New to TFT100 test(TURNING SWAMP INTO OASIS)

[rauljimenez]

Hello guys , I just got my new kit tft100 and before that i was fighting a green swamp where I live in Puerto Rico, Caribbean. I gathered all the values so here they are for a 17000 gallons in ground plaster pool :

FC: 5.5ppm
CC: 1ppm
TC: 6.5
pH: 7.2
TA:90ppm
CH:320ppm
CYA: 0ppm

I put everything inside the cylinder of CYA reading and could see the black dot completely when filled up to the top, does that mean my reading of CYA is at 0??

I want to shock the pool to get the CC to less than 0.5 or 0 if I can but with the CYA at 0 I read in the pool calculator that if it is at 0 then i cannot go above 5ppm of FC which I already am.

Here is a picture attached of how my pool looks like right now. On the left side there is still algae color = grey that im gonna finish brushing up today and more vacuuming as it goes.

[attachment=0:3uec5w1d]Image 1-29-13 at 4.56 PM.jpeg[/attachment:3uec5w1d]

Question is what should I do now?? Can i bring my pool to shock levels of 10ppm FC to shock it and tomorrow start adding CYA/Stabilizer to 20ppm or go a little higher on the CYA/Stabilizer since I live in the tropics??

 

[jblizzle]

It does sound like your CYA is zero. If you go too high on FC, then you can start to cause damage. I would recommend adding the CYA up to 20-30ppm, and then finish the shock process with a shock level of 10-12ppm. After that is complete, if your pool gets a lot of sun, you may consider raising the CYA up closer to 50ppm to reduce loss to the sun.

Also, you do need to help fight the algae by maintaining the shock level FC and brushing as often as you can. And remember to clean your filter when it rises 20-25% of the clean pressure.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum. :lol:

does that mean my reading of CYA is at 0??

Yes.

You have a good grasp of the chemistry and are not too far away from a sparkling pool.

To keep things simple, I would suggest.....

1. Add enouigh granular CYA to bring CYA to 20PPM.

2. Now, on the same day, assume you have 20ppm CYA so bring your FC right on up to 10 or 12ppm.

3. Next, test FC at least twice each day (more if you can) and add enough chlorine to get it back to 10-12ppm

4. Continue this (along with brushing and filtering) until your pool is crystal clear and you can pass the OFCLT. Are you familar with that test?

EDIT: Jason and I are saying the same thing......Go to 50ppm or so after your shock process is complete

 

[duraleigh]

I edited the above post a couple of times.....reread it.

 

[rauljimenez]

Welcome to the forum. :lol:

does that mean my reading of CYA is at 0??

Yes.

You have a good grasp of the chemistry and are not too far away from a sparkling pool.

To keep things simple, I would suggest.....

1. Add enouigh granular CYA to bring CYA to 20PPM.

2. Now, on the same day, assume you have 20ppm CYA so bring your FC right on up to 10 or 12ppm.

3. Next, test FC at least twice each day (more if you can) and add enough chlorine to get it back to 10-12ppm

4. Continue this (along with brushing and filtering) until your pool is crystal clear and you can pass the OFCLT. Are you familar with that test?

EDIT: Jason and I are saying the same thing......Go to 50ppm or so after your shock process is complete

Awesome, exactly the answer I was looking for. Now i'm gonna do the sock in the skimmer method so that might take a week.

Can I just dissolve it in water and add it through the skimmer ?? ( I know it will sit on the filter till it gets fully distributed but wanted to know if I can do it once i finish my backwashing and vacuuming to waste so I dont lose the CYA presently added.

Let me see if I understood correctly... even if the CYA levels are not 20ppm but I added the CYA/Stabilizer, I can go ahead and raise my FC to 10 or 12ppm??

I'm not familiar with the OFCLT pass, I think it must be in the pool school linked somewhere right?? gotta read the OFCLT for sure.


*** edited it to ask another question , I'm use calcium hypochlorite @ 68% right now, with my calcium levels of 320ppm should I be switching to bleach or do you think the pool can handle a bit more, how far high can I go with calcium reading without it affecting my pool values or clarity of water??***
thanks again.

 

[JasonLion]

You won't be able to dissolve the CYA in water. You can pour it into the skimmer (very slowly) and let it dissolve in the filter, just remember to run the pump for 24 hours after adding CYA and don't backwash the filter for a week. It sounds like the not backwashing for a week thing could be an issue, so instead you can put the CYA in a sock and hang the sock in front of a return jet and backwash freely.

 

[rauljimenez]

You won't be able to dissolve the CYA in water. You can pour it into the skimmer (very slowly) and let it dissolve in the filter, just remember to run the pump for 24 hours after adding CYA and don't backwash the filter for a week. It sounds like the not backwashing for a week thing could be an issue, so instead you can put the CYA in a sock and hang the sock in front of a return jet and backwash freely.

I know this is gonna sound so stupid lololol :lol: :lol: :lol: but how do you guys do it to attach a sock to a return jet??? I tried doing it right now without CYA to see how it would fit and the sock keeps sharpshooting straight ahead from the power of the return jet.

Sorry for my newbieness just wanted to see if someone can show me how to attach it and hold it thereeee

 

[jblizzle]

Tie a string to the sock and put a weight on the other end of the string on the deck ... also giving it a couple squeezes every time you walk by will speed up the dissolving process.

Once the CYA is dissolved, consider it "active" and raise the FC up ... it may take up to a week after that to show up on the test.

I would also suggest you discontinue the use of cal-hypo as your CH is fine now, but evaporation tends to make it rise.

There is a link to the OCLT process in the Shock Process article.

 

[rauljimenez]

Tie a string to the sock and put a weight on the other end of the string on the deck ... also giving it a couple squeezes every time you walk by will speed up the dissolving process.

Once the CYA is dissolved, consider it "active" and raise the FC up ... it may take up to a week after that to show up on the test.

I would also suggest you discontinue the use of cal-hypo as your CH is fine now, but evaporation tends to make it rise.

There is a link to the OCLT process in the Shock Process article.

Awesome, thank a lot jblizzle!!!!

I'll post some more pics as i turn the pool into sparkling!!!

 

[rauljimenez]

New update :

added some more chlorine to pool after brushing and vacuuming to waste and refilling pool

FC: 6.5ppm
CC: .5ppm

Bought 4 pounds of granular CYA/Stabilizer but decided to hold the stabilizer for a bit till i finish the vacuuming and waste brushing process that keeps sending dirt and dead algae to the bottom.

New shot of how the pool is going now
[attachment=0:1rrr4rjd]Image 1-30-13 at 5.06 PM.jpeg[/attachment:1rrr4rjd]

As you can see there is still some stubborn green algae that even brushing with a metal boars wont come off, but im happy the CC is dropping from 1ppm to .5ppm and hopefully 0 soon.
As soon as i remove that stubborn algae and vacuum it all to waste the CYA is going in to 20ppm first then to 50ppm as per instructed

comments are welcome!!!

 

[duraleigh]

If that green doesn't come off with a wire brush, I suspect it is a combination of calcium scale with algae imbedded in it. Is it rough to the touch or slimy?

 

[rauljimenez]

If that green doesn't come off with a wire brush, I suspect it is a combination of calcium scale with algae imbedded in it. Is it rough to the touch or slimy?

the borders are a bit rough and when i pass my hand over it , is slimy !!!! . I think im gonna have to go inside the pool and brush hard !

 

[linen]

I would start getting your 20 ppm cya in now. Otherwise, much of your chlorine will disappear due to the sun and not be used to kill algae. Then maintain 11 ppm FC (per poolcalculator.com and 20 ppm cya) until you are passing all three shocking criteria (see my sig). Keeping your shock level at 11 ppm (re dosing as often as needed/possible) will speed up the process of clearing your pool...it may take a few days.

 

[rauljimenez]

I would start getting your 20 ppm cya in now. Otherwise, much of your chlorine will disappear due to the sun and not be used to kill algae. Then maintain 11 ppm FC (per poolcalculator.com and 20 ppm cya) until you are passing all three shocking criteria (see my sig). Keeping your shock level at 11 ppm (re dosing as often as needed/possible) will speed up the process of clearing your pool...it may take a few days.

I was afraid of losing my CYA/Stabilizer since i gotta vacuum to waste like 1 more time, should I go ahead anyways?? My method will be sock on jet return CYA.

 

[jblizzle]

But you are not really dumping that much water out, so yeah get the CYA in there.

 

[rauljimenez]

But you are not really dumping that much water out, so yeah get the CYA in there.

Alright will do, CYA going in tomorrow morning!

 

[rauljimenez]

Just wanted to update it so here it goes... Dumped stabilizer with a sock near the jet return gonna try to bring my cya to 20ppm , new pics coming tomorrow after new round of brush and clean woo.... Seems like a never ending process

 

[rauljimenez]

New update :

added the 20 cya to dissolve on the return ... here is a pic of my newbie attempt at a sock in the pool return lololol
[attachment=0:36y9sbos]Image 2-2-13 at 6.59 PM.jpeg[/attachment:36y9sbos]

adjusted shock levels to 12ppm so far at 7:00pm levels are

FC:11.5ppm
CC: .5ppm
TC: 12ppm

, will keep shocking while my sock is doing the rest with dissolving the CYA, hope I did a good job. Will do the OFCT and see how levels of FC maintain. Am I supposed to keep shocking till I see CC at 0ppm?? thanks a lot guys.

 

[duraleigh]

Will do the OFCT and see how levels of FC maintain. Am I supposed to keep shocking till I see CC at 0ppm?? thanks a lot guys.

Don't be in a big rush to do the OFCLT just yet. Wait until it SEEMS like you are not using chlorine overnight and then perform it. The OFCLT is to confirm that your shock procedure is done.

.5ppm or 0ppm CC's is the same thing......treat both of them as zero.

(your water looks pretty good....I'll bet you are getting close!)

 

[linen]

added the 20 cya to dissolve on the return ... here is a pic of my newbie attempt at a sock in the pool return lololo

Looks good to me

Am I supposed to keep shocking till I see CC at 0ppm??

The three end of shocking criteria are in my sig...you should pass all three simultaneously before you stop the shocking process.