Newbie - First test results

[SABUCKETDAD]

I just ran all the tests with my new TF-100 and below are the results. I want to preface this with that fact I was pretty sure my chlorine would be low as I haven't added any in about a 2 weeks as I didn't want to keep throwing money down the drain if other things were off. Also, I use a solar copper floater which from reading here people aren't fans of copper. So I may need to quit using that.

CYA - 25 to 28 round up to 30?
TA 150 to 160
Calcium Harness Test - 500 ppm
Total Chlorine - .5
PH 8.2 *** this one surprised me the most as my strips say it is in the right range. Seeya strips!
FC - 1 ppm
CC - .5

So any thoughts on the steps I should take. I am going to address the PH with muratic acid tonight so I can get it into a range to add chlorine.

Also, I do have pucks but don't use them much (1 every other week or so) and shock with Leslies shock. I plan to move towards bleach soon but based on my low CYA do would you think it will hurt much to keep using the pucks until they run out?

Thanks for any help and great to be here!

 

[PoolNewb2020]

How is the water? Is it clear? Can you clearly see the drains? Is it blue? No visible algae or water feeling slimy?
Regardless of water condition, I would bring the FC level to at least 4-5 ppm, them get the PH down. Is your shock dichlor, trichlor or calhypo? With CH 500 I would avoid calhypo shocks or tablets.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

I'd save the pucks for when you go on vacation or are otherwise away from the pool. Your CYA is perfect right now (round up to 30) and you don't need to mess with it.

Add enough chlorine to get you into the range for your CYA. Use FC/CYA Levels to figure that out.

 

[SABUCKETDAD]

How is the water? Is it clear? Can you clearly see the drains? Is it blue? No visible algae or water feeling slimy?
Regardless of water condition, I would bring the FC level to at least 4-5 ppm, them get the PH down. Is your shock dichlor, trichlor or calhypo? With CH 500 I would avoid calhypo shocks or tablets.

Thank you for the reply. Water is crystal clear but I have been batteling black algae spots and getting worse. Not crazy but very visable and getting worse..

My shock is Power Powder Plus 73 from Leslies. I haven't shocked or added chloring for a couple weeks now as I wanted to get my test kit and see where everything was so I wasn't "wasting" anything.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

If you algae, you need to follow the SLAM process. SLAM

 

[Richard320]

Howdy!

Well, you've figured out a few things already.

You need a little more CYA, and you can use the pucks for that. According to Effects Of Adding Chemicals at the bottom of poolmath, in your pool, each 8 oz trichlor puck will add 3.3 CYA. So figure accordingly.

Your pH is off the scale, so it may take more than one acid treatment to get that fixed. Just plug your numbers into poolmath and let it figure the dose and recheck it in an hour or two -- less if you brush a bunch -- and see what you get then. At some point the color will change and be in the middle of the range and from then on it's going to be easy.

Black Algae is a special case. A regular SLAM isn't going to do much for you but break your wallet. Try this Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool

Lastly, try to reserve that Cal-hypo for times when you can't find bleach. Your CH is already into the upper ranges.

 

[SABUCKETDAD]

Howdy!

Well, you've figured out a few things already.

You need a little more CYA, and you can use the pucks for that. According to Effects Of Adding Chemicals at the bottom of poolmath, in your pool, each 8 oz trichlor puck will add 3.3 CYA. So figure accordingly.

Your pH is off the scale, so it may take more than one acid treatment to get that fixed. Just plug your numbers into poolmath and let it figure the dose and recheck it in an hour or two -- less if you brush a bunch -- and see what you get then. At some point the color will change and be in the middle of the range and from then on it's going to be easy.

Black Algae is a special case. A regular SLAM isn't going to do much for you but break your wallet. Try this Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool

Lastly, try to reserve that Cal-hypo for times when you can't find bleach. Your CH is already into the upper ranges.

Thank you and will do. Poolmath told me a little more than 2 cups of acid which I put in last night. We then got a few inches of rain so heading back out this morning to check on the PH again and will adjust as needed.

 

[SABUCKETDAD]

Howdy!

Well, you've figured out a few things already.

You need a little more CYA, and you can use the pucks for that. According to Effects Of Adding Chemicals at the bottom of poolmath, in your pool, each 8 oz trichlor puck will add 3.3 CYA. So figure accordingly.

Your pH is off the scale, so it may take more than one acid treatment to get that fixed. Just plug your numbers into poolmath and let it figure the dose and recheck it in an hour or two -- less if you brush a bunch -- and see what you get then. At some point the color will change and be in the middle of the range and from then on it's going to be easy.

Black Algae is a special case. A regular SLAM isn't going to do much for you but break your wallet. Try this Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool

Lastly, try to reserve that Cal-hypo for times when you can't find bleach. Your CH is already into the upper ranges.

Wow, okay, learning so much already. Thank you everyone above who chimed in. So my Shock Power Powder Plus from Leslies is the Cal-hypo shock which would explain why my CH is as high as it is and the calcium scale on our pool.. Pool math recommended draining 11% of my pool to get the CH down. I should have done that last night before we got all the rain as it would have been a free refill.......

So, based on my CYA, my Tri-chlor pucks will help bring it up and I will use the amount accordingly.

My question is will the Tri-Chlor do anything to increase the CH? I believe the answer is no but just want to make sure as I need that number to go the opposite direction.

Thank you!

 

[Richard320]

No. Trichlor adds chlorine and CYA and is acidic so pH and TA may come down. Actually, they will, but whether or not it's large enough and fast enough to register on the tests is a maybe.

 

[SABUCKETDAD]

No. Trichlor adds chlorine and CYA and is acidic so pH and TA may come down. Actually, they will, but whether or not it's large enough and fast enough to register on the tests is a maybe.

thank you sir!