New to trouble free, need advice

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Kim, she actually helps herself to the pool! She loves it. A friend told me it would mess things up so I figured I'd ask you guys.
Sorry for all the questions. If you could indulge one more. Last year I started using a algaecide called skillet because the wasps don't like the taste of skillet & it actually worked to get rid of them. Do you have thoughts on this?


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myers2115 said:
Update: still waiting on my test kit I took everyone's advice and return the phos 0remover and just added liquid chlorine in my pool looks great now. So thank you! What is your advice about letting your dog swim in the pool occasionally?


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Glad to hear your pool is looking good.

When you get your test kit, you'll probably want to perform an OCLT (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test), just to verify there's no nasties in the pool. It's explained in the links Divin Dave and tim5055 provided, but essentially you perform a chlorine test (FC and CC) after sundown then another before sunrise the next morning. As sunlight breaks down FC, it's impossible to know from daytime test if chlorine loss is due to sunlight or organics. The OCLT rules out sunlight, so if there's any chlorine loss detected, it's due to algae or something else in the pool.

Welcome to the forum... :D
 
I have never heard of it or seen it. Wasps? In your pool? Scary stuff! I do know that TFP does not encourage the use of algaecide so.......

Just put a skimmer sock on your basket and your dog can have all the fun he wants!

Kim
 
Welcome! The reason TFP doesn't usually recommend algicides is because many of them contain copper which can build up, cause stains, and is difficult/impossible to get out of the water. Also, if you follow TFP, you don't really need them ;)

If you do for any reason use an algaecide, the one recommended here that has no copper is Polyquat 60 -- but I don't know how wasps feel about it!

Check to see if Skillet has copper in its ingredient list...wasps are a pita but here they seem to stay away from the pool, likely because we blast em regularly ;)

I do get honey bees from a nearby beekeeper's rig in late summer if he gets lazy about misting them when it gets dry. Apparently, chlorine makes em drunk and they love to party. Once a scout discovered the pool, I'm in trouble, because she will bring friends within a few hours!

After consulting with some beekeepers (dont wanna kill honeybees) I now make a birdbath of pool water with a landing sponge well south of the pool (their path in) and that generally distracts them from getting to the pool. They don't like to get their feet wet so the prefer the sponge ;) Don't know if that would work for wasps, but I though I'd share so you could give it a try!
 
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Ok, got my test today. Context: I added 1.5 gallons of liquid chlorine from Walmart last Friday then half gallon every other day since then.

FC 1
TC 1
CH 300
TA 150
CYA 70
PH 8

CYA was also 70 last Friday according to Leslie's. Also, this is new water as of October 2014.

Thoughts?


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From reading everything it looks like I need to get my FC up to 8 by adding 90oz of liquid chlorine this evening then do an overnight test to see if everything's ok.
My understanding from reading is also that the only way to lower cya is to drain half the pool.


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So if I end up slamming my pool, it says to check every hour at first to adjust chlorine, etc. Why? Is the goal to keep it at shock level? If so, how long? What time of day should I begin a slam session? Thanks!


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The more you keep the FC at SLAM level the fast it will go. After a couple of days you will see that the FC starts holding longer and longer so you can start backing off of the testing to every 2 or 3 hours.

You are done when:
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
And the water is clear.
When all three are true, you are done SLAMing and can allow the FC to drift down to normal levels.

Here is the link to the SLAM. It has the link to the OCLT.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

Kim
 
IF I did the test correct, my FC was 8 last night and 6.5 early this morning. I think I want to do another overnight test tonight to make sure. But if it loses 1.5 again, it's slam time right?


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myers2115 said:
IF I did the test correct, my FC was 8 last night and 6.5 early this morning. I think I want to do another overnight test tonight to make sure. But if it loses 1.5 again, it's slam time right?


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yes, that is correct.

The idea is,that during the night, there,is no loss to sun - so any loss will be attributed to organics in the water.
 
How does your water look? If it looks good then it should not take long. Make sure you check and clean all lights, ladders, etc. where algae can hide. We have found some on the door to the skimmer so make sure to look there.

Make sure your PH is around 7.2 before you start the SLAM. Do not bother to test it during the SLAM or any time your FC is over 10 because it will not test correct.

Good luck!

Kim
 
While there is no "normal", 6.5 loss is not unusual. Bring it back up to shock level and do it again. Every time you test below shock level add chlorine to get back to shock. Early in a SLAM it uses more chlorine and as it kills the stuff living in the water the demand for chlorine goes down.
 

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