempts currently to bring my pool into balance ("PoolMath Logs" button).
Whatever you need for learning about caring for the pool, or fixing anything that may not be optimal, we can help. The whole goal is to make it, as named, as Trouble Free (and inexpensive) as possible.
The most important - keep your chlorine up! Right now! Even a 24 hr low dip is a huge invitation to algae to start growing. Get a gallon of some liquid chlorine (Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc.) and add it ASAP. Without knowing your pool size, in gallons, assume about 1/2 gallon per 10,000 gallons. We'll refine that once we know more details, and even more after you get the kit and can run all the tests. You ordered the Salt kit, so I assume a chlorine generator - get that fired up and running to keep the Cl (chlorine) level stabilized. But if your FC is low, it will need the bump from the liquid to get the levels back up quickly. If it cannot currently be run, continue with the 1/2 gal per day/10,000 gal, until your kit arrives.
Some homework for you while you wait for the kit:
As much as you can, add details about your pool to the signature line, as detailed here: Create Your Signature - Further Reading
Helps us, and helps you from having to repeat basic information over and over.
Download the PoolMath app. to your phone, from your phones App store. It's free.
You can enter your test kit readings, and it will do the work to tell you how much of what is needed to bring the pool into balance. Consider subscribing ($8/yr), which will allow a running history to be kept, and if you use the same username as here, you can link it, so on this site we can see the history too! Helps you avoid lots of typing or photo shots of all the test numbers. Click on my user name to see my attempts currently to bring my pool into balance ("PoolMath Logs" button).
Whatever you need for learning about caring for the pool, or fixing anything that may not be optimal, we can help. The whole goal is to make it, as named, as Trouble Free (and inexpensive) as possible.
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Thank you. Updated my signature. 36,000 gallon l-shaped pool. SWG. Put 4 gallons of liquid chlorine on Monday. Vacuum was broke so when I opened it, I used my brush to try and stir up everything and run through the filter but everything is still cloudy. Vacuum is now fixed and have run it about 6 times and will getting mud and dirt out of the pool. (vacuum = Maytronics Dolphin CC Plus). The Testing equipment shipped this morning so waiting on that to arrive.
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Do you currently have a salt chlorinator? What have you been using so far to add chlorine, if not? (before the liquid you added)
Sounds like you will need to do a SLAM once the kit comes in. SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain
It can sometimes be a longish process, depending on the condition. Do you also have a manual vacuum to aid in getting all the "stuff" out by sending it to waste?
A few here have had problems with ammonia building up over the winter, which can require a LOT of liquid. The test to see is relatively straight forward and fast. But let's cross our finger that you don't have that issue. Most don't. Pics of the pool, and an overview of your equipment would help, also.
Sounds like you will need to do a SLAM once the kit comes in. SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain
It can sometimes be a longish process, depending on the condition. Do you also have a manual vacuum to aid in getting all the "stuff" out by sending it to waste?
A few here have had problems with ammonia building up over the winter, which can require a LOT of liquid. The test to see is relatively straight forward and fast. But let's cross our finger that you don't have that issue. Most don't. Pics of the pool, and an overview of your equipment would help, also.
No manual vacuum. Just opened the pool this past weekend. Just looks milky/cloudy. Attached are a couple of pictures of the deep end (can't even see the return drains) and one of the shallow end. Just tested it again with some test strips from last summer and shows 0 chlorine. Getting more today and getting it in tonight. Then will review again tomorrow.
Attachments
Yes I have a salt water generator....Need to add about 90 lbs of salt tonight as well.
I would not turn on the SWCG right now, but go ahead and purchase salt for addition later.
Address the cloudiness with liquid chlorine as there appears to be some lingering algae.
bring up the FC level to SLAM level
Your CYA was virtually zero based on test in your Pool Math log. So you should bring up CYA to 30 to do a SLAM as that will bind some of the chlorine to minimize lost to UV.
Lower pH to about 7.2
So add stabilizer to get 30ppm CYA
Add LC to get to SLAM level of 12ppm FC.
@HermanTX - I believe the test kit is still in the mail. So those readings are pretty suspect.
@brennerc - Is the above true, test kit hasn't come yet? If so, just keep adding liquid, until we get the full set of tests from the kit.
Your pool looks about like mine did, when I opened. So odds are that the whole process won't take a long time. Brush and clean, you will have to backwash your filter several times since it will be loading up with a lot of things.
Good job on getting the signature and PoolMath up and running!
@brennerc - Is the above true, test kit hasn't come yet? If so, just keep adding liquid, until we get the full set of tests from the kit.
Your pool looks about like mine did, when I opened. So odds are that the whole process won't take a long time. Brush and clean, you will have to backwash your filter several times since it will be loading up with a lot of things.
Good job on getting the signature and PoolMath up and running!
Correct the kit is still in the mail. I took a sample in to the local pool store and that was the results from Monday night. Using an old test strip, it looked like just the chlorine was off. Adding more chlorine today.
OK, finally got my test kit in the mail and figured out how to use it. Showing chlorine is super high, pH is low and Alkalinity is high. pH is 7.2...range should be between 7.2-8.0, why does the app want me to get up to 7.6? Under Total Alkalinity it is telling me to reduce pH to 7.0-7.2 (it is a 7.2 now) and then aerate to increase pH. I don't know what "aerate" means but the app is telling me to raise my pH by adding Borax and then lower it back to where I am at?
Also pool is still super cloudy. Can barely see the bottom. Shouldn't the Chlorine be cleaning up anything that is floating in the water? Vacuuming current 3-4 times per day with the Nautilus.
Just a little confused here.
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Thanks for linking the PM logs.
Your FC is high, it will come down over time. It is safe to swim if needed, so long as you can see the bottom (safety). This is based on CYA of 90.
A pH of any number in the 7’s is good. you can change the target pH number and it will provide data to adjust. You do not need to adjust pH at this time.
Your TA of 90 is about the recommended range which is why it is stating to lower pH. Since your pH is already at 7.2, do not do anything.
Please read PH TA Relationship - Further Reading
This will help you understand what happens when you add Muractic acid. Aerate means to make contact with air or create bubbles. a waterfall or a spillover spa are 2 examples of aeration. It is a slow process.
For now, try to move TA to 70ppm. As pH increases (due to the current higher TA of 90) to 8.0, then dose with MA and it will lower pH and also slightly lower TA. It may take several weeks to get to the desired TA level but no rush. It is best to work on this over time.
Chlorine kills algae but your filter removes the dead algae. Continue to run your pump, Backwash your DE filter when pressure rises.
Your FC is high, it will come down over time. It is safe to swim if needed, so long as you can see the bottom (safety). This is based on CYA of 90.
A pH of any number in the 7’s is good. you can change the target pH number and it will provide data to adjust. You do not need to adjust pH at this time.
Your TA of 90 is about the recommended range which is why it is stating to lower pH. Since your pH is already at 7.2, do not do anything.
Please read PH TA Relationship - Further Reading
This will help you understand what happens when you add Muractic acid. Aerate means to make contact with air or create bubbles. a waterfall or a spillover spa are 2 examples of aeration. It is a slow process.
For now, try to move TA to 70ppm. As pH increases (due to the current higher TA of 90) to 8.0, then dose with MA and it will lower pH and also slightly lower TA. It may take several weeks to get to the desired TA level but no rush. It is best to work on this over time.
Chlorine kills algae but your filter removes the dead algae. Continue to run your pump, Backwash your DE filter when pressure rises.
Thank you! So the cloudiness is the dead algea? I still can't see the bottom of the pool and it is concerning. I will back wash again and continue to work the process but I have never had it last this long without clearing up. Is it possible the filter is not functioning properly? How can I check that?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,910
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Backwash your filter. When pressure rises 25%, then backwash again. You may be backwashing often.
A DE is a good filter. It just may take more time. Are you running your pump 24/7? Are you keeping your chloinre FC at SLAM level?
Remember, when backwashing a DE filter, only add back 80% of the recommended DE. If you have been adding more, you may need to break down the filter completely and clean the grids and add the proper amount of DE.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,880
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
pH test is invalid when FC is > 10.
How did you get a CH of 156 from your new test kit? Or was that a typo?
How did you get a CH of 156 from your new test kit? Or was that a typo?